A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
Grant County
eclipse preparations
‘wonderful’
Trump’s team
needs to move
on trade deals
O
ur colleagues at Politico
last week published an
analysis that showed the
nation’s 11 former partners in
the Trans-Pacifi c Partnership
are involved in 27 separate
negotiations with each other,
with major international trading
blocs and regional powerhouses
such as China.
It reports that seven deals
that impact U.S. farmers have
been signed since the Trump
administration pulled the
United States out of the TPP.
The TPP was seen by many,
but not all, U.S. agricultural
groups as a boon. It included
the U.S. and 11 other countries
— Japan, Canada, Mexico,
Australia, Vietnam, Chile,
Malaysia, Peru, New Zealand,
Singapore and Brunei . Japan,
Mexico and Canada are among
the biggest trade partners for
U.S. agriculture.
Negotiations on the pact
began in 2008 under President
George W. Bush. A deal was
reached in October of 2015.
President Barack Obama
supported the fi nal deal and
submitted it to Congress for
ratifi cation. With an election
looming, Republicans and
Democrats in Congress weren’t
anxious to be pinned down on a
deal that had both support and
opposition that crossed party
lines.
The pact’s critics included
the Republican and the
Democratic presidential
nominees.
Donald Trump said the deal
would undermine the U.S.
economy.
As secretary of state, Hillary
Clinton raved about the deal,
calling it the “gold standard” of
trade pacts. Candidate Clinton
opposed the deal during the
campaign and vowed to oppose
it as president.
So without ratifi cation prior
to the election, the U.S. was
destined to reject the TPP in its
present form.
Following through on his
campaign promise, President
Trump withdrew from the
accord on Jan. 23.
Among the other parties
in the pact there are differing
opinions as to what the TPP
means without the United
States. Shinzo Abe, Japan’s
prime minister, says the deal is
meaningless without the U.S.
Nevertheless, our trading
partners around the Pacifi c Rim
aren’t wasting time. There are a
host of bilateral and multilateral
discussions in the works.
China, Trump’s campaign
nemesis, is trying to make deals
with our trading partners.
Throughout the campaign,
and since taking offi ce, Trump
said he’d replace the 12-party
pact with a series of bilateral
trade deals that would bring
jobs and industry back to the
United States. That sounds
great. When can we expect that
to happen?
Farmers and ranchers, a
group that largely supported
Trump’s election, have a lot
riding on foreign trade. The
U.S. exports $135 billion in
agricultural products each year.
It could always be better, but
it’s pretty great as it is.
It’s hard to say what
dumping the TPP and
renegotiating the North
American Free Trade
Agreement may mean for
the economy in general, and
for farmers and ranchers in
particular.
But at the moment it’s fair
to ask what happens next,
and when will it happen? We
await a tweet, or any other
appropriate communication,
from the Oval Offi ce.
W HERE TO W RITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-
575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax:
541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu-
rylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-
575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
541-421-3075. Email: info@cityofl ong-
creek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025.
Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax:
541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
• Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca
97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161.
Email: senecaoregon@gmail.com.
SALEM
• Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State
Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-
3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www.
governor.state.or.us/governor.html.
• Oregon Legislature — State Capitol,
Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180.
Website: www. leg.state.or.us
To the Editor:
I, along with thousands of oth-
ers, had the pleasure to visit John
Day and Grant County for the re-
cent eclipse. It was wonderful. If I
didn’t know better, I would think
that you host thousands of people
every month. But I do know bet-
ter. A successful week such as this
one is a testament to hard work and
careful planning. In my preparation,
I followed the work of the Cham-
ber of Commerce, local businesses,
government offi cials, nonprofi ts
and many local citizens who came
together, spent many hours and set a
standard for others to follow. I con-
gratulate everyone in Grant County.
