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Opinions
—Editorial—
The Leek — Our April Fools’ To YouWelcome to The Record-Courier’s version of The Onion this week. For those of you unfamiliar with The Onion, it is a “fake news” source featuring articles that may deal with current issues and events, but are totally bogus.
In honor of April Fools’ Day, this is our version called The Leek (it’s like The Onion only smaller). We have scattered joke articles throughout the newspaper and are leaving it up to you, the reader, to figure out which ones are the fakes. There are fewer Leek articles this year, because we did have to leave room for the news!If you can spot all of the The Leek articles, bring in a list of the headlines to receive a free copy of Helen M. Rand’s “Whiskey Gulch.” Supplies are limited and it will be first come, first serve for those who have the correct list of headlines.
Any resemblance to people alive or dead or actual events in The Leek articles is purely coincidental because we really did make this stuff up! No animals, people, plants, minerals or poodles were harmed in the writing of these articles, but at times the writers did experience brain wedgies and severe attacks of the sillies. However, we expect to be fully recovered by next week. This We Think...
Health Care BillAlthough the Obama Health Care reform bill does have a few good points, it doesn’t appear to adequately address any of our monetary concerns such as lowering the cost of health insurance, lowering the cost of medical tests, lowering the cost of hospital stays and doctors visits and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. In fact, if all of these costs were brought down to within reasonable levels, many people would not need insurance, they could pay for these services out-of-pocket. America’s health care/insurance system is like a big ferris wheel that is stuck in perpetual motion. It keeps going around and around and no one who is on can get off (with the high cost of medical expenses, we can’t afford to be without insurance), and no one who is off can get on (with the high cost of insurance, many can’t afford it). And when all is said and done, as usual, it’s the tax payers who don’t get to benefit from the carnival ride.Sad WeekIt was a sad week in Baker City with the loss of Kayla Petty, one of four students involved in an automobile accident, and BHS teacher Erik Johnson. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and to those who are still recovering from injuries in the car accident. —Letters To The Editor—
Film Showing Was ExcellentTo The Record-Courier:The film “Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators” showed on March 23 and 24 in Baker City and Enterprise. An excellent post-film panel added depth to the film’s information by answering questions from the audience. Dr. Beschta’s talks on Large Carnivores and Sustainable Ecosystems on March 24 furthered our understanding of wolf influences on ecosystems. More than 300 people attended the film screenings and talks. The attendance highlights the interest in wolves, their role in ecosystem restoration and the ways that progressive ranchers are coexisting with wolves and managing their livestock operations to minimize wolf-livestock conflicts – such as burying their livestock carcass piles to avoid inviting wolves into areas and using location information from radio-collared wolves to know when to increase livestock protection measures.
The condition of willows, cottonwoods and aspen, it turns out, is a key measure of stewardship skill and system health—a grazing season’s final exam. The more plants browsed to less than four feet tall the lower the grade. Because the browsers vary, a complex partnership between large carnivores and people is needed to restore watershed health and ecological diversity and function. Wolves/cougars modify wild ungulate behavior in ways that humans cannot. In turn, the responsibility for modifying livestock behavior and use of riparian vegetation rests with ranchers, land management agencies, and the public.
The return of the wolf represents an ecological fork in the road. Its presence leads to recovery of water lush landscapes, abundant with wildlife and fisheries, and economically sustainable and vibrant communities. Its continued absence gives us the status quo—small fish struggling to survive in overheated waters, rivers that go dry during drought, stunted plants and starving livestock and wildlife. How we choose depends on the future we prefer and whether we are willing and have the courage to coexist.Suzanne FoutyBaker CitySo Much For ‘Change’To The Record-CourierThe way I see it, so much for change. The last presidential election was billed as we are going to change the way Washington operates. I am still waiting for that to happen.
There may still be time to save our country if the Tea Party or some other group gets serious about real change. There is a group of people in positions of authority who are playing musical chairs in Washington and it has been going on since Carter’s time or before.
Going back to the 50s, a group called the Trilateral Commission, including names like Brzezinske, Rockerfeller, Volker, Greenspan, Bush, Clinton and others have been in and out of power for many years. These names and many more appear in such things as The Council of Foreign Relations, The World Economic Forum and other non-government organizations. It seems regardless of which party is in D.C. these same people will be in positions of power. So much for change.
These groups have their closed door meetings and decide how this pie is going to be cut up. The book “America For Sale” by Corsi should be required reading for our politicians and everybody else.
We are told history repeats itself, but we don’t learn to avoid making the same mistakes over and over. The Great Wall of China, Hadrian Wall in Scotland, The Berlin Wall, the Wall in Israel, and now we are building a wall on our southern border. None of these walls did what they were designed to do. People will figure a way to get around them.
Mexico had 70-some years of dictators and finally in 2000 it became a democracy and we were on a new beginning with our southern neighbors, then we had 911 and that changed everything.
We are in a very bad situation financially. I know if you find yourself in a hole you should stop digging. Will we ever learn? What will it take to bring us out of this mess we are in? Eric RomvedtBaker CityScotch Thistle, Eastern Oregon’s Best Kept SecretTo The Record-Courier:While conversing with old Chief Two-Dogs, I just call him Chief most of the time as we are good old friends. Many years ago, (I am sure most of you have heard this story before) while in a sweat lodge up in the Eagle Cap Mountains, he told me that the great Scotch thistle, dried at just the right stage with a slight mixture of white top hounds tooth and mullein (all wild weeds and herbs grown abundantly here in Eastern Oregon) is better than the best peyote he ever tried! He said it made his mind not only wander, it sometimes leaves completely. You can take a three day trip and never leave the farm.
I am just assuming this could quite possibly be Oregon’s next best $ash crop. But there are a few drawbacks, if not picked at the proper time and dried properly with just the right amount of white top, hounds tooth and mullein, it is worthless and doesn’t do a thing for you.
Old Chief Two-Dogs said he would like to keep this quiet or else the good old USA government aka, the FTA, DEA, DEQ, will step in and wipe out our $ash crop and leave us destitute. Remember it’s not just a crime or federal offense to let Scotch thistle, white top, hounds tooth or mullein grow, but if big brother gets wind of this it will be!Smitty SmithEastern Oregon Farmer (Sumpter) |
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—Opinions—
Obama’s Health Care Reform — The Best or Worst Thing to Happen to Americans?
