Opinion category, Page 362
Marjorie Hershey: Republicans and Democrats see news bias only in stories that clearly favor the other party
Charges of media bias — that “the media” are trying to brainwash Americans by feeding the public only one side of every issue — have become as common as campaign ads in the run-up to the midterm elections. As a political scientist who has examined media coverage of the Trump...
Rep. Martell Covington: The value of strong tech investments
It’s an exciting time to be in Pittsburgh. The city has experienced unprecedented growth and embraced a future where opportunities and options are more limitless than ever before. Exponential growth doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s taken long-term commitments, dedication and the strategic outlook of local leaders like Mayor Ed Gainey...
Laurels & lances: Spokesperson and representative
Laurel: To someone at the microphone. Since Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli took office in January, messaging has been a little challenging. Ziccarelli has wanted all information from her office — and sometimes other law enforcement departments — to filter through her podium. Other staff members or attorneys were...
Thomas Koenig: Post-Janus, battles with public-sector unions continue
Jane Ladley was a Pennsylvania public school teacher her entire life. She wasn’t a member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), the state’s public school teachers union. But in 2013, the PSEA forced her to pay a “fair share fee,” a sum that non-union members must pay to a...
Greg Fulton: We can’t vote ‘none of the above’
In multiple choice tests, “none of the above” is often an answer option. In Pennsylania’s U.S. Senate race, many voters would probably choose that option if it was on the ballot. Neither Democratic candidate Lt. Gov. John Fetterman nor Republican nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz is reflective of the majority of...
Letter to the editor: Pittsburgh homicide frustration
Regarding the article “2 women killed in North Side shooting were innocent bystanders, police say; 3rd victim ID’d” (Oct. 17, TribLIVE): Major crimes Cmdr. Richard Ford would not speculate on the identity of the gunmen but did stress the majority of homicides within city limits could be attributed to “repeat...
Letter to the editor: We must turn to God
I look out of my kitchen window and see the vibrant colors and beauty that God created in this world. I then ask myself why have humans made such a mess of this beautiful world? Wars, famine, sickness, disease and creating weapons of war that will kill millions of people...
Editorial: Hasn’t this undated ballot court ruling happened before?
The point of a court ruling — particularly one from a top appeals court — is to set a precedent. The rulings are meant to take a complicated question and draw lines that make things easier to understand. They give a yes or a no. They say when something is...
Letter to the editor: Fearmongering over book bans
The editorial “Book bans can threaten local control” (Oct. 13, TribLIVE) calls it “admirable” for parents to take an “active and engaged role in their schools,” while raising the red herring that such activism threatens local control. The state already exerts significant influence over school curriculum and staffing. Thus, the...
Jonah Goldberg: If democracy is a corrupt ‘Western’ concept, why does Putin pretend his actions in Ukraine are democratic?
Vladimir Putin is a murderer and tyrant. He’s also a hypocrite. “It is no coincidence that the West claims that it is its culture and worldview that should be universal,” Putin explained last week at a pro-Putin Moscow think tank, the Valdai Discussion Club. His remarks echoed previous statements of...
Dr. Tracy Todd: Addressing impact of illness on families of older Americans
If you or a family member has ever been diagnosed with a serious health condition, you’ll know that the impact doesn’t stay with the individual. The stress, anxiety, worry and depression that come from these illnesses reach beyond the patient and touch families, too. Some of the most life-threatening health...
Letter to the editor: Biden’s prophecies
We all know President Biden is a career politician. He has survived the political arena by telling people what they want to hear. He is famous for speaking out of both sides of his mouth; I say, if his lips are moving, he’s lying. Take gun control, for instance. He’s...
Letter to the editor: Holding legislators accountable
Fact: Twenty-seven children and staff members at an Allentown day care center were recently hospitalized with carbon monoxide poisoning. Fact: Legislators in Harrisburg are among the highest-paid in the country. Fact: Legislators in Harrisburg are among the least productive in the country. Pennsylvania pays its legislators a lot to get...
