Featured Commentary category, Page 64
Minerva Canto: Are book bans unconstitutional? They are certainly political.
In Missouri, the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel “Maus” about the Holocaust faced possible removal from schools for at least the third time over its depiction of a female character in a bathtub. In South Carolina, an Advanced Placement teacher has been forced to abandon her lesson about systemic racism using...
Matthew Yglesias: America can fix its highways much faster, if it wants
The collapse of a section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, smack dab in the middle of the densest region of the U.S., is an obvious disaster for the nation’s transportation network. But the demolition work, which began within hours, is already ahead of schedule, the repair work will be expedited,...
Cal Thomas: China’s economy and America’s opportunity
Many have tried not buying items made in China, but it is a near impossibility. Everything from prescription drugs to you name it seems to originate in a country whose regime is proving to be America’s greatest adversary and growing enemy. Which is why now may be the ideal time...
Peter Morici: Biden is vulnerable in 2024, but Republicans offer too little in response
From a legislative perspective, Joe Biden is the most successful president since Ronald Reagan, but he faces skeptical voters in his bid for reelection. The American Rescue Plan, Infrastructure Act, Chips and Science Act and green energy, electric vehicle and other industrial policy initiatives embedded in the Inflation Reduction Act...
Ron Klink: Biden must put American workers first and fight corruption overseas
As President Biden hosts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House this week, Modi will become the third world leader to be honored with an official state visit by our president. As India implements economic reforms and emerges as a global economic power, the Biden administration must do...
Joyce M. Davis: Pa. highway collapse shows how vulnerable our roads are
Traffic has been severed in both directions on one of America’s busiest and most economically important thoroughfares. It will be months before I-95 is back to normal in the Philadelphia area, after a truck carrying thousands of gallons of gasoline crashed into a wall and burst into flames June 12....
Jason Kavulich and Bill Johnston-Walsh: Pa. needs a master plan written for — and by — older adults
Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed an executive order laying the groundwork for creating a Pennsylvania Master Plan for Older Adults. The master plan will serve as a roadmap to building and maintaining a commonwealth where every resident can live and thrive at any age. AARP and the Department of Aging...
James Cato and Evan Clark: Pa.’s rivers have a plastics problem, and nobody is willing to act
All Pennsylvanians have the right to clean water. But there is a plastics problem in our rivers, and nobody has been willing to address it properly. We know who is currently causing the problem, and we know how to fix it. And, there is precedent to take action — watershed...
Stacy Garrity: First responders protect all of us in our time of need. They deserve basic mental health benefits.
A police officer arrives at the scene of a robbery and disarms the culprit before anyone is injured. A firefighter rushes into a burning building — not thinking about their own safety — and saves a child. An EMT arrives at the scene of a crash, treats anyone who’s injured...
Danielle M. Reiff: White women and racial (in)justice — it’s not black and white
Mayella Ewell is one of the most complex characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” She is a white woman who makes sexual advances toward her Black neighbor, Tom Robinson. When he refuses, she falsely accuses him of rape. During Tom’s trial, we learn that Mayella’s father is a drunkard who...
Jason C. Bivins: How Pat Robertson changed Christian media and made it politically influential
For Americans growing up between the 1950s and the ’80s, religion was a predictable presence on television: There were weekly Sunday morning shows and religious programming that issued end-time warnings, sought monetary contributions or staged faith healings. But none of those covered news. Pat Robertson, who died June 8, changed...
Letter to the editor: When will we see another victory?
Recently we paused to observe Memorial Day and recognize those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our flag and nation. These heroes brought us our glorious back-to-back World War victories. Many others fought in wars (conflicts, conflagrations, etc.) not officially declared or fully supported by a government that put...
Yarone Zober: Downtown can make comeback again … with care for place and people
Since 1753, when a young British major named George Washington recognized that the land at the confluence of Pittsburgh’s three rivers was “extremely well situated for a fort,” our “Golden Triangle” of a Downtown has been recognized as a special place. This little patch of land, a little less than...
