Letters to the editor: Dec. 18, 2020
Judeo-Christian heritage
Two train wrecks were presented in the Whatchama Column of 12/11/2020. I agree with the subject matter, but see the conclusions somewhat differently. The first is the coronavirus death rate and the concern it raises for the future.
You might have considered the genius of the Trump Warp Speed program to develop vaccines, and the fact that vaccines are now coming to Yamhill County, in less than a year. You might have simply said, “Thank you President Trump!”
You might have recognized the death rates due to other causes during the 2020 shutdowns. You might have advocated for sending our children back to school and reopening small business by the first of the year, using proper precautions, as we simply can’t survive a Biden 2021 shutdown, either economically or mentally. The second train wreck presented was Trump's effort to legally invalidate the Biden election due to allegations of fraud. As far as I can see, everything he did was and is legal under our Constitution.
I would suggest the real train wreck is that we can no longer trust the press to separate fact from fiction when reporting the news. The managing of the content, timing and availability of news in written or digital form has us scrambling to find accurate information. Where indeed are the statesmen in the press. We have a challenging new year coming as we celebrate the birth of our Christ.
We might pray for forgiveness as a nation for turning away from our Judeo-Christian heritage. We might recognize how close we are coming to being a nation governed by personality rather than law as established in our Constitution.
Freedom is not free.
Dennis Goecks
McMinnville
Restore local control
When does McMinnville get to stop growing? Is our town destined to grow bigger forever? It seems so.
I think Chapter 1, Section 3 in the city charter subjects any urban growth boundary expansion to voter approval. But when I made this argument in an e-mail to the city, the city attorney disagreed. So it appears the city is free to expand it's UGB and grow unfettered by voter approval.
Who's running the show anyway?
Representative government has been usurped via progressive installation of a socialist bureaucratic dictatorship imposing regional governance.
With an executive order, President Nixon divided the United States into 10 federal regions in 1969. We are in Region 10, along with Alaska, Idaho and Washington, with a regional capital in Seattle.
At the state level, the Land Conservation & Development Department imposes land use control under the direction of the Land Conservation & Development Commission. So today, local control of zoning, housing and land use by elected representatives is an illusion.
Solution? Organize, educate and legislate.
For a start, visit www.squeakywheelpolitics.com. And by or borrow a copy of Screwed, Blued, Tattooed, and Sold Down the River by D. H. Mason, available through Amazon and most local libraries.
Donnie Mason
McMinnville
Media myopia
NBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, Fox, New York Times.Weapons of mass deception.
Rich Roberts
McMinnville
Comments
montag
Oh, puh-leeze Mr. Goecks. Giving Donald Trump credit for the vaccines is like giving a rooster credit for the dawn.
Don Dix
... or bestowing someone Time Magazine's Person of the Year for simply spending half of the year in his basement doing nothing, eh?
msantone
I am amazed how opinions published in our local newspaper are used to indict the entire news enterprise. It is rare person who response to an opinion piece is, "I don not agree with you. Here is my opinion." Instead there is an argument you should agree with me or nothing you say is worth reading. Sad. Disheartening.
treefarmer
Well now, what a concept! (No mystery as to where the notion originates though, I watch Fox too.) The President-elect won the popular vote by millions and - as Trump called it when HE won it with the same number – by a LANDSLIDE in the Electoral College and **WOW** Biden accomplished this while hiding in a basement and “doing nothing.” Have to agree that if that was actually the case, it would be beyond astonishing. Joe campaigned carefully, emphasized safety, and rallied the troops with admirable skill. I suppose floating a fatuous premise helps some supporters maintain their denial that Trump was soundly defeated? I’m okay with that - turning the page on four years of chaos, corruption, and national humiliation is what matters to me.
Re credit for pushing the development of the vaccine, that perspective is in the eye of the beholder and best evaluated in context with the overall abysmal mismanagement of the crisis. History will be the judge.
Mr. Roberts - Can't say I agree with your characterization of all the players on that list, but I am pleased to note the omission of PBS. I do find their reporting to be factual and balanced.
