THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2021
Baker City, Oregon
4A
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EDITORIAL
Governor’s
hollow words
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, in announcing on Tuesday,
May 4, that Baker County and 14 other counties would
move from extreme risk to high risk under the state’s
COVID-19 restrictions Friday, May 7, implied that she
was bestowing a signifi cant favor on those fortunate
counties.
“Based on today’s numbers, I am keeping my com-
mitment to Oregonians,” Brown said.
This hardly qualifi es as a sacrifi ce on the governor’s
part.
Brown was merely adhering to the standards she
had set. Oregonians should not feel grateful that their
governor merely does what she said she would do.
The margin that prompted the governor’s announce-
ment Tuesday was decidedly narrow.
In April Brown announced that no county would
move into the extreme risk category — which carries
the most stringent restrictions, including a ban on
indoor dining in restaurants and bars — unless two
statewide statistics, both involving COVID-19 patients
being treated in hospitals, were met.
One threshold is 300 patients statewide. The other
is a weekly increase in hospitalization rates of 15% or
more.
Oregon continues to exceed the fi rst mark — there
were 330 COVID-19 patients in hospitals statewide
as of Wednesday, May 5. But the percentage growth in
hospitalization rates was 14.9%.
So by a margin of 0.1%, Baker County will drop from
extreme risk, where it’s been since April 30, to high risk
this Friday.
Yet the county would not have qualifi ed for that
move based solely on case counts and test positivity.
And that highlights the hollowness of the governor’s
recent rhetoric.
In an April 27 press release, Brown said that “Coun-
ties will stay in extreme risk for a maximum of three
weeks, and will be able to move to a lower risk level
sooner if their COVID-19 case rates are brought down
in the intervening weeks ...”
That sounded promising.
Well, not exactly.
The governor’s statement seems pretty straightfor-
ward, even if it lacks any numerical criteria. But what
the governor didn’t say is that although state offi cials
are reviewing counties’ risk levels weekly, they’re still
being assessed based on COVID-19 cases and test posi-
tivity rates over a two-week period. During the most
recent measuring period, April 18 to May 1, Baker
County had 61 new cases and a test positivity rate of
10.6%. To qualify for high risk rather than extreme,
the county needs to have 59 or fewer cases and a test
positivity rate below 10%. Had the statewide rate of
hospitalizations increased by 0.1% more — 15% in-
stead of 14.9% — Baker County would have remained
at extreme risk for at least another week, through May
13.
Yet the governor said counties could move to a lower
risk level if their case rates “are brought down in the
intervening weeks.”
Baker County did that. During the second week
of the April 18-May 1 period, the county’s new cases
dropped by 55% — from 42 to 19. Its test positivity rate
fell from 13.6% to 7%. Those are signifi cant improve-
ments. Yet they wouldn’t have yielded any benefi t to
the county; the state would have continued to punish
the county and many of its businesses based on statis-
tics nearly two weeks old.
Ideally, counties will no longer have to worry about
moving back to extreme risk. Brown said Tuesday that
she doesn’t expect any counties to return to that risk
level for the duration of the pandemic.
The governor should, however, have made the move
to high risk for Baker and 14 other counties immedi-
ate rather than waiting until Friday. Consider that on
April 29 Brown, in a letter justifying her decision to
move those counties to extreme risk, cited computer
modeling showing that that move “could save roughly
180 lives.” Yet four days later, based on the margin of
0.1% in hospitalization rates, the governor decided
those counties — including Multnomah, the state’s
most populous — could return to high risk.
It beggars belief that all those lives would still be in
danger if the statewide hospitalization rate increase
were 15%, but that the danger disappeared when it
dipped to 14.9%. Nor is it logical to think that those
180 people would be spared if 15 counties remained
at extreme risk Wednesday and Thursday, but that
the threat would pass as soon as Friday arrives. This
sort of silly adherence to a rigid schedule — risk level
changes must always take effect on Fridays, apparently
— erodes the governor’s credibility, and extends the
punishment to business owners and local economies.