Jay Bakst
Port Ludlow, Washington
Bipartisan parks bill
maintains strategic
investment
To the Editor:
I support Jim Hammett’s call last
week for increased federal invest-
ment in the John Day Fossil Beds
National Monument. Grant County
is rural, natural resource depen-
dent and over 60 percent federally
owned and managed. What hap-
pens, or not, on federal land within
the county signifi cantly impacts the
socioeconomic opportunities and
pulse for area communities whether
the land is administered by the For-
est Service, BLM or National Park
Service.
As a former Grant County judge,
I believe one of the most effective
ways to increase and diversify the
value of our natural resources is
for Congress to responsibly invest
in and wisely manage its assets in
Grant County. This will result in
new, outside dollars coming to the
county that will enhance local in-
frastructure and create additional
socioeconomic opportunities that
enrich the quality of rural life many
of us care about, as well as the pub-
lic experience of those who visit the
area.
That is why Jim Hammett’s re-
cent op-ed on the John Day Fossil
Beds National Monument was so
timely. The Fossil Beds represent
a federal asset in our backyard that
supports over 150 jobs and gener-
ates $10 million in local spending.
It is an asset well worth protecting,
maintaining, and investing in. It is
also a strategic investment because
it diversifi es the value of the coun-
ty’s existing natural resources and
thereby contributes to a more robust
local economy.
Mr. Hammett is right: Eclipse
visitors will return, and we should
ensure the Fossil Beds have the nec-
essary resources to keep its facili-
ties open, safe and accessible to the
growing number of future visitors.
Unfortunately, there is a serious
maintenance backlog at the Fossil
Beds that needs to be addressed.
Fortunately, the bipartisan bill be-
fore Congress, H.R. 2584, the Na-
tional Park Service Legacy Act, is
a good way to address that problem
at the Fossil Beds — and indeed, at
national parks across Oregon and
the country. I encourage folks to
support this bill and ensure it gets
passed so that everyone can enjoy
the benefi ts of our rich natural re-
sources in Grant County.
Mark Webb
Mt. Vernon
‘Residents couldn’t
have been nicer’
To the Editor:
We just wanted to send a con-
gratulations to the cities of John
Day and Prairie City. We attend-
ed the spectacular solar eclipse in
Grant County. Your police, public
services, business owners and local
residents couldn’t have been nicer
or done a better job. The signage,
directing traffi c, crossing guards,
portable toilets and activities were
simply incredible. Everyone came
together. The result made the his-
toric event even more special. We
spent money on gas, groceries,
restaurants, gifts and hardware.
Walt and Kathlyn Kight made our
camping experience — well, an
experience. It was a family-friend-
ly party for three days. We appre-
ciate everything that was done to
accommodate the fl oods of people
that came to Eastern Oregon for
the eclipse. We’ll never forget the
experience and the welcome we re-
ceived. Sponsor a one-year reunion
with prizes for the best photographs,
and many of us will come back.
Marty Hawke
Pismo Beach, California
Donnie Leonard
Paso Robles, California
‘Kudos to all
the local heroes’
To the Editor:
Kudos to all the local heroes
who kept our community on an
even plane during this very unusu-
al summer. Through the crowds of
the Rainbow family and the eclipse,
the folks at Chester’s Thriftway
and Len’s Drug and the gas stations
kept the shelves stocked and even
kept their usual positive and help-
ful attitudes during what had to be
a stressful time. Also the police, the
highway patrol and sheriff’s de-
partments, the Forest Service kept
us safe and secure. All those who
gave of their time and expertise
to plan for the events, you “done
good.” There were so many others
not mentioned here who were also
part of the effort. I’m sure that oth-
er communities in our area had the
same protection and cooperation as
John Day. We did it! Yea us.
Ed Carwithen
John Day
‘An experience we’ll
always treasure’
To the Editor:
The community of John Day
showed friendliness and hospitality.
My husband Mel and I were there
recently to view the eclipse, which
was fabulous, memorable. Robert
Ake and family were especially
helpful to us. We’d seen a sign he
posted with availability of RV space
on his property and were so happy
we’d been guided there. Perfect
place to be up on his hill and perfect
for viewing the eclipse. He made
sure our stay was a pleasurable one,
always checking if we needed any-
thing. It’s an experience we’ll al-
ways treasure.
