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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2019)
A4 East Oregonian Saturday, December 21, 2019 CHRISTOPHER RUSH Publisher KATHRYN B. BROWN Owner ANDREW CUTLER Editor WYATT HAUPT JR. News Editor JADE McDOWELL Hermiston Editor Founded October 16, 1875 OUR VIEW Tip of the hat, kick in the pants A tip of the hat to this week’s announcement that the state’s unemployment rate fell below 4%. There are always plenty of provisos, and statistics can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people, but the news recently about the state’s unem- ployment rate is a welcome sign as the new year approaches. It means, essentially, that a lot of people in the state are working and that should mean good things for the future. The economy is humming, appar- ently. The unemployment rate for the nation is 3.5%, a historic low. The key question — as always — is how long will such significant unem- ployment lows continue, but for now, we all should stop and take a collec- tive breath. The nation, in terms of employment and the economy, is in a good place now. A tip of the hat to all of the indi- viduals now in the running to replace U.S. Rep. Greg Walden. Walden announced earlier this fall that he will not run for re-election for the 2nd Congressional District, which covers a huge swath of Oregon, including Eastern Oregon. Recently, former Union County Commissioner Jack Howard threw his hat into the ring for the position. He joins fellow GOP candidates Jason Atkinson, Cliff Bentz and Knute Buehler. Three Democrats, John Holm, Raz Mason and Isabella Tibetts, are also running. Whoever wins, all of these individ- uals should be lauded for stepping up and getting involved in the political process. A kick in the pants to the flu. Yes, the familiar malady is back and it has reappeared with a vengeance. So far EO file photo Job seekers mingle with potential employers during a job fair in June at the Hermiston Com- munity Center. Oregon’s unemployment rate has sunk below 4%, the lowest level in more than four decades, according to state economists. more than 1,000 Oregonians have been struck down by the virus. None of us can do very much about the flu virus, but we can protect ourselves. That means getting the flu vaccine. Area residents can get the vaccine at a number of places and it is a proven and effective measure to fight off the virus. A few minutes out of the day to get a flu shot will pay off down the road. So, get your flu shot. A kick in the pants and a famil- iar reminder that winter weather is here to stay, so that means while we travel this holiday week we should all be extra careful on the roads. Win- ter weather can arrive unexpectedly and create real-time hazards for all of us. Don’t let a winter storm spoil your Christmas-time plans. Keep a watch- ful eye on the weather forecast and, most of all, slow down. FROM HERE TO ANYWHERE Looking to the light this Solstice W OTHER VIEWS Trump’s accomplishments can’t be impeached I have empathy for letter writers like Bernie Sanderson (Republicans worshipping Trump, East Oregonian Dec. 11, 2019). Ninety percent of pundits, AP news articles, news media and the entertainment industry excoriate the presi- dent of the United States daily and mercilessly. Is it any wonder that Americans that ingest this deceit are angry, bitter, deceived and desperate to support any effort to erase the will of 63 million Americans? America is bitterly divided, perhaps even greater than pre-Civil War. Instead of calming the anti-Trump/Republican rage and antagonism, the American press and media and Democrat party is fanning the flames of impeachment discord and division. They could care less about Americans. Since Donald Trump was elected Nov. 8, 2016, America has become the economic envy of the world. The Dow Jones has gained 10,000 points, a 57% increase. The S&P has gained 500 points, up 40%. Nasdaq is up 29%. The U.S. economy grew at 1.6% during Obama’s last year. Under Trump the economy has doubled that output. There were 266,000 new jobs in Novem- ber alone. Unemployment in America is at a 50-year low and all time low for African-Ameri- cans. The press and media — shameful silence. What has Trump done to facilitate this resur- gence that Obama said was impossible? Trump has honored his campaign promise — a novel idea. He has leveraged America’s world-best economy to compel trading partners to deal forthrightly with us. Under Trump and against Obama’s energy regulations, America is now the world’s leading oil and energy exporter. Trump scrapped Clinton’s economy-destroying NAFTA and forced Canada and Mexico to agree to a fair trade agreement. Under Obama, China was put- ting America in debt bondage and stealing our world-leading technology. Trump’s policies have Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East Oregonian. brought China’s economy to a standstill, forc- ing them to renegotiate a fair trade agreement. Obama sold out America with a traitorous nuclear accord with Iran, empowering them to spread Islamic terrorism throughout the world. Trump saved America and the free world by standing our great enemy down, not through arms but through economic leverage. Who profited from Trump’s America first policy? All Ameri- cans, especially those who attempted to defame and impeach him. We voted for Trump