How disgusting, but not surprising, that teachers are jumping the line to get covid vaccinations. The deceptive rationale that our kiss-up governor is using is that the teachers will only be given the newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Why isn’t this vaccine being given to those who are more vulnerable and are already in the queue?

This just proves how powerful the education lobby is and how selfish and greedy Pennsylvania’s teachers are. Workers at grocery stores, Walmart and other retail establishments have a far greater exposure to the virus than educators. Teachers also have paid sick days and Rolls-Royce medical coverage and make on average over $63,000 annually, whereas retail workers seldom have paid sick days, earn two to three times less than teachers and have poor, if any, medical coverage. Retail workers literally cannot afford to get sick.

Where is the outcry? Where is the voice for retail workers who provide every one of us our basic needs every day? My disdain for whiny teachers escalates!

Mary Jane Busch, New Alexandria

Trump must face consequences

It is imperative that President Trump suffer the criminal charges he may face. The proof of him inciting the crowd to march to the Capitol on Jan. 6, and telling them he’ll meet them there, is on tape. The travesty is that aside from the radical fringe groups, most of the people at the riot were everyday working people, many who ruined their lives by being duped by Trump and didn’t receive pardons.

Even worse are the shallow cowards who still support him in order to get reelected by the Trump base — Reps. Mike Kelly and Guy Reschenthaler, Sen. Josh Hawley, who apparently thinks he’ll be president some day, and Sen. Ted Cruz, who sold his soul after Trump defamed his family members. They refuse to do what’s right, disregarding the scary reality that there could have been multiple deaths in this attempted coup d’etat at our Capitol.

Hopefully the rule of law will triumph over Trump, whom his former chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, called “the most flawed person I have ever met in my life.”

Tom Tarosky, West Leechburg

We don’t need feel-good legislation

Regarding the article “State university program would offer free education in exchange for staying in Pennsylvania”: First, Sam Bohen, you make me sad! Are you expecting Pennsylvania taxpayers to feel sorry for you because you worked your poor little fingers to the bone over four years? Get real! The $40,000 debt you accumulated is your investment in your future. It’s your skin in the game and represents your choice at an opportunity for a better life through higher education. You are among a group of “fortunates” who will more than likely earn a million dollars more in their lifetime than those less fortunate or who chose another life path. What’s $40,000 compared to that?

Secondly, Gov. Tom Wolf, you make me laugh! May I suggest you focus on raising the achievement level of our K-12 students before giving away more of our money? Your idea of free college education, while noble, will succeed in building a class of “crybabies” rather than self-reliant, motivated and innovative adult citizens.

Pennsylvanians would appreciate less feel-good legislation and regulation from our government. Then we may see more businesses doing business here, attracting and hiring the younger generation.

Tim McGuire, Hempfield

How Westmoreland commissioners should lead

While I support Commissioners Douglas Chew and Sean Kertes’ efforts to increase the number of vaccines being sent to our county (“Westmoreland commissioners demand increase in covid vaccine deliveries”), real leadership of our highest electeds requires them to step into the breach at the county level and respond to the urgent health needs of our residents.

They should demonstrate strong leadership by:

• Creating a countywide vaccine appointment registry that includes a toll-free, well-staffed phone number so that residents who don’t have internet connections or have difficulty with technology can have equal access for scheduling.

• Facilitating science-based public health education about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines provided by trusted community leaders.

• Arranging for free transportation options to link to the free bus service so that rural residents are not left out.

In addition, the commissioners should meet the requirements of a true democracy by opening up their monthly meetings to the public through Zoom or a similar platform. Then we can more easily hold them accountable.

Bob Mason, Trafford

We must keep taking precautions against covid

I was surprised to see event listings recently in the Tribune-Review, when the coronavirus “is not done with us,” according to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky (“U.S. advisers endorse single- shot covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson”).

Local groups are serving food and drinks, with masks required while not seated. When seated, I guess it’s springtime for covid! Many municipalities’ councils are back — in person.

After a downturn, we are told of a disturbing rise in new cases, with stronger variants here now in the U.S. and projected to spread dangerously by mid-March, Walensky has warned. The British variant now makes up 10% of the cases, up 4% and climbing. There is even a new homegrown New York strain that is both more transmissible and makes you even sicker, a combination of the South African and the Brazilian.

I want to get back to normal like everyone, but I don’t want to catch this disease. We must get vaccinated as soon as we can, but we cannot rely on that, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.

But here we are, doing the same things that spread it to our community in the first place. Haven’t we learned enough from super-spreader events like weddings, funerals and Trump rallies? We must take personal responsibility to not ignore the truth about this virus and keep up the precautions.

Laurie Lucianne Scheid, New Kensington

Biden must take blame for everything, just as Trump did

The left adopted a policy of blaming President Trump for every bad thing that happened when he was in office. The same standard should apply to President Biden, especially his disastrous covid-19 vaccine distribution.

Bad weather caused delays in the distribution of the vaccine. The manufacturers didn’t increase production. The states’ governors had poor distribution plans. Americans tend to be selfish, and every group wants top vaccine priority.

None of that matters. No excuses. Biden is responsible.

Most important, how many people have died from covid-19 since Jan. 20? How many got covid-19? Biden is responsible.

It may seem unfair, but I will hold Biden responsible for everything that happens when he is in office. The left made the rules. It’s our turn now.

Kathleen Bollinger, Fawn

Toomey should be thrown out of Republican Party

The recent decision by the Pennsylvania GOP to simply rebuke Sen. Pat Toomey (“Censure of Sen. Toomey for Trump impeachment vote falls short”) for betraying his constituents by voting to impeach President Trump was appalling. What the hell are they thinking? More than half of the committee members took the weakest alternative possible when they should have literally thrown Toomey out of the party. The friend of my enemy (Democratic Party) is my enemy.

Toomey was silent for the duration of Trump’s term and never once, that I recall, defended Trump. Toomey was not elected to vote his conscience but to vote with his constituents. Let us repeal the 17th Amendment!

Trump gave the Republican Party the momentum to restore American values of federalism, states’ sovereignty, individual protections of the Bill of Rights, national pride, work/reward ethics. And he shed light on the terrible industrial political complex (swamp) that seems to penalize the working middle class at every turn. The Pennsylvania GOP must act as one voice and that voice must announce that the party has an America first agenda. Nothing less is acceptable.

And how about Gov. Tom Wolf preventing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from going to the most vulnerable and instead allotting it to teachers, bus drivers, etc.? Will Wolf take responsibility for all seniors who die because a teacher jumped the line? Is this a payoff to the teachers union?

And lastly, all this talk about “equity.” Equity is just another word for Marxist redistribution of wealth. This country should have shared goals of freedom, liberty, capitalism and equality (not equity). These goals create wealth and dignity for all.

Michael J. Kardell, Murrysville

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