Opinion category, Page 337
Letter to the editor: Planned hazardous waste dump threatens residents
Residents of Western Pennsylvania, beware — we are at risk! MAX Environmental Technologies plans to build a new hazardous dump on the banks of Sewickley Creek, a tributary of the Youghiogheny River, threatening drinking water for thousands. We have some of the worst air quality in the nation, with MAX...
Editorial: A smart, accountable gift ban makes common sense
One of the first things Gov. Josh Shapiro has done after taking office is to retool the gift ban for the offices under his control. During Tom Wolf’s tenure there was a ban, and it was handcuff-tight. Cabinet members on official visits couldn’t accept simple and affordable hospitality that could...
Letter to the editor: What’s ‘fair share’ when it comes to taxes?
Regarding the letter “We need fair taxation to end wealth inequality” (Jan. 7, TribLIVE): “Fair share” is liberal speak when arguing that our tax system is unfair, because in their opinion, the wealthy are not paying enough taxes. They are careful not to define what a “fair share” would be....
Tom Purcell: Grateful for Punxsutawney’s silly fun
Groundhog Day cannot come soon enough. It’s the thick of winter. Cabin fever is setting in. Incivility is worse than ever. A delightful, silly diversion is what we need about now, and Punxsutawney Phil has been delivering needed joy this time of year since 1887. As you know, every Feb....
Christopher Barnard: Bureaucratic red tape blocking a U.S. nuclear renaissance
The nuclear energy community was abuzz with news of a nuclear fusion breakthrough at the end of last year. Yet, while fusion innovation offers the promise of a bright future, there’s a more pertinent issue facing the industry today: an antiquated regulatory environment that’s stifling clean nuclear energy development. The...
Nathan Benefield and Andrew Holman: Pa. lawmakers can reverse population exodus
New data from the Census Bureau reveal that residents are fleeing Pennsylvania at an alarming rate. Pennsylvania lost nearly 40,000 residents to other states from July 2021 to July 2022. Only seven states lost more residents to domestic outmigration during that period. And, with 23,000 more deaths than births, Pennsylvania’s...
Letter to the editor: Democrats, Ukraine and fossil fuels
I can’t help wondering how the writer of the letter “How have Dems improved our lives?” (Jan. 13, TribLIVE) can say that Democrats “(started) an actual shooting war in Ukraine.” I would also remind him that the Afghanistan pullout was arranged by President Trump. With the word limit for letters,...
Letter to the editor: EPA must protect our children
The catastrophic leak of 1.29 billion cubic feet of methane in November in Jackson Township, Cambria County, has been referred to as one of the worst climate disasters of 2022. While officials told the public the leak posed “no threat,” local residents felt concerned. Families near the leak reported a...
Editorial: Medical workers shouldn’t have to face workplace violence
Hospitals are in a pinch when it comes to staffing. It isn’t even just hospitals. Anyone looking to hire workers in the medical field is crunched. Nursing homes, clinics, schools, prisons. If you need nurses or techs, it’s not an easy time. For many places, this is a financial problem...
Letter to the editor: Trump, like Reagan, was a great president
Ronald Reagan was a great president. He was a true conservative, not afraid to take an unpopular stand. He loved the American people. Then there was a series of moderate Republicans running for president. True conservatives were unhappy, but the party told them to hold their noses and remain loyal....
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 23
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 23....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 23
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 23....
Thomas Hogan: The danger of living in U.S. cities for young men
In the Dark Ages of criminal justice in the United States — the 1980s and earlier — it was not uncommon for a judge to give a convicted criminal a choice: go to jail, or enlist in the armed services. Such a choice was rightfully deemed unjust. But two recent...
Michael Reagan: Al Gore’s global warming meltdown
Is Davos over yet? Is it safe to turn on our TVs without being scolded by formerly important environmentalists like old Al Gore or creepy young climate warriors like Greta Thunberg? All the virtuous public talk about stopping climate change, saving the planet and putting the dirty fossil-fuel industry out...
Letter to the editor: Library book banners wasting their energy
These library book censor fanatics crack me up. Don’t they realize today’s students have access to anything on the internet and their cellphones and that they seldom frequent the library? What a misplaced waste of energy. Ralph Resnick Slickville...
Letter to the editor: $1.6 million fine is chump change for Trump
“Trump Organization fined $1.6 million for tax fraud” (Jan. 13, TribLIVE) … big deal. Chump change! The Trump Organization will spend more on the appeal than the cost of the fine. Maria Maliszewski Brackenridge...
Letter to the editor: We all have a right to pray
I watched in horror as Damar Hamlin fell back to the ground after a tackle. We knew something terrible happened. What happened next was no surprise to many of us. We all started praying for the well-being of this young man. Skilled athletes were seen kneeling on the field praying....
Editorial: Reading the crystal ball of layoffs and low unemployment numbers
Jobs numbers are never a constant. They shouldn’t be. They can’t be. The number of people who are employed is constantly rising and falling. If nothing else, the numbers will shift because the workers age. New people enter the workforce. Older people retire. Pennsylvania is a northern state, meaning seasonality...
Letter to the editor: Jobs for immigrants
A tip of my cap to the letter-writer who suggested that those seeking to enter America could fill available jobs as employers are unable to find workers to satisfy their needs (“Immigrants can help fill jobs,” Jan. 16, TribLIVE). He believes in supply and demand. Unfortunately, he is a dreamer...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Now is Gainey’s leadership moment
Most Pittsburghers are sickened and exhausted every time they turn on the news and see another street killing in our town. There was another fatal shooting Thursday in broad daylight on Liberty Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh. Mayor Ed Gainey, a man who knows the personal tragedy of random gun violence,...
Sarah Webber: Santos allegations highlight how scams divert money from worthy causes
Rep. George Santos, the New York Republican whose 2022 election to the House of Representatives flipped a seat previously held by a Democrat, faces pressure to resign for having reportedly lied extensively about his education, employment history and religious heritage. He also faces allegations that he may have participated in...
Dean Baker: Think Big Tech’s thousands of layoffs indicate a coming recession? Think again.
Amazon is laying off more than 18,000 workers. Salesforce is shedding 8,000, and Twitter has let go thousands more. While we should never minimize the difficulties of people facing an unexpected layoff, these announcements by major tech companies are not a large-scale tragedy for the American economy. What would be...
John M. Crisp: But what if Damar Hamlin had died?
Damar Hamlin, a safety for the Buffalo Bills, almost died Jan. 2. His heart stopped after a blow to his chest during a “Monday Night Football” game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Thanks to prompt attention by team trainers and paramedics, Hamlin survived, and America enjoyed a collective sigh of relief...
Letter to the editor: PennDOT should be taking better care of Route 30
After having the entire spring, summer and fall, PennDOT did little to serve the growing openings in the lanes and seams on Route 30, and now we have moved to larger, deeper holes in random spots running from the Pittsburgh Street entrance near the mall all the way to Latrobe....
Sounding off: Wolf, gas stoves, Steelers, perks among week’s topics
Not seeing many ‘wins’ from Gov. Tom Wolf I read with interest the Spotlight PA article “Here’s what outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf will be remembered for” (Jan. 12, TribLIVE). I noticed the authors mostly sought the opinions of politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, in order to propose Wolf “leaves behind...