— Jayson Jacoby, Baker City Herald editor
Your views
Mayor, Council’s stance
make Baker City proud
To Baker City Mayor Kerry Mc-
Quisten: I just saw your appearance
on “Fox News Primetime” and was
pleased and gratifi ed to see you, our
small-town mayor capturing the inter-
est of the national news. You comported
yourself well, with dignity and clarity.
I hope you know, in that appearance
you spoke to the majority of the popula-
tion, not only in our town but across
the state and, I suspect, across the
nation. Americans need to regain their
courage and dignity and the best way
for that to happen is for us all to speak
out and refuse to be forced into unwise,
unwelcome servitude to the Socialist
ideology.
The fi rst step to regain our freedom
is to stand together and refuse to wear
the “Mask of Shame.” The second and
most important is to bring all our busi-
nesses back to normal operation. No
more Soviet-style lockdowns.
You and the City Council are to be
congratulated for taking the bold step
of speaking out. Recall the story of
“The Kings New Clothes.” I don’t know
if our present crop of children know
that story but they do know there is
something wrong with the masks. We
must protect their innocence, health
and their future freedom.
God Bless you and the council. I am
confi dent the entire city is as proud of
you as Penny and I.
Rick and Penny Rienks
Baker City
Mayor, City Council stand
against governor’s orders
Way to go Mayor McQuisten and
City Council on illegal COVID lock-
down! Job well done. Keep it up. Free-
dom is at stake.
Brown violated our Constitution
by extending the COVID emergency
beyond 30 days without vote by State
legislation, thereby making ALL subse-
quent orders illegal as well!
Oregon State Constitution ARTICLE
X-A CATASTROPHIC DISASTERS
Section 6. Termination of operation
of this Article; extension by Legislative
Assembly; transition provisions; limita-
tion on power of Governor to invoke
this Article. (1) Except as provided in
subsection (2) of this section, the provi-
sions of sections 1 to 5 of this Article,
once invoked, shall cease to be opera-
tive not later than 30 days following
the date the Governor invoked the pro-
visions of sections 1 to 5 of this Article,
or on an earlier date recommended by
the Governor and determined by the
Legislative Assembly. The Governor
may not recommend a date under
this subsection unless the Governor
fi nds and declares that the immediate
response to the catastrophic disaster
has ended.
(2) Prior to expiration of the 30-day
limit established in subsection (1) of
this section, the Legislative Assembly
may extend the operation of sections 1
to 5 of this Article beyond the 30-day
limit upon the approval of three-fi fths
of the members of each house who are
able to attend a session described in
subsection (3) of section 3 of this Article.
5) The Governor may not invoke the
provisions of sections 1 to 5 of this Ar-
ticle more than one time with respect
to the same catastrophic disaster. A
determination under subsection (1) of
this section or an extension described
in subsection (2) of this section that
establishes a date upon which the pro-
visions of sections 1 to 5 of this Article
shall cease to be operative does not
prevent invoking the provisions of sec-
tions 1 to 5 of this Article in response
to a new declaration by the Governor
that a different catastrophic disaster
has occurred. (Created through H.J.R.
7, 2011, and adopted by the people Nov.
6, 2012)
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/
bills_laws/Pages/OrConst.aspx
Mick Hiatt
Baker City
Rural America has little in
common with urban left
The Founding Fathers didn’t trust
a centralized government or a stand-
ing army. They wanted checks and
balances and an ironclad guarantee
before ratifying the constitution. Free
speech and an armed populace, in the
bill of rights, were central to adopting a
federalized system. The second amend-
ment was designed as an ace in the
hole against tyranny. You can check it
out by reading the federalist papers
and things like Jefferson’s letters. His
tree of liberty letter is a good one.
