Opinion category, Page 632
Letter to the editor: Restart Act would help many businesses
Western Pennsylvania has been the proud home of two of the largest fireworks companies for decades. In any given year prior to the covid-19 pandemic, Pyrotecnico and Zambelli Fireworks produce well over 3,500 displays annually, entertaining millions of audiences across the country. The professional fireworks entertainment industry has been almost...
Letter to the editor: 25% capacity should mean 75% decrease in rent, plus property tax relief
So now we have Gov. Tom Wolf deciding (under advice from Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine) to “lock down” statewide bars/restaurants again to slow the spread of the covid-19 virus hysterical overreaction. These small businesses must now operate at only 25% capacity and jump through a bunch of hoops...
Letter to the editor: Heartbreak in Pa.’s senior care facilities
My husband of 61 years recently died as a hospice patient in the Ligonier Gardens personal care home. I am at peace with his passing. He is with the Lord. But now I want to speak up for our loved ones in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities. I...
Letter to the editor: Citizens should step forward to volunteer for election
We cannot have repeats of the spring nationwide primary debacles. The November election is a matter of life or death, not only because of the coronavirus deaths. The life of American democracy is at stake. Mail-in voting in states like Oregon, which has worked out for years, should not be...
Colin McNickle: Greater Pittsburgh’s ‘halting,’ ‘uneven’ jobs recovery
The Greater Pittsburgh economy was dealt a huge blow by the coronavirus-related lockdown of businesses and citizens. And the latest-available payroll jobs numbers for the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) show a halting and uneven jobs recovery, concludes an analysis by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy. “The impact will...
L.A Times Editorial Board: Honor John Lewis — and serve democracy — by reinvigorating the Voting Rights Act
Republicans in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, effusively eulogized Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia after the civil rights legend died July 17. McConnell, R-Ky., rightly described Lewis as an “American hero” who “put his life on the line to fight racism, promote equal rights and bring our...
Rev. Jes Kast: Access to birth control crucial to religious liberty
A few years ago, in the middle of the night, my wife shook me awake. “I need help,” she whispered and pulled me out of my sleep. I kept her calm as I half carried her to the bathroom. She was having another episode of debilitating pain and nausea caused...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Conspiracy theories come to life under Trump
If you thought that those conspiracy theorists were nuts when they ranted about black helicopters and secret paramilitary troops taking over our towns and rounding up Americans without probable cause, you better think again. The so-called militia members who have warned us about this usually imagine an international conspiracy, some...
Editorial: Covid-19 calls for communication
On Wednesday, White House Coronavirus Task Force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx participated in a phone call with state and local officials from around the country. Discussion included a number of cities that need to get “more aggressive” and step up contact tracing to address covid-19 numbers as increases are being...
Sounding off: Trump’s incompetent covid-19 response
How the President Trump-named “Chinese virus” became the “Trump Virus,” bringing the most powerful country in the world to its knees: After a single case of coronavirus in China became a pandemic and reached our shores in January, we had a federal response I believe was incompetent. Trump and his...
Letter to the editor: Books about Trump are must-reads
Two books everyone should read: “The Room Where It Happened” by John Bolton and “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” by Mary L. Trump. If you are still a supporter of President Trump after reading those books, then I feel sorry for...
Letter to the editor: Balzer’s mask move no surprise
It is not surprising that Westmoreland County Controller Jeffrey Balzer refused to wear a mask at the July 16 county commissioners’ public meeting (“Hempfield resident confronts maskless county controller at commissioners meeting,” July 16, TribLIVE). After all, he refused to pay the IRS (in 2014), he refused to pay his...
Letter to the editor: A Democratic vote is vote for end of America
Why is it that those seeking the opportunity to be free and make the most of themselves come from other countries to the United States when they get the chance? Why do the oppressed and downtrodden often risk their lives to come to our great country? Is it because we...
Letter to the editor: Allegheny County covid-19 spread from demonstrations?
To Allegheny County officials and the county Health Department: You claim the recent spike in covid-19 cases among young people is caused by travel to other states (“Allegheny County health officials warn of coronavirus spread in younger people,” June 24, TribLIVE). If you believe that, I think you are either...
Letter to the editor: Government shouldn’t subsidize poor management
Amid the ongoing pandemic where government agencies have given us misinformation about masks and the use/misuse of hydroxychloroquine and other easily available drugs, now we find out that the government-run U.S. Postal Service will take longer to deliver mail, due to a supposed overtime crackdown (“Mail could be delayed as...
Letter to the editor: Depression, pandemic, global warming — no way to live
This is not the way to live. It’s no fun. You responsibly have to wear a mask so you don’t spread coronavirus to others. There are those who don’t seem to care if they make you sick. People are tearing down statues and vandalizing parks, monuments and even a church’s...
Walter Williams: Historical ignorance and Confederate generals
The Confederacy has been the excuse for some of today’s rioting, property destruction and grossly uninformed statements. Among the latter is the testimony before the House Armed Services Committee by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley in favor of renaming Confederate-named military bases. He said:...
John Stossel: Progressive policies wreck everything
I laughed when I saw the Washington Post headline: “Minneapolis had progressive policies, but its economy still left black families behind.” The media are so clueless. Instead of “but,” the headline should have said, “therefore,” or “so, obviously.” Of course, progressive policies failed! They almost always do. “If you wanted...
Editorial: Wolf shouldn’t veto Right-to-Know
Open records are important or they aren’t. The public has a right to an accountable government or they don’t. It really isn’t a complicated issue. Gov. Tom Wolf’s position, however, is unnecessarily garbled. During the coronavirus pandemic and the state’s shifting series of lockdown and social distancing protocols, freely available...
Dr. Robert Cicco: What 13 words could cost Pa. in covid-19 fight
Legislation is often verbose and unclear, sometimes leaving unintended loopholes that can be exploited by special interests. But other times the language is chillingly spare and ruthlessly direct. Like many states across the country that were taking up the charge to “Cover All Kids” and extend health care coverage to...
Letter to the editor: Restrictions on bars, restaurants are unfair
My mind is in knots trying to figure out the logic of county and state officials imposing restrictions on a single industry because of the actions of (by their own admission) a few bad actors. This most recent crippling of the hospitality industry — which will most likely be the...
Letter to the editor: Mask mandate is not a law
Regarding the article (“Hempfield resident confronts maskless county controller at commissioners meeting,” July 16, TribLIVE): Michael Pardus stated “it’s a law.” Well, sir, the wearing of face coverings is not law; the state Senate and House never passed a law requiring face coverings. Yes, it is a mandate from the...
Letter to the editor: We need to raze and replace our educational system
We have reached the culmination of our modern, sophisticated and exorbitant education system as epitomized in the current urban rioting and statue demolition. The students involved excel in the modern version of the “3 Rs” — rioting, razing and revolting (as an aside, I find the entire Democratic Party and...
Letter to the editor: Look at the range of science on face masks
Do we dare question the authority of those governors who demand their subjects wear masks? What does the science report? The British Medical Journal in April 2015 reported rates of infection of health care workers wearing cloth masks were 97%, compared to rates of 49% in those wearing medical masks....
Paul Kengor: It’s time to thank the cops
We’ve been in the grip of a pandemic that has prompted many people to view our health care professionals as heroes. Unfortunately, we’ve also been in the grip of another sickness since the George Floyd tragedy that has prompted too many people to view our police officers as villains. “As...