because we were sick and tired of traitors that put America last with horrible trade agreements, overtaxation, government reg- ulations and pro-socialist anti-American policies. We are 63 million strong. Try to impeach that. Stuart Dick Irrigon The fall of Rome is befalling the U.S. I suggest that everyone who has an interest in the fate of the United States read “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” One will see the exact same thing is happing in our country today. Depending on which historian one reads, three factors brought down the Roman Empire — mor- als, taxes and slaves. Historians don’t always have them in that order, however, all three brought them to their demise. The U.S. has lowered the moral bar. Taxes are punitive; ours is a Ponzi scheme. We do don’t have slaves, but we do have illegal immigrants and legal immigrants working in our system for less wages, which will eventually lead to no middle class. The Romans had more slaves than citizens. I am not implying that illegals are slaves, however, they dis- rupt Americans from working. Read the book and shed tears. History does repeat itself. Roesch Kishpaugh Pendleton inter Solstice. The dark- log home outlined in red and blue est day of the year, but and green. We were overjoyed. also the day the earth will My sister is 21 months older tip once again toward light. Slowly, than I am — 21 steps ahead, I tell slowly. In fact, the word solstice her, to remind her that she has been means “when the sun stands still.” a guide and that I am still follow- ing, the same way I did when she It’s a fragile time. Life seems to brought home books from her first- hang in the balance. Darkness is important. It’s a time grade class. By Christmas that year she had taught how me to read and to turn inward, be still. Darkness, words had become purely too, is part of life. But we miraculous. yearn for light. We coax it As we approach this to return to us with blazing Solstice, she is dying. fires, candles set on win- dowsills, even fireworks. All around me I see people waiting for the light The first Solstice lights to return, children wait- I ever saw were stars. ing as patiently as they can When I was born at the for Santa Claus. And this end of World War II, elec- B ette tricity had not yet come to year, it feels as if every- H usted one is waiting — to see my family in rural Idaho. COMMENT what kind of country we December was a dark time, are, what kind of coun- with only a circle of dim try we want to be. As the days pass, light from the kerosene lamp or the we will realize once again that the kerosene lantern Dad hung in the gift must always move, that sharing barn before he climbed the ladder is what makes life possible. People into the pitch-black haymow to toss will gather with friends and family, down forkfuls of alfalfa for the cow and for his beloved team, Shorty and and sing, and make festive foods to share. We will all be lighting can- Dolly. Somehow that light made the dles — Christmas candles, Menorah winter barn feel warm. As the milk candles, Kwanzaa candles. frothed in the bucket he squirted And over our heads, those stars some into the barn cats’ waiting mouths and then filled their battered my sister and I knew as children will burn brightly as ever. They may pan, while I sat where he had lifted be obscured now by the glow of too me, on Dolly’s wide back, at the many city lights, but they are there. edge of the shadows. We, too, are stardust. Joni Mitch- But outside, the darkness was lit ell was right about that. Our bodies with those amazing stars, and the Milky Way was a nearly solid path it are made of the constantly falling dust of stars, our cells changing and looked like I could climb. replacing themselves with more of All that was missing from those the elements that come from stars. lights was color, but my sister and Some cultures teach that not only I discovered color, to our great joy, did we come from stars, we will in neon. They were beautiful, those orange and green signs outside Han- return there, too. “All goes onward son’s Garage and Stoddard’s Elec- and outward; nothing collapses,” tric. I was just learning to talk when Walt Whitman wrote. How exactly my aunt asked, in what must have this happens is a mystery to me. been bemused exasperation, “Bette, Will my sister climb the pathway what are we going to do with you?” of the Milky Way? She is still my I knew exactly what to say. “Take guide. me to town to see the lights.” On this Solstice, once again I Then came Christmas. Dad drove watch the skies. us around the snowy streets on the ——— Bette Husted is a writer and a way to our grandparents’ so we student of T’ai Chi and the natural could see the Peterson’s house on world. She lives in Pendleton. the hill above the post office, a big The East Oregonian welcomes original letters of 400 words or less on public issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold letters that address concerns about individual services and products or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Letters must be signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime phone number. The phone number will not be published. Unsigned letters will not be published. Send letters to the editor to editor@eastoregonian.com, or via mail to Andrew Cutler, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801