We are still reeling over the passage of Obama’s health care reform bill and what the possible ramifications are. It will either go down in history as being the best or the worst thing that has happened to Americans. And it looks like it will be several years before we will see the full impact. Here, however, are a few opinions we received this week on the subject (which do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this newspaper — but we do like the last comment the best):
“Lost amid the partisan sniping and procedural jousting over the passage of ‘Obamacare’ is a fundamental, unavoidable hypocrisy – one that's worth unmasking as Washington politicians continue to ignore the will of the American people and plunge our nation deeper into full-blown socialism. President Barack Obama and his Congressional allies are spending money that they know we don't have on a program that they know isn't going to work – all in an effort to expand government's control over the private sector and its reach into the private lives of American citizens.” — Howard Rich, chairman of Americans for Limited Government
“I applaud President Obama and members of Congress who at long last have delivered needed reforms to our health care system. These reforms will benefit everyone – critical consumer protections for those who want to keep the insurance they have and access to health insurance for those who the current system has shut out. “With these federal reforms, coupled with the state reforms passed last session, we will bring a more just, accessible and higher quality health care system to all Oregonians.” — Governor Ted Kulongoski
“ObamaCare, beyond the enormous costs and dislocations, directly inserts itself into the doctor-patient relationship. It will make the practice of Hippocratic Medicine. I will prescribe regimen for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment. I will keep them from harm and injustice.”—all but impossible. The most effective approach is for both patients and physicians to opt out of the third party payment system. — Dr. Richard Amerling, MD, nephrologist practicing in New York City
“Every United States president dreams of making a landmark contribution during his (or one day her) term of office. For President Obama, this contribution is “Health Care Reform.” When the air clears, hopefully people will be able to once again think logically rather than emotionally, and consider the ramifications of this decision. Our battle is not about which humans are right and which humans are wrong. The battle isn’t about Democrats and Republicans. God is not a Democrat or a Republican!” —Dr. Alveda King: Daughter of the late slain civil rights activist Rev. A. D. King and Niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The President ordered up a $950 billion price tag, and a $100 billion, ten-year reduction in the federal deficit. Presto! The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) pulled the right number of digits out of the hat, a mere $940 billion price tag and a $138 billion deficit decrease—a giant drop in the gargantuan federal red-ink bucket. The Democrats admittedly just adjusted the numbers as needed. Is the excise tax on union members’ Cadillac health plans too high? Lower that, and tax seniors’ retirement-plan interest and dividends. If the CBO predictions are shown to be pure digital fantasy, it is not the actuaries who will suffer. As with the wild underestimates for the cost of Medicare, imaginary numbers have real physical consequences. The number crunchers got paid; Americans are still paying.” — Jane M. Orient, M.D., Executive Director of Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
“Congratulations to the Obama Administration and Congress for passage of the most important healthcare legislation in a generation. Oregon has been a leader in developing systems for affordable, accessible health care and I look forward as Governor to working with our Congressional delegation and the White House to have Oregon take the next step in healthcare policy: promoting greater actual health for all our citizens. I believe that Oregon can lead the way in changing how we deliver healthcare, leading to a healthier population at much lower cost. —John Kitzhaber candidate for Governor of Oregon
“Let me get this straight......we just passed a health care plan written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, to be signed by a president that also hasn't read it and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke. What the hell could possibly go wrong??? — Maxine
—Letter To The Editor—
Bloodmobile To Visit Baker City, Please Return Red Cross Flags
To The Editor:
The Red Cross Bloodmobile will visit Baker City again on March 29 and 30. Just one pint of blood can save up to three lives and it is very important for us to contribute our share by making our quota of 160 units for the two days. Baker City usually comes through, but extra blood is always needed.
I urge you to give up just one hour of your time to help save those three lives. Unfortunately, we have had two incidents happen during the last two drives. One in November of last year and the other in January of this year. Our only two Red Cross flags that we put out for reminders during the drives have disappeared from the flagpoles on Main Street. I’d like to blame the wind rather than vandalism, but it seems strange that it would happen now after we have displayed the flags for many years without such incident. If anyone happens to see them somewhere, would you please call me or take them to the Red Cross office in the basement of City Hall?
Again, please come give blood on Monday, March 29, 1-6 p.m. or Tuesday, March 30, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Calvary Baptist Church 2107 3rd Street. If you would like an appointment, please call me at 523.4650. Let’s make our quota!
Colleen Brooks,
Bloodmobile Chairman
Baker City
Which Name Is More Appropriate?
To The Record-Courier:
Will he prefer to be called Czar Barack or Czar Obama?
Carl Kostol
Baker City
Oxymorons? Awk?
To The Record-Courier:
In reading the article in The Record-Courier about the Natural Resource Advisory Committee (NRAC) and the conflict issues concerning mining related activities (uses). In real world terms, surface/subsurface minerals resources are attributed to “land use planning” to federal land (or state lands).
The County Commissioners should only be concerned with state land issues, not federal land uses (plans of “ops”).
When the NRAC was created at the “whims” of the County Commissioners several months ago, it was predictable then, to the present conflicts, the issues then (and now) as to “collectivism” vs. rules of law. My dictionary defines “collectivism” as a system in which the state (government) own and control the materials and means of production and distribution (i.e. socialism). (See Law of Agents and Redistributions.)
The conflict becomes apparent as to federal land uses to policy, as only congress, under Art. IV, Sect. 3, 2nd paragraph, “Property Clause”, has this authority and Art. VI, called “Supremacy Clause” that affirms Art. IV, as enforceable by state’s “elected” judges (and D.A.s) office who are under “Oath of Office” as stated in Art. VI of U.S. Constitutional Law that is still in force (not under UN Charter.)
The Commissioners’ concerns should only be directed to state “land use” planning under chapter 517 and County (440) ordinances. and County Records Office to ORS517.420; to “Locations of claims on State’s Lands (DSL). This also applies to riparian areas that fall within “navigable” waters of the state. These lands are not subjected to “Entry and Location” laws of 1872 grants by land use planning of federal lands. The Forest Service can’t sub delegate “land use(s)” policy to state’s agencies as conflicts to two “administrative” bodies exist then, as to administrative law judges (case laws) differ to state and federal conflicts arise.” “Unitary State” to conflicts is a form of anarchy by scheme (shell game principle).
Art. III, U.S. constitutional Law; (states) “Federal Judicial” power shall extend to controversies to which the United States shall be a party. This is called “court of competent jurisdiction.” This includes IFLA - Federal Administrative Law court in federal “land use” planning.
A federal mining claim of 20 acres (5 acre mil site) is a grant of the “use” of the “public domain” lands (PL167) for the (uses) “Exclusive and full enjoyment” within the lines of a location. The 20 acres, in practical sense is not part of “public domain” when upon discovery of valuable minerals and legal requirements are met. “Possessory right” is a grant, by Congress, to the “use” of the public domain, reserved from leasing/contract mining laws.
Bruce Parke
Sumpter, Ore.
Spring Is Springing — Time For Cake and Easter!
To The Editor:
Well guess we slid right in to spring. As always April showers bring May flowers, but are the flowers earlier than usual this year? We have all the hustle and bustle to get seedlings started for our gardens, etc. and those beautiful flower arrangements for presentations. We want our yards to look nice and spiffy — such excitement — and not to mention Easter is once again upon us. There are the special Easter baskets for the kids and traditions, etc., and all that goes with this special season. And there is the celebration of life in itself — spring is springing at that! I know we are well past and into the spring issues at the time of printing this letter.
