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The INDEPENDENT, February 15, 2007
The
INDEPENDENT
Published on the first and third Thursdays of each month by
The Independent, LLC, 725 Bridge St., Vernonia, OR 97064.
Phone/Fax: 503-429-9410.
Publisher Clark McGaugh, clark@the-independent.net
Editor Rebecca McGaugh, rebecca@the-independent.net
Assoc. Editor Noni Andersen, noni@the-independent.net
Opinion
— Guest Editorial —
This is real entertainment
By Scott Laird
The Vernonia City Council met February 5 for its reg-
ular Monday meeting. The first part of the meeting was
a workshop on a supplemental budget being proposed
by city administrator Dick Kline. The handful of citizens
who bothered to show up got no song and dance, and
no dog and pony show. They got cold hard facts. And it
wasn’t pretty.
The City of Vernonia has some financial problems.
As Kline explained, we’ve gotten ourselves into a bit of
a situation, and it’s going to take some hard work to dig
ourselves out. But Kline also expressed optimism
about those prospects and, over the next 2+ hours, ex-
plained how he is working to reorganize and simplify
the city budget, making it more transparent and under-
standable in the future. He also introduced a balanced
supplemental budget for the rest of this fiscal year that
will allow the city to start the new year, July 1, with its
head above water. There is still lots of work to do, and
that next budget will not be pretty, but Kline is hopeful
and positive about the situation.
What was disturbing about this presentation was not
the city’s financial situation; we’ve been hearing that
the city was in trouble for months. What was disturbing
was the very few citizens who were there to find out
what the facts are. This is not a televised talent show
or voyeuristic peek into a celebrity’s life. This is our re-
ality, what is happening in our town and, unlike televi-
sion shows that look into the lives of strangers, this af-
fects each and every one of us.
In this town, the local news is published only twice a
month. Rumors, gossip, and hearsay are how most of
us hear what’s going on. Rumors, gossip and hearsay
usually lead to misinformation, which can lead to mis-
trust, blaming, finger pointing, and complaining. Which
leads to neighbors turning against each other.
The Vernonia City Council and the Planning Com-
mission meet twice each month. The Parks Commit-
tee, Public Works Committee, Learning Center Board,
School Board and Fire Board meet on a regular basis
and all these meetings are open to the public. These
public meetings provide opportunities for citizens to
become informed, to hear the facts and learn what’s
Please see page 3
Out of My Mind…
By Noni Andersen
Last month’s column, about a Virginia con-
gressman whose bigoted comments regarding a
Muslim congressman displayed his ignorance of
the U.S. Constitution, started me thinking about
the faiths of our 43 presidents.
They were all Christians, but their faiths
ranged over a wide swath of Christianity.
Fourteen presidents were Episcopalians, 10
were Presbyterians, five were Methodists. There
were four Baptists and four Unitarians, three Dis-
ciples of Christ, two each were Dutch Reformed,
Quaker or Congregationalist, and one Catholic.
Three presidents cited no specific denomina-
tion and six changed from their original affiliation
to other denominations. President Dwight Eisen-
hower, for instance, was raised initially in the
River Brethren, a Mennonite sect, then as a Je-
hovah’s Witness. In February, 1953, he was bap-
tized and joined the Presbyterian church just
weeks after his first inauguration as president.
Last week, when former Massachusetts Gov.
Mitt Romney, a Mormon, announced his candi-
dacy for president, questions started flying about
his religion. The same thing happened in 1960
when John F. Kennedy, a Catholic, ran for the
presidency.
Adding to questions about presidential candi-
dates are Sen. Hillary Clinton, not the first
woman candidate, but the first “serious” woman
candidate; Sen. Barack Obama, who is mixed
race and considered “black” by many, or not
black enough, by some; and New Mexico Gov.
Bill Richardson, who is hispanic.
There are many Jewish senators and con-
gressmen, but Sen. Joseph Lieberman is the
only Jew to run on a national ticket (Gore-Lieber-
man, 2000).
There are also many Mormon senators and
congressmen, including Oregon Sen. Gordon
Smith. Nevada Sen. Harry Reid is Majority
Leader of the Senate, and the highest ranking
Mormon in U.S. government.
Some who object to Obama, say he is hiding
his “radical Muslim” schooling, a claim that is
both false and easily refuted. He is a member of
the United Church of Christ. Clinton is a
Methodist and Richardson is Catholic.
Why are race, religion and gender dominant
considerations? Are Americans so immature that
race, religion and gender are more important
than a candidate’s qualifications for president?
Our history during campaigns and at the polls
would indicate so.
If we really looked at qualifications, Richard-
son would be a top contender. Now in his second
term as governor, his experience includes 15
years in Congress, in addition to serving as U.S.
ambassador to the United Nations, and energy
secretary in the Clinton cabinet.
In contrast, Romney is campaigning as a non-
politician, which has always struck me as a truly
humorous claim by anyone running for office.
Women have held the top spot in Britain and
India. Ireland has had at least two Jewish presi-
dents. Why are we so frightened?
Politics is called “the art of the possible.” In the
U.S., that art looks like “paint by the numbers.”