Letters to the Editor: March 16, 2018

Coastal drilling too dangerous

Just say no to “Drill, baby, drill!”

Recent talk has us authorizing drilling off all our coastlines. I know Sen.s Merkley and Wyden are opposed, but I’m pretty sure Rep. Walden will tow the line with his party.

My instant thought, when I heard this ludicrous idea, was the seismic temperament of our Pacific Northwest coast. We look at the U.S. Geological Survey’s earthquake website regularly, and the earthquakes just off our coast alone should give pause. If fracking is causing quakes in Oklahoma, how would drilling near Cascadia fare?

This is a potentially dangerous idea that needs serious reconsideration.

Trump didn’t want wind turbines off the coast of his precious golf course, due to aesthetics, and he’s already said the coast of Florida is exempt from drilling. How convenient.

Do we really want to put the coast, tourism and people’s livelihoods at risk for another Deep Water Horizon catastrophe? Because the more they deregulate the industry, the more likely our Oregon coast will suffer such consequences eventually.

Lisa McCracken

McMinnville

Nearman a no-show

I’m on a quest.

I’m looking to see if those of us in House District 23 really have a representative in the Oregon House of Representatives.

I’ve checked around locally, and can find no sign of this person. No articles about activities, no local town halls or meetings — at least not in this immediate area.
I hear that this missing person does do some meetings o up north. Also rumored are a number of confabs in Eastern Oregon, though what this might have to do with us is patently unclear.

The story goes that this person’s name is Nearman. Well, he sure isn’t near to us.

I would like to inquire of this Nearman, “What have you done for us lately? Anything?”

The closest I can come to an answer is a comment made by a GOP acquaintance of mine, to the effect that Mike Nearman was sent to the Legislature to vote no and that’s what he’s doing. That would, apparently, include voting no on legislation to remove guns from a person deemed suicidal or violent.

Of course, a judge must ultimately make that ruling, but the objective is to prevent homicidal or suicidal violence. Once the problem is resolved, the person gets the guns back.

This Nearman doesn’t care about people killing themselves or others, though. He only cares about helping the gunmakers and National Rifle Association peddle more guns. His approach is don’t protect our citizens, protect our guns at the expense of our citizens.

If you see this Nearman around your parts, ask him: “What have you done FOR us lately?” Thanks.

Fred Brown

Dallas