Opinion category, Page 12
Letter to the editor: The Constitution and noncitizen voting
Our Constitution reveals that only citizens of the United States are permitted to vote. The Constitution’s 14th Amendment defines “All persons born or naturalized in the United Sates, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States” (ratified 1868). The 15th Amendment states that the rights of...
Letter to the editor: Commissioners need to make drop boxes available
Westmoreland County residents are losing confidence in the integrity of our voting process. That loss of trust isn’t tied to one issue. It’s the accumulation of several concerns. Our commissioners have both an opportunity and a responsibility to address them directly. We should all share a simple goal: ensuring every...
Editorial: Fear of the unknown bills
All across Western Pennsylvania, the financial pressure is gripping tight. The gas pump, the grocery checkout, the tax bill. You name it, it’s getting harder to handle. But how does anyone know where the most pressure is felt? By asking. The most recent Quinnipiac University poll had 65% of respondents...
Letter to the editor: Clean energy should be powering data centers
Data centers are igniting citizen activism nationwide as residents demand a voice in how these massive, computer-filled warehouses will shape their communities. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, 22 data center projects are underway across six counties, according to FracTracker Alliance. Communities now find themselves on the front lines of a rapidly expanding,...
Garry South: Kamala Harris is polling well, which signifies nothing
When I read all the hype being heaped on Kamala Harris’ lead in early polls for the 2028 Democratic nomination, I have to chuckle to myself. The release of a Rasmussen Reports poll in February was titled, “Kamala Harris Still Leads 2028 Field for Democrats.” One headline in the Hill...
Hunter DeRensis: Will Pennsylvanians punish Republicans over Iran war?
On Feb. 28, Donald Trump made a bigger gamble than ever took place at any of his Atlantic City casinos. Betting that a joint U.S.-Israeli decapitation strike on Iran would result in another overnight, low-cost operation that the president could tout as a quick victory, Trump has risked both his...
Letter to the editor: Jail officers need PTSD treatment
Researchers have found that the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rate for correctional officers is higher than for the military or police officers. A primary reason is correctional officers work in a confined institution in which there is a constant risk of having a hands-on intervention with residents. For the Allegheny...
Letter to the editor: Generation owners profiting from rising electric bills
The frustration in Diana Vahabzadeh’s commentary “Legislators must help bring down skyrocketing utility bills” (March 18, TribLive) is rightfully shared by millions of Pennsylvanians. She deserves honest answers about her recent electric bill increases. Duquesne Light Co.’s (DLC) base rates have not increased since 2024. Vahabzadeh’s June and December 2025...
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 30
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 30....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 30
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 30....
Athan Koutsiouroumbas: Helicopter parents making Pa.’s teachers miserable
Pennsylvania’s teachers have the lowest morale in the country. According to the most recent Education Week survey, it is not about pay, curriculum or testing. Instead, it’s the parents. Pennsylvania teachers overwhelmingly say student behavior is not improving. In fact, they are among the most pessimistic about whether things are...
Christopher Nicholas: Shapiro’s brand is high gloss, high cost
Pennsylvania’s “Get Stuff Done” (GSD) governor has a favorite state department that he’s willing to staff to the rafters: his personal, dedicated PR team. As published reports last summer detailed, Gov. Josh Shapiro now sports 21 employees in his executive office, “dedicated to promoting” his image. But earlier this month,...
Letter to the editor: Shell brings value to community
For nearly a decade, Shell’s petrochemicals plant has been a part of our community. Besides the economic and job growth, Shell continues to be a critical community partner. For example, Shell has established a partnership with the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) to invest in workforce development by supporting...
Letter to the editor: Trump administration ignoring chemical leaks
The article “After deadly explosion, safety and environmental lapses at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works now rest with Nippon” (Feb 12, TribLive) highlights a prime example of how the Trump administration intentionally turns a blind eye to chemical leaks in the U.S., impacting the health of Americans. The article mentions...
Editorial: The cost of waiting to protect children
Pennsylvania has spent years trying to atone for child welfare failures. There were generations of abuse in churches. The Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal put the state under a national lens. There have been persistent questions about ChildLine hotline reports that went unanswered. There was also the moment nearly...
Letter to the editor: Fetterman has betrayed Pa.
While I worked on the Conor Lamb campaign in the 2022 Democratic primaries, I was proud to cast my vote for John Fetterman in the general election. He postured himself as a courageous and pragmatic progressive who would provide a breath of fresh air for the Democratic Party. It is...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: O’Connor dealing with the tough hand he was dealt
The job ahead for new Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor is to shrink and grow the city at the same time. It is not an impossible task, but it will require toughness. And O’Connor has been dealt a tough hand. The Peduto administration had a checkered record in the business of...
Daniel Katz: Social media platforms aren’t the new cigarettes. They’re worse.
A jury in Los Angeles may have just done for social media what early lawsuits did for Big Tobacco. Outside the courtroom, families who said they have lost children to the effects of these platforms gathered in shirts that read “We Are K.G.M.,” expressing solidarity with the 20-year-old plaintiff. Inside...
Harry Psaros: The day I stopped denying my son’s autism
When my son Gus was diagnosed with autism, my wife saw it first. I did not. Like many fathers, I resisted the diagnosis with a stubborn optimism that masked something deeper: fear. Michelle noticed the early signs — the speech delays, the social struggles, the subtle differences that began to...
Letter to the editor: People rely on the post office
I was so heartened to read your article on a Manor resident nearly losing money in a lottery scam recently (“Manor resident nearly loses money in lottery scam,” March 9, TribLive). A bank transaction was stopped before any funds were lost. It is a wonderful example of the spirit and...
Lori Falce: Constitution Under Construction: Privacy and probable causeVideo
The adage that a man’s home is his castle isn’t about authority. It’s about protection — the walls that keep others out. But even strong walls need a door. We understand that instinctively. Police need a warrant. But that shorthand doesn’t quite capture what the Constitution actually does. The Fourth...
Editorial: The truth about a balanced budget
What is so hard about a balanced budget? The math is supposed to be simple. Know how much money is coming in. Don’t spend more than that. But let’s be honest. That can be a challenge for a family of four. It doesn’t get easier when you are talking about...
Letter to the editor: What we get for our taxes
The writer of the letter “Finland, Norway more attractive than U.S.” (March 25, TribLive) makes a point well worth repeating. Writing of his daughter living in Finland, he notes, “Sure taxes are higher (there), but a small price to pay for so many benefits … .” He notes that in...
S.E. Cupp: Beware for all the president’s men (and women)
If I were Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, I might start packing up my office at the Pentagon. While President Trump is boasting about the so-called success of a war with Iran that has no clear mission nor end in sight, Americans are souring on it. Big time. New polling from...
S.E. Cupp: A new norm of DHS shutdown & long airport lines
If you’ve ever traveled to France, chances are you’ve come up against this all-too-common phenomenon. You get to the train station and, without warning, your train is out of service. Or a restaurant is oddly closed during regular business hours. “C’est la grève,” you may hear from a local, accompanied...