The left will scoff at the idea of
armed citizens taking on a totalitar-
ian government backed by the U.S.
military, even though the military
backing a dictator is remote. Our mili-
tary is formidable. I saw it in action
in Vietnam. One night, as new guy, I
pointed out a thunderstorm up in the
mountains. My black fi reteam partner
laughed, it was a B-52 strike. Later
a red laser type beam came from the
sky as Puff with his miniguns strafed
the area. Every 10th round was a red
tracer. Five-fi ve batteries blasted away
with artillery, and a battleship dropped
in some 16-inch shells that made the
ground shake. I saw jets make napalm
runs and Huey gunships support
Marines. An ambush was met by a
platoon with M14’s and M60 machine
guns. Impressive. You can’t win against
that. Trouble is somebody forgot to tell
the VC and NVA. The same argument
about the futility of resisting tyranny
was around in 1775. England had
the most impressive military in the
world. Again, somebody forgot to tell
Washington. In April 1775 a shot was
fi red that was heard around the world.
Tyranny was challenged.
CNN is now constantly hammer-
ing away about mass shootings.
There have been a few, like the one
in Indianapolis. They were quick to
cover it, complete with mugshots and
background on the shooter. In the
meantime, as black and brown gangs
compete for territory to distribute
cartel drugs CNN coverage is simply
presented as mass shootings. No mug-
shots. That might be racist. Out here
in fl yover country it is just written off
as Saturday night in Portland. Gang
violence is gun violence to the left but
even they don’t dispute the fact that
the leading cause of death for black
males 16 to 24 is homicide. The liberal
way of dealing with that is to disband
gang units and defund the police and
take guns away from the country boys.
The idea of drone strikes on cartel
drug labs would disturb their inner
child.
The civil cold war is warming up as
cities burn with unchecked “peaceful
protests.” Liberal agenda to disarm the
public only makes it get hotter. Add to
that the Biden border and it doesn’t
bode well for peace and harmony or
the unity Uncle Joe promised. We are
supposed to have discourse and talk
our differences out. Be bipartisan. That
doesn’t work. Say you oppose anymore
immigration because of overpopula-
tion and you are immediately thought
of as racist. Assert the right to defend
yourself or the republic and you are a
gun lobby.
Rural America has little in common
with the urban left. Political separation
sounds good. I’m for borders and guns.
What will happen will happen.
Steve Culley
Baker City
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
President Joe Biden: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania
Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-1111; to send comments,
go to www.whitehouse.gov.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: D.C. offi ce: 313 Hart Senate Offi ce
Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-3753;
fax 202-228-3997. Portland offi ce: One World Trade Center, 121
S.W. Salmon St. Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; 503-326-3386;
fax 503-326-2900. Baker City offi ce, 1705 Main St., Suite 504,
541-278-1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. offi ce: 221 Dirksen Senate
Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244; fax 202-
228-2717. La Grande offi ce: 105 Fir St., No. 210, La Grande, OR
97850; 541-962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885; wyden.senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (2nd District): D.C. offi ce: 2182
Rayburn Offi ce Building, Washington, D.C., 20515, 202-225-
6730; fax 202-225-5774. La Grande offi ce: 1211 Washington Ave.,
La Grande, OR 97850; 541-624-2400, fax, 541-624-2402; walden.
house.gov.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol, Salem, OR
97310; 503-378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
State Sen. Lynn Findley (R-Ontario): Salem offi ce: 900
Court St. N.E., S-403, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1730. Email: Sen.
LynnFindley@oregonlegislature.gov
State Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane): Salem offi ce: 900 Court
St. N.E., H-475, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1460. Email: Rep.
MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Baker City Hall: 1655 First Street, P.O. Box 650, Baker City,
OR 97814; 541-523-6541; fax 541-524-2049. City Council meets
the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Councilors Lynette Perry, Jason Spriet, Kerry McQuisten, Shane
Alderson, Joanna Dixon, Heather Sells and Johnny Waggoner Sr.
Baker City administration: 541-523-6541. Jonathan
Cannon, city manager; Ray Duman, police chief; Sean Lee, fi re
chief; Michelle Owen, public works director.
Baker County Commission: Baker County Courthouse
1995 3rd St., Baker City, OR 97814; 541-523-8200. Meets the
fi rst and third Wednesdays at 9 a.m.; Bill Harvey (chair), Mark
Bennett, Bruce Nichols.