THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021
Baker City, Oregon
4A
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news@bakercityherald.com
EDITORIAL
Less power,
more money
The four hydroelectric dams on the lower Snake
River in Southeast Washington might seem far re-
moved — geographically and in other ways — from
Baker County. But the future of those dams could
have a direct effect on our monthly power bills.
And unfortunately, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s
recent decision to have our state fi le a federal lawsuit
challenging the existence of those dams has the
potential to make electricity more expensive, less
reliable and dirtier.
The lawsuit, fi led March 4, contests the fi ndings
in an environmental study the federal government
released in October 2020. One of its key conclusions
is that removing the four dams — Lower Granite,
Little Goose, Lower Monumental and Ice Harbor
— is not necessary to help struggling populations of
endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead.
Moreover, the environmental impact statement
found that breaching those dams, which can produce
more than 2,000 megawatts of renewable power,
could result in higher power rates and an increase in
carbon emissions.
That’s a signifi cant concern for Oregon Trail
Electric Cooperative, said Joseph Hathaway, OTEC’s
communications manager. OTEC buys its electricity
from the Bonneville Power Administration, which
markets power produced by federal dams on the
Snake and Columbia rivers.
Brown’s decision to legally challenge the federal
government’s support for keeping the four dams
is troubling because in October 2020 the governor
joined her counterparts in Idaho, Washington and
Montana to form the Columbia Basin Collaborative,
with a goal of restoring salmon and steelhead popu-
lations in the Columbia and Snake River systems
while miminizing the effect on the electricity grid
and the regional economy.
Oregon also has supported a previous plan that
included spilling more water through the dams dur-
ing spring to improve survival rates in salmon and
steelhead migrating to the Pacifi c Ocean. That plan
is included in the October 2020 federal decision that
is the target of the lawsuit Oregon fi led March 4.
The governor’s actions are inconsistent.
Oregon can’t reasonably participate in a four-state
collaborative designed to help salmon and steelhead,
while keeping the dams and protecting the electricity
grid and the economy, and simultaneously be a plain-
tiff in a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the current
federal dam operation plan.
— Jayson Jacoby, Baker City Herald editor
Your views
Bond measure adds to the
tax burden for residents
Just a few words on the bond issue.
Every year our taxes go up 3 to 4% and
it is getting pretty high. It is getting
hard for those of us on Social Security
to pay it.
What if the school board would quit
making new jobs and not be paying
such high wages. The top 10 wage
earners for the school are costing us at
least $1 million a year and they will be
getting raises. Too bad they wouldn’t do
like the sawmills did us and cut wages
10%. But they don’t do that any more,
they just tax the people instead.
Joe Johnson
Baker City
Americans need to wake up
before they lose freedom
I wrote a letter to the editor about
10 years ago that bears repeating. I
wrote about this country on the verge
of losing its freedom as we know it. The
difference between a citizen and a sub-
ject! Seems a lot of us still don’t know
the big difference between freedom and
domination. Looks like we are about to
make a lot of the same mistakes again.
As it was said then, freedom only stays
free as long as the people are willing
to stand up and fi ght for it. Too many
still have their head stuck in the sand,
not realizing what is still exposed. We
have some leaders who have their
own agenda and are willing to destroy
our country and our way of life to get
it (power and money). There was a
Russian leader years ago who said,
“America would fail from the inside by
its own people.” Sure hope he’s wrong.
But now look, we have the radicals,
Socialist party wanting to change
this country. I don’t know about you,
but I like it the way it is. It’s time to
wake up, and come out of the dream
world, time to realize freebies are not
free, someone must pay for them. The
Constitution was written for us to keep
big government in check, not the other
way around. But big government is get-
ting louder and louder while you and
I are being silenced. Time to wake up,
American people, before it’s too late. We
don’t need a Communist takeover.
In closing, we need to send Vice Pres-
ident Harris a map to the U.S.-Mexico
border, poor thing is having a hard time
fi nding it. Hey, Joe! It’s we the people,
not the government. And what part
of “shall not be infringed on” do you
not understand. If you want a woman
president, I vote for Judge Jeanine!
Richard Fox
Baker City
Trump acolytes need to
concede that he lost
Hi everybody. “Moscow” Mike here.
I wish to thank Retrumplican Ricky
Rienks for bestowing our former
president’s favorite place to visit with
his best friend Putin as as my new
handle. Thank you Rick! I am not sure
your guru would approve..but thanks
anyway.