Don Dix
So, in some minds, the military, healthcare providers, essential workers, police, firefighters, truckers, and everyone else who labored throughout the last 9 months to make progress through this pandemic did less than someone who never left home? Those who started and stayed on the job despite the dangers of doing so should have been recognized instead.
tagup
Not sure the Time Magazine award is worth arguing about, but it is disappointing to see an obviously false narrative used to disparage the winner......could it be that Biden’s leadership in modeling safe behavior to the public and following the recommendations of experts helped?
At the very least he didn’t encourage and host multiple super spreader events like someone we know....
RobsNewsRegister
I have to disagree regarding PBS. They censored a very relevant story prior to the election regarding Hunter Biden (see below) with the majority of other mainstream media. It was clearly to influence the election in favor of their preferred candidate. The media's selectivity bias has reached such extreme levels that the press now a days should be considered somewhat of a PR firm for whichever side they support. They push narratives rather than report the whole of the news. I am at a loss as to why tax dollars still go to a demonstratively highly partisan PBS.
https://nypost.com/2020/12/10/surprised-by-hunter-biden-criminal-probe-blame-media-collusion/
treefarmer
Rob – I do wonder why so many people continue to believe that the reason the “Hunter story” is not a headliner could only be censorship. (and we certainly DO disagree about PBS.) As I mentioned before, the whole thing seems like a big yawn to me. If he is guilty of wrongdoing, he should be tried and held accountable. Time will tell.
I read your nypost article and remain unconvinced that this is some nefarious scandal. Seemed like a lot of spin and sketchy speculation. I am sure you know that even lapdog Barr found no reason to open formal investigations and has distanced himself from the muck on his way off the sinking ship. If that exercise in Trump boot licking is too ‘out there’ even for Barr, it must be REALLY out there.
Don’t you find it strange that poor old leaky Rudy continues to rant about all the evidence that he is never able to produce? Looks like his correspondence is going to be subpoenaed though, I can hardly wait to see what has actually transpired between him and all his Russian propaganda pals. We know the “why” but perhaps we will get a revelation as to the actual nuts and bolts of this convoluted conspiracy theory.
I am going to assume that Joe will be “hands off” re any investigations into his son. And I expect him to nominate a straight-shooter to be our AG. I am certain he doesn’t want or need a Roy Cohn, or even a Bill Barr. How refreshing!
Don Dix
tagup -- 'Leadership' from his basement? Really? It wouldn't be any sort of surprise if every poster on this thread did more -- you know, actively offering and helping others.
tagup
“From his basement” ?...really?....he won the Presidency from his basement?...you actually believe that?
treefarmer
It is quite amusing to read the fantasies being spun to explain away the decisive rejection of Trumpification, eh?
madmacs
We've spent the last four years being governed by 'personality'. I am looking forward to our once again being governed by competence.
RobsNewsRegister
Treefarmer,
Bill Bar is no-one's lapdog, by-the-book, and ran a tight ship. Did you notice how there weren't constant leaks under his watch? Even the Hunter Biden investigation was held under wraps so news wouldn't interfere in the election. It was Eric Holder, Obama's AG, that famously called himself Obama's "wingman".
The Hunter investigation continues. Per DOJ regulations, until Joe Biden takes office, Barr's opinion was no independent council was needed as there was no conflict. We'll see what they do after Biden takes office.
The big deal regarding Hunter Biden's emails was that they were openly discussing equity portions of deals with Chinese Communist Party connected companies being given to our president elect (e.g. "The Big Guy"). I would presume this just ends up being a tax case in the end.
FYI - I am against a special council, EVER, getting near a sitting president who has only one job and should never be interfered with in such manner as the opportunity cost is astronomical. That goes as much for Biden as much as Trump (and for Clinton). Biden is establishment, so is in little jeopardy unless the DNC decides to move on and engages their party presses to that end.
Lulu
Apparently, you've drunk deeply from the Kool-Aid, Goecks. That narcissistic maniac Trump relies on toadies and sycophants like you.
tytyzach
In other words Goecks, if the press published something you don’t agree with or is critical of Trump it’s false information? Remember during the Gulf war when we tuned into Wolf Blitzer and Bernard Shaw with CNN and got the real time updates? Everyone liked and respected them and CNN was well respected too. Along comes Trump and markets his “fake news” rhetoric and the weak minded fools fall in behind him. Maybe they have trouble with reading and comprehension like Trump? Fake news is the National Inquirer owned by Trumps good friend Hay Pecker.
