Opinion category, Page 323
Letter to the editor: How have Dems improved our lives?
After reading the letter “Republicans don’t improve lives” (Dec. 19, TribLIVE), in which the writer states that “Democrats are committed to actually helping Americans in every way,” I was thrown into a state of profound bewilderment. How have the Democrats improved upon anything? By leaving American citizens and in-country allies...
Letter to the editor: Ziccarelli should pay for repairs to county vehicle
There are no accidents, only collisions. Collisions are preventable (i.e., reduce speed after dark and in bad weather). Why are Westmoreland County taxpayers expected to pay for the transportation needs of elected officials (“Westmoreland DA: Crash involving county vehicle was ‘minor’,” Jan. 7, TribLIVE)? While commendable that District Attorney Nicole...
Laurels & lances: A last goodbye and a final cost
Laurel: To a sad goodbye. Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire was killed Jan. 2 in an incident that was a tragedy for his family and the community he served. On Wednesday, the massive turnout for his funeral spoke to his relationships with his neighbors as well as his respect within...
Jase Graves: Escape from NY and Southwest Airlines
In the 1980s, I repeatedly watched a recorded copy of the film “Escape from New York” on my family’s Panasonic VCR — complete with tuning knobs the size of hubcaps. Little did I know that I would star in my own version of the movie (as a domesticated, tattoo-less and...
Colin McNickle: How to effect real change in Pa.’s failing high schools
Remedying the gross disparities in academic performance among Pennsylvania’s 634 public high schools is not a matter of throwing more money at the problem but one of returning foundational precepts to the educational process, concludes a new analysis by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy. “What is needed is commitment...
Letter to the editor: Pa. voted the right way
Thank you, Sandy Kremer (“Thanks for the right votes, Pa.,” Jan. 5 ,TribLIVE). Well said! Jim Gluch Belle Vernon...
Letter to the editor: Let’s take care of our own first
I don’t understand why the United States government will not take care of its own first, rather than helping others who need our help. We have millions of American citizens who are homeless and obviously have no health care. We have homeless veterans who have put their lives on the...
Letter to the editor: McCarthy and history of the speakership
So I was discussing the congressional chaos with a wily old friend and referred to it as a clown show. He said it wasn’t a clown show — it worked as it was supposed to, but Kevin McCarthy wasn’t the guy to elect. Thinking about it, I could see his...
Editorial: A legislature that does nothing can do damage
What is worse than 15 votes to get a speaker of the House in Washington? Not one vote in Harrisburg. On Monday, the speaker of Pennsylvania’s state House — Democrat or possibly independent Rep. Mark Rozzi of Berks County — sent the other 199 representatives home without taking up a...
Letter to the editor: Rest in peace, Chief McIntire
The horrific death of our beloved Brackenridge Police Chief Justin McIntire has devastated our community. It brought to mind a song by James Taylor, “Fire and Rain.” The words “Just yesterday morning, they let me know you were gone” echo the stunned feelings of everyone throughout our humble community. This...
Jonah Goldberg: Fight over Kevin McCarthy was never about conservative ideology
Kevin McCarthy’s epic struggle to become speaker of the House produced a lot of memorable images, but the most unforgettable was probably of Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., being physically restrained from opening a fresh can of whup-ass on Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., after Gaetz ensured McCarthy’s 14th failure to get...
Letter to the editor: Sign thief couldn’t be a true Steelers fan
My late husband and I were huge Steelers fans and had season tickets for 15 years. In his memory, I put a Steelers sign in my front yard. Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, it was stolen. I hope whoever took it is happy with themselves, as it was a...
Letter to the editor: Rebuilding the Steelers
So Mark Madden thinks the Steelers should emulate the Penguins and tank a season to draft at the beginning of the first round. Did he forget that, in Mario Lemieux’s first six seasons, the Penguins did not qualify for the playoffs five times and lost in the divisional round the...
Letter to the editor: Great job, Steelers
Aside from all the naysayers, the Steelers have a bright future. After a dismal 2-6 start, they turned it around to finish 9-8! The emergence of Kenny Pickett, George Pickens and Jaylen Warren bodes well for the future. They also have three of the top 50 draft picks next year....
Editorial: Should Speaker Rozzi register as an independent?
It seems like we got a little cocky. Pennsylvania as a whole was feeling a bit smug as we watched the U.S. House of Representatives unravel like a frayed blanket amid the attempt to do the very baseline first steps of setting up for the 118th Congress. “Ha,” we said...
Letter to the editor: Not everyone unhappy Steelers are out
The Steelers almost made it into the playoffs, so there is a bit of grief now that they fell short. But the grief isn’t shared by everyone. Two people whom I can think of who probably aren’t upset by not making the postseason are the two contrarians who write sports...
Letter to the editor: What sank the Steelers
Rookie mistakes or Mason Rudolph’s revenge? Maybe both sank the Steelers. Were Art Rooney and mediocre Mike Tomlin the culprits? Uh-huh. They’ll never learn. The refusal by Rooney to address his coach’s shortcomings can only mean one thing. We’re getting pierogi races at halftime and Zambelli fireworks after the game....
Nicholas Goldberg: Don’t turn away from the rising tide of political violence in America
On the Friday in October when David DePape burst into the house where 82-year-old Paul Pelosi was sleeping and allegedly beat him with a hammer, fracturing his skull, most Americans were shocked, horrified and disgusted. Pelosi was brutally assaulted in what prosecutors have called a politically motivated attempt to capture,...
Cal Thomas: Barn doors and horses
After months of ignoring the problem and demonstrably false claims by his Homeland Security secretary that the southern border is “secure,” President Biden is finally visiting the area this week as part of a trip to Mexico. Last week, the administration announced it would immediately begin turning away Cubans, Haitians...
Letter to the editor: Republicans’ ‘Family Feud’
Friday evening at 10 p.m., I tuned to a cable news station to watch the U.S. Speaker of the House election, but they just kept playing reruns of “Family Feud.” Doug Baughman McKees Rocks...
Letter to the editor: All involved in Jan. 6 attack should be tried
We just marked the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol meant by many to disrupt constitutional processes for the transfer of presidential power. A large number of the mob proudly proclaimed that they were going to hang Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence,...
Editorial: Was Westmoreland County DA Nicole Ziccarelli’s car crash a minor incident?
It does not matter if a public official’s incident is a fender bender or a four-car collision. What can make it a big deal is how it is handled. Just like with information requests and properly conducted meetings, the difference between doing it right and doing it wrong is doing...
Letter to the editor: Biden at the border
Finally, President Biden went to visit the southern border. It only took two years, but I know he’s been busy causing other problems and taking vacations. And in typical Biden and Democratic Party fashion, he attempts to falsely blame others for the crisis that he has helped create. Caravans of...
Tom Purcell: Laughing your way to happiness
What makes us happy and fulfilled? According to the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted, the answer is very simple: our relationships. “The stronger our relationships, the more likely we are to live happy, satisfying and overall healthier lives,” according...
Scott Sonenshein: Americans are taking more control over their work lives — because they have to
One thing that’s become clear in the past few tumultuous — and for many, traumatic — years is that it’s easy to feel like there is no control in our lives. Control is a basic psychological need that helps people feel like they have agency, from how they live to...
