By Fred Kirby

On September 4th, the almost daily downtown Coos Bay newspaper editorial board told us that “The problem with money in politics is not the amount America spends, but the sneaky and degrading ways we contrive to spend it.”. The editorial board apparently finds fault with a recent US Supreme Court decision regarding Super PAC’s and their constitutional right to spend money in support of their preferred (Democrat, Republican and non – partisan) candidates. We are informed by the editorial board that our elected congressman, and current candidate for reelection, Mr. DeFazio, “characterized Super PAC’s spending as an attempt by (words apparently missing here) “to purchase America.””.

What’s wrong here? I expected to see an improved and perhaps daily local newspaper when the subscription price was raised and the publisher decided to charge the paper’s readers for online viewed content? Is it more inconsistent and contradictory media schizophrenia? Why didn’t the newspaper find fault with the establishment of the local PAC known as “Coos County Alliance for Progress” (CCAP) – the PAC founded by and consisting of a few downtown Coos Bay businessmen and local operations of foreign owned enterprises and the sovereign dependent nation Coquille Tribe that stated it was formed in part “to financially support causes or candidates for local government”. This local PAC has funded those candidates who were endorsed by the almost daily newspaper, the so called “dream team”, with $10,000 – $7,500 to flip flopping Messerle, with perhaps more to come?

So, is the editorial board telling us that PAC funding of Republican congressional candidate Robinson is terrible but PAC funding of their favored Coos County commissioner candidates Messerle, Cribbins, and Sweet is good? Is PAC funding Robinson “buying America” and PAC funding the “dream team” not buying locally? Should we interpret the newspaper editorial board position as good reason to have concern that the Coquille tribe may benefit from the large donations made to candidate Cribbins by the Coquille tribe and by its individual members if she is elected?

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of MGx.