Editorial: Is a $1.5 billion daydream worth your $2?
Have you bought your ticket yet? It almost goes without saying that the ticket in question is not for a train, plane or concert. For the second time this year, the country is gripped in lottery fever. Saturday’s multi-state Powerball jackpot will top $1.5 billion and might climb even higher...
Letter to the editor: Pa. leaders must act to win manufacturing’s future
Manufacturing is the economic engine of Pennsylvania, fueling growth and prosperity across communities. Manufacturing provides family-sustaining jobs for more than a half-million Pennsylvanians, making it our third largest employer. And manufacturing is Pennsylvania’s greatest economic sector in terms of statewide economic output, with more than $110 billion annually. But manufacturing...
Letter to the editor: Yes, I feel safer now
Yes, Lou Mangione, I feel safer than I did two years ago (“Do you feel safer, more secure two years later?” Oct. 25, TribLIVE). Covid-19 was spreading wildly, while President Trump facetiously told us it would go away. One week, Trump’s tweets would provoke North Korean nuclear threats. The next...
Leonard Pitts Jr.: The Caucacity of Nope
Let us apologize in advance to Barack Obama, who once wrote a book called “The Audacity of Hope.” You see, our subject today is what might be called the Caucacity of Nope. The word is a new coinage, a portmanteau of “Caucasian” and “audacity” denoting a brand of white arrogance...
Ari Mittleman and Joseph Sabino Mistick: The truth about our elections
Investigations, more than a dozen federal and state court rulings, and legally required state audits of ballots from Pennsylvania counties have found no evidence of widespread fraud, irregularities or other election problems that could have affected the results of the 2020 elections. Yet, nearly two years later, the recounts and...
Letter to the editor: Real reason for hating Trump
I’m responding to Edward Svitek’s letter “Past time to dump Trump” (Oct. 4, TribLIVE), in which he admits he hates Donald Trump. He gave broad, vague reasons. With hate being such a destructive emotional choice, I was wondering what exactly brought out his hatred. Was it a strong economy? Record...
Letter to the editor: Parents should look closely at books
In her article “Legislation proposed to regulate book bans in Pennsylvania school districts” (Oct. 11, TribLIVE), Megan Tomasic mentions in great detail how widespread this is and that the books questioned dealt primarily with LGBTQ+ or racial themes. She identified the two books that caused local protests by parents. She...
Letter to the editor: How about some tax credits for those without student loans?
With the Biden administration recently announcing the opening of applications for student loan “forgiveness,” I have an idea for the 2024 GOP nominee. Let’s use President Biden’s massive expansion of the IRS to ensure that every person that doesn’t have student loans that need forgiving a $10,000 tax credit. Every...
Editorial: Why we don’t endorse political candidates
Endorsements are the way some organizations or individuals show their support for a candidate. A popular governor could throw his weight behind someone running for mayor. A major union can advocate for a legislative candidate. It’s all very familiar because of how often it happens. Frequently, endorsements can come with...
Letter to the editor: Prominent Republicans say election not stolen
In their report “Lost, Not Stolen: The Conservative Case that Trump Lost and Biden Won the 2020 Presidential Election,” eight prominent Republicans said the 2022 election was not stolen. In their words: “There is absolutely no evidence of fraud in the 2020 presidential election on the magnitude necessary to shift...
Tom Purcell: Pre-election stress disorder
I’m already anxious about the outcome. I speak of next week’s elections, and a modern malady the Mayo Clinic refers to as “election stress disorder.” “We notice it in our bodies, the tension in our shoulders,” says Dr. Robert Bright, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist. “Sometimes people get GI (gastrointestinal) upset...
Cal Thomas: Last man no longer standing
He called himself “the last man standing,” a reference to the rock ‘n’ roll icons of which he was among the most notable. Jerry Lee Lewis died last week at age 87. He was the last in a line of rock greats whose records I played as a 16-year-old disc...