Things have been accumulating on
my mind lately, believe it or not. First I
wish to let all those that won’t wear a
mask, won’t social distance, and won’t
get vaccinated know that you need
to quit your incessant whining about
mandate or restrictions. If just the
mask and social distancing had been
adhered to the mandates would be a
moot point. I realize you are special,
you have rights, blah, blah, blah, me,
me, me ... so sorry but it doesn’t work
both ways princes and princesses. I
understand that our dysfunctional
City Council is reinforcing all of this
crybaby ridiculousness, but remember,
you can actually think for yourself! If
you have watched our Mayor you can
be assured she is only thinking of her
own, excuse me, disturbing self. I am
having great diffi culty learning, and
coming to grips with, just how many
bitter conspiracy-embracing citizens
live in our local community. This is so
reminiscent of the rampant willing-
ness to continue, ad nauseam, to accept
a certifi ed con man, failed business-
man and criminal TV personality
as anything but a democracy killing
traitor, and that is putting it mildly.
Absolutely mind boggling! Please take
down the stupid signs and silly fl ags
the treasonous criminal lost and will
most likely be going to jail. So when
you see letters from the Culleys, pa-
thetically trying to deny racism while
actually promoting and justifying
racism, and the misconception of the
Rienks who think Fox News is actually
news, I hope others will not judge our
beautiful corner of paradise by the
words and actions of a few. Lastly all
those that wish to move the borders of
Oregon and give it to Idaho, please just
move. And as always.. I will be happy
to help you pack. Peace to all, Moscow
Mike.
Mike Meyer
Baker City
OTHER VIEWS
Biden needs a compassion compass
By Jay Ambrose
Too much of the Biden administration now
comes down to self-righteous compassion
and fi ddle-faddle analysis without a hint of
wisdom, or even of common sense. A recent
example — with more to be reviewed — is an
absurd decision to strip U.S. pharmaceutical
companies of a patent that, like so many oth-
ers, protects their accomplishments, profi ts and
lives all over the world.
The point is to deny them intellectual prop-
erty rights for their creation of vaccines shield-
ing people from COVID-19 infection so that
other entities can produce them free of cost.
Supposedly, this move will alleviate misery in
countries such as India right now suffering
mightily. The truth is these countries could
actually suffer more as a consequence.
It’s hard to watch TV news, see Indian
heartache and not want to help in some way or
the other, but means of meaningful assistance
have been in the works. After years of assidu-
ous study of vaccines and technical conquest,
drug companies in the United States are gush-
ing with wondrously effective anti-coronavirus
doses ever closer to availability for overseas
rescue. It’s reported the fi rms had been estab-
lishing foreign partnerships that could chip in
with proper guidance.
What we did not need was a president
exerting powers he does not have. Patent laws
should be and have been up to Congress, and
this autocrat’s announced deal with the World
Trade Organization will deliver intellectual
property to foreign producers for free so that
they can fumble while robbing pharmaceutical
masters.
Even though consumers will never quit com-
plaining about high drug prices, understand
that our competitive, free-market system has
incentivized more health-enhancing, life-sav-
ing drug discoveries than in any other nation
anywhere. Yes, some companies have crossed
the line just as most have been squeezed into
higher prices through the established bureau-
cratic principle of regulatory miscalculation.
What we’re now talking about is weaken-
ing the rights that spur innovation and make
us great. Let’s see what happens as Moderna
and Pfi zer stock shares plummet and other
companies worry about similar mistreatment
now and in the future. Regressive progres-
sives will tell us how anti-capitalist aspirations
solve all problems eventually. Actually, when
you substitute punishment for rewards due
medicinal heroes and their humanistic visions,
you are more likely to kill people.
As another example of miswrought sym-
pathy, now consider how Biden and congres-
sional buddies whooped it up for at least a
$300 federal addition to state unemployment
insurance checks, making it just maybe more
profi table to stay home, sip some beer and
watch TV instead of searching out jobs among
the 7.4 million increase in them a couple of
months ago.
In March, virus-plagued Americans snapped
up 916,000 employment opportunities with the
expert expectation that, in April, they would
grab a million. Instead, they took 266,000, a
real letdown that could also relate to fears
of infection, the kinds of jobs most available
and lack of necessary skills, for example. But
here is what you should not suppose — that
the Biden trillions aimed at socialist delight
won’t decrease enthusiasm for long commutes,
possibly dicey bosses or even the pride, dignity
and independence of providing socially and
economically crucial products and services.
Meanwhile Biden has plans to pay for at
least some of all the government spending,
debt increases and printed money backed
up by undue optimism. He wants to raise
corporate taxes from 21 percent to maybe 28
percent or maybe just 25 percent along with
other squelch-the-rich proposals, such as
higher taxes on top capital gains. Even putting
aside legalistic loophole research, the cost will
be strains on wages and new jobs. Prices will
get higher as we get ever closer to equality of
hardship.
Compassion needs a compass.
Jay Ambrose is an op-ed columnist for Tribune
News Service. Readers may email him at
speaktojay@aol.com.
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CONTACT YOUR
PUBLIC OFFICIALS
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.