Letter: ODFW nomination reflects national divisivness

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Your May 8 column sparked in me a desire to comment on divisiveness and its precedence rearing its ugly head in our section of paradise.

Most folks here would agree that James Nash is the right person to represent us on the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. The Oregon State Senate’s removal of him for consideration, though in parts understandable, is just wrong. To refuse to bring to a vote in the legislative body an executive’s appointment is denying justice and respect for the law to all of us.

This refusal by a Senate leadership holding a majority can be traced back to the national level to March of 2016. President Obama nominated Merrick Garland, a respected nationwide judge, to fill a Supreme Court vacancy. The US Senate, led by Mitch McConnell and a majority refused to consider this qualified nominee because McConnell had committed to blocking anything and anyone proposed by President Obama for literally anything. Justice was denied, a precedence was set and the cancer of petty divisiveness metastasized in true “trickle down” form.

Many of us shake our heads in disagreement and frustration at this happening here but can now empathize with a majority at the national level. For the last ten years, unjust divisiveness has stopped the wheels of our republic from functioning for the common good and in favor of a monopolized few.

Governor Brown attempted to do what is right in many of our views and should re-nominate James Nash just to continue doing the right thing. She deserves accolades from all sides of the political arena for this demonstrated courage. We, the public, need to require truth and justice from and for all our elected officials. Until we achieve that, the gridlock now gripping the nation will only continue.

Sincerely,

David Hayslip

Enterprise