Opinion category, Page 373
Leonard Pitts Jr.: Bill Russell was ‘an arrogant Negro’ to the end
Back in the day, his FBI file dubbed him “an arrogant Negro.” But then, people often mistook principle for arrogance whenever African Americans insisted on justice. Sometimes, they still do. As recently as 2017, after all, much of white America vilified NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national...
Letter to the editor: Let’s stop blaming Trump
Whether you’re riding the Trump train or not, aren’t you sick of the perpetual blame of everything on President Trump? I swear that no matter what disgrace, malice or injustice befalls America, we find a way to pin his name to it. Would it not be best to let sleeping...
Letter to the editor: Pregnancy centers are clear about what they offer
Pittsburgh City Council recently voted to regulate “deceptive advertising by limited service pregnancy centers.” The argument is that a center that does not offer abortion services is “deceptive.” Yet there is a vast difference between facilitating abortions and supporting women through pregnancy, birth and beyond. My wife and I support...
Lori Falce: Drowning in recession rhetoric
Are we in a recession or not? It’s hard to get anyone to agree. First of all, you have to know what a recession is. The short definition is an economic condition where industry and business are down for a time. A recession isn’t as bad as a depression but...
Letter to the editor: Pa. Republicans aim to take away rights
Our Republican-controlled state Legislature can’t accomplish everything it wants through legitimate legislative processes. Senate Bill 106 will allow Republicans to amend the state Constitution to attack your right to privacy and undermine state election laws. The most egregious and far-reaching change proposed by SB 106 is a declaration that the...
Paul Kengor: Remembering a historic Pa. mayor — and the importance of preserving memories
Pennsylvania has lost a remarkable public servant. His name was Bruno Carnovale, and he died June 3 at age 95. In 2017, he was honored as Pennsylvania’s Mayor of the Year. To say it was well-earned is an understatement. Bruno had been mayor of the town of Emporium, located in...
Letter to the editor: Have we forgotten about ‘well-regulated’?
Regarding the letter “Cracking open the door on gun control” (Aug. 3, TribLIVE): Second Amendment rights to own a gun include these words — well-regulated. We seem to have buried those words. Harold Maio Fort Myers, Fla....
Laurels & lances: Caretakers, campuses and cake
Laurel: To a respectful service. Western Pennsylvania has been home to settlements since long before America was a country. That translates to a large number of cemeteries, big and small, that are the final resting places of those long passed. Soldiers from the French and Indian War, the American Revolution...
Elizabeth Zumpe: 5 of the biggest threats today’s K-12 students and educators face don’t involve guns
While many American students and their parents worry that the next mass shooting could happen at their school, schools are also facing a number of other threats that do not involve guns. Many of these threats are related to the mental health of educators and students. From 2018 to 2021,...
Peter Morici: Fed’s inflation promises are simply not credible
With inflation running high for the last 14 months, we can sadly conclude it’s entrenched, will be difficult to conquer and is hardly the province of the Federal Reserve alone. The present morass stems from both sides of the supply-demand scissor. Too much covid spending and the Federal Reserve printing...
Letter to the editor: Jan. 6 witch hunt
The government hearings on the Jan. 6 protest were a political farce and a waste of tax dollars. I doubt they changed anyone’s opinions. They have been compared to a witch hunt. That is an accurate description. One hundred years from now, people will be comparing these hearings to the...
Letter to the editor: Congress should take holistic approach to lowering drug prices
As a national voice for individuals with liver disease, the Community Liver Alliance is acutely aware that patients need relief from burdensome prescription drug costs. However, the latest drug pricing proposal in the congressional budget reconciliation package will only make the situation worse for them at the pharmacy counter. By...
Editorial: Stop raising turnpike tolls
Two things in Pennsylvania are as dependable as the sunrise. The Pittsburgh Pirates will disappoint everyone but their opponents, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will raise toll rates. Even the state Legislature and governor — whoever that might be — tease us a bit with their annual budget battle. They...
Letter to the editor: Fracking risks outweigh benefits
Is natural gas development really safe, well-regulated and generating significant benefits … ? Residents of New Freeport, Greene County, might not agree with letter-writer Dave Callahan, president of the Marcellus Shale Coalition (“Natural gas development benefits Pa. residents,” July 25, TribLIVE). Residents report shower water is oily, water smells bad...
Jonah Goldberg: Is Inflation Reduction Act victory for Biden? Outraged GOP acts like it is.
In an era of ugly legislative gridlock, it’s easy to forget that progress isn’t necessarily pretty. Last week, Washington got blindsided by the unveiling of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. For Democrats, it was a moment of spontaneous joy, while Republicans reacted with instantaneous outrage. In brief, here’s what...
Claudine Schneider: America’s oil and gas industry unpatriotic
Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, fossil fuels were a familiar sight during my childhood and since they employed some of my family, I believed these facilities represented America’s “can do” attitude. When I became a Republican member of Congress in 1981, well-paid oil and gas lobbyists were a familiar sight...
Letter to the editor: Costs of climate change efforts
According to an article I read recently in the Wall Street Journal, climate lobbyists in media present weather emergencies (heat, cold, hurricanes, etc.) all as the result of climate change, yet the world has warmed by only 1.1 degrees Celsius since the late 19th century, according to the UN Intergovernmental...
Letter to the editor: Spotlight Mastriano’s positives
I try to catch up with the Trib every day. So far, since Doug Mastriano won the Republican primary (even before that), I haven’t noticed a positive word in your paper about him. Has everything he has ever done in his entire life been negative? I understand he may be...
Letter to the editor: Congress must act on climate change now
Climate change is one of my generation’s biggest problems to fix in the coming years. As wildfires ravage the West, heat waves decimate Europe and flooding becomes commonplace in Pennsylvania, we need to act urgently to limit greenhouse emissions. The recent West Virginia v. EPA Supreme Court decision severely limited...
Editorial: Can we move on from Act 77 challenges now?
Pennsylvania’s expanded mail-in voting has been upheld by the state Supreme Court. The ballots that were broadly used beginning in 2020’s presidential campaigns have been on a roller coaster ride of protest, overturn and appeal. Fourteen Republican state lawmakers filed a lawsuit in September 2021 arguing that the no-excuse mail...
Letter to the editor: Fix the mess in America with your vote
The congressional commission investigating the events of Jan. 6 has wrapped up its hearings for now. What else was happening on Jan. 6, 2021, and the weeks that followed leading up to the inauguration of President Biden? Well, the average price of gas was $2.38 a gallon, according the U.S....
Letter to the editor: Cracking open the door on gun control
After two recent tragic mass shootings, Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It is common sense to keep lethal weapons away from criminals and those with mental illness, but this act did little but to open the door to future stricter gun controls. History tells us that once the...
Leonard Pitts Jr.: The year (bleep) got real
“There’s a choice we’re making. We’re saving our own lives.” — from “We Are The World” Yes, this is early. That ritual where the columnist assigns the year a theme doesn’t usually begin until December. But the view from this pew is that, where 2022 is concerned, said theme already...
Kevin Sunday: Bipartisanship on energy, jobs a better path than reconciliation gamesmanship
In a surprising turnabout, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced last week he has struck a deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on a package of tax hikes and energy subsidies. Unfortunately, this proposal, which appears to be designed to game the Senate’s reconciliation process to pass spending...
Letter to the editor: GI Bill available for those who earn assistance
A recent edition of the Trib had a piece that said the president is considering some form of debt forgiveness. All this will do is add to inflation and increases in college tuition. The government already has a program that pays for college and trade school tuition. I and millions...
