Sounding off: On Trump and Biden, Bushy Run, Giant Eagle, Rozzi, gun violence, bridge safety

Trump, Biden make for poor presidential choices

Both the Democratic and Republican parties are presently in a quandary regarding the 2024 president election.

The Democrats are saddled with an 80-year-old President Biden, who I believe is mentally and physically feeble. In addition, Kamala Harris has bombed as vice president. No would-be challenger could defeat Biden in the Democratic primary.

The Republican elite detests the idea of the chaos of another Donald Trump presidency but are reluctant at this time to endorse another candidate because Trump still controls 30% of the very conservative Republican base. It would be extremely difficult for even the No. 1 challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, to wrestle the Republican nomination from Trump.

The catch-22 for Republicans is that Trump can easily win the Republican primary but would get trounced in the general election. Why? Obviously, no Democrats will vote for him. Second, early polls indicate that two-thirds of growing independent voters won’t vote for him. And finally, many mainstream moderate Republicans are fed up with him. Professional pundits on both sides of the political spectrum agree that he can’t win the general election.

However, considering that both candidates are walking time bombs, healthwise, who knows what the future hold for us.

Tom Tarosky

West Leechburg

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Why not cancel WWI, WWII observances too?

So our (un)elected betters at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) have declared that we can’t have those pesky white (and Black) reenactors pretend to be Indians for the Battle of Bushy Run event. Even though a large contingent of our voting citizens attended the battle reenactment annually.

Not to worry — who needs Indians at the battle anyway? We can have these white (and Black) folks, mainly men, pretend that they are women. Just for a day. Who could object to that? Many liberals, woefully deficient in knowledge of science, have taken that idea to heart in other areas — why not here? Women can fight.

The article “Pa. agency explains why it enacted new ‘no force-on-force rule’ for Bushy Run, other sites” (Feb. 6, TribLIVE) stated that PHMC external affairs director Howard Pollman “said that PHMC informed Bushy Run leaders that it intended to provide the funding to include Native American interpreters in the planning and implementation of Bushy Run’s 260th anniversary event.”

The Trib writer, no offense, unfortunately left out a secondary statement. The PHMC also declared that they are canceling World War I and II observances at cemeteries throughout the commonwealth, unless proper consultation with German and Italian authorities are held. After all, they were part of those battles in Europe. You know, that goose-gander thing.

Don Carrera

Penn Township, Westmoreland County

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Giant Eagle making it harder to be savvy shopper

It is becoming harder and harder for us to be informed consumers and savvy shoppers. Giant Eagle/Market District has announced that, beginning March 2, we no longer will be receiving its weekly ad flyer in the mail. They have told us to use our smartphone to scan their QR code to learn of their weekly specials.

Believe it or not, not everyone owns a smartphone or has access to the internet. Corporate Giant Eagle has evidently made a conscious decision to disenfranchise a whole group of shoppers that they deem to be unimportant or disposable, the ones that may be older, who possibly spend less money.

Thank goodness we have other supermarket options, at least in communities like Greensburg, Latrobe and Murrysville, willing to inform us of their weekly deals and valuing our business.

Mary Bach

Murrysville

The writer is a consumer advocate.

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Speaker Rozzi needs to get to work

Pennsylvanians should be outraged that the last time the gavel was used by House Speaker Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, the House was adjourned until Feb. 27. Unfortunately, the last time the House was in session was Jan. 3, when people were sworn into office.

Get to work, Mark Rozzi! We are paying you to work, not constipate the process. This man needs to be voted out in the next election.

The sticking point has been establishing a set of House rules to govern action in the House chamber. Without such rules, legislative committees cannot be organized. Members cannot introduce legislation, nor can the House vote on bills approved by the Pennsylvania Senate.

Just like any other legislation, House rules are considered, and possibly debated, on the House floor. A simple majority vote will make them the guiding document for the two-year legislative session. Unfortunately, the opportunity to do so is being denied by Rozzi, who has locked the doors to the House chamber.

Shutting the doors to the House and Senate unless every seat is filled is halting the legislative process. The legislators have important work to do. As a constituent, I expect this work to be completed.

Dan Yaklich

Delmont

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Money won’t solve gun violence problem

Letter-writer Bhavini Patel “We must address our gun violence problem” (Feb. 8, TribLIVE) insists that throwing money at the problem in the form of afterschool, job training, educational, homeownership and other programs in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods is the answer.

I would remind Patel that this nation has been investing billions of dollars in these communities since 1964 and beyond. There are many taxpayer-financed educational, housing and afterschool programs. I have no issue with these investments, but what have they produced?

Since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the single motherhood rate in Black neighborhoods has gone from below 30% to over 70%. Why is 13% of the population responsible for over 50% of the crimes? Why are Black kids shooting other Blacks at a rate significantly higher than whites? Why aren’t more Black kids graduating high school?

The Black community must take responsibility for many of these issues, and, until then, the violence will continue. The erosion of the Black family (fatherless families), the loss of a spiritual connection with the church, the glorification of thug life through music and cinema, and the lack of importance placed on education should be given more serious consideration.

If Patel is serious about addressing this issue, as a public servant, she should be able to discuss the above issues as mitigating factors along with policing and investment. The country has tried for 60 years by just throwing money at the issue with zero success. Maybe, just maybe truly addressing the above mentioned issues is finally warranted.

Richard Bell

Ligonier Township

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Trump should make way for new America-first leader

I think former President Trump’s policies were beneficial for the vast majority of American citizens, but I also think he is unelectable in 2024 because his constant Twitter rants and name-calling have turned off a majority of voters. He should step aside and let a new conservative candidate lead the Republican Party in the next election cycle.

The nation needs strong leadership that’s committed to an America-first agenda, restoring energy independence using all available resources, including abundant fossil fuels; ending idiotic and unnecessary green energy policies that are destroying our economy; sealing the southern border with a strong physical barrier and electronic surveillance systems; deporting those who entered the country illegally and under false pretenses during the Biden administration; restoring the “remain in Mexico” asylum policy; declaring the Mexican drug cartels terrorist organizations and using all available assets to destroy their networks; making importation of fentanyl, heroin, crystal meth and other deadly drugs that are killing over 100,000 American citizens annually federal capital crimes; ending the woke indoctrination of our students and military personnel; and never again committing our troops to attempt foreign nation-building but instead focusing totally on rebuilding our nation and keeping it safe.

These are not radical proposals and are achievable in a relatively short period of time with the support of the American people. If we continue on the destructive path of the past two years, this nation is destined to continued decline.

Ed Davis

Greensburg

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Would anyone really ‘cross that bridge’?

Regarding the article “A year after Fern Hollow Bridge collapse, are Western Pa.’s bridges in better shape?” (Jan. 28, TribLIVE): Would anyone in their right mind cross a bridge with a sign posted and flashing the words “CAUTION — BRIDGE RATED IN POOR CONDITION”? I would like to think that the “City of Bridges” would be well past even discussing this topic.

Everyone knows the saying, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” I don’t want to “cross that bridge,” so I guess I’m getting nowhere!

Jeffrey Zabroski

Glassport