Opinion category, Page 319
Jonah Goldberg: Biden should admit to mistakes in his classified documents scandal
There’s an understandable compulsion in the media and among Democrats to emphasize the differences between Joe Biden’s classified documents scandal and Donald Trump’s. The two cases are different in many important respects. The most significant is obviously that the former president refused to cooperate with the National Archives and Justice...
Joe Guzzardi: Interior Department’s misguided ‘restoring America’ program
A week after Joe Biden became president, he signed Executive Order 14008, which announced his commitment to protect 30% of U.S. land and water — 41.5 million acres per year — by 2030. On May 6, 2021, the Department of the Interior published “Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful,” a...
Daniel Eichinger: When the DA’s office fails to fulfill its gatekeeping role
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office is in desperate need of an overhaul. As a public defender in Allegheny County for over 10 years — including several years managing and leading the office’s Trial Division — I witnessed the many systemic failures that plague the criminal justice system. One such...
Letter to the editor: RIP Jeff Beck and David Crosby
We recently lost two musical giants, Jeff Beck and David Crosby. RIP and thanks for the years and years of fantastic music. Rock ’n’ roll heaven just got so much better. The group “Dream Theater” said it best when they sang, “After we’re gone, the spirit carries on.” Mike Stehney...
Letter to the editor: No reason to laud our public education system
The laudatory statement in Rich Askey’s letter “Thank those who educate our students” (Nov. 17, TribLIVE) was like the captain of the Titanic congratulating his staff and crew on the good job they were doing loading the lifeboats as the ship was sinking. He praises everyone associated with the Pennsylvania...
Editorial: Will Pittsburgh nonprofits pass a charity inspection?
In order to drive a car in Pennsylvania, you have to do more than pay your registration fee. You have to pass an inspection. The mechanic looks at your registration and insurance, but he also looks over the car itself. He makes sure it isn’t just legal but that it...
Letter to the editor: U.S. enemies are taking advantage
As our country continues to self destruct, our enemies are quietly taking advantage of our stupidity and lack of patriotism. We see Russia challenging us and our allies with their invasion of Ukraine. Russia is using Ukraine to test their newest military weapons. It has allegedly sabotaged the undersea gas...
Elwood Watson: DeSantis goes after Black history
In his ongoing attacks on what he describes as “woke politics,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has denied permission for an advanced placement African American history course to be taught in Florida public high schools. NAACP Director Ivory Toldson condemned the course’s rejection, calling DeSantis’ decision a “dereliction of his duty...
Cal Thomas: A surprise resignation in New Zealand
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Like Halley’s Comet that only comes around every 75 years, the resignation of a top politician from office is a rare occurrence. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has quit and not for the usual reasons of scandal or the all-purpose excuse “to spend more time...
Gordon Tomb: In Pa., will Shapiro unlock decades of affordable energy?
With Democrat Josh Shapiro as a newly inaugurated governor and a new legislative body, Pennsylvania will either shine as an energy superstar or continue down the dim path of economic decline. The commonwealth is a national leader in energy production despite being stifled by onerous regulations, market-distorting subsidies and an...
Letter to the editor: Guess who’s paying for immigrants’ hotel, food?
Who is paying for immigrants to stay at the $500-a-night Row NYC Hotel, with three free meals a day? Take a guess. I attribute this to the current administration’s southern border policy. The New York Post recently ran an article headlined “Tons’ of food gets tossed daily by NYC hotel...
Letter to the editor: Planned hazardous waste dump threatens residents
Residents of Western Pennsylvania, beware — we are at risk! MAX Environmental Technologies plans to build a new hazardous dump on the banks of Sewickley Creek, a tributary of the Youghiogheny River, threatening drinking water for thousands. We have some of the worst air quality in the nation, with MAX...
Editorial: A smart, accountable gift ban makes common sense
One of the first things Gov. Josh Shapiro has done after taking office is to retool the gift ban for the offices under his control. During Tom Wolf’s tenure there was a ban, and it was handcuff-tight. Cabinet members on official visits couldn’t accept simple and affordable hospitality that could...
Letter to the editor: What’s ‘fair share’ when it comes to taxes?
Regarding the letter “We need fair taxation to end wealth inequality” (Jan. 7, TribLIVE): “Fair share” is liberal speak when arguing that our tax system is unfair, because in their opinion, the wealthy are not paying enough taxes. They are careful not to define what a “fair share” would be....
Tom Purcell: Grateful for Punxsutawney’s silly fun
Groundhog Day cannot come soon enough. It’s the thick of winter. Cabin fever is setting in. Incivility is worse than ever. A delightful, silly diversion is what we need about now, and Punxsutawney Phil has been delivering needed joy this time of year since 1887. As you know, every Feb....
Christopher Barnard: Bureaucratic red tape blocking a U.S. nuclear renaissance
The nuclear energy community was abuzz with news of a nuclear fusion breakthrough at the end of last year. Yet, while fusion innovation offers the promise of a bright future, there’s a more pertinent issue facing the industry today: an antiquated regulatory environment that’s stifling clean nuclear energy development. The...
Nathan Benefield and Andrew Holman: Pa. lawmakers can reverse population exodus
New data from the Census Bureau reveal that residents are fleeing Pennsylvania at an alarming rate. Pennsylvania lost nearly 40,000 residents to other states from July 2021 to July 2022. Only seven states lost more residents to domestic outmigration during that period. And, with 23,000 more deaths than births, Pennsylvania’s...
Letter to the editor: Democrats, Ukraine and fossil fuels
I can’t help wondering how the writer of the letter “How have Dems improved our lives?” (Jan. 13, TribLIVE) can say that Democrats “(started) an actual shooting war in Ukraine.” I would also remind him that the Afghanistan pullout was arranged by President Trump. With the word limit for letters,...
Letter to the editor: EPA must protect our children
The catastrophic leak of 1.29 billion cubic feet of methane in November in Jackson Township, Cambria County, has been referred to as one of the worst climate disasters of 2022. While officials told the public the leak posed “no threat,” local residents felt concerned. Families near the leak reported a...
Editorial: Medical workers shouldn’t have to face workplace violence
Hospitals are in a pinch when it comes to staffing. It isn’t even just hospitals. Anyone looking to hire workers in the medical field is crunched. Nursing homes, clinics, schools, prisons. If you need nurses or techs, it’s not an easy time. For many places, this is a financial problem...
Letter to the editor: Trump, like Reagan, was a great president
Ronald Reagan was a great president. He was a true conservative, not afraid to take an unpopular stand. He loved the American people. Then there was a series of moderate Republicans running for president. True conservatives were unhappy, but the party told them to hold their noses and remain loyal....
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 23
Editorial cartoons for the week of Jan. 23....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 23
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Jan. 23....
Thomas Hogan: The danger of living in U.S. cities for young men
In the Dark Ages of criminal justice in the United States — the 1980s and earlier — it was not uncommon for a judge to give a convicted criminal a choice: go to jail, or enlist in the armed services. Such a choice was rightfully deemed unjust. But two recent...
Michael Reagan: Al Gore’s global warming meltdown
Is Davos over yet? Is it safe to turn on our TVs without being scolded by formerly important environmentalists like old Al Gore or creepy young climate warriors like Greta Thunberg? All the virtuous public talk about stopping climate change, saving the planet and putting the dirty fossil-fuel industry out...