Gary Ross: How the exposure of highly classified documents could harm U.S. security — and why there are laws against storing them insecurely
When Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on June 13 to federal criminal charges related to his alleged illegal retention of classified documents, it was his first opportunity to formally answer charges that he violated the Espionage Act. The Justice Department alleges that, after his presidency, Trump held, in an unsecure...
Robert Gregerson: Pitt-Greensburg’s state discount critical for students, local economy
It’s been 60 years since six local school districts asked the University of Pittsburgh to establish a regional campus in Westmoreland County, and look how far we’ve come. Today, the University of Pittsburgh at Greenburg proudly continues our mission to serve the educational needs of the region — two-thirds of...
Matthew J. Brouillette: No one — including unions — should be above the law
On June 1, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union No. 174. The case in question concerned whether Glacier, a concrete company, could sue the Teamsters due to striking employees’ intentionally destroying Glacier’s property by leaving concrete running in trucks...
Susan Spicka: School property taxes fund cyber charter excess
More than $3.4 million spent on advertising over a three-month period. Over $75,000 spent on tickets, parking and concessions for Major League baseball games — including $50 per person for rooftop catering. Tens of thousands of dollars spent sponsoring minor league baseball and hockey teams. Over $100,000 spent on branded...
Chris Sandvig: To win federal infrastructure funding, Southwestern Pa. can’t afford to wait
The bipartisan infrastructure law is a once-in-a-generation investment, offering a remarkable — and time-sensitive — opportunity for Western Pennsylvania’s public transit systems. With billions of new dollars ready to be invested by the federal government, there is an urgent need to act swiftly to secure these funds before the window...
Sen. Gene Yaw: In Homer City, another step in killing the grid
April 3 was a significant day for Pennsylvanians who use electricity. The Homer City coal-fired power plant in Indiana County announced it would cease operations in 90 days. The news was a crippling blow to Pennsylvania’s status in the electric generation market. For almost six decades, the Homer City power...
Elwood Watson: NAACP should focus less on symbolism, more on action
Last month, the NAACP made waves for issuing a travel advisory for Florida in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ruthless efforts to whitewash Black history and severely curtail diversity, equity and inclusion programs. “Once again, hate-inspired state leaders have chosen to put politics over people. Gov. Ron DeSantis and the...
Gary J. English: State police should enforce illegal sign laws
According to the article “Bill to boost funding for road and bridge projects advances in Pa. House” (May 22, TribLIVE), the House Transportation Committee proposes “(reducing) the annual appropriation taken out of the Motor License Fund to support the operations of the Pennsylvania State Police by $100 million until it...
Timothy J. Kunselman: We can handle the truth
“You can’t handle the truth” is the famous line from the movie “A Few Good Men.” In real life, we can’t handle the lies anymore. We must have the truth to move forward. It strikes me that many of our representatives and those who want to be representatives really do...
Karen I. Shragg: Environmentalist movement needs to get back to its roots
Americans celebrated the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day in April. The holiday has changed drastically over the past half century — and so has the natural environment that activists are seeking to protect. Today’s green activists tend to mark Earth Day by focusing on ways to minimize their personal impact...
Abbey Haslam: Cutting red tape on Pa.’s nurse practitioners
Expanding health care access has been a major political issue in recent decades — first, during the Clinton health care plan of the 1990s, and then through Obamacare and the subsequent rapid expansion of Medicaid. Yet, despite the major focus on expanding access to care, millions of Americans live in...
Sloane Davidson: Pittsburgh’s population decline can be improved by retaining, not just recruiting, newcomers
Pittsburgh’s population has been steadily declining since the collapse of the steel industry nearly 50 years ago. We now have one of the oldest populations in the entire United States, and deaths outpace births every year. Migration out of urban areas is seen throughout the country, but no metropolitan area...
