Sounding off: Presidents, abortion, Israel among week's topics

The Obama-Trump-Biden numbers

The deficit President Trump inherited from President Obama was $0.59 trillion. Trump grew that to $3.13 trillion, an increase of over 400%. The deficit President Biden inherited from Trump was $3.13 trillion. Currently, the deficit is $1.70 trillion, a cut of over 40%.

The unemployment rate Trump inherited from Obama was 4.7%. Trump grew that to 6.3%, an increase of over 25%. The unemployment rate Biden inherited from Trump was 6.3%. Currently, the unemployment rate is 3.9%, a cut of over 35%.

The inflation rate Trump inherited from Obama was 2.1%. Trump grew that to 7.0%, an increase of over 230%. The inflation rate Biden inherited from Trump was 7.0%. Currently, the inflation rate is 3.2%, a cut of over 50%.

These numbers can be verified by any 6-year-old with a cell phone. If you disagree with the numbers, find a 6-year-old to help you. Math is not an opinion. I didn’t state opinions. I only stated facts. There is no gray area. There are no judgment calls. It is black and white. Clear as day.

Math truly is not an opinion.

William Werts Jr.

Greensburg

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Unborn Americans have right to life

Our Declaration of Independence states that it is a self-evident truth that our rights are endowed by our creator. First among these rights is the right to live. The Fifth and the 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution likewise protect life, liberty and property from government actions by requiring “due process” before any action can be taken against these rights.

The Constitution doesn’t say when any American is guaranteed their rights, but no one can disagree that it is a birthright.

Abortion activists claim that a woman’s right to chose, i.e. her liberty, is of a higher priority than the right to live. The question is: When does a fetus become an American with all the rights bestowed upon its citizenship?

Reproductive rights end when a sperm and egg fuse into an human embryo. After that, the process is one of production and no longer reproduction.

So when abortion advocates argue that the government can’t tell them what they can do with their bodies, it is a true statement. But women’s reproductive rights are not at issue when the unborn American’s rights are at risk.

Science tells us that unborn babies can feel pain at 15 weeks. Protecting unborn Americans after that is a reasonable secular compromise between these competing rights even though our creator disagrees.

The only exceptions would be to save the life of the mother, rape or incest. There is no legitimate reason to use abortion as a wedge issue in elections. Desperate Democrats disagree.

Dr. Bill Choby

Latrobe

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When will U.S. stand up to tyranny?

The military wing of Hamas is a violent terrorist group that massacred innocents in Israel on Oct. 7. The appalling loss of life and capture of hostages is a crime beyond description. The Israel Defense Forces launched a massive military response claiming the right to self-defense. But what part of killing 6,000 children can be called self-defense?

Two-thirds of 11,000 dead Palestinians are women and children. The IDF has targeted power plants and civilians and razed whole neighborhoods. Yet the U.S. tiptoes diplomatically, even refusing to call for a cease-fire. We should be condemning this brutality in the loudest possible voice just as we did with the Russian atrocities in Ukraine.

Does the political cost of calling out Israel for these crimes scare our politicians into corners? Israel’s claim that Hamas is using civilians as human shields may well be true. But does that mean you blow up the “shields” to reach the terrorists? It is insulting to expect us to accept this “logic.”

At the time of writing, the IDF is now setting the stage to attack the hospital where the massive casualties it has caused are sheltering along with premature babies. The IDF has cut power, water, fuel and food and is now letting these people die. They call for its evacuation — to where? IDF airstrikes have killed refugees trying to flee.

It is long past time for the U.S. to find its conscience and demand that Israel stop this horrific violence, especially since it is funded with our taxpayer dollars.

Greg Molinda

South Fayette

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Comparing pay raises for legislators, retired teachers

Regarding the editorial “Pennsylvania legislators could choose to change pay raises” (Nov. 26, TribLive): Does anyone really expect this to happen? We have the largest full-time state Legislature in the country. They get a 2% cost-of-living adjustment every year. Retired public school teachers in Pennsylvania have not had a COLA since 2004 — coming up on 20 years. There are some members of our Legislature who have been in Harrisburg for 20-plus years. Their salaries have increased more than 40% in that time (2% x 20 years). Retired public school teachers have the same pension they had in 2004.

David Brink

Richland

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Lower voting age and get out the youth vote

For more truth, and to be the USA GOAT, we need to Get Out the Youth Vote.

The right, just and fair way to raise our children is to help raise awareness of everything important and everything we love.

Many of our youth are required to pay taxes and follow the same laws as adults, when working and driving, at the age of 16 and above. At age 17, our youth can serve in any U.S. military branch.

Lowering the voting age would increase voter participation, invigorate our political system, and help our economy and our supposedly American way.

Let’s expect and do what is right, just, fair, ethical and equitable while we are still able.

This is in no way about being more permissive; it’s about getting the vote out and the American way of being less dismissive. This is a call to teach about civic duty in our schools and to practice what we preach at our polls.

Dennis Smiddle

Canonsburg

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Stop fracking in Murrysville parks

Our family, especially our toddlers, love the parks in Murrysville. We’ve spent countless hours on the playgrounds at Murrysville Community Park and hiking through Duff Park. Which is why it was alarming to hear of our council’s plan to lease oil/gas rights there.

Even though fracking happens below the surface, there are documented impacts. Look at Deer Lakes Park, which had a similar fracking arrangement. The lakes were contaminated with chemicals associated with fracking, leading to the ban of future fracking at all Allegheny County parks.

It is especially concerning that the two well pads (Titan and Poseidon) that will be used already have 72 on-site violations. Allowing them to drill into our parks will only lead to more violations and possible contamination. A Pitt study has already shown there are health risks, especially to children, when exposed to nearby fracking activity.

Our kids and citizens should trust that they can enjoy our parks and not be exposed to dangerous chemicals. There are other ways to raise money that don’t put our natural resources or our children’s health at risk. The final vote happens when the council meets at 7 p.m. Dec. 6. Stop fracking in our parks by attending and voicing your concerns. You can also sign a petition here asking council to vote to deny any leases for fracking on or under Murrysville parks.

Meredith Juchniewicz

Murrysville

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Dust comes with demolition

“It’s going to be so wonderful with those ugly chimneys gone.” “I’ll be able to see the sun.” Now that the Cheswick Generating Station’s smokestacks are gone, it’s become all litigation (“DEP fines companies involved in implosion of smokestacks at former Springdale power plant,” Nov. 16, TribLive). All the necessary documents were signed, sealed and delivered. The chimneys came down as planned. The entire city was happy. People were sitting on their roofs, in the streets, in their backyards, cameras flashing, videos rolling. What did they expect was going to happen?

Please search “chimney demolition” on YouTube. The demolitions are all the same … dust and flying debris. Springdale’s chimneys were no exception. Maybe they should have done their homework before the big bang.

And the fine should be appealed. Dust is/was part of the demolition.

Frank Festa

Cheswick