A4 BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2022
BAKER CITY
EDITORIAL
Let Postal
Service ship
booze, wine
F
EDEX can do it. UPS can do it. Why
not the U.S. Postal Service?
We are talking about shipping
booze and wine directly to customers.
The answer to the why not question is:
There is a federal prohibition in place ban-
ning the Postal Service from being able to
do it.
Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat,
introduced legislation to change that. The
ban would be over. If a cidery, a brewery or
a winery had a license it could ship directly
to someone of legal drinking age through
the mail.
One important caveat: No pre-teen
would be able to check the mailbox and
start sipping on the latest from the wine of
the month club selection before mom and
dad got home. Merkley wanted appropriate
protections in place. The bill says the recip-
ient of the delivery “shall be an individual
at least 21 years of age, and shall present a
valid, Government-issued photo identifica-
tion at the time of delivery.”
Dr. Reginald Richardson, executive di-
rector of the Oregon Alcohol and Drug
Policy Commission, sent a letter this
month to Merkley urging him to drop his
sponsorship of the bill, as reported by Wil-
lamette Week. Richardson wants Merkley
to think about the downside of improving
people’s access to alcohol. Alcoholism can
ruin lives and families. Excessive drinking
can lead to a host of problems.
The increased revenue from the ban
might mean $180 million a year in addi-
tional revenue for the Postal Service. Rich-
ardson says alcohol harm causes Oregon
$4.8 billion a year.
The ban for the Postal Service stretches
back to the Prohibition era. If it’s now fair
to ship through FEDEX and UPS, it’s fair
for the Postal Service.
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the
Baker City Herald. Columns, letters and
cartoons on this page express the opinions of
the authors and not necessarily that of the
Baker City Herald.
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. office: 313 Hart Senate Office
Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-3753;
fax 202-228-3997. Portland office: One World Trade Center, 121
S.W. Salmon St. Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; 503-326-3386;
fax 503-326-2900. Baker City office, 1705 Main St., Suite 504,
541-278-1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. office: 221 Dirksen Senate Office
Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244; fax 202-228-
2717. La Grande office: 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. office: 1239
Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515,
202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. Medford office: 14 N. Central
Avenue Suite 112, Medford, OR 97850; Phone: 541-776-4646;
fax: 541-779-0204; Ontario office: 2430 S.W. Fourth Ave., No. 2,
Ontario, OR 97914; Phone: 541-709-2040. bentz.house.gov.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol, Salem, OR 97310;
503-378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read: oregon.treasurer@ost.
state.or.us; 350 Winter St. NE, Suite 100, Salem OR 97301-3896;
503-378-4000.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum: Justice
Building, Salem, OR 97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative documents and information
are available online at www.leg.state.or.us.
State Sen. Lynn Findley (R-Ontario): Salem office: 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 office: 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 Jason Spriet, Kerry McQuisten, Shane Alderson,
Joanna Dixon, Kenyon Damschen, Johnny Waggoner Sr. and
Dean Guyer.
Baker City administration: 541-523-6541. Jonathan Cannon,
city manager; Ty Duby, police chief; Sean Lee, fire chief; Michelle
Owen, public works director.
Baker County Commission: Baker County Courthouse 1995
3rd St., Baker City, OR 97814; 541-523-8200. Meets the first and
third Wednesdays at 9 a.m.; Bill Harvey (chair), Mark Bennett,
Bruce Nichols.
Baker County departments: 541-523-8200. Travis Ash, sheriff;
Noodle Perkins, roadmaster; Greg Baxter, district attorney; Alice
Durflinger, county treasurer; Stefanie Kirby, county clerk; Kerry
Savage, county assessor.
Opinion
WRITE A LETTER
news@bakercityherald.com
Baker City, Oregon
YOUR VIEWS
Silencing train horns would harm
safety, Baker heritage
I am a native of Baker City who strongly op-
poses the city’s efforts to silence the warning
horns of the Union Pacific trains.
Baker City embraces its history and the
U.P. is part of that. A handful of newcomers
are trying to silence these horns from warn-
ing the public that a train is approaching, and
they have allies on the city council. Please join
me in stopping this movement from muzzling
a necessary safety policy and piece of Baker
City’s rich heritage.
Harvey Haskell
Baker City
Thanks, Nancy Staten; and why city
should save ambulance service
Congratulations to Nancy Staten on her well
deserved retirement from the Baker County
Health Dept. You served your community and
its citizens very professionally, during a long
term complicated by the very difficult period
of COVID with all the many difficult discus-
sions, decisions, and everlasting effects. Thank
you Nancy!
