Sounding off: Jan. 6, Trump, our economy, second chances, Kasich, Biden's failures, Norwin housewives

Clarifying Jan. 6 ‘hypocrisy’

The writer of the letter “Jan. 6 hypocrisy” (Sept. 1, TribLIVE) accuses the Jan. 6 committee of hypocrisy and the media of spewing propaganda.

His points:

• “President Trump told supporters to ‘go to … the Capitol’ (but) at no time did he call for violence or insurrection.” In response to the Secret Service using metal magnetometers to keep armed people away from the Capitol, Trump angrily responded, “Take the effing mags away. They are not here to hurt me.”

• “An unarmed military veteran, Ashli Babbitt, was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer.” Some context: She was shot while climbing through a blown-out window at the Capitol building.

• “No one jailed has been charged with possession of a lethal weapon.” One man was sentenced to seven years for carrying a firearm to a riot; another will be sentenced for up to 17 years for beating a police officer with a flagpole; another was sentenced to five years for assault with a wooden plank and a fire extinguisher.

• “A video shows Capitol police officers standing by passively as protesters entered the Capitol.” The writer must have missed the scores of videos showing the Capitol Police being assaulted, punched, kicked, dragged, beaten with poles and laced with pepper and bear spray. Not to mention the five officers who died as a result of the Jan. 6 riot.

Richard Dulemba

Washington Township, Westmoreland County

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America and Pa. need Donald Trump

If you are a Democrat or Republican who hates President Trump, you need to read this.

In America you still get the government you vote for. You have elected Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, Democrats, to run Congress, and a Democratic president, Joe Biden. These three, along with the Washington swamp and the media, are destroying America. Look at what their executive orders and legislation have done. Sadly, Sen. Bob Casey, like all Democrats in the Senate, is complicit. The metamorphosis is complete. The Democratic Party has moved from the party of the people to the party that hates America.

The Democrats and media knew Donald Trump was a patriot. Accordingly, they started the world’s greatest character assassination. Sadly, you probably bought their lies and voted Democrat in the last two elections.

The truth: Donald Trump did more for our country than any recent president. He may run for president in 2024. If elected, he needs a Republican Congress to help him clean up the swamp.

Pennsylvania has strong conservative candidates on the midterm ballot. Pennsylvania needs Trump. Dr. Oz and Sen. Doug Mastriano will make your quality of life better. Make your vote count.

Paul Carrick

North Huntingdon

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Signs of a thriving economy

Letter-writer Ray Schratz (“Biden’s uncivilized discourse,” Sept. 13, TribLIVE) states that President Biden has destroyed our economy. Schratz might want to consider a few facts:

We have an unemployment rate of only 3.7%, which is very close to the lowest in 50 years.

Combined U.S. corporate profits reached $2.62 trillion in the second quarter, the highest in history.

Today, we are enjoying the strongest U.S. dollar in a generation.

Our inflation rate is comparable to that of other major nations: i.e., UK — 10.1%, Euro area — 9.1%, Canada — 7.6%, Mexico — 8.7%, Russia — 14.3%. The U.S rate is in the middle at 8.3%.

One should consider these factors as an indication of a thriving economy, not one being destroyed.

Charles Henry

Greensburg

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Former inmates deserve second chances

Flagger Force employs over 1,000 workers across Pennsylvania, including more than 320 people in Western Pennsylvania. Team members bring diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and experiences, including a significant number who are justice-involved.

As a believer in fair-chance employment and giving people who want to work the opportunity to do so, I support the bipartisan House Bill 1826. This law would expand the automatic sealing of drug felonies after 10 years conviction-free, expand petition sealing by courts and shorten sealing waiting periods for minor convictions. Sealing criminal records for external publics would remove barriers to success in life for justice-involved people.

The contributions and potential of formerly incarcerated people cannot be fully realized by businesses and our economy if the current system and policies inherently work against them. I believe, as an employer, we have an opportunity, through offering gainful employment and other supportive services, to break the cycle of recidivism. By supporting HB 1826, together we can fight systemic issues that underlie labor issues, break generational cycles that lead to crime and aid in a more inclusive economic recovery.

Mike Doner

New Kensington

The writer is president and CEO at Flagger Force.

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John Kasich would make a great Pa. senator

If anyone should have “moved back” to Pennsylvania to seek the Republican senatorial nomination, it was former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Granted, he hasn’t lived in the commonwealth since he went to that college in Columbus that thinks “The” is the first word in its name, but being the son of a two postal workers from McKees Rocks has to be more relatable in Bloomsburg and Altoona than being a guy who probably refers to Squirrel Hill and East Liberty not as neighborhoods, but by their Parisian equivalents, arrondissements.

And, compared to someone who probably spends as much as time in supermarkets as most Pennsylvanians spend on the French Riviera, can’t you picture John Kasich as the produce manager of a “Vagner’s,” wearing a white apron, and not being above grabbing a mop and bucket for a “clean-up in aisle four?”

A Sen. Kasich could disagree with President Biden without being disagreeable … unless, of course, the conversation turned to pro football, and he felt obligated to stretch out his fingers and ask Joe-from-Scranton how many Super Bowl rings his “Iggles” had.

Can’t get more Pittsburgh than that.

I need a drink. Actually, several.

Jim Vespe

Mamaroneck, N.Y.

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Biden doesn’t address his failures

Have you ever heard worse lies from any administration than President Biden’s? This administration tells us the surrender in Afghanistan was successful, the border is secure, inflation is transitory, the 87,000 new IRS agent to be hired under the so-called Inflation Reduction Act will not add to the deficit, nor will the student loan bailout, crime in the streets is under control and the only problem America has is the MAGA Republicans.

Biden came to Pennsylvania on Labor Day to attend a few political rallies and, of course, did not address any of his failures. Would you brag about failure? Would you acknowledge that more than 20 million Americans are now behind on their utility bills? So Biden did what Democrats always do — they blame the Republicans. MAGA Republicans are now the pincushion.

In my opinion, the only success Biden has had is the renewed devotion of the mainstream media, particularly the AP, which continues to suppress information on the Hunter Biden scandals while persecuting the Jan. 6 protesters.

Bob Jacobs

Unity

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Real housewives of Norwin

I have held public office in local, regional and county government for almost 30 years.

In all that time, I have never witnessed such a degree of dysfunctionality that exists at the Norwin School Board and with its members. Facebook racial rants and character assignation, lawsuits, board members bringing stage props to meetings designed to incite, not inform, the very people your mission is to serve, to willful violations of the open meetings law, we have it all.

Considering there is no end in sight to this and to capitalize on the board’s need for constant media attention, I would like to suggest a positive implementation of this behavior.

I suggest the board direct the Norwin solicitor to contact the Bravo Network and arrange to sell the videos of the board meetings as a reality show. We could call it “The Real Housewives of Norwin School District.” The revenue generated could help with the budget. I’m sure the rest of the country will find the board’s behavior quite entertaining. Unfortunately, those of us represented by this board find all rather childish.

Thomas Jefferson said, “In a democracy, you only get the government you deserve.” I think we deserve better.

Anthony Marks

Penn Township, Westmoreland County