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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Gold Hill wants to slow down drivers on main drag ... Red flag warning in effect until late tonight ... Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Gold Hill wants to slow down drivers on main drag ... Red flag warning in effect until late tonight ... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor: Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 11, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Jun. 11, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News TPA opinion ludicrous The guest opinion on TPA ("Trade Promotion Authority is vital to Oregon") was ludicrous. After our historical experiences with NAFTA and admitting China to the World Trade Organization anyone who thinks that more trade will add good paying jobs to the U.S. is either a madman or an economist. And in the entire 22 inches of praise for the secret agreement (how does he know it is good if he doesn't even know what is in it?), the author doesn't even mention the giant stinker embedded in this corporate give-away — the creation of ISDS (Investor-State Dispute Settlement) panels. This enables foreign corporations to argue before a secret tribunal (no public advocacy allowed) any time a regulation has "reduced future profits." Then our government has the choice of paying damages or setting aside the regulation. Look for Syngenta to be first in line to get our GMO ban overturned. Look for the Jordan Cove/Pacific Connector to be approved no matter how many locals disapprove. ISDS are undemocratic and anti-constitutional (a clear violation of the 10th Amendment). Are you worried about undemocratic one-world government? Well, here is it writ large. Greg Walden: Why are you pushing this? Steve Soar Medford O&C Act is antique The O&C Act is an antique, like a 1937 Chevy rolled out for a Fourth of July parade. We need an approach that reflects how Oregonians live today. Preventing and fighting fires helps us protect our property and resources. By investing in fuels reduction, people earn money by restoring the forest, and small timber can be turned into oriented strand board or other engineered wood. Instead of minimal processing, logs now being exported overseas should be milled in Oregon. Rural counties with higher property taxes would have better law enforcement and better schools, and increased property values — those counties should be rewarded with more funds for police and schools. Oregon could also be compensated for our forests the way other states are compensated for having a National Park within their borders. Big trees bring people in for recreation, ever growing in Oregon. By keeping the old trees in the ground and focusing on forest restoration, neighbors and the timber industry are going to find common cause. We need to tell our senators and representatives to build a better vehicle, and leave the antique O&C Act up on cinder blocks. Neal Anderson Jacksonville Endorse HB 3478 Congratulations to the mayor and council of Ashland for acknowledging science and recognizing the climate change problem. Following a recommendation from the city Conservation Commission that they endorse a fee on carbon emissions, the council went one step further and addressed the problem directly by endorsing HB 3470. The difference between encouraging a fee on carbon and endorsing HB 3470 is that the latter recognizes and addresses the real problem: greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions such as methane and oxides of nitrogen that are not carbon dioxide-based represent 15 to 20 percent of U.S. global warming emissions. If we don’t address them all, we risk adopting policies that encourage greenhouse emissions (stimulate dirty natural gas) and thus fail to address the problem. Not only should we all endorse HB 3470 and tell our representatives to follow suit, we should encourage other Oregonians to do the same and contact their representatives. We can solve this global warming problem if we work together. Besides personal action to reduce our individual use of energy derived from fossil fuel combustion (oil, coal and grid electricity) and reduce offending emissions, we should promote political action at the local, state and federal levels to do the same. Paula Perez Costas  Ashland MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 11, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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