Secondly, I would like to ask the commu-
nity members, and especially the city council if
they truly remember a loyal Baker City bene-
factor, of many longstanding years who would
be “raising holy Ned” if he were to be reading
the current ambulance/fire dept situation to-
day! Who remembers Leo Adler and his love
of the fire department years ago, that he alone
supported and sponsored an annual dinner for
the entire fire department on his own expense
as a thank you.
Reading the current controversy in regard
to losing the ambulance service, and 50%
of the fire department staffing, I truly have
asked myself: What would Leo Adler have to
say today?
This current situation is not a good thing in
any manner. In the same issue (5-7-2022) of
the Baker City Herald there was an article ad-
dressing the promotion of 21 new Silver Birch
home lots in the planning mode for building
brand new homes in our community!
Council members, think about what your
responsibilities to your position is: fiscal re-
sponsibility, public safety and protection, com-
mitment to service for the citizens who truly
trusted you at your word to serve the commu-
nity at large! Question: 50% fire department
staff reduction and loss of ambulance services,
verses a purposed golf course sprinkler system
at the cost of $250,000 — what is most urgent
to your family situation? Get real!
Cheryl Gushman
Baker City
of them earned from what we did to them in
years past. They watch us with glee as we are
divided as a nation. Know what comes after
dividing? ...
The next Oregon governor needs to be a
centrist. Someone who walks down the middle
of the road. You’re not going to find that very
easy with the current crop of candidates.
So just stop for a minute. Think for your-
self. Especially when you walk into that vot-
ing booth. ...
Dan Collins
Baker City
been represented by current PCP’s for years
while in some elections they had received very
little support from the voters of the district.
In an effort to have a healthy competition in
those districts, some well intentioned individ-
uals decided to compete for those positions.
This is a time for accusations to cease from
the Baker County Chair. Also, all GOP candi-
dates need to be welcomed into our County
during the primary election season and who-
ever wins the primary races, those individuals
need to be uniformly supported through the
general election by the county GOP organiza-
tions throughout Oregon.
Celebrate, don’t discourage, those
This year, there are over 90 PCP’s on the bal-
lot in Baker County. This should be celebrated
running for GOP spots
rather than disputed by our county GOP. We
Over the past years, the Baker County GOP in Baker County are setting a high bar for the
organization has experienced a decline as duly rest of the counties in Oregon in that we might
elected Precinct Committee Persons (PCP’s)
be the only county to fill every PCP position
have become disenchanted with the style ex-
this year. This is another reason to be thankful
hibited by the chairperson. Many individuals there are so many selfless individuals willing
have indicated they were forced out or just
to serve.
had enough of the internal pressures placed
Danny L. Johnson
on those with opinions other than those of the
Halfway
County Chair. As of last year of the 50-plus
Everyone in county should be willing to
positions, 25 to 30 of the PCP district posi-
tions were vacant.
pay for ambulances
This year, several individuals (who are not
It’s hard to understand why the city has not
under the auspices of Baker County United)
Oregon needs a centrist as its next
asked for help apparently for several years with
decided to determine if there was interest to
their lacking of funds to continue the ambu-
rejuvenate the Baker County GOP with free
governor
minded individuals who could work with oth- lance service and shocking that they suddenly
A word about the governors race from
ers without throwing sand at one another. As announce they have set a deadline for continu-
someone who’s never belonged to a political
ing funding it. All of Baker County has been
one of those asking for input, I had the plea-
party and never will.
so very fortunate to have the high quality fire
sure of meeting many wonderful individuals
The thing I hate about politics the most? It’s who decided changes should be made and that and ambulance service we have in Baker City.
always for party A or party B, or “other.” It’s
Both firefighters and paramedics are all so
they would make the effort to serve as PCP’s
never about the state as a whole or the people representing the districts where they lived
highly trained they could never be replaced.
as a whole. It’s about this side or that side.
I hope the city and the county can imme-
including in many where no one had repre-
Why can’t we all meet in the middle for a
diately come to an agreement on saving this
sented the district for many years. Within a
change? Why do you have to drag your po-
most valuable service in our county. The fire
short period of time, these discussions led to
litical parties around like some Linus blan-
department/ambulance had such a backing
over 25 ranchers, business men and women,
ket? Make an individual decision. But educate and others who were inclined to serve in Baker from Leo Adler when he was alive and they
yourself first. Educate yourself outside the in- County. A great outpouring of selflessness was still benefit from his care of them. I can well
fluence of your chosen party. Try to see both
imagine he would be appalled at what is going
the basis of their intentions.
sides. Leave your emotions at the door as you
The election rules allow for PCP’s to repre- on right now at the thought of disbanding this
do this. Because party A and party B are de-
sent districts other than where they reside. All treasure. Because he cared so very much, has
signed to stir your emotions so you can’t think newly elected PCP’s will receive proper train- anyone thought of going to the trustees of his
straight. Or independently. ...