Well in case any of you have noticed by now our gas is once again going up. It has been fairly steady the last couple of years and all so guess going up a couple pennies or so hopefully won’t hurt the budget of some for traveling, etc.
I would like to thank the editor and staff of this paper, The Record-Courier for letting me include a family favorite recipe that is a very rich cake, which stays moist etc., in my letter. I do know many of us look forward to those wonderful recipes that Liz presents in her column, as well as myself, to maybe someday try. Seems to me we think of trying them sometime, and sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t, just a matter of getting it done — ha! Before too long most of us who collect her recipes will have a cookbook all by itself. I am collector of such things myself and have one that is as old as the hills and they have all sorts of recipes that I am not sure I would even venture into trying — kinda of like from moonshine days, awk!
So here is our family favorite tradition, which is great for kids, etc. — enjoy!
Chocolate Cake - 2 cups sugar, 2 Tbsp. cocoa, 1/2 c. Crisco, 2 eggs, 1 Tsp. salt, 2 c. flour, 1 c. boiling water, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. vanilla.
Mix first six ingredients together until creamy. Add boiling water and soda dissolved in it and vanilla....Bake at 350 degrees until done in a 9 x 13 pan about 25 to 30 mins. I use pan spray in prepared pan. Insert toothpick, if toothpick comes out clean then cake is done. Put icing on cake while warm. Icing: 1- /2 c. sugar, 1 scant tbsp. cocoa, 1/2 c. cream, 1 tbsp. butter, 1 tsp. vanilla. Boil to soft ball stage sugar, cocoa, cream, when soft ball stage occurs, remove from heat and stir in tsp. vanilla, and butter until nice and smooth. Put frosting on while cake is warm and gently spread around by lifting pan in slow motion from one end to the other.
One can add a touch of ice cream to help tone down the richness of this wonderful and delightful cake. Have a Happy Easter and remember the true meaning of Easter and the celebration of its true meaning in which we are truly blessed and thankful for.
Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Baker City
‘Free Speech And All The Rest Of Our Rights Are In Jeopardy’
To The Editor:
Over the years I've probably written 10,000 column inches on the issue of gun control and other things like Oregon's land use laws to name a few. I had my fan club, I know, because people would stop me on the street and talk about something I had written in the paper. I still get questions about why I haven't had anything in the paper lately. I used to admonish people that it wasn't enough to say in a one-on-one conversation that you agree, that you must take the time to write a note for the paper yourself so that the few who do write and take a stand don't feel like they are the only ones, and more importantly the opposition must know that those who express opinions are not just a few kooks.
Turns out I'm guilty myself. I've gotten so busy I don't have time for anything. Jasper Coombes wrote a letter about gun control and freedom and I told myself to get a letter off. I let it slide then Tom Nash wrote an open letter to Jasper, which I find just a little peculiar.
Mr. Nash chides the right wing for talking points on gun control, but his letter is just a rehash of all the gun control arguments I've heard from the left before. It really heated up under Bill Clinton. I knew it would when Bill went duck hunting once that the war was about to escalate, and it did. They invented terms like "assault weapons" and I wrote an article about the St. Valentine's Day Massacre" in Chicago that resulted in the 1934 Firearms act that banned fully automatic weapons. Actually, it didn't.
At that time, our Congress could still read the Constitution and they knew that banning guns was unconstitutional so they just required a stamp for fully automatics and issued damn few stamps. The point is that since 1934 all weapons in America have the same rate of fire, one shot per trigger pull. It doesn't matter if they are a beautiful new deer rifle of the latest caliber or a military looking AR 15. It doesn't matter if they have a bayonet lug (what jackass would bring a bayonet to a gun fight?) or any one of a dozen features that put a gun on a banned list.
The fact remains all weapons have the same rate of fire. Inventing terms is a tactic to incrementally ban guns. The left's leadership knows that, but the common city dweller who hasn't fired a weapon in 10 generations doesn't.
Bill Clinton would appear on television and almost cry about 19 children dying every day from firearms. Turns out those 19 children were about 19 years of age and involved in gangs and drugs. It is often quoted that America has 30,000 gun deaths a year. Over half of those so called gun deaths, that appear to be street violence are old men, mostly white, a large percentage combat veterans, who use a gun for suicide because of illness or depression. They view a gun as quick and easy. The left thinks that all of this would stop if there were no guns. Bill Clinton caught on to what the gun banners were doing to the Democratic party and told them to tone it down. They didn't listen.
Al Gore lost three states because of his stand on guns. He could have been president except for the left's push to control guns. It’s hard to forget John Kerry's wild goose chase. He went hunting. They said he shot one, but in deference to the urban left animal rights people he made sure that some one else carried the dead critter. Kerry lost too.
It's easy to see that I could do another 1,000 inches in this letter, but let's cut to the quick.
The Founding Fathers didn't trust government or authority. You can see that in the way our government is set up. Three branches of government as checks and balances. Civilian control of the military. A Bill of Rights. They didn't want standing armies, relying on the militias, or common men to be armed in case of emergency. There was no National Guard, one of those groups who have a legitimate reason to be armed, according to the left. You can read Thomas Jefferson, George Washington or most of the Founder's opinions. I particularly like Jefferson. “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms,” or my favorite, “Those who beat the guns into plow shears will plow for those who don't.” I think most of these quotes are probably in the Supreme Court's record of Heller vs. Washington D.C. What is most disturbing was during the confirmation hearings of Sota Mayor she said that the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms was “not incorporated to the states” or in other words that part of the Bill of Rights that says keep your hands off my guns doesn't pertain to the states. I can only assume that free speech and all the rest of our rights are in jeopardy. And the worst thing was that George Bush's right wing court said that we had the right to keep and bear arms “with reasonable restrictions.”
At the time I wrote “show me a restriction that isn't reasonable to the left.” Now they tell me that Heller only applied to Washington D.C. A new decision out of Chicago is due in June. Better cross your fingers, political left, because if you win this case you are going to lose your peace. A decision giving local governments banning rights is trouble for sure. Be careful what you wish for.
Mr. Nash says he fears what the right might do as the country splits farther along ideological lines. I hope he really thinks about it. The election of Obama resulted in a mass arming of the right because they feared what the left might try under a gun control president. Guns and ammunition prices soared. The left should pay attention to that. And yes I agree that the political right is more inclined to organize and maybe turn violent if the left pushes too hard. You should keep that in mind. The left is no violent threat. They hate guns so don't have them. A little more pushing from the left and you could see militia groups openly drilling on the village squares. The threat as I see it is a split in police forces. Urban cops have changed over the years and now seem to favor gun control while the rural don't. The military is pro gun at this time, but as more and more foreign born join the military for green cards that could change. The tradition of loyalty to the country and constitution and not a strongman is essential. Border control is not on the left's agenda.
My father and uncles served in the Pacific during World War 2. I served in Vietnam and after Vietnam we went to an all-volunteer military. I have a nephew in Afghanistan now and another that could end up there. They are getting good training, but I think an all-volunteer force was a mistake. The military keeps the vast percentage of population so safe that they never have to really worry about their safety. They have no experience with firearms. Hollywood convinces them that fully automatic weapons are common, instead on non existent. The idea that if guns were outlawed that human nature would change seems to be the mantra. Do away with guns and violence would go away. The gangs would disband. The drug trade would stop. Mexico would see the light and quit sending billions in drugs and taking away billions in profits. If people would just disarm, only those with “legitimate reasons” for owning guns had them we would have heaven on earth.
That's a good thing, having human nature change so quickly because as they say “when seconds count the police are only minutes away.” B.S. piles up quicker in the left press faster than it does in my barn. I can find no mention in the Constitution about authority having a monopoly on public safety. In fact at the time of writing the Constitution a good percentage of the population were rural, many on the frontier where firearms were necessary for protection from predators — the four-legged kind and the two-legged kind.
So after reading some column inches on guns and freedom there is only one thing to really understand. The left and the right see things as mirror images. The right doesn't really buy into that “right to keep and bear arms” thing, they consider it more of an obligation to be armed. That defending yourself and going hunting are nice side benefits of gun ownership, but as a final check and balance, a defense against tyranny is the legitimate reason for possessing arms. The left sees their obligation to see that only those with “legitimate” reasons, authority, have guns. It's ironic that those who abhor violence will probably bring it about on a mass scale when they ultimately try to disarm the people.
Steve Cully
Richland, Ore.
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—Editorial—
Words Are Powerful
Idaho Power isn’t winning any popularity contests in eastern Oregon. They were already on shaky ground with those opposing their proposed 500-kilovolt transmission line running through their backyards. Now they’ve insulted the very people they were working hard to convince to let them complete their transmission project.
Even though it was Grant County residents the “demeaning and bigoted” statements were made about, we see no difference in they and us. We are equally offended by their remarks.
Granted the IPC employees who inappropriately mouthed off probably aren’t echoing everyone’s sentiments in the Company, but it makes us wonder what really is going on behind closed doors. Do they really think as, Robertson stated they said, “We have the power to just take away their property and not even deal with them.”
We really hope that this was the belief of a select few individuals working for the Company and not something they are repeating from Idaho Power’s upper management.
Because if this is really their sentiments, we think they should know the people of eastern Oregon won’t take it lightly. IPC will find out, if they haven’t already, that our land is our livelihood and we won’t relinquish it easily — and certainly not if we don’t see it go for the common good of our residents.
Even though it’s the sticks and stones that may hurt your bones, words in this case just might screw up Idaho Power’s chance of any public co-operation.
—Letter To The Editor—
Letter To Congressman Walden
To The Record-Courier:
I am writing to ask you to get this out to whoever can look into this matter for the disabled. The FEIS on the TMP will be coming out soon, there are already problems with the way the Forest service treat the disabled. We believe our culture is under attack.
I believe that Baker County has some very special circumstances like, mining, and RS 2477 roads that have been in place for over 120 years.
We are asking for the use of a safe wheelchair on safe roads, many of these roads have been in place over 120 years, so that we have the opportunity for a true outdoor experience, in a natural setting. This would be “inclusion” not “outright intentional exclusion.”
If there is any future documentation or communication that you should need please feel free to contact me.
Thank you for your support.
Roy H Barnes
Retired, Oregon State Police
Fighting Damages Council’s Effectiveness
To The Record-Courier:
Ever hear the Zen question, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” It may take two to tango, but not to fight. I cannot stop another councilor from fighting. I can only behave properly myself, even in the face of abuse. Even city councilors can change only what is within their control.
City managers do not have authority to overrule a council vote. The council majority twice directed the former city manager to schedule work sessions to revise the property maintenance ordinance. The next time we had to vote to send it back to a work session, it was minus the fighting city manager. That much at least was within our control.
One council member boycotted the work sessions, but another member admitted a particular new section of the proposed ordinance was “probably unconstitutional.” The logjam was suddenly broken. Working together takes willingness to listen and admit the other guy might be right. If someone demands control and refuses to compromise, that is fighting.
A cohesive council requires respect, self discipline, and acceptance of majority rule.
Those who continue to fight damage their own effectiveness. Unfortunately, they also frustrate and discourage others. It is the voter’s job to determine who fails to follow the rules. Of course, you have to understand the rules. Read them. Observe. Listen.
Yes, it would be a shame if good, bright, and talented individuals don’t run for council because they see others subjected to abusive behavior. What business person would run for office when community “leaders” threaten frivolous lawsuits and boycotts, and people vandalize their property? How do we change that?
Clair Button
Baker City
A Letter To Senator Merkley
To The Record-Courier
Thank you for your recent letter concerning the pending Health Care “Reform” Act. For the sake of brevity I will only discuss one portion of the proposal at this time.
The act will require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. That means that if someone is ill he must receive the insurance coverage no matter when he applies for it. “Pre-existing coverage” is an appealing sound bite designed to lull the public. It does not lull me. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that people that are quite healthy would not need to buy health insurance. Under this proposed act if they get sick they will be able to buy insurance at any time to cover their illness.
To prevent the huge losses that the program would incur from large numbers of people going without coverage you will require that people who decide to remain uninsured will be fined. What do you propose for those who cannot, or will not, pay their fines? After all many people may take the money that they would ordinarily have budgeted for health care premiums and instead spend it. Prisons are very expensive.
The legislation you are proposing fits in with your party’s goal to exercise the greatest amount of control over the largest number of people. Your “reform act” would be very expensive and proposes to fix a lot of things that don’t really need fixing. The use of the word “reform” when used in this context is an abuse of the English language. Please substitute the word “change,” which was your leader’s favorite campaign term.
Carl R.Kostol, M.D.
Baker City
Things Could Be A Little More Balanced In Washington
To The Editor:
Normally, I don’t like to write about these kinds of issues because of all the stirring up they do. However, this is just a food for thought, which I am sure has crossed most of our human minds of what is on the agenda these days where our government is concerned.
It seems to me that we elect our officials and those who are elected promise to live up to what they were elected for — to have an effect that could make things a little more balanced in Washington. So now they are overriding all reasons for our officials to be in the position that they were elected to be in. Why even have a voting poll. Just let it be business as usual and come what may to our politically-minded people who want to have the last say no matter what the other guy thinks and how they are going to take care of business etc. You name it!
Remember our favorite cartoon character the Pink Panther? He tries really hard to make his bag of tricks work, and sometimes his tricks succeed and sometimes they don’t, but he figures oh well! My favorite one is the flea where he just keeps on being more than one can bear. After all, we know what they are capable of doing at that. Then we have our girl dog that if things aren’t just quite right for eating her meal, you might say, she thinks she can be hand fed. Well she doesn’t have quite the upper hand on that one to say the least.
So, if we can really have a lasting effect on how to get things done in Washington, etc. and not let the this nonsense of a corrupt issue override us, then things could be a little more balanced. It could maybe even be a compromise position where everyone has done the most possible job to make things look more right than wrong and not make the mistake over hiding something that the eye cannot see, and then pay for our consequences. To much of a big rush for getting the job done makes one a little leery of what is really on the agenda at. Even though we already know in part, and all the emails that I receive and see on line, it’s pretty frightening as to the outcome of our livelihood, etc. and if that is the case why bother to elect our officials to begin with and just carry on the best we know how to?
Is this a case of enough is enough? Beats me!
Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Baker City
Energize With Nuclear Power
To The Record-Courier
Oil is a diminishing and expensive source of energy, and coal is dirty.
Alternative energy sources, including solar and wind power, can only provide 10% to 20% of our energy requirements.
President Obama has increased government loan guaranties for new nuclear power plants from $18.5 billion to $54.5 billion, which should give impetus to the nuclear power industry.
There are 20 nuclear plants undergoing decommissioning, and we could construct new 2,000 megawatt units at these sites for a reduced investment by using the existing infrastructure. Nuclear plants have provided clean, cheap and safe power from 104 units. The only accident was at Three Mile Island, where almost all of the radiation was contained in the containment building. Subsequently, the NRC made changes in how it regulates nuclear power plants, and this has significantly reduced any risk to public safety.
We have to address the problem of leaking radioactive wastewater from underground pipes. The solution might be using higher quality pipes or moving the pipes above ground where they can be easily monitored.
Another problem is the disposal of nuclear waste, which has been collecting on plant sites. The solution is to neutralize and recycle the waste. France has perfected a process to recycle nuclear waste, and it is able to generate 80% of its energy requirements from nuclear power.
We need more nuclear power plants to counter the effects of global warming, eliminate foreign oil purchases, and reduce the use of fossil fuels.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH
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—Editorial—
Here We Go Again...
Just as we finally received closure on last year’s efforts to recall Baker City Mayor Dennis Dorrah and Councilor Beverly Calder, a new recall effort has been instigated, this time for Councilor Milo Pope. Although we can appreciate Dick Haynes asserting his rights to try and remove someone from office he feels is not conducive to a “quality and productive government” — we’re just plain tired of all of this.
We would like to see a cohesive council who can work together and be civil to each other. We (at this newspaper) have visited with all of these councilors and the mayor over varying issues and at different times, and have found each of them to be pleasant, intelligent and easy to talk to. But sometimes when they get together they become like oil and water — they can’t seem to mix their expertise and opinions into an agreeable blend of ideas and actions.
We’re not saying they don’t have good ideas, they do. And we are not saying they don’t make decisions, they do, but we would just like to see them be able to reach a consensus without all of the arguing and drama that takes place, and the resulting after effects by those who don’t agree with that consensus. We are beginning to wonder if we should submit our city council for consideration to a producer for a reality TV series...
Some may argue that they’ve seen things run pretty smoothly at council meetings, so have we, but the times they don’t are the ones people will focus on.
We think Haynes and others are talking recall because of the frustration they feel over our council who has obviously been divided in the past and continues to show signs of further discord. We are also concerned that some councilors who are up for re-election this year (Calder, Bryan, Button and Mayor Dorrah) will chose not to run again because of all of this, which would be a shame — there are some very bright individuals on council now. And we are concerned that others considering running for the first time will not want to get involved because of what they have seen take place over the last year.
We know these talented individuals who all have fine qualities to bring to the table won’t always agree and we don’t expect them to, but we do believe with a little effort they could agree to get along with and be respectful of each other.
We don’t feel this discord is the entire fault of any individual, because as they say it takes two to tango. In this case we would like to see all seven councilors and the Mayor fox trot in unison for the good of the City, whether they agree with each other or not. Then maybe we could stop doing the recall boogie.
—Letter To The Editor—
Recall Violations Weren’t ‘Ridiculous’
To The Editor:
In last Friday's Baker City Herald, Jamey Hardy, chief petitioner of the Recall Dorrah and Calder Committee, was quoted as saying, "It was ridiculous for it (Elections Division’s investigation of recall violations) to go as far as it did in the first place. We knew we weren't doing anything wrong."
Oh, really!
Elections Division investigator Alana Guiney didn't think the complaints were "ridiculous," as may be seen in her letter to Hardy dated March 1, 2010:
"There were an uncanny number of double signatures in this campaign... We received multiple complaints relating to the content of the recall petition, the inconsistencies regarding double signing, and the possibility of police officers collecting in uniform. There were also issues regarding possible false signatures."
And in a letter to Milo Pope, Guiney wrote, "...there were a huge number of double signers and other issues."
Guiney concluded, "Considering the relatively small number of signatures needed for the recall, the number of problems were disproportionate and troubling."
"In the first place," to use Hardy's words, what should NOT have happened was the Dorrah-Calder recall attempt.
O.K., let's move on.
Well, not quite yet.
There's still the unresolved issue of who financed the recall campaign.
Oregon election law requires campaign financing be open to public scrutiny. Campaigns must report within seven days all financial transactions. So, we know that the Recall Dorrah and Calder Committee had three individual contributions of $198 each. And Milo Pope made inkind contributions of $704 and $897 to finance his big ads.
But who donated $666 and $2,041 of the transaction type “Personal Expenditure for Reimbursement” dated Oct. 8 and 13, 2009? These loan-like transactions form the bulk of the recall committee’s finances.
When I inquired of the Elections Division, I was told there’s a loophole in election finance law. That type of transaction does not get a contributor attached to it until the recall committee either reimburses the person or closes its books.
The recall is not over until the public knows who put up the bulk of the money to finance it.
Gary Dielman
Baker City
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—Letter To The Editor—
Wonderful Care From Local Doctors And Hospital Staff
To The Record-Courier:
On Feb. 9 I had a double knee replacement at our local hospital. I was impressed by everyone I came in contact with from the front desk to the Surgery floor. I had wonderful care from the nursing staff and the Physical Therapy staff and Dr. Eric Sandefur’s staff.
Dr. Sandefur was my surgeon and he was assisted by Dr. Robert McKim and Autumn Swiger-Harrell, PA. I was apprehensive about the surgery, but I have been pleased with my quick recovery after only four days in the hospital and few days at home. It is so great to be rid of the pain that has been a constant companion for over 8 years. I have been walking around since the 2nd day after surgery and with the help of a few pain pills, very comfortable.
Baker City is a small and quite secluded place and we are so fortunate to have St. Elizabeth hospital and wonderful Orthopedic Surgery Center. Dr. Eric Sanderfur has come well recommended by Physicians he has worked with and Patients with success stories. We are so lucky to have a Doctor of his reputation and skill in our small community.
We lived in Baker City for 20 years in the 60’s and 70’s. We moved to the Willamette Valley because of job opportunities in 1980 and spent 23 years in the Portland area. It was so great to move back to Baker City when we retired and to have health care where we actually have a name and not just a number.
Betty Lissman
Baker City
Constitutional Law Is Better ‘First Choice’
To The Editor:
In reading the recent articles about the “Tea Party” rebellion, as a form of “Vigilantism” could turn into a form of anarchy if in the wrong hands by conflict of managers (of politics) such as observed, by certain F. S. Officials, that are “killed” at the art of deception. (Mob rule?)
I would like to stress the use of Constitutional law as better “first choice” and of course the first 10 and the following amendments following Articles I thru VII (1 thru 7).
Article IV and VI (read 4 and 6) are the most important articles that bind our 3 branches of “checks and balances” – intact?
Article IV (4) Section 1, “Full faith and credit” clause as used as reference of prior court cases, but wasn’t intended to replace court law, only opinions of particular judges (not prone to “activism”, etc?) The U.S. Supreme Court has a panel of 9 Justices, as 9 opinions, but the 10th amendment can and has over ruled these people in “black robes” as “We the People”, but watch out for “mob” rule/riots by “conflict” managers despite, as seen in Hitler’s brown shirts – activist? (19390’s Era). (Conflict of law) The ”case law” against “Administrative” abuse was brought about by Fletcher Gravel Co. VS Thomas C. Jorling, commissioner and Dept. of Environmental Conservation, (ie DEQ?) of New York and the N. Y. Appellate court that unanimously held that that a mine operator (Gravel) does not have to file a new permit application to continue mining on its already permitted site when there has been no change in level or scope of operations.
This decision affirms that a government agency cannot exceed its “delegated” powers by indiscriminately over riding fundamental property rights. Instead, the court ruled the D.E.C. (D.E.Q.) is charged only with administering Statues, not expanding them at the agencies “whims.” (ie DEQ?) F.S.) (BLM), etc.
This ruling halts an unfortunate trend toward increasingly far reaching, time consuming and cost by reviews of “business” permit renewals by the D.E.C. (read D.E.Q.?). This means that the D.E.Q. (or others) cannot put time limits and/or “expiration dates” on permits?
The key is to the same level of/or scope of “ops”, as the Appellate court made in this (trial) suit that should be up held by Oregon State’s courts? As further stated; “This precedent not only applies to the mining industry in New York State, but in other highly regulated States nationwide, ( ie U.S.F.S.?), to said jobs and reduce unnecessary permitting costs and time delays, the attorneys noted. (ie DEQ’s whims?)
According to Gilberti’s (Attorney group), the impact of this decision has yet to be realized by the industry as a whole. The significance of the Fletcher Gravel Decision is that an Appellate Court, in an unanimous decision, systematically eliminated any D.E.C. (read DEQ) rationale for imposing exhaustive environmental review on long standing “operations” (How about F.S. “Plans” etc), mine operators throughout the State are elated about this victory, as observed. Actually, whether you’re a mine operator, a chemical company, or any type of manufacture – the Fletchers reasoning is applicable in the permitting process as explained by Gilberti group of a 15 attorney environmental practice group in Syracuse, New York.
The Oregon State’s DEQ has been violating this ruling by an Appellate Court by the extended use (s) of “time limits” on permits and National 40 CFR440 (1988 EPA revised rules that excludes small entities, not even consider a small business, as mandated by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (PL96) and has established itself as (?) a State’s “Czar” of sorts. They put all “checks and balances” in their one basket of “command and control” proclamations?
Oregon’s courts are by “elected” officials, not as to use of administrative law judges? Let’s clean house and put our constitution back to work and not to the U.N. Charters? Let’s put a governor of good standing to work for the people of Oregon and not a Unitary – one antral State kind of governor that collaborates with Federal Agents?
The “Partners” are another form of partisanship by Pluto Crats? Let’s not tie the “knot” of dictatorship, ? Via “unitized” central command? By executive fiat? (Czars)
Bruce Parke
Sumpter
Like To See A Tea Party With Ordinary People, Not Radicals
To The Record-Courier
I want to ask forgiveness from everyone who voted for Obama. You didn’t like the way our Nation was going, and wanted a change. I felt the same way. Each President presents a problem, but we the public are to blame. We aren’t entitled to a free lunch off of those who own business or are successful on their own. In every State we need to vote out both Republicans and Democrats. They are the ones who control our money. They are the ones who are turning us into a second-rate Country. The money they are spending is ours, and they’re selling us to other Countries.
Walden, our State Representative, is adding earmarks worse than some of the Democrats. We are broke Mr. Walden, Quit spending money we don’t have. And you, Senator Wyden, you sit back and vote party lines whether you think its good or not. You aren’t even an Oregonian! You have been living off us for over 35 years and it’s time you go!
I would like to see a local Tea Party. Not one made up of radicals, but ordinary down to the earth people who use common sense. People who are willing to go street by street and get our local people to join us in cleaning out all of our corrupt Congress! Only 19 or 20 people out of 100 like what they’re doing. That means there is 80 of us who don’t. I say it’s time we stand up and be counted.
George Wilder
Baker City
Putting Names To Faces
To The Record-Courier:
Well wouldn’t you know it, came across a familiar subject that we are all familiar with at one time or point in our lifetime give or take a few incidents at that. This subject spurred me on to make this a fun one in more ways then one to write on in fact even left the title up to The Record-Courier staff for this article...it makes me wonder how many of you if not all of you have ever walked in to a store etc....and some one looks at you and says oh and identifies you with a past so to speak, and you have to be the one to say, “do I know you?” Then they recollect the issue so to speak....and yes of course, here I am retired for the night after making a day with the window and door insulation for our next home project and half asleep, and then I remember who this individual was . Wow, told my husband that when he goes in he will see a familiar face at that and made mention of the name. Like the usual saying goes it can be either a small world after all or a big one. Chuckle.....chuckle...
So the next day had to call them to verify my findings and discussion of the previous night and made mention of remembering their name and boy if they didn’t put me to the test. I said, and that name is... and of course I hit the button right on the button. So you might say that made us on the right page at that.
Now it does pay to make mention that there have been other previous times that when you see someone standing in line at the grocery etc...and they say hi etc....you just let them carry on the conversation and let them feel like you know who they are. How many of you have done that one? Most I am sure. Then there have been other times that I have just come right out and asked them who they are and they are really good about saying their name etc.... Now the ones who I ran into recently at one of the stores regarding our class reunion coming up and all still can’t remember them from the past to say the least. So will probably will have to approach them on the basis that they rattled my cage and I can’t seem to place their name etc.
Then a friend of mine caught up with me online that I was involved with of a group of people, and wonderful group of people at that, emailed me and said she knew me and of course I had to ask her to verify things and lo and behold we had worked on planning activities etc., for this particular group when I lived in Seattle. Yes, so many incidents in which we have caught ourselves and most of you have in trying to remember the names of faces of bypassers at that.
Now if anyone can verify and put a name on whether the weather is still winter or spring or just some place in between... well guess we will soon find out come summer as to what our lack of moisture does at that.
Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Baker City
Those Who Support Gun Control Ignorant Of Historical Facts
To The Record-Courier:
Today a hot-button issue that should not exist is gun control. That is, restrictions on the ownership, possession and the carrying of firearms. In my studied opinion those who support such restrictions are clearly ignorant of the historical facts, or are deceitful in their objective.
History of the U.S. Constitution clearly shows the intent of the framers was that all citizens should be armed. Control of the government they had just created, but wisely they did not trust, was one of their justifications. Thus, the Second Amendment to the new Constitution. Events in other nations demonstrate the wisdom of our forefathers. History shows that after outlawing private gun ownership the Soviet Union killed 20 million of its citizens; Turkey killed 1.5 million; Germany killed 1.3 million; China killed 20 million; Guatemala killed 100,000; Uganda killed 300,000; Cambodia killed 1,000,000. It is estimated that during the 20th century approximately 56 million innocent individuals were murdered by THEIR OWN GOVERNMENTS because they couldn’t resist. Could we be next?
A recent example of apparent will-intended gun control is Australia. After a year of gun control, which cost the people some $500 million, the results are very revealing. Homicides up 3.2 percent. Assaults up 8.6 percent. Armed robbery up an astonishing 44 percent. Only outlaws and police now have guns, a fact guaranteed by government. When seconds count, police are minutes or hours away!
In the United States one of the favorite justifications for control of gun ownership is violence in the streets. But such laws only make outlaws safe. Your government will have assured them that when they enter your house to rape and plunder, you will be defenseless.
The issue is not really guns, it is the right to self defense. And where there is no SELF defense, there is no reliable defense at all. You are about to become defenseless in the face of armed and evil aggressors, yet the public, you, seem unconcerned.
We do not know the motivation of those who spend millions of dollars each year attempting to disarm us. But we can see clearly what can happen if they succeed. And only YOU can stop them. Silence won’t!
Jasper H. Coombes
Richland
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—Editorial—
Technology Is Not The Answer
Man has developed some amazing technology. Powerful computers, giant televisions no more than four inches thick, miniature electronics, wireless phones enabling users to communicate virtually with anyone in the world, the Internet and the list goes on.
Some people believe technology will make the world better and safer.
Has it?
Not when you consider that sophisticated technology can be used for a bad purpose as well as a good one. Crooks use technology to steal your identity, spy on you, send viruses to your computer and a host of other disturbing consequences.
Instead of feeling safer through technology, we feel ever more vulnerable and exposed. Terrorists will use all the technology they can find to kill Americans.
It seems whatever man dreams of to make the world better ultimately backfires. Men always take something that could be a convenient and useful tool, such as the Internet, and turn it into a monster. Sexual perverts lurk everywhere in the “chat rooms,” and children are exposed to all sorts degrading filth. The Internet is literally dismantling the moral fiber of society, causing many to have a distorted view of relationships. Pornography on the Internet is degrading to men and women and causes many to view them as mere sexual objects.
It’s no wonder the evening news is filled with unimaginable sex crimes and rampant infidelity. Some young people, at a very young age, are so charged up from junk they see on the Internet that sex at school is becoming a common practice. There was a time when even high school boys treated their girlfriends with at least some respect. That attitude is quickly eroding.
Things aren’t like they used to be. The whole system is coming apart and technology has in large part only made it worse. The problem is too deep and too complex for man to have any hope of solving on his own. It will take Someone with limitless power. (DC)
—Letters To The Editor—
The stimulus saved the jobs of municipal workers, and provided additional unemployment benefits, but it has not provided jobs in the private sector. The money went to government agencies, colleges, non-profit organizations and entitlement programs. These programs will generate annual deficits of $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion for years to come. Our government has squandered our financial resources on failed economic programs, and the American work force continues to suffer.
The domestic priority should be creating millions of new jobs, and other domestic initiatives, including health care reform, should wait until the economy improves.
The Administration and Congress have to reduce the size of government; cut business taxes; and give U.S. companies incentives to operate in this country, and dis-incentives to move operations and jobs overseas.
Donald Moskowitz
Londonberry, NH
Open Letter To Hannity, Beck And Limbaugh
To The Record-Courier:
I am heavily involved in the Oregon Republican Party, the Republican Chair of a Congressional District in Oregon and a County Chair for over 10 years. I put in 15 to 30 hours per week every week (gratis) on conservative issues and supporting conservative candidates across the political landscape.
Mr. Hannity's recent leader for his TV show of "Tea Party Battles the Republican Party," Beck's berating and constant barrage that "Republicans" are not conservative enough and are as corrupt as the Democrats, and Rush's constant din that Republicans don't get it and have abandoned conservative values are all a bunch of seriously damaging untruths and misrepresentations of the vast, vast majority of Republicans.
We live out here where the political rubber meets the road and politics means lives, jobs and freedom lost or saved. The conservative movement that we are fighting for takes a huge bashing every time you guys put all "Republicans" up against your idea of what conservatism should be. You sit there in the cities in your posh dwellings and swanky studios and haven't a clue what we conservative street fighters are doing day after day in the political trenches. Selling your shows by sensationalizing differences is one thing, but lumping all Republicans in the bag with a few who constantly draw the media attention as melba toast moderates or RINO's plays right into the hands of what the Liberals and the MSM are trying to do…. Divide us and cause distrust between Conservatives.
You brand us all as not sticking to conservative principles which is overwhelmingly not true. By far, most of us are the "Tea Party Movement" and they are us. The 'new' activists in a variety of conservative advocacy groups that have sprung up, have been told for so long by you and others pundits that "Republicans" have left conservative values behind that they buy into it. Thus, they don't trust the core group that is aligned with them in most aspects of their advocacy. You don't speak for us because you have no clue who we are or what we do by the thousands of man-hours per day. These new groups are a huge source of energy, fundamental Americanism and new strength that we true Republicans are working very hard to join forces with and have join us. Sell your shows as you will, but don't do it on the backs of the hard working Conservative Republicans out here who are reaching out to all American conservatives.
Tim K Smith
Harney County, Ore.
