OPINION
Blue Mountain Eagle
A4
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
OTHER VIEWS
Does Kristof
meet Oregon’s
residency rules?
I
f it takes 15 pages to con-
vince somebody you are
an Oregon resident, well,
it could be the evidence is so
overwhelming that there’s a
lot to say!
It could be that the argu-
ment is not so great, so might
as well throw everything
in there. Or it could just be
complicated.
Which brings us to the 15
pages by lawyers for Nicho-
las Kristof, arguing yes, he is a
resident of Oregon and is qual-
ifi ed to run for governor.
Kristof indisputably won
the Pulitzer Prize, twice. The
fi rst time was for his reporting
of the 1989 Tiananmen Square
protests and a second time for
his columns for the New York
Times on genocide in Dar-
fur. (You can read the pieces at
tinyurl.com/Kristofchina and
tinyurl.com/Kristofi nDarfur.
Worth it.)
Kristof indisputably is also
Oregon grown, raised in Yam-
hill. He indisputably owns
property there.
Whether he is an Oregon
resident may be mostly true
or mostly not true. It’s mostly
argued so he might be gover-
nor. He may meet the require-
ment for “a resident within
this state” for a period of
“three years next preceding his
election.” It’s not axiomatic.
We can’t tell you what a court
would decide.
The 15 pages read like a
combination of learned trea-
tise, campaign fl yer and some
odd facts. We learn legal his-
tory of the concept of resi-
dency. We repeatedly are told
Kristof considered Oregon
home. He would mention he
was “home” in his columns,
referring to Oregon. We learn
“he made a signifi cant invest-
ment to convert his Yam-
hill family farm from grow-
ing cherries to cider apples
and wine grapes.” His fam-
ily “keeps personal items like
clothing” at the home in Ore-
gon. The family dog’s name:
Crystal.
It also says in 2000, he reg-
istered to vote in New York
state. He switched it to Ore-
gon in December 2020. And
in New York, you must be a
resident of New York to vote
in New York. Does that mean
he is not a resident of Oregon
three years preceding the Nov.
8, 2022 election? Or is vot-
ing not enough to determine
residency?
We’d like to see him run
because he’s smart. We would
like to hear his vision for Ore-
gon, what policies he would
choose to get us there and why
we should believe he would be
good at governing.
It would be a worse race
without him. The Democratic
Party primary may be the only
part of the race that really mat-
ters in the governor’s elec-
tion. And that fi eld is crowded
with candidates such as House
Speaker Tina Kotek and state
Treasurer Tobias Read, and
the less well known. Kris-
tof would give voters another
choice and we imagine a
meaningfully diff erent one.
Editor’s note: This editorial
was written by the Bulletin edito-
rial board. It originally ran in the
Bend Bulletin.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Secondhand sensibilities
“M
ay I help you?” the
clerk asked.
“I’ll take three bat-
tered canteens,” I said, “a parachute,
two bayonets, and a hand grenade.”
As kids, my brothers and I
viewed the secondhand war surplus
store as a wonderland of possibili-
ties. The Cold War had settled over
the land like a dense fog.
Our parents nixed the weaponry.
We settled for three dented canteens
and a metal case, perfect for storing
secret kid plans about (redacted).
We constructed a hideaway
with old blankets draped over the
clothesline to watch for spies.
In time, the military-related
secondhand store shifted to retail
camping gear.
Decades later, a friend offered
to reintroduce me to secondhand
thrift stores.
“It’s like going on vacation,”
my friend said. “Determine what
your budget will be. Next, draw
up a list of needs versus wants.”
I needed kerosene lamps for
storm-related power failures. Off
to the thrift stores.
My lamp collection grew. At
night, when all the lamp wicks
glowed, my place lit up like the
grand opening of a car dealership.
“Moderation,” my friend
suggested.
“What’s this?” I asked. I held
up a wooden object that resem-
bled… I couldn’t think of any-
thing the item resembled.
The 9-inch piece had a han-
dle and a carved ball and wooden
rings.
A child suggested, “It’s a prin-
cess wand.”
“I’ll take it,” I
said.
“That’s a want,
not a need,” my
friend said.
“As soon as I
figure out what it
Jean Ann
is,” I replied, “I
Moultrie
know I’ll need it.”
In summer,
lilacs grew as tall as the house.
When pruned back, a room-like
area opened up. I envisioned a lit-
erary tea with lemonade served
under lilac boughs.
My friend and her children
helped plan the event — like an
Emily Dickinson meets Win-
nie-the-Pooh gala. I needed cups
and plates. Instead of disposable
wares, I scouted thrift stores to
find inexpensive china.
At one store, I uncovered a
dinner plate. Flowers exploded
across the painted china. On the
back, a crown topped a crest with
a lion and the words “Bavaria, Ger-
many, U.S. Zone.” Could the plate
date back to Cold War times? I
bought it.
At another store, I spotted cups,
saucers, and delicate plates dis-
played on an oak table and being
sold individually. Perfect for liter-
ary lemonade. First, I headed to the
book section, and planned to pick up
the china on my way out.