ing to support them through the initial stages financial holdings and seeing if there is some
Democracy is a wonderful system. But it has of their responsibilities. This is common pro- way to get a grant just one time to carry the
some notable exploits.
cedure before and after being elected. A great ambulance service through just til perhaps the
The first is you’re supposed to be a well-in- resource is “Precinct Strategy.com” by Dan
city/county could get something on the No-
formed citizen before you vote. The problem
vember ballot for a tax of the whole county to
Shultz if you are interested in learning more
here is many of you are programmed rather
help fund this service.
about the importance of the local PCP’s.
than informed. And then you vote. This is by
My husband and I are both senior citi-
A question for our citizens: Over the years,
design of course. Which brings up the second how many times has a PCP stopped by to dis- zens but we definitely feel it should be part of
exploit. When you control the flow of infor-
cuss the activities of the Baker County GOP? I the county taxes that everyone in the county
mation that people are using to make their
for one have never had such a discussion until should be willing to pay a little more in taxes
voting decisions with, you can get any result
getting involved with this project. It is time for to continue this service that we all have bene-
you want. Hence the scramble for mass media. transparency so the people of Baker County
fited from for so many years and hopefully for
The current political climate in this coun-
can become aware of this important organiza- years to come.
try is nationalistic and toxic. The US has
Cheryl Craig
tion and have input.
quite a few enemies around the world. Many
Haines
In some districts it was noted that they had
COLUMN
Consider risks of Ukraine aid package
BY BEN FREEMAN AND WILLIAM D. HARTUNG
The Biden administration’s massive $33 bil-
lion aid request for Ukraine is the latest initia-
tive in the effort to provide weaponry needed
by Ukraine to fend off the Russian invasion of
their country. But the sheer size of the package,
coupled with recent administration statements
that suggest the U.S. goal has shifted from
helping defend Ukraine to “weakening Russia,”
provide cause for concern.
While Russian aggression in Ukraine has
been appalling — including the seemingly cav-
alier murder of civilians and other alleged war
crimes — it is vitally important that the U.S.
consider both the risks and costs of providing
this extraordinary amount of military assis-
tance to Ukraine.
While Ukrainian fighters will benefit from
these arms, these arms transfers pose a num-
ber of risks as well, not the least of which is
the potential for getting the U.S. into a direct
military confrontation with Russia, some-
thing the vast majority of Americans are op-
posed to. And, that would be more, not less,
likely if Congress uncritically approves this
aid package.
Putin has declared that arms shipments are
“legitimate targets,” so more arms shipments
puts more U.S. soldiers at risk and raises the
potential for a direct military confrontation
between American soldiers and Russia forces.
As Seth G. Jones of the Center for Strategic
and International Studies told the New York
Times, “the risk of a widening war is serious
right now . . . Russian casualties are continuing
to mount, and the U.S. is committed to ship-
ping more powerful weapons that are causing
those casualties.” There is also the possibility
that U.S. arms will fall into the hands of U.S.
adversaries, as they have in Iraq, Afghanistan,
Syria and elsewhere.
As Congress and the public debate these
risks they should also be mindful of the direct
economic costs of this new aid package as well.
For starters, if Congress signs off on this
new request, the U.S. will have authorized $47
billion in total spending to Ukraine this year
alone. That’s more than the Biden administra-
tion is committing to stopping climate change
and almost as much as the entire State Depart-
ment budget.
The aid package is more than the total
amount of money all but 13 countries in the
world spend on their military.
The vast majority of this new aid package,
$20.4 billion, is for “additional security and mil-
itary assistance for Ukraine and for U.S. efforts
to strengthen European security in cooperation
with our NATO allies and other partners in the
region,” according to the White House.
This, combined with the earlier aid pack-
age, would make Kyiv the largest recipient of
U.S. military aid in at least two decades, ex-
plained Elias Yousif, a security assistance ex-
pert at the Stimson Center. It would also be
twice the largest yearly total ever provided to
Afghanistan, when U.S. forces were directly
fighting there.
In addition, there is the direct economic
cost to U.S. taxpayers who, ultimately, have
to foot the bill for this historic aid package.
Part of that cost could come from the kinds
of fraud, waste and abuse that groups like
the Special Inspector General for Afghan
Reconstruction (SIGAR) have uncovered in
other cases where billions of dollars were be-
ing shoveled out the door in the name of na-
tional security.
Helping Ukraine defend itself is import-
ant, but it should be done with an eye toward
limiting the risks of escalation and unin-
tended economic and security consequences.
The administration’s latest aid request should
be carefully debated, well accounted for, and
scrutinized before it is allowed to proceed in
its current form.
█
Ben Freeman, Ph.D, is a research fellow at the Quincy
Institute for Responsible Statecraft. William D. Hartung
is a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute.