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WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ OCTOBER 12, 2016
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
Keeping your letters from becoming a murky brew
political debates: inflammato-
ry rants from both sides that
simply deepen the divide
rather than educate and clarify.
As the election draws near-
er, more letters are arriving
each day in support of both
candidates as well as senators,
judges, measures and who
should’ve won this week’s
“Dancing with the Stars.”
This is our Constitution in
action as We the People
express our First Amendment
right to free speech on the
things that are important to us.
Seeing your letters and emails
arrive each day is inspiring
because each is a reflection of
the viewpoints, concerns and
Twice a week, this 22-by-
12-inch sheet of newsprint
becomes its own community
forum-style debate as we
voice our opinion on things
that matter to us as individuals
and as a community.
It’s my job to be its moder-
ator, ensuring this space does-
n’t turn into what we’ve wit-
nessed during the last three
values we hold as a communi-
ty.
However, free speech does-
n’t mean it can come at the
cost of being responsible.
ken with several letter writers
regarding why I wouldn’t be
printing their submissions. In
each case, I feel we learned
something about each other
From the Editor’s Desk
N ED H ICKSON
As editor, my responsibility
is to offer a balanced perspec-
tive that our community can
trust as a resource in reaching
educated, informed decisions
about the things that matter to
us.
Since Monday, I have spo-
and reached an understanding;
We the people used our right
to free speech in the way it
was intended and, as a result,
established a dialogue that we
will both benefit from as
members of our community.
As I explained to one read-
er, personal opinion is fine in a
letter to the editor, as long as it
is tactful, constructive and not
irresponsible or inflammatory.
Anything that includes
“evidence” or accusations
needs to be sourced by some-
thing other than an Internet
link, and it needs to be cited in
the letter.
We’re part of an age that is
the first to explore the benefits
and dangers of a social media
mentality, where wild accusa-
tions, rumor and opinion come
together to form a murky brew
served as regularly as our
morning coffee.
To keep this page an honest
representation of our commu-
nity means I have to be a
watchdog when it comes to
offering facts for our readers
to form opinions from.
That being said, I make the
same promise to you that I did
to one reader — which is to be
the kind of watchdog that runs
to either side of the yard when
someone is at the fence.
That way, when I bring you
the newspaper with this 22-
by-12-inch page wrapped
inside, it will be something we
can both feel good about.
Write Siuslaw News editor Ned
Hickson at nhickson@thesiuslaw
news.com or P.O. Box 10,
Florence, Ore. 97439.
LETTERS
He’s a keeper
I am happy to be endorsing the re-election of
a friend of ours and a friend of all his con-
stituents up and down the coast: Senator Arnie
Roblan.
Not a tough decision.
In an election year fraught with F.U.D. (fear,
uncertainty and doubt), it’s a slam-dunk to vote
for a man who has proven to be a true represen-
tative of the people — all the people.
What? He’s a Democrat?
And I’m a Republican?
That’s the point: it’s rare to find a legislator
who listens with equal intensity and concern to
those on both sides of the aisle.
He’s a keeper!
Pat Sapp
Florence
Get out and vote
The presidential election is almost upon us.
There are three important points to remember:
1) Trump is for controlled immigration;
Clinton supports open borders
2) Trump will appoint Supreme Court
Justices who (I feel) will uphold our
Constitution; Clinton will appoint liberal
Justices who (I feel) will try to change our
Constitution
3) Trump is pro-life; Clinton supports partial
birth abortion
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
The rest of us need to get out and vote.
Pamela Richardson
Florence
Stand with me
It is no secret that State Senator Arnie Roblan
has been a champion, in both in his private and
public lives, of strengthening K-12 education
and the expansion of access to higher education
for all our citizens.
Even when our Oregon experienced the worst
economic times since the Great Depression of
the 1930s, during his leadership as Co-Speaker
of the Oregon House of Representatives, we did
everything in our power to cushion the pain that
would be visited on our schools, colleges and
universities.
With the support from Democratic col-
leagues, who have always stood together to
address the educational needs of our children,
we fought hard to restore the budget cuts that
had to be taken in those hard times.
We are now out of those desperate economic
woods and, thanks to those who have continu-
ously led the charge for more education fund-
ing, our schools are getting more financial sup-
port from the State than ever before.
And now the campaign season is upon us and
it is the time when we have to make choices that
could have a lasting effect on future generations
USPS# 497-660
of Americans.
I ask you to stand with me in supporting a
person who continuously stands with you and
has historically delivered on his promise to put
the children of Oregon first.
Join me in re-electing State Senator Arnie
Roblan this November.
Joanne Verger
Retired Senator
Coos Bay
We can’t wait
any longer
Our roads are a mess. It seems like every time
I watch the evening news or log onto my com-
puter there’s a report of a fatal accident. But
crumbling roads and bridges aren’t just deadly
— they’re costly too.
Every year we miss out on new jobs because
our roads can’t handle the traffic.
Politicians in Salem haven’t passed a trans-
portation package in seven years. Our roads
and bridges can’t wait any longer.
We need funding now to pay for desperately
needed repairs and safety upgrades.
This year, I’m voting for Dick Anderson
because he has a proven track record of getting
Dying for lack
of medicine
Here is an example of what our Congress has
done to protect the people of the United States.
Due to lobbying by phamaceuticals industries,
we have a regulation that forbids the govern-
ment from negotiating the prices for drugs that
are bought for Medicare, Medicaid and the
Veterans Administration (VA).
As an example: The Gillian Sciences compa-
ny manufactures a drug that treats Hepatitus-C
that costs $1 to produce and which they charge
as much as $1,000 for. This has resulted in
many people dying for lack of money.
The government has paid out more than $10
billion to those companies, which have their
money being “stored” in Ireland and don’t pay
any U.S. taxes on.
The reason this bill passed is because some of
our representatives in Congress benefit from the
pharmaceuticals industries, from funds con-
tributed to campaigns.
These statements were quoted as fact by Dr.
Jeffery Sachs of “The Earth Institute” on the
Morning Joe show, Oct. 11, 2016. It was also
stated that the VA was quoted as having to “send
people home until they were sicker” because
they could not afford the cost to treat the early
diagnosis.
This should take Congress one hour to write
and one hour to pass on a single sheet of paper
since the current Congress has proven to have
veto control. Call 202-224-3121 and let your
state Representative know you want this
approved as a bill.
Albert Anderson
Florence
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WHERE TO WRITE
Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National
Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore.
Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax
541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com.
John Bartlett
Jenna Bartlett
Ned Hickson
Susan Gutierrez
Cathy Dietz
Ron Annis
Jeremy Gentry
things done for the Coast. As the Mayor of
Lincoln City he cut red tape to widen Highway
101 and make it safer. He also sits on two
ODOT transportation commissions where he
collaborated to secure funding for a new dry
dock at the Port of Toledo.
If he did all this as Mayor, imagine what he
can do as our Senator.
Dick Anderson is an expert at working with
ODOT and politicians on both sides of the aisle
to secure funding for projects here on the
Oregon coast, not in the I-5 corridor.
Let’s elect a Senator that can get things mov-
ing; let’s elect Dick Anderson to Oregon Senate.
Karen Childs
Florence
Pres. Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
Gov. Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
Governor’s Citizens’ Rep.
Message Line 503-378-4582
www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email:
Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
State Rep. Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email:
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416/ 800-944-9603
541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
West Lane County Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email:
Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us