Opinion category, Page 218
Letter to the editor: Trump was derelict in his duties regarding Jan. 6
Dereliction of duty is a specific offense and applies to all branches of the military. A service member who is derelict has willfully refused to perform his duties (or follow a given order) or has incapacitated himself in such a way that he cannot perform his duties. Any person who...
Editorial: Another game of chicken as House averts shutdown, for now
With two funding bills passed just under the wire, the House under Speaker Mike Johnson has ensured that the federal government won’t run out of operating funds until … March 1 and March 8, depending on the agency. His right flank, predictably, was not happy. We suppose it’s better than...
Letter to the editor: Why Trump’s ‘our guy’
Unfortunately, we find the letter “Trump’s your guy” (Jan. 15, TribLIVE) riddled with — insert shocked face — misconstrued “facts” and in true leftist form, completely biased. A few examples and some points of our own. President Trump never had a peaceful transfer of power and stood by letting the...
Tom Purcell: Regulating fun is a slippery slope
The city of Toronto is in the news for outlawing sled and toboggan riding on 45 of its hillsides. According to the Toronto Star, the ban has sparked a robust debate about how far government should go to protect people from themselves while they’re having fun. To be sure, tragic...
Matthew Brouillette: Shapiro’s duck-and-dodge 1st year
In the 2004 sports comedy, “Dodgeball,” we learned the five Ds of that sport: “Dodge, duck, dip, dive, and … dodge.” In his first year in office, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has perfected these five Ds. Campaigning for governor in 2022, Shapiro said that he’d take on big fights and...
Lee Ann Rawlins Williams: Students do better and schools are more stable when teachers get mental health support
When it comes to mental health at school, typically the focus is on helping students, especially as they emerge from the pandemic with heightened levels of anxiety, stress and emotional need. But as school officials seek to put resources toward student well-being, another school population is possibly being overlooked: teachers....
Letter to the editor: Trump’s call for unity rings hollow
After his win in the Iowa Republican caucuses, Donald Trump said with a straight face that it is now time for our people to come together. Does the call for unity include those who oppose him, whom he has characterized as “vermin”; the immigrants who he says are “poisoning the...
Letter to the editor: Cyber charter schools best option for some
As a parent who’s experienced the life-changing impact of sending my children to a cyber charter school, I applaud the efforts during National School Choice Week, Jan. 21-27. I encourage parents to learn about the different types of educational options open to you. Then look closely at your children, consider...
Editorial: Innovative programs are best pitch for universities
There are just under 6,000 postsecondary schools in the United States. Almost 4,000 are degree-granting institutions — the kind of school you would pick if you want to leave with an associate degree in two years or a bachelor’s degree in four. The others are where you might choose for...
Letter to the editor: Public water resources should not benefit private industry
In the article “Lack of snow, where rainfall ends up factors in declining Beaver Run reservoir levels” (Jan. 5, TribLive), Renatta Signorini wrote about the dire situation at the reservoir. The water level is so low that the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County ordered corporations to stop withdrawing water for...
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 22
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 22....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 22
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 22....
Letter to the editor: St. Lad’s a sad example of ignoring value of history
Recent actions regarding St. Ladislaus Church in Natrona should be of concern to all citizens (“Time capsule unearthed at St. Ladislaus Church reveals 120-year-old treasures,” Jan. 12, TribLive). One need only to travel through Europe to discover the historical and emotional value of old churches. Some say they are not...
Letter to the editor: We all deserve economic justice
I could not agree more with the op-ed “Gilded age for college football” (Dec. 30, TribLive). Coaches are making 10 times what they made in the 1980s, adjusted for inflation, around 540 times what teaching graduate assistants make and over 400 times what adjunct professors make. This extreme income inequality...
Editorial: Tearing down the old Tree of Life is a chance to rebuild memories
The building that stood at the corner of Wilkins and Shady avenues in Squirrel Hill was part of countless beautiful memories over 66 years. While the history of Jewish worship in Pittsburgh begins its story in the 19th century, it was in the wake of World War II that a...
Letter to the editor: Continue the fight for Alzheimer’s funding and research
My sister was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her late 40s. At 55, no longer able to provide round-the-clock support, we placed her in a care facility, where, on her good days, she feels one step closer to death; she is only 56. There are few affordable facilities that cater...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: ‘Is this a good idea?’ the first question to ask
“Is this a good idea?” Many questions are important, but if you are in a political or government position and your decisions affect the lives of others, it is exceptionally important. When Pittsburgh City Council members were sworn in this month, newly elected 34-year-old Bob Charland used his remarks to...
Trudy Rubin: If Israel is accused of genocide, why not Russia?
If Israel is being charged with genocide at the International Court of Justice, why isn’t Russia? This is a question I find very troubling, as do some of my readers. Despite harsh critiques of the civilian carnage in Gaza caused by Israel’s bombs — of which I have written my...
Ivor Ichikowitz : South Africa’s genocide case against Israel is rank hypocrisy
South Africa made history when it took Israel to the International Court of Justice — the United Nations’ highest court — and accused it of waging genocide against Palestinians while asking the court to order an immediate cease-fire. It might turn out to be the worst decision the country has...
Letter to the editor: Corporations and ‘fair share’ of taxes
The next time you hear someone gripe about corporations not paying their “fair share” of taxes, try this reply: “So let me get this straight: You want to take resources away from an efficient, wealth-creating organization (i.e., a corporation) and give them to a demonstrably inefficient, corrupt, wealth-destroying organization which...
Sounding off: Guns, taxes, MAGAs, Biden, immigrants among topics of week
Too many guns, not enough laws The writer of the letter “We have plenty of gun laws” (Jan. 6, TribLive) writes “it seems to me” we have enough gun laws already. Then why do we have so many more shootings than other countries with strict regulation? He says the U.S....
Letter to the editor: Threats to free speech
Among many alarming allegations in a 2023 lawsuit against Penn State are university-sanctioned harassment and silencing of an Abington campus professor. Filings show retaliation against him for asking questions during mandatory “antiracist” training sessions like “White Teachers are a Problem.” He was told that race-based disparagement of white-skinned people was...
Editorial: Westmoreland officials’ pay increase, workers’ strike notice are predictable problem
Westmoreland County officials cannot be surprised by employees bristling over contract negotiations. Aside from the four-year contract expiring Dec. 31 and stalled negotiations, there is the fact that many employees have been dealing with increased work and shorter staff for years. These are problems that might have come into the...
Letter to the editor: Too many guns, not enough laws
The writer of the letter “We have plenty of gun laws” (Jan. 6, TribLive) writes “it seems to me” we have enough gun laws already. Then why do we have so many more shootings than other countries with strict regulation? He says the U.S. cities with the strictest gun laws...
Gary Franks: America needs a constitutional tune-up
We are rapidly approaching our 250th birthday as a republic. And the nation is in need of a tune-up. With just a few tweaks of our Constitution we can put the nation on a path that would allow it to go another 250 years. The Constitution is the supreme law...
