Opinion category, Page 17
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Our disciplined, dignified military
It has been almost three weeks since 800 American generals and admirals were summoned to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia to hear remarks by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The officers traveled from around the globe, directed by Hegseth to leave their posts for what he...
Ken Silverstein: Bridging the red-blue divide on climate
Heather Reams, the president of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES), stepped onto the stage at Breckenridge’s Mountain Towns 2030 summit — a room full of progressives accustomed to negotiating with Republicans on climate policy. She faced an audience from Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado — areas that often depend...
Patricia Murphy: Trump forged Middle East peace. How about fixing Congress next?
Defying the odds and expectations of many, President Donald Trump went to the Middle East last week and announced what many thought impossible — a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and, hopefully, a path to peace in the Middle East. As a part of getting both sides to agree to...
Ryan Kennedy: Far fewer Americans support political violence than recent polls suggest
A series of recent events has sparked alarm about rising levels of political violence in the U.S.: the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 ; the murder of a Democratic Minnesota state legislator and her husband in June ; and two attempts to kill Donald Trump during...
Colin McNickle: Keeping the AI revolution powered up
There’s no doubt that Pennsylvania will have to up its game to meet the massive increase in electricity generation required to power the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution now a full step in the front door. How best to do that, however, remains the paramount question, says Frank Gamrat, executive director...
Letter to the editor: Vote out incumbents
Potential voter: Are you dissatisfied with our federal, state and local governments? I believe the solution lies in voting out long-term incumbents. If a government is corrupt, not serving all its constituents, lacking transparency or simply failing to perform its duties, the incumbent is ultimately accountable. In any other profession,...
Letter to the editor: Energy development facts
In the op-ed blaming technology companies for rising energy prices (“AI, crypto and Pa.’s war on the little guy,” Sept. 20, TribLive), the authors include an unrelated, passing reference to so-called “subsidies” included in the recently enacted federal legislation dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). The authors assert the...
Letter to the editor: Murrysville council candidate committed to good planning
As mayor of Murrysville, I want to clarify how the comprehensive plan process works and highlight the commitment of Republican Council candidates Jason Lemak, Michael Korns, Loren Kase and Darren Miller to preserving our community’s rural charm. The comprehensive plan is not something the council can unilaterally impose. It is...
Editorial: Rape crisis centers must be supported
A rape crisis center is a kind of sanctuary. Not in the sense of a holy place or a house of worship. It is more a place of refuge in a storm of uncertainty. These centers offer close and personal service, providing advice and information, counseling or support for those...
Letter to the editor: ‘Illegals’ can’t get health coverage
I keep hearing the likes of Mike Johnson, JD Vance, Stephen Miller and other right-wingers claim Democrats want to give illegal immigrants health coverage and that’s what this shutdown is about. The Democrats wanted the premium assistance under the Affordable Care Act to not be dramatically reduced, which will spike...
S.E. Cupp: NYC mayoral debate anything but decisive
It’s a generous tip. It’s the stage name of a Tanzanian musician. It’s the increase in U.S. retail coffee prices in the past year. It’s also the portion of New York City’s registered voters who turned out for the mayoral Democratic primary back in June. That’s right — just more...
Cal Thomas: After Gaza, what’s next?
In his address to Israel’s Knesset following the release of 20 living hostages by Hamas, President Donald Trump said several things that reflect wishful thinking. Among them: “The forces of chaos that have plagued the region are totally defeated.” “The enemies of all civilization are in retreat.” And the “long...
Letter to the editor: No Kings ralliers love their country
I have to chuckle as I read that House Speaker Mike Johnson has declared the No Kings rallies being planned across the country this weekend are actually “Hate America” rallies. This man has children; if he has had to correct them and tried to alter their behavior, does that mean...
Lori Falce: Why do new Pentagon press rules matter?
I do not cover the Pentagon. I have never stepped through the doors. I have not attended a briefing. You might think that means the new policy on press access has no impact on me. You would be wrong. It absolutely does impact every reporter, every journalist, every news outlet....
Laurels & lances: Laid to rest & laid off
Laurel: To a final resting place. On Sunday, a funeral took place in Ross. A World War II soldier was laid to rest. This is increasingly rare as the veterans of the 1940s have thinner ranks every year. But this funeral wasn’t for an old man who remembered the war....
Letter to the editor: Franklin Regional’s future deserves proven leaders
This November, Franklin Regional voters face a pivotal choice. As we elect four school board members, we have a rare opportunity to shape a board with diverse strengths and complementary expertise — leaders ready to move our district forward. The candidates who best fit this vision are Debra Wohlin, Bill...
Jonah Goldberg: Lasting peace requires accepting Israel’s right to exist
President Trump took a rhetorical victory lap in front of the Israeli parliament Monday. Ignoring his patented departures from the teleprompter, which violated all sorts of valuable norms, it was a speech Trump deserved to give. The ending of the war — even if it’s just a ceasefire — and...
Letter to the editor: Franklin’s $49 million would fund Ivy League coach salaries for years
Here’s some perspective on the economic facts of the firing of Penn State’s head football coach, James Franklin. The buyout of Franklin’s contract was reported in your newspaper to be $49 million. A quick internet search shows that among the academically elite Ivy League universities (Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Princeton, Columbia,...
Letter to the editor: Mail-in voters deserve chance to make corrections
On Oct. 7, the Westmoreland County commissioners finally approved ballot curing for the upcoming elections (“Westmoreland County approves ballot curing process for November election,” Oct. 7, TribLive). However, this was not a voluntary vote on the part of Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew, but was due to an order...
Letter to the editor: Kirk, Kimmel and free speech
Until very recently I would not have been able to identify late-night TV comedian Jimmy Kimmel from Adam. Well, maybe not Adam, given the loin-covering fig leaf he is reported to have worn. Certainly not after 10:30 p.m., which is late night for me. Charlie Kirk was a name I...
Editorial: Death penalty decisions must be based on evidence
The death penalty is divisive. Support for and opposition to it is not as easy as political party or position. It is all over the map. There are people with firmly held convictions about crime and law enforcement who draw a line when it comes to capital punishment. There are...
Panini Chowdhury: We all have a right to walk safely on our streets
We all walk. When we visit a place, we walk — and those moments often become the highlights of our journey. Whether young or old, whatever our race or gender, walking is the hum of daily life — the simplest confluence of dignity, mobility and human connection. Yet in America,...
Tyler Samstag: From Mister Rogers to machine learning — Pittsburgh’s next big moment in education
When cellphones became widely available in 2007, educators suddenly faced a question with no clear answer: What happens when every student carries a device that can calculate, record and connect them to endless information? Some worried about distraction. Others saw possibility. Across Pittsburgh, teachers, artists, librarians, museum leaders and technologists...
Letter to the editor: Penn State has money for Franklin, but not campuses?
Penn State will be closing seven branch campuses in 2027, including the New Kensington branch. Penn State cites financial pressures as a reason for these closings. But yet the university has $49 million to buy out James Franklin’s contract. I understand that this money will not be paid in one...
Letter to the editor: Thanks to Norwin board members, who did a thankless job
As a Norwin Community Republican Committeeman, I coordinated several of the past election’s staffing needs for our local conservative candidates. We touted our Republican candidates’ conservative agendas, especially on fiscal matters. Our school board candidates were a top priority. It is a thankless job. Our candidates ran modestly funded campaigns...