When I returned, another cus-
tomer stacked plates on her side
of the table. I gathered plates on
my side of the table. The customer
glared. “I’m taking all the plates,”
she said, pointing to my stack.
High noon, a standoff across the
oak table, a possible kerfuffl e, my
tongue locked and loaded with a
sharp retort.
My attitude softened — I
relented. “All right, you can have
them.” I slid my stack over to her.
Lesson learned: If you see some-
thing you need/want, don’t wait to
put it in your cart. I settled on less
fl ashy cups and saucers, also labeled
with “Bavaria” on the bottom.
At home, I looked up the china
online. My stash at retail cost over
$300! The dilemma: Store the
china? Sell them? Use them?
By the time I hosted the literary
event, winter arrived. We persisted,
substituted hot chocolate for lem-
onade and winter coats for summer
frocks. Under bare lilac branches,
we discussed the gardens and land-
scapes of literary writers. We fi xed
food fi t for our sophisticated palates
and special china: peanut butter and
honey sandwiches, carrot sticks and
snickerdoodle cookies served on the
fl owery dessert plate.
Hot chocolate received a spe-
cial preparation. I’d researched the
unknown wooden object, which
turned out to be a molinillo (pro-
nounced “moh-lee-NEE-yoh”).
They come from Mexico.
To use, put the ball portion in the
hot chocolate and spin the handle
until the molinillo mixes the choco-
late and adds a tasty froth.
I knew I needed that wooden
object.
Jean Ann Moultrie is a freelance
writer in Grant County. This year
she plans to hold her literary event
gathered around the woodstove and
serve molinillo-frothed hot choco-
late and yeast pastries displayed on
Bavarian china from a thrift store.
COMMENTARY
Save the state: Keep the kicker
A
few months ago, Orego-
nians learned they will be
getting a kicker next year.
Now, like clockwork, a noisy net-
work of naysayers is clamoring to
kick the kicker to the curb. I say,
“No way!”
Experience has taught us that
our Oregon Legislature will spend
every dollar it can extract from its
citizens and businesses. And, if
that’s not enough, it will raise taxes
to spend even more.
Legislative budgets are not
made on the basis of what is
needed. Instead, legislators start
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with what the
bureaucrats call
the “current ser-
vice level” based
on the previ-
ous budget. From
there, they expand
Eric Fruits
existing programs
and add new pro-
grams. Then they do it all over
again the next session.
Over time, this method mas-
sively ratchets up spending.
Over the last 10 years, Oregon’s
general fund has grown at more
than double the rate of infl ation and
population growth.
It would be much worse with-
out the kicker, which returns to tax-
payers the money that is collected
in excess of the amount budgeted.
That money belongs to us, and the
kicker makes sure we keep it.
Keep the kicker. It’s a rare and
sensible protection against the
spend-every-dollar philosophy that
affl icts politicians on both sides of
the aisle.
Eric Fruits, Ph.D. is vice presi-
dent of Research at Cascade Policy
Institute, Oregon’s free market pub-
lic policy research organization.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pat Holliday, SWCD In addition, through her man- a smile and he was nodding his
agement/marriage
partner- head up and down vigorously.
provide essential
Back at the farm, I fol-
ship with Grant County rancher
Ken Holliday, she has authen- lowed Pat’s directions and then
service
tic boots on the ground experi- returned periodically to see the
To the editor:
Forty-two years ago, my
wife and I bought a farm west
of John Day. Not having been
raised on a farm, I knew I would
need considerable direction to
make the grazing/hay opera-
tion successful. Shortly, I found
a resource in the Grant County
Soil and Water Conservation
District.
Twenty-six years ago, SWCD
hired Pat Holliday to fill a posi-
tion titled “administrative assis-
tant.” I watched as Pat gained
experience and knowledge that
far exceeded her modest title.
For that to happen, the
employee must come with curi-
osity, intelligence, a good mem-
ory, a sense of responsibility,
skill in collaboration, be a good
listener and get satisfaction in
becoming a drive gear for suc-
cess. Pat brought all of these.
ence; she’s “been there, done
that.”
This summer, I had an unwel-
come invasion of the noxious
weed white top, so it was off
to SWCD. Pat serves the front
counter and she listened to my
problem.
Then she left for a moment
and returned with containers
of herbicide, surfactant, plus
instructions.
Throughout, her conversation
was sprinkled with numerous
chuckles interrupted by occa-
sional cheerful laughter.
While she was away for the
supplies, I related to another
staff member some of Pat’s stel-
lar qualities and how essential
she was to the SWCD mission.
As I did this, I noticed that
manager Kyle Sullivan, at a
nearby desk, was overhearing
my comments. On his face was
white top turn from green to
light tan, and then wither and
die.
I’m convinced that the ser-
vices this agency provides for
the Grant County agricultural
community certainly exceeds
the tax dollars needed for its
support.
Vic Pike
John Day
Valley View street
repairs appreciated
To the editor:
Many thanks to all involved
in restructuring John Day streets
in the Valley View area — nice
job, well done, and appreciated
by those of us who frequently use
those streets.
Gary Davidson
Canyon City