Wednesday, May 11, 2022
A4
OPINION
VOICE of the CHIEFTAIN
Wyden
committed to
representing
everybody
O
regon U.S. Sen Ron Wyden
isn’t going to collect a huge
majority of votes from the
Eastern Oregon counties he rep-
resents because of his party affilia-
tion, but his continued focus on spon-
soring town hall sessions in even the
most conservative areas of the state
show he is committed to democracy.
Wyden was in La
Grande last month for
a town hall meeting
where he discussed a
range of issues, includ-
ing the lack of afford-
Wyden
able housing and
homelessness across the state.
Eastern Oregon is a deeply con-
servative area and the majority of
its voters subscribe to Republican
values. Wyden, a Democrat, vis-
its this section of the state on a reg-
ular basis for town halls and other
information-gathering exercises.
Wyden has repeatedly stated he
represents all of Oregon, not just the
voting block that elected him. That
should be good news for voters.
Wyden, like his Senate Demo-
cratic colleague, Sen. Jeff Merk-
ley, both spend a lot of time in areas
where their brand of politics prob-
ably isn’t very popular and they
do it because they view their job
as one that encompasses all resi-
dents, not just the ones that adhere
to their own political views.
The nation needs more of that
kind of political outlook. At the end
of the day, whatever an individu-
al’s political persuasion, the issues
in Joseph, Enterprise, or La Grande
are the issues faced by all East-
ern Oregon residents. Whether a
senator is a Republican or a Dem-
ocrat doesn’t really matter when
viewed against issues such as the
availability of water or other natu-
ral resources challenges. No, what
matters is whether are elected rep-
resentatives — be it at the state or
federal level — gets things done.
The nation has become a polarized
entity politically where a commitment
to blind dogma is pushed across all
political spectrums. Our issues — the
problems we face at the local, state
and federal level — demand more
than just a business as usual, nar-
row political view. Instead, we must
face each problem from a holistic
point of view and seek solutions that
cover a broad spectrum of ideologies.
Wyden’s visits are a testament to
a lawmaker that cares about all of
the voters in Oregon. You might not
agree with his politics, but his com-
mitment to traveling to areas such
as Eastern Oregon to gather input
is a good sign democracy is vibrant
in our corner of the Republic.
LETTERS to the EDITOR
Endorsing Tim McCloud
It is time for the midterm elections
and I would like to urge all of East-
ern Oregon to exercise its right to reg-
ister to vote. ... and then actually cast a
ballot. The midterms are important and
dictate who our choices are on the gen-
eral election ballot in November.
This month we vote to select our can-
didates for governor and as a self-de-
scribed “centrist Republican” I have care-
fully deliberated and decided to endorse
and vote for Tim McCloud (R) — his
positions on almost every issue align
with mine, and most rural Oregonians.
He is the one candidate who can
bridge the divide between rural and
urban Oregon, represent both commu-
nities equally and finally, I believe he
is the only Republican on the ticket
who can actually win in Oregon and I
hope other Republicans will vote for
him on their primary ballots as well.
Steve West
La Grande
The last state
boundary change
The Red River is the boundary
between the states of Minnesota and
North Dakota. In the late ’50s or early
’60s an Army Corps of Engineers flood
control project changed the course of the
river stranding two parts of Minnesota —
a 12.76 acre parcel and a 9.78 acre parcel
— on the North Dakota side of the river.
In order to reestablish the Red River
as the actual state boundary, bills had
to be approved by both the House and
Senate of North Dakota, the House
and Senate of Minnesota and finally
by the House and Senate of the United
States. This occurred Aug. 24, 1961,
and was the last state boundary change
in the U.S. All that for 22.54 acres.
Can anyone really believe the Ore-
gon House and Senate would approve
transferring virtually half of the state
to Idaho just to accommodate a pretty
small minority of Oregon voters?
Don McAlister
Enterprise
Putin is to blame, not Biden
Ukrainians are being killed; their
homes, farms, businesses are being oblit-
erated by Putin. In the U.S., even if we
were not appalled by this moral out-
rage, we would be disgruntled that this
war affects our cost of living. We want to
blame someone for making us pay more
for gasoline to get to work or to vacation.
The one to blame for this situation is
the president of Russia, not the president
of the United States. Putin sent his mili-
tary forces to invade Ukraine for no other
reason than to gain power over more terri-
tory. There is every reason to believe that
taking over Ukraine would not satisfy his
greed for power and if he is successful, he
will continue overtaking other countries.
The whole world is in danger of economic
destruction and worse because of this man.
President Biden is bringing together
the countries of the free world in opposi-
tion to Russia’s threat. It makes sense that
the citizens of the United States would
support freedom and democracy on the
planet. It does not make sense for peo-
ple of good will to ignore the overwhelm-
ing destruction and loss of life when
Russia is threatening the entire world.
It does not make sense to condemn the
U.S. leader who is championing free-
dom. Nor does it make sense to approve
of Putin and those who support him.
In the face of domination by greedy oli-
garchs and the possibility of losing our
constitution and our freedom, it seems so
petty to be obsessed with concerns like
being asked to wear masks in order to
EDITORIALS: Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Wallowa County Chieftain
editorial board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express the opinions
of the authors and not necessarily that of the Wallowa County Chieftain.
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County residents up the
lake without a dock
After four years of contacting county
commissioners each spring about get-
ting the dock in at the county park
before tourist season and getting
excuses from the senior Commissioner
Susan Roberts, I am ready to vent.
There is no legitimate reason why the
dock cannot be put in soon after the ice is
gone. It is not “rocket science” to under-
stand that this is a yearly job that can be
planned for, allowing county residents
to enjoy early fishing before the tourists
arrive. It costs no more to install the dock
in early April than it does in late May.
County residents pay for boat and
trailer licenses, fishing licenses, prop-
erty taxes and commissioner salaries.
Why do we not get consideration? Also,
the safety of fishermen is at risk when
they have to unload, load and board their
boats without a dock at the head of the
lake. I wonder if the county dock will
become a priority now that the dragon
boat enthusiasts want to use the lake?
Mike McNall
Joseph
Fifth-generation
Wallowa County resident
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Wallowa County’s Newspaper Since 1884
VOLUME 134
help stop the pandemic, or require oth-
ers to live their lives a certain way, or
move a state boundary, or accept a major-
ity vote, or pay taxes that allow us to have
the conveniences our society demands.
If mankind survives the pres-
ent threat of authoritarian control and
nuclear disaster, we will be able to work
on solving other threatening issues on
earth like having air to breathe, clean
water to drink, and sustaining life on
earth. Let’s get our priorities straight
and stop whining about lesser things.
Evelyn Swart
Joseph
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