Editorial: U.S. protection must not end at the border
On July 30, 2022, Marc Fogel’s name first appeared on this opinion page. It would not be the last. The Butler County native and Pittsburgh resident was a recurring topic in editorials for four years as TribLive did two things: We kept the story of his detention in a Russian...
S.E. Cupp: Will Trump’s moves ever awaken conservatives?
Donald Trump has rewritten the rules of the presidency in ways that could change America forever, and not for the better. His naked self-dealing, weaponizing the Justice Department against his political foes, turning on our allies, the casino-fication of the White House — none of it bodes well for the...
Point: Why Trump’s tariffs work
The debate over President Donald Trump’s tariffs was never really about economics; it was about framing. Instead of asking whether tariffs generated leverage, revenue or strategic correction, many observers chose a different path: emotional labeling. Tariffs were routinely described as “tantrums,” “outbursts” or “chaos.” Policy was treated as psychology. Outcomes...
Counterpoint: Trump’s flawed import tariff policy
It has been 10 months since President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” import tariff announcement in April. Ultimately, that announcement led to U.S. import tariffs rising to an average of 17%, their highest level in 100 years. It is still too early to draw conclusions as to the overall damage those...
Constitution Under Construction: Built for change
Constitution Under Construction is an ongoing series exploring the history, relevance and importance of amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Declaration of Independence was never a system of government. It was a statement of intent. What followed it showed that the Founding Fathers wanted to build something different — and...
Lori Falce: If it isn’t national, it isn’t nationalized
I have, on more than one occasion, been that person on Facebook or in a website’s comment section. You know the one. The person who points out spelling errors and bad grammar. The one who tells you when you’ve used “their” instead of “there.” The unrepentant Oxford comma advocate. I...
Laurels & lances: Truth & consequences
Laurel: To local lore. A long-overlooked land grant tied to Upper Burrell offers a tangible reminder that the nation’s founding era was not confined to famous cities or grand halls of debate. Signed by Benjamin Franklin, the document connects the area directly to the practical work of building a new...
Jake Maruschok: A case for Pittsburgh Steel’s 2030 return
As a 34-year-old engineer working in steel, I’ve noticed policy pressure heating up in the last year. In November I posted a video on new developments in our local education, trades, energy and investments; all are anticipating steel demand increase. While many comments were enthusiastic, a few people commented that...
Letter to the editor: Pa. needs stronger gun laws
When I was young, my grandmother lived directly across the street from me. I remember her warning us, “We have to be careful because of your grandfather’s job.” My grandfather was a judge, as was my uncle. My sisters and I would laugh off those comments and say, “Grandma, I...
Letter to the editor: What violent crimes did apprehended children commit?
I agree that violent criminals who are here illegally should be deported. My question is: What violent crimes did 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and the 2-year-old daughter of Elvis Tipan-Echeverria commit? Rape? Robbery? Murder? Sexual abuse of a minor? Serious assault? Domestic violence? Stalking? Child abuse? Weapons trafficking? Trafficking controlled...
Letter to the editor: Random thoughts
Just a few random thoughts that might give some readers a break from the endless political letters that appear on this page. Unlike those, I do not profess anything I say here to be factual, just my observations and opinions. 1. No matter how many phone calls you make, you’re...
Editorial: Different places, different faces of homelessness
Homelessness is a problem people often try not to see. There are places where that takes effort. In urban areas, homelessness is more visible — in park encampments and on sidewalks, where people learn to look past it. That is homelessness in Pittsburgh, much as it is in New York...
Jonah Goldberg: Why does the Trump family always get a pass?
U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche joined ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday to defend or explain a lot of controversies for the Trump administration: the Epstein files release, the events in Minneapolis, etc. He was also asked about possible conflicts of interest between President Trump’s family business and his job....
Ally Bove, Susan Graff and Bridget Keown: Proposed student loan rules threaten women’s careers — and the future of health care
Are audiologists, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, or speech-language pathologists not “professionals”? The Department of Education seems to think so. These are providers who earn rigorous master’s or doctoral degrees, pass national certification exams, maintain licensure, are legally required to report suspected abuse and follow strict codes of ethics. They are,...
Editorial: Frozen rivers are not playgrounds
Snow days make you want to be out in the stinging wind, feeling the crunch of drifts under your boots, making angels on the lawn and building a fort to fight off your friends with a volley of solidly packed snowballs. It is the quintessential winter memory, the one adults...
Jason Lias: While economy booms, corporate greed starves rural America
The economy is getting stronger. Jobs are up, people are spending and on paper, everything looks great. This should be a time to strengthen the middle class, create stable jobs, and help small towns and rural communities thrive. But corporate America has other plans. UPS and Amazon are showing exactly...
Robert Glover and Kathleen Cole: The problem isn’t apathy. It’s about teaching students where power lives
American politics has become so nationalized that many people — especially students — no longer know where their participation ought to be focused. Every issue feels federal, every fight existential and every outcome distant. The result isn’t apathy so much as exhaustion: a sense that politics is something to watch,...
Letter to the editor: Absurdities and atrocities
President Trump is suing the IRS for $10 billion because his tax returns were released by a hacker during his first term. If he would win, that is money right out of our pockets. He has already enriched himself and his family to the tune of billions of dollars just...
Letter to the editor: No accountability for ICE
According to Donald Trump, the Department of Homeland Security led by Kristi Noem would utilize ICE to target “the worst of the worst” illegal immigrants for deportation — violent criminals, gang members, murderers, rapists. Hard to argue with that goal. Instead, what we are seeing are ICE thugs attacking legal...
Letter to the editor: Help with heating bills
Severe snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures in recent weeks are stark reminders of how vital it is for Pennsylvanians to have access to reliable utility service to stay safe and warm on the most frigid days of the year. Unfortunately, vulnerable consumers may be at risk of being without heat for...
Letter to the editor: Involve local law enforcement in ICE
Wow, Jan. 31 was a great edition. There were several meaningful stories about ICE, and pages A10 and A11 contain outstanding letters and commentary (even Joseph Mistick got things right for a change). I want to emphasize my agreement with the editorial “Reliable funding matters more than generosity” (Jan. 31,
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Letter to the editor: Trump should buy Greenland
President Trump should buy Greenland. He could build his gold dome presidential library on a glacier, since he doesn’t believe in global warming (fake news). His library could offer free ice fishing, since it would have no books from his administration to educate. He could hang his (fake) Nobel Prize...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s typical response
Recently the president of the United States said “(expletive) you!” to a Ford autoworker and then flipped him off. That’s a statement I’d never thought I would utter in my lifetime. If that’s not surreal enough for you, a White House spokesperson said it was the appropriate response. In a...
Letter to the editor: Democrats, laws, drugs
Working in a steel mill as a union member I was told you had to vote for Democrats because they were the voice of the working man. But over the years I saw the changes in the working man’s party. The knife that stabbed me in the back was when...
Letter to the editor: Shades of King George III
Here in Connellsville, we are starting our city’s celebration of the American Revolution with an American history contest at a local sports bar. Let’s review for the test. In the early 1770s, King George III rejected all restraints on his power. He sent thousands of militarized police to American cities...