What is your infatuation with the most incompetent dishonest president this country has ever had?
tagup
Barr instructed the DOJ to drop charges against a guy (Flynn) that had pled guilty (twice). He inserted himself into sentence recommendations for trumps buddy Roger Stone He mis- characterized the Mueller report according to Mueller himself....He obviously did those things on trumps urging...not trumps lapdog?..by the book?....not really....
RobsNewsRegister
It was easy to miss, being un-redacted midnight on election night in an attempt to go unnoticed, but newly revealed sections of the the 'Mueller Report' show Roger Stone did not have advance notice of Wikileaks Hillary Clinton email release (see links). He didn't lie. The Weisman team tried force a deal on him to implicate president Trump but he wouldn't lie for them - that is blackmail and is an atrocious tactic more fitting Russia's FSB than an American law enforcement agency. The government has infinite pockets so can threaten to bankrupt you in court if you don't "Cut a deal".
How those on the political left, who used to care about civil liberties, show so little concern for the obvious abuse of power by the state during the Russia Collusion "investigation" is beyond me.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/judge-orders-doj-to-unveil-redacted-details-from-mueller-report-before-november-election
https://floridianpress.com/2020/11/stone-vindicated-in-unredacted-mueller-report/
RobsNewsRegister
Also, my concerns, expressed in an earlier letter to the editor, about Russia Collusion Hoax fallout pushing Russia into an alliance with China are coming to pass. It was barely reported in the American press, but Russia and China just flew another long-range joint bomber mission. Both bombers (Russian Tu-95s and Chinese H-6Ks) have tested hypersonic missiles. Putin is now openly talking of a military alliance with China. Those involved in the myopic attempt to remove a duly elected president using "Trump-Russia Collusion" have no idea what they've done.
"It follows the Russian president Vladimir Putin’s statement in October that the idea of a future Russia-China military alliance could not be ruled out.."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/22/russia-and-china-fly-joint-bomber-patrol-over-the-pacific
RobsNewsRegister
Regarding Flynn, I find it astoundingly ironic that the very person, Joe Biden, who suggested using the 'Logan Act' as a pretext to entrap General Flynn using Comey's FBI as VP during a January 2017 White House meeting has an 'Office of the President Elect' banner behind him during public announcements.
There is no such office! We have only one president at a time. Isn't this an actual violation of the Logan Act? If I remotely believed it was a constitutional law I'd want an investigation. If it weren't for double-standards the political left appears to have none that remain. I sure hope Durham lays the hammer down on a few of these wrong-doers.
montag
RobsNewsRegister, forget the Logan Act. I demand that we reopen investigations into Benghazi, Hillary's emails, and who really killed Vince Foster!
tagup
Montag....and lets not forget the fake moon landing before we go all in on the “ space force”....I’m considering a tin foil hat manufacturing company....Then I’ll buy out Tesla....
RobsNewsRegister
America's tin-foil hat supply was exhausted by three solid years of Russia Collusion Delusion. According to Peter Strzok's notes (1st link), it was Biden that suggested the 1799 Logan Act that's never been prosecuted in over 200 years of existence. Given what the Logan act is (2nd link), and he used it to attack a political enemy, having an "Office of the President Elect" banner behind him is profoundly hypocritical of Joe Biden.
As Flynn had worked for the Obama administration as Defense Intelligence Agency director, he wasn't a rookie like others in the incoming 2016 Trump administration and would have uncovered Obama's spying on Trump's campaign in short order. He had to be dealt with to keep it covered up. Biden came up with the strategy. Let's hope Biden is this clever and devious when dealing with Xi and Putin.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/biden-raised-logan-act-in-oval-office-discussion-about-flynn-peter-strzok-notes-show
https://www.britannica.com/event/Logan-Act
treefarmer
Good grief! Flynn was fired by Obama for insubordination. The timeline of his nefarious activities belie all the talk about unfair treatment or the denials of his profitable (treasonous?) relationships with foreign adversaries. A scratch of the surface:
December 10, 2015: Flynn attended a Moscow gala for the Russian state-run news outlet “RT,” where he was seated next to Putin. He was paid $33,750 for his hour-long “talk” at the event.