Create And Keep U.S. Jobs
To The Record-Courier:
President Obama is promoting a new $300 billion economic stimulus program. When he took office in January 2009, he said the $787 billion stimulus program will create 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010 and unemployment will remain below 8.0%. Unemployment is hovering around 10.0%, and the jobs promised by Obama might hit 1.5 million by the end of 2010, but during the last 13 months we lost 5 million jobs. |
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—Editorial—
We were saddened to hear of the death of Aaron Campbell, who was shot and killed by Officer Ronald Frashour Jan. 29 in a police altercation in Portland. But we think Rev. Jesse Jackson’s statement calling the incident an “execution” is erroneous given that a Grand Jury found there was no criminal wrongdoing on the part of Officer Frashour, and insulting to police officers everywhere.
No one knows for sure how they will react in a situation where it is perceived lives are threatened, and in the case of law enforcement their training for the most part dictates how situations like this are handled.
The Portland Police Department has announced that changes will be made in the way these types of situations are handled in the future, including the use of ballistics shields. It’s true, it’s too late for Campbell, but efforts will be made to help prevent something this tragic from happening again.
But for Jackson to turn this tragedy into a racial crime against humanity is uncalled for and unjust. If the U.S. Department of Justice and Congress’ House Judiciary Committee is called on to investigate as Jackson requested, it will be for them to determine if there was criminal/racial motives involved. Even if Frashour is found to have acted inappropriately, which we sincerely doubt, we really don’t think it makes much difference what color a perceived threat is. A threat to human life and safety could be initiated by a purple polka dotted alien and it would still be a threat and some kind of action would need to be taken.
Jackson was reported as saying, "What happened to Aaron (Campbell) is not a matter of black and white, it's a matter of wrong and right.” But we have to wonder if Campbell had been white or if Frashour had been African American, if Jackson would have shown up in Portland this week. Racism should not be tolerated in any form, and especially under the guise of justice.
—Letters To The Editor—
Forest Services Rules And Regulations
To The Record-Courier:
I would like to make a comment about the Forest Service and its Rules and Regulations or Code of Federal Rules (CFRs) as related to the U.S. Constitution law.
The CFRs are only supposed to “flesh out” the congressional intent of the legislative branch of our government, not the executive branch, as the executive branch only executes, not legislates.
This is called promulgate (flesh out) legislative intent as the language of proclamation has the effect of a king to direct and control instead of fleshing out intent by a legislative body of elected people, as a Republic form of government, so the Art (4) IV, Section 4, US Constitution guarantees to every state in this Union a “Republican” form of government, or elected officials to represent the people.
Article IV, Section 3, second paragraph states, “only Congress shall have the power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the UNited States, and nothing in this constitution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States or of any particular state.”
This applies to lands open to location and entry laws of the public domain to 1872 acts, as reserved from Forest Service leasing and surface related resources within the National Forest. (Forest lands reserved from system lands.)
The Forest Service likes to quote the Organic Acts of 1897 as source of authority to regulate mining activities related to federal mining claims subject to entry and location laws (1872 acts-30 US Codes).
If the 1872 acts of congress, under 30 US Codes are in conflict with the US Forest Service Code of Rules, the statutory codes preempt land agencies Code of Rules (or CRFs) conflicts of law?
The mandate to this is constitutional law of Article IV, Section 3, second paragraph states, “only Congress has the authority to make needful rules and regulations” for the property belonging to the United States. This is called the property clause of constitution law, as stated.
Art. I, Section 1 of Constitutional law states, “all legislative power here in granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives (US Statutory Codes).
Forest Service law enforcement body, under executive branch and CFR rules, in conflict with US Codes-Statues of the Article IV and US Codes - Acts of Congress (1872 acts) when in conflict, preempts Forest Service CFRs (facts).
The Organic Act of 1897 is in context (related) to Art IV, Section 3, second paragraph, designates only Congress to rules and regulations not executive branch to the property clause of US Constitution law. In proper context (in 1872 and 1897 acts).
Bruce Parke
Sumpter, Ore.
Grassroots Organization To Reclaim Our Country
To The Record-Courier:
“Liberty once lost is lost forever.” — John Adams
Last year, I was angry about the political realm and its steamroller tactics to develop a Health Care Reform package (read health insurance reform) and shove it down the throats of constituents who were skeptical of, if not totally opposed to, the package. This year, I had resigned myself to a position where I felt that things would resolve themselves.
Lately, I have heard our president talking about the economic situation while disdainfully referring to the “wealthy” as a major part of the problem. All the while, Congress is spending our money as if they were playing Monopoly. I can remember, when I was growing up, the concept presented to me, a child of a poor family. I was told that anyone who was born in the United States or immigrates here has every opportunity to become wealthy and improve his or her lot. I have many friends who have enriched their status or who have immigrated here and improved their situation.
The present political organization, not only Congress, but also the Administration, appears to be pushing the economy of the United States toward redistribution of wealth (read everyone poor). The average citizen does not have to accept this, however, and can fight for a different kind of change.
I am considering a grassroots organization with the intent of reclaiming our country. This non-partisan group would begin by examining the performance of elected officials and encouraging the removal of those who have been ineffectual. It would begin with Oregon and then provide solidarity with those throughout the United States also trying to affect change.
Is there an interest in Baker County in creating such a group? If so, please contact me at rheriza@yahoo.com. The November elections will be the people’s real chance for change.
Robert L. Heriza
Baker City
Response To Heriza Letter: Lots Of People Agree With You
To The Record-Courier:
Having read the letter from Robert L. Heriza (in today’s paper), I need to let you know you have a lot of people out here who agree with you and feel something needs to be done, the action may be along the line of the so called Tea Party or something of that nature.
One of the magazines I take is “Range,” published in Nevada and it has many articles of interest to anybody, especially people trying to make a living from any of the natural resources such as I did for 60 years. I fell our very lives as we have known them are being threatened by the actions taking place both in our state and federal governments. I have a list of things taken from this magazine that are important:
1. All people have inherent, natural, unalienable rights to life, liberty and property in the pursuit of happiness.
2. Governments exist expressly to protect these rights.
3. Government’s power derives from the consent of the governed, and is limited to those powers enumerated in the U.S. Constitution.
4. Public polices which constrain people’s rights must be enacted only by representatives elected by the people, not by appointed agency officials.
5. Freedom requires a free market economy — with minimal government intrusion.
6. Freedom and security demand abundant, affordable energy and food production, which requires high priority utilization of domestic carbon-based and alternative-fuel resources, as well as land and water resources.
7. Government has no authority to restrict or suppress nonviolent religious expression.
8. No foreign or international government shall supercede the authority of the government of the United States.
The first two articles of the Constitution have been ignored and there are many other examples where control of our country as we know it is being turned over to some world organization.
Eric Romtvedt
Baker City
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