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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 2020)
A4 East Oregonian Thursday, January 2, 2020 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 Clarno gets it right again O regon Secretary of State Bev Clarno rejected two ini- tiative petitions on Thurs- day, Dec. 19, because they included more than one topic. It’s the second time this year she’s told would-be petition sponsors they must stick to the state’s single-subject rule, which says petitions must be limited to only one change. Clarno won the first case, which involved three proposed initiatives, in Marion County Circuit Court in late November, though the ruling is being challenged in the Court of Appeals. Last week, Clarno tossed out Ini- tiative Petitions 48 and 49 for the same reason she denied the earlier pair. The two measures are roughly identical. Each would require that all electricity sold in Oregon be from renewable sources and car- bon-free resources. That is, presum- ably, what really matters to the folks at Renew Oregon, who are push- EO Media Group file photo Secretary of State Bev Clarno has rejected two proposed ballot measures that would force Oregon to transition to carbon-free sources of electricity in the next 25 years. ing the bills at least in part to make their goals law no matter what the 2020 Legislature does. Unfortunately, the measures don’t stop there. They include all sorts of rules on working conditions, the sorts of things that are the result of labor negotiations, not a state- wide vote. The rules cover every- thing from prevailing wage require- ments to mandatory participation in apprenticeship programs and proof the utilities have a history of obey- ing existing state and federal wage and hour laws. And, during the switch to 100% renewables, utilities would be charged with working to see that everyone benefits from the switch. They are, in other words, mul- tifaceted proposals that deal with multiple subjects. And that, the state constitution says in several places, is not the way the system works. The state consti- tution clearly says that “a proposed law or Amendment shall embrace one subject only and matters prop- erly contained therein” [Article IV, Section 1 (2)(d)]. That’s not particularly ambigu- ous language, in Clarno’s view. The only judge to rule on the issue so far has seen it her way. With luck, a new round of judges will agree. OTHER VIEWS A fresh gesture of concern from the fellowship of the furrowed brow O h swell. The Republican Senate’s tion to rig the game for Trump. Are they so-called “moderates,” who com- terrified that Trump will tweet at them? bine big talk with little action Are they scared of the grassroots Trump- and fuse noble rhetoric with hapless iner- ists back home? Or is it basically because tia, appear to be readying themselves for their “moderate” image is overblown, another year of deeming certain Trump given the fact that as senators they vote desecrations as “unhelpful” or “unwise.” their party the vast majority of the time? One member of this club — which I call I’ll go with door number three. A recent the Fellowship of the Furrowed Brow — vote serves as the perfect metaphor. spoke up recently. Alaska Sen. Lisa Mur- Back in October McConnell nominated, kowski said she’s “disturbed” that Mitch for a federal judgeship, a 37-year-old right- McConnell is colluding backstage with the winger who’d been rated “unqualified” legal team of defendant Donald Trump in by the nonpartisan American Bar Associ- ation. In the ABA’s words, Jus- advance of his impeachment trial tin Walker “does not presently in the Senate. Mainstream media outlets have the requisite trial or litiga- think this is big news. Accord- tion experience (and) has never ing to the New York Times, it’s tried a case as lead or co-counsel, “a potentially significant crack whether civil or criminal.” in Republican unity.” We’ll see. No matter. Every member of To me, it sounds like the Fur- the Furrowed Brow Fellowship — rowed Brow Fellowship’s standard Murkowski, Romney, Sasse, Col- D ick lins — voted to put Walker on the sponginess, the kind we’ve been P olman federal bench. Just as they’ve con- getting for the past three years COMMENT sistently abetted Trump’s far-right from Murkowski and Republican takeover of the bench. Senate colleagues like Mitt Rom- ney, Susan Collins, Ben Sasse, Rob Port- Sasse, in particular, has been verbally man, and Lamar Alexander. upset with Trump for a long time, but he First they mouth honeyed words, then has voted with Trump 86% of the time and (far more often than not) they vote with voted (along with Collins and then-Fur- rowed Browist Jeff Flake) to put accused Trump and abet his abuses. It’s nice that Murkowski is “disturbed” sexual assaulter Brett Kavanaugh on the that McConnell has “confused” the trial Supreme Court. process. But it would truly serve the pub- One would think that confronting lic interest if she and her furrowed-brow McConnell on the impeachment trial rules, brethren denounced McConnell’s goal of and demanding witness testimony, would granting Trump a speedy exoneration. be easy calls. Those are popular positions. Under Senate rules, 51 senators (all 47 cau- According to the latest Morning Consult/ cusing Democrats and a mere 4 Republi- Politico poll, Americans — by a margin cans) can set the terms of that trial. of 54 to 