December 29, 2016: Flynn spoke with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak the same day the Obama administration announced sanctions on Russia over its hacking of Clinton's campaign. The FBI and Obama advisers were aware of the conversation. This was no “perjury trap,” it only documented Flynn’s slimy anti-American activities, and his stupidity.
March 8, 2017: Flynn registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent who did $530,000 worth of lobbying work before Election Day, on behalf of a Dutch company tied to the Turkish government. Flynn did this “work” even while advising the Trump campaign and sitting in on some of Trump's classified security briefings.
When Trump had to let Flynn resign, it was only because he had been exposed for lying to Pence. We all know he lied to the FBI, admitted his guilt, and then tried to claw back his guilty plea. Trump sealed Flynn’s silence by dangling that pardon which was delivered last week.
These are not facts that support that unfounded drumbeat of “HOAX.” Trump may not have DIRECTLY colluded, but he and his enablers welcomed and used every bit of illegal assistance provided by Vlad and his minions. Now America is facing a massive and extremely dangerous cyberhack because no one cared about Russian interference during the past four-year Reign of Chaos.
treefarmer
continuing.......
Further endangering national security, Trump is withholding vital information to spite the incoming Biden administration. (or perhaps to try to hide the evidence of treasonous incompetence at any cost?)
If Trump can’t retain his power over America, he is determined to burn down the house on his way out. As Flynn calls for martial law to overthrow the election, he continues to prove his eagerness to assist in the attempt to destroy our democracy. Our Founders must be thrashing in their graves.
RobsNewsRegister
December 10, 2015: So? Large public event. General Flynn is one of a laundry list (including Biden/Obama/Clinton etc.) of former government officials that get paid money for speaking engagements.
December 29, 2016: Not even remotely unusual. Incoming National Security Advisors talk to other nations counterparts every transition. The Russian ambassador was one of dozens with which General Flynn spoke. Biden's NSA pick is certainly talking to other nation's now. This would have been absolutely nothing except for the Russia, Russia, Russia histrionics initiated by Hillary Clinton to hurt Trump and distract from her email server Summer 2016.
March 8, 2017: The registration law is an abomination as it is so unevenly applied. Half of Washington DC should have to register but like the "Logan Act" it is almost only applied on one's political enemies. Also, Turkey is definitely not Russia.
The two FBI agents that interviewed Flynn testified to congress that he didn't lie and now we know it was a sleazy setup from the start (link)
I get a big kick out of this complaining about Trump not cooperating as much as desired during this transition. Please recall that the Obama admin was SPYING on Trump's campaign and transition team (even the FBIs defensive briefing with Trump was to spy - see link) at this time and leaking nearly daily to promote the unfounded Russia Collusion allegations. Yet another double standard (2nd link).
https://nypost.com/2020/04/30/fbi-agents-tried-to-get-flynn-to-lie-to-get-him-fired-report/
https://thefederalist.com/2020/07/23/declassified-documents-show-fbi-used-defensive-briefing-in-2016-to-spy-on-donald-trump/
RobsNewsRegister
> Our Founders must be thrashing in their graves.
You're definitely right about this one. If our founding fathers saw our distant two systems of justice, one for the 'establishment' and the other for everyone else, the rules for thee but not for me, and our extremely 'selective' enforcement of federal law, they would be appalled.
treefarmer
Wow – those are some creative defenses for the indefensible anti-American Flynn. General Colin Powell has called Flynn a “disgrace to his uniform” and believes he should be put on trial for incitement to insurrection. I wholeheartedly agree. And I hope it can be done soon AFTER January 20th so his partner in crime can’t make the consequences go away this time.
