Opinion category, Page 289
Editorial: Harrison should have been more transparent with new chief vote
It is not hard to tell people what’s going on. Seriously. It’s not. Government can make it seem like swimming through neck-deep mud, but transparency is really pretty easy. All they have to do is make the information accessible, not force anyone to read it. Not every state decision is...
Letter to the editor: Why Trump was not a great president
The writer of the letter “Why Trump was a great president” (March 7, TribLIVE) asked writers who argue that Donald Trump was the worst president need to be more specific in their reasoning. Here are some facts on why he wasn’t a great president. Putin and Ukraine: Putin was clearly...
Jonah Goldberg: Can Republicans be persuaded to vote for someone other than Trump?
It’s official. South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is running for president. The first thing you should know is that Scott is one of the nicest guys in Washington. Capitol Hill Republicans and just about anybody who knows him likes him. Sincerely patriotic and devoutly Christian, Scott is most comfortable preaching,...
Rep. Chris Deluzio and Molly Parzen: Time for Pa. to clean up abandoned mines
Pennsylvania has long been the economic engine that has powered our nation’s prosperity. However, we still see some of the effects of bygone practices from a lack of environmental and health regulations in communities across our commonwealth today. The commonwealth leads the nation in abandoned mine lands (AML). These are...
Jeffrey Fuller: Pa. budget must support children who need help
May is Mental Health Awareness Month — and Pennsylvania’s children need support now more than ever. Taking care of their physical health is one of the very first things we teach children. We all remember our parents telling us, or telling our own children, to look both ways before crossing...
Letter to the editor: Biden not the traitor
The letter “Biden a traitor?” (May 15, TribLIVE) was a disgrace. To call President Biden a traitor is the writings of an uneducated person. If you want to call someone a traitor, look to Donald Trump. He called for an attack on our capitol. He and his followers should have...
Letter to the editor: No kindness, compassion in Biden
President Carter, now in the twilight of his life, will be remembered as a bad president but a good man. His presidency will be remembered for record inflation, high interest rates, high unemployment, the humiliating embassy takeover in Iran and subsequent failed rescue attempt resulting in eight dead servicemen and...
Letter to the editor: Good fiscal stewards in Norwin
Did you know that the Norwin School District has one of the lowest tax rates in Western Pennsylvania? Probably not, as the squeaky wheel doesn’t like to make the general public aware of this. Did you also know that Norwin has the lowest cost per student in Westmoreland County, let...
Editorial: Independence and the legacy of Pennsylvania hospitals
Hospitals are part of the fabric of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Hospital was founded in 1751 and was the first hospital in America to be founded as a medical facility and not as a workhouse or poorhouse. The state had the first mental health hospital. It boasts the oldest medical school and...
Letter to the editor: United Way nourishes our community
In the seven years I’ve been at Westmoreland Community Action (WCA), I’ve witnessed firsthand the overwhelming struggles of families in Southwestern Pennsylvania. New mothers in need of support, children falling behind in school and families going hungry because they don’t have enough to eat. However, I’ve also seen our community...
Letter to the editor: Proposed gun laws don’t properly address issues
The letter “Ending gun violence” (May 14, TribLIVE) advocated for new gun laws under the guise of the “Common Agenda to End Gun Violence.” It states that the laws are “broadly popular” and “bipartisan.” I believe both characterizations are false. The bills are supported by the usual anti-gun crowd led...
Rep. Jessica Benham: Federal agency could help Alzheimer’s patients
Last summer, my grandmother passed away after years of living with Alzheimer’s disease. If you’ve lost a loved one to this disease or know someone who has, then you’re familiar with the long and cruel journey both the patient and their families have walked. I want to say thank you...
Alex Bernstein: Raise minimum wage to build a better future
Everyone in Pennsylvania, from here in Pittsburgh to Erie, Scranton, Philly and everywhere in between deserves to earn a fair wage. But right now, thousands of Pennsylvanians are struggling to stay afloat, trying to navigate the cost of living crisis on a minimum wage of $7.25/hour — unchanged for nearly...
Cal Thomas: Obstacles in DeSantis’ path to presidency
The expected announcement today from Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that he is running for president will come as no surprise. While DeSantis won his reelection by 19 points and his accomplishments with the help of a Republican super majority in the state legislature have been impressive, appealing to voters...
Letter to the editor: Natrona Heights welcomes Aldi
Our community is so happy for the new Aldi store coming in Natrona Heights. With inflation and possibly a recession coming, us middle-class people — or poor, as they call us — are struggling with groceries and necessities. We welcome Aldi and jobs, jobs, jobs. Get off your rich high...
Letter to the editor: Thoughts on the labor shortage
Could the labor shortage be structural? Too few people to take over for the baby boomer retirements? Then add covid-19 making people realize that their health is more important than their job. Might also be a contributing factor to people participating in work. Life-work balance, and protecting nurses from abusive...
Letter to the editor: Leaders must be held accountable for lies
If the average person lies on an employment application, he or she can get fired. If people lie under oath, about their taxes, to the police or on a mortgage application, it is a criminal offense; they can be fined and face jail time. Why do we hold our elected...
Editorial: Reduce toll of ‘tranq’ overdoses
Gov. Josh Shapiro has a solid track record in the desperate struggle against the raging opioid epidemic. Before the covid-19 pandemic eclipsed opioids as the nation’s most pressing public health emergency, Shapiro played a traditional enforcement role as attorney general. He also had roles in changing prescription and dispensing protocols...
Letter to the editor: We shouldn’t be celebrating coal
Early this month, Sen. Pat Stefano introduced the 2022 Bituminous Coal Queen, Brianna Hensh, on the floor of the state Senate. The coal queen, Stefano said, “represents the coal industry, which is a major economic driver in our region.” Indeed, Brianna is an excellent candidate to receive a major award...
Letter to the editor: Future is bright for Southwestern Pa.
Last month, township officials from across the commonwealth gathered in Harrisburg for the 100th conference of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. There were many takeaways from the event, but what struck me was how our corner of the state is uniquely situated to overcome looming economic challenges. It...
Tom Purcell: Honoring our war dead on Memorial Day
Every year, polls show that a large number of Americans don’t know why we celebrate Memorial Day. According to People, a 2020 Onepoll survey found that fewer than half of the 2,000 people surveyed knew that the purpose of Memorial Day was not to honor those who served in the...
Christopher Nicholas: Pittsburgh is now the progressive beacon in Keystone State
Pennsylvania’s primary election proved to be a good day for liberal financier George Soros and his political operation, as well as for the Democratic establishment in Philadelphia. The bigger story, however, is that Western Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County supplanted Philly as the top progressive mecca in the state. The most high-profile...
Tom Schuster: RGGI can help communities throughout Pa.
It was recently announced that one of the few remaining coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania, Indiana County’s Homer City Coal Generation Station, will be shutting down. This will be a blow to the workers at the plant and the surrounding community. State and local leaders must commit to helping Homer...
Matthew J. Brouillette: Pa. primary unveiled a crisis for both political parties
On May 16, Pennsylvanians voted in statewide and local primary elections as well as a much-watched special House election. Beyond revealing the winners, the vote tallies show that former President Donald Trump lost (again), Democrats have an identity crisis and Republicans have a messaging crisis. While the former president wasn’t...
Letter to the editor: Why don’t socialists move to socialist countries?
I just got to thinking: Why don’t socialists just move to established socialistic countries? Why go to all the planning, work and deception to turn a nation founded on Judeo-Christian principles socialistic? It seems like forced “conversion”; no free will. “As for me and my house” — you know, the...