27% — want the Senate to bring That’s what conservative Trump critics in additional witnesses. Independents would love to see. Bill Kristol, the long- are on board, 51 to 27%. Even a plurality time conservative commentator and activ- of Republicans are on board, 43 to 38%. ist, co-writing with a University of Texas Numbers like that have apparently inspired academic in a right-leaning online maga- Murkowski to deem herself “disturbed” by zine, deftly frames the issue: the prospect of a rigged exoneration. “If a bipartisan group of public-spir- Yes, only four Republicans are needed ited constitutionalists on both sides of the to ensure a real trial. But that would aisle come together, they can tell McCo- require them to act, so what we’re more nnell that he will only get 51 votes … if likely to hear are various synonyms of he works with them to fashion a fair pro- “disturbed.” Keep your ear cocked for cess that allows for crucial documents to these potential Furrowed Brow adjectives: be compelled to be produced, and a rea- Concerned. sonable number of witnesses to be called. Troubled. …The only way to get to that outcome Puzzled. is if some Senate Republicans refuse to Perturbed. lower themselves to be the mere agents of Disconcerted. an unprincipled and partisan leader and Unsettled. instead rise to the demands of principle Worried. and statesmanship.” Is there room on that list for infuriated “Some Senate Republicans.” He’s refer- or outraged? Not on their watch. ring to the Fellowship of the Furrowed ——— Brow — which, Murkowski aside, has said Dick Polman is a nationally syndicated very little about McConnell’s determina- columnist. 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. Our Vietnam veterans are another year older, still without a capital city memorial T he United States of America Commem- The state of Oregon dedicated a beautiful oration of the Vietnam War is currently World War II Memorial on the Oregon Capi- tol Grounds on June 6, 2014. At that time, over ongoing. This national commemora- tion was authorized by Congress, established 95% of all World War II veterans were gone under the secretary of defense and launched already. by the president in May 2012. It will continue It has been said by several Oregonians that through Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2025. This we have an urgent situation. Time is running program commemorates the 50th anniver- out. The window of opportunity is slowly sary of the Vietnam War and recognizes all closing for the state of Oregon to honor its who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Vietnam veterans while they are still with us. Forces, regardless of location, during the A Vietnam War memorial on the Oregon Cap- itol Grounds is needed sooner rather than later. period of Nov. 1, 1955, to May 15, 1975, as a During the 2020 legislative ses- Vietnam veteran. sion, it is anticipated that a Senate While 2020 brings another year, bill will be introduced which will our Vietnam veterans are a year establish a Vietnam War memo- older and there is still not a Vietnam rial on the Oregon Capitol Grounds. War memorial in Oregon’s capital Currently, the Oregon Parks and city of Salem. Recreation Department and the During the Vietnam War era, Oregon State Historic Preservation more than 9 million Americans Office are reviewing a proposed served in the United States mili- S teve tary. More than 2.7 million served design for such a memorial. B ateS in Vietnam, of which about 57,000 You can see the proposed design COMMENT were Oregonians. It is estimated at www.vietnamwarmemorialfund. that a total of 180,000 from Ore- org. gon served during the Vietnam War era. Cur- It is estimated that the proposed Vietnam rently, it is estimated with data provided by the War memorial on the Oregon Capitol Grounds United States Census Bureau, that there about will cost 2.7 million dollars. A nonprofit cor- poration exists to raise these needed funds. 100,000 Oregon Vietnam era veterans alive The stated goal is to raise these funds from the today. The average age of our Vietnam veterans is private sector. You can help. Call your state legislators and now over 70. The Vietnam Veterans of Amer- ica announced that the average age of their tell them you wish for them to pass the Viet- nam War Memorial Senate Bill. You can also membership in 2019 was 72. The United States Department of Veterans make a tax deductible donation to the cause. Another year has passed and, with your Affairs published a report that forecast 14,000 help, we are one year closer to honoring our Oregon Vietnam veterans either have passed Vietnam veterans with a Vietnam War memo- away or will die between 2015 and 2020 at a rial on the Oregon Capitol Grounds. rate of 8 veterans per day. ——— It is inevitable that our Vietnam veterans Steve Bates has resided in Boring for 42 will leave us. years and is a life member of the Associates Vietnam veteran and United Mine Work- ers of America, International Union Presi- of Vietnam Veterans of America. He serves dent Cecil E. Roberts made this statement in as chair of the Committee on Memorials & March 2019: “With an estimated 390 Vietnam Remembrance and president of the Vietnam veterans passing each day there will be few, if War Memorial Fund. He can be reached by email at vietnamwarmem@aol.com. any alive in 10 years.” 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