So, you get a “big kick” from complaints about how Trump is resisting the peaceful transfer of power, about how he is refusing essential national security briefings to Biden’s team? You find this amusing? That is the most depressing statement you have ever shared on this forum. Cooperation is not some whim, some inconsequential little “desire.” Regardless of what he likely feared would result from the newly elected con man, Obama was gracious to Trump. But more importantly he directed his cabinet to cooperate, to prepare in-depth briefing books to aid in a smooth transition. He surely didn’t do that out of the goodness of his heart – he did it because it was the right thing to do for America. Of course all those briefing books were thrown in a dumpster, and barely anyone showed up for in-person briefings. Obviously the circus had come to town and the free-for-all didn’t require any standards whatsoever. (double or otherwise)
p.s. I did not read your tabloid and right-wing cites. A Republican Senate committee repudiated that oft-repeated lie from Trump that Obama spied on him. Sadly, obviously, the lie lives on.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/aug/20/donald-trump/donald-trump-repeats-false-claim-obama-spied-his-c/
RobsNewsRegister
LOL. Interesting to see what left-wing 'Politifact' did there - they interpreted Trump's tweet as Obama himself spied. Good grief. Of course he's not going to do it when he has all-powerful government agencies NSA/FBI/CIA/State Dept etc.. There are FISA warrants and mountains of other documentation showing they spied, all what about all the unmaskings and then leaking to the press? They not only spied on Carter Page and Trump but Papadopoulos, Manafort, and General Flynn. We do know Obama liked to be kept in the look on things though so I highly doubt he wasn't aware - he obviously knew about Flynn from the January 7th meeting.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/fbi-texts-obama-wants-know-everything-we-re-doing-n845531
I do have to admit, Obama, being a professional politician, knows how to put on a show to look like he's cooperating with the transition when behind the scenes they're interfering in almost every was imaginable. Say one thing - Do another. That's what politicians do. Pretty soon it will be the 4-year anniversary of the leaks of the infamous Russia (Steele) dossier which we now know was Russian disinformation from a Russian intelligence officer (spy). That was a last ditch effort to prevent an inauguration.
https://news.yahoo.com/steele-dossier-source-suspected-russian-103028627.html
Also, Biden has been getting the national security briefings since late November.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/biden-trump-security-pdb-briefing-transition-b1761375.html
RobsNewsRegister
I get a big kick about how they still push Trump as a "Russian agent". It is Trump that just complained about the $1.3B of our tax dollars in this atrocious spending bill from congress going to the Egyptian military to buy Russian weapons (a little under a minute into video - 1st link). A Russian agent wouldn't do that. My guess is that we're funding Egypt's purchase of advanced Russian Su-35 fighter jets (2nd link). I haven't heard a peep from establishment R's or D's and Biden.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wdsOEKp4Og
https://www.defenseworld.net/news/26989/Russia_Commences_Manufacture_of_Su_35_Jets_for_Egypt__Reports#.X-t3CTSSmM8
They're doing cartwheels in the Kremlin, Beijing, and Tehran over Biden. For Russia, lower American/NATO defense spending and petroleum exports so higher oil prices supporting Russia's "gas station" economy, and for the PRC and Iran, appeasement.
treefarmer
Yet more “kicks,” Rob? Russian PUPPET is the reality here, and no “push“ is necessary for some of us to recognize that fact. Even die-hard Trump fans can see (and find convoluted ways to justify) his slobbering subservience to bestie bedfellow Vlad. Can’t wait to see how this works out once Trump is out of power and of no further use. (Although all that money being grifted from the cult might provide a different kind of power?)
Regardless, we are obviously going to continue to maintain our own perspectives on this, and many other subjects as well. I would probably sleep better if I could adopt your version of reality, and feel amused instead of concerned? Unfortunately alternative facts bring this citizen no comfort - so that’s that.
Opposing viewpoints notwithstanding, here’s wishing everyone good health, safety, and the renewal of American stability in 2021. Good riddance to chaos and hateful calculated division. Hello to hope for a more peaceful world.
RobsNewsRegister
I'm not sure you would sleep better, as the way I see it, Henry Kissinger must be beside himself. To take down Trump and retain power using Russia Collusion, the establishment abandoned the longstanding American foreign policy objective of keeping a wedge between China and Russia. Russia moved soundly into the PRC sphere of influence due to the tit-for-tat fallout in American relations.
Xi must be ecstatic and played the situation masterfully. Two opposing geopolitical sides have now formed - one with China at the lead and the other America - and Xi gets Russia. There is actually one thing Biden will do that I look forward to - he'll better engage with our Asian allies to counter the PRC. A criticism I have of Trump is he went it alone too often.
Have a good new year and here's to a whole lot better 2021.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/xi-jinping-stresses-unbreakable-china-russia-bond-in-call-with-vladimir-putin/ar-BB1ck0vr