Rosa Barringer
Everett, Washington
Have forest
boundaries changed?
To the Editor:
The defi nition of boundary is
quite concise: that which indicates
or fi xes a limit or extent; that which
makes a bound, (marks) a bound as
of territory.
Have the boundaries of our na-
tional forest changed? Have they
been extended to include local cit-
ies and communities along with pri-
vate domain? If not, then why are
Forest Service law enforcement of-
fi cers being used to assist our local
private civilian offi cers outside of
our national forest boundaries?
Read Cops and Courts in the
Blue Mountain Eagle Aug. 23. Ev-
idently, their jurisdiction or sphere
of authority has been extended.
Was this a temporary extension, or
are they permanently boundless?
No matter how you cut it folks,
these are federal law enforcement
offi cers. It certainly is reassuring to
know we are so well covered, pro-
tected!
Michael R. Christensen
John Day
Collaborative
trust and inclusion
do not want to grant Eastern Oregon
residents a vote at the table.
They want people to “partici-
pate” but not to ask for a vote in the
process. That’s why now, fi nally,
when residents of Grant County ask
for voting status, the Blue Moun-
tains Forest Partners come out with
defamatory statements of residents
being “untrustworthy,” hoping to
marginalize those trying to partici-
pate in a meaningful manner.
My mom had to sit through a
shaming by the Blue Mountains
Forest Partners because she was
“untrustworthy,” because I question
the collaboratives and how they
use economic hardship to justify
restricting motorized access to the
mountains of Eastern Oregon. Us-
ing “vegetative treatments” to “re-
store” the forest, while restricting
motorized access when they help
the Forest Service “develop proj-
ects.”
The collaboratives are supposed
to be civil and open to diverse pub-
lic input, but, if that input does not
align with the collaboratives’ stated
goals, they become personal, nasty
and petty.
The question is, can we get logs
to the mills without “rewilding”
Eastern Oregon? We did it for de-
cades, and grew some of the health-
iest wildlife populations around.
Unfortunately, the environmental
community turned that on its head
with their litigation strategy, and
they now get to drive their message
through these collaboratives, while
excluding public input through vot-
ing membership.
To paraphrase a collaborative
board member, “my grandmother
always told me, you are the com-
pany you keep.” The other lesson
most of us learned from our grand-
parents was “the only thing you
have is your word.” Unfortunate-
ly, collaborative members never
learned that lesson, because every
time they give you “their word,”
they backtrack from it.
Eastern Oregonians should not
be shamed upon requesting voting
member status to “diverse and in-
clusive” groups, but unfortunately,
that’s how Eastern Oregon collabo-
ratives operate.
John D. George
Bates
Prospective
collaborative
members meet
requirements
To the Editor:
Mark Webb, executive director
of Blue Mountains Forest Partners,
local collaborative, has taken on
the role of “executive dictator” of
the group. During the July monthly
meeting when several local citizens
stated their intentions to join BMFP,
Webb responded with an empathet-
ic, “No!”
The potential members have met
the requirements as laid out in the
bylaws and have signed a letter of
commitment, meeting the same re-
quired criteria as the current mem-
bers of the Blue Mountains forest
collaborative. Can this nonprofi t
501(c)(3) organization with the
mission “Blue Mountain Forest
Partners is a diverse group of stake-
holders who work together to create
and implement a shared vision to
improve the resilience and well-be-
ing of forests and communities in
the Blue Mountains” discriminate
because Mr. Webb says “no”? It
cannot be that some of the those as-
piring members once were elected
to the now-nullifi ed Grant County
Public Forest Commission.
In the recent past, there were
four members of the BMFP that
held elected positions on the Grant
County Public Forest Commission,
so that isn’t the reason. Something
is fi shy with Webb. What is he try-
ing to hide? Could there be a dis-
crimination suit around the bend if
he continues to deny Grant County
citizens from joining the BMFP?
Julie Perkins
Dayville
To the Editor:
Forest Service “collaboratives”
See LETTERS, Page A5
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