Opinion category, Page 513
Leonard Pitts Jr.: Sometimes you wonder what they’re so afraid of
Not that the subject has ever been easy. No, as has often been noted in this space, this country has been positively Herculean in its effort to remain ignorant of African American history. From schools trying to ban it to state laws restricting it, to textbooks telling lies about it,...
Jonah Goldberg: Independents are part of the partisan problem
If you’re the kind of person who boasts about being a political independent, this may be hard to hear: You’re part of the problem. This no doubt will come as a shock, in part because independents get such fantastic press. That in itself is odd, given that independents have no...
Mark Schweiker: It’s time for America to put 9/11 mastermind on trial
Two decades ago, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was plotting the terrorist attacks that would murder thousands of Americans on Sept. 11, 2001. Terrorist cells were inside our country. America had no idea what was to come when they boarded airplanes that morning. These terrorists would become possibly the most hated criminals...
Letter to the editor: Straight shooting on guns
Letter-writer Al Duerig (“More guns means more shootings,” March 28, TribLIVE) states that gun advocates fabricate “specious arguments.” With simple math he states that 40,000 people are killed by guns each year, a planeload a day, he says. But how conveniently he leaves out the fact that 25,000 of those...
Letter to the editor: Teachers not to blame for potential Penn-Trafford tax hike
I take offense to Dallas Leonard’s blaming the proposed tax increase on Penn-Trafford’s teachers’ contract (“Penn-Trafford proposes 2-mill tax hike for next year,” May 3, TribLIVE). First, this contract was signed three years ago. Penn-Trafford has an ample tax base, and obviously had time to plan ahead to pay for...
Letter to the editor: Lies about Ga. voting rules
It is heartbreaking and frightening that some folks believe the despicable misinformation and outright lies being told by those promoting socialism. I’d like to address the letter “Georgia voting rule not Christian” (April 21, TribLIVE) and the “drink of water” lie about the Georgia voting law and the connection to...
Editorial: More than one reason for unfilled job openings
After a major upheaval, there is often a period of reflection. If your house burns down, you probably put some thought into the electrical system or the heating before you rebuild. The same thing happens after an epic event on a larger scale. Hurricanes like Andrew in Miami and Katrina...
Letter to the editor: Racism toward Asians disturbing
As a white-passing Asian American, in the past months and year, seeing the racism toward Asians in the U.S., in my town and even in my school has been difficult to understand and hard to watch. Ever since the covid-19 pandemic started, Asians have been verbally and physically abused by...
Letter to the editor: GOP’s self-destruction is sad
As a longtime, former member of the Republican Party, it embarrasses and saddens me to see the Grand Old Party self-destruct. The Honorable Liz Cheney, U.S. House member from Wyoming, is now a voice in the wilderness, that rare current Republican elected official who is sufficiently honest, decent and patriotic...
Tom Purcell: Fighting off the digital scam artists
Everyone is at risk of being scammed now. The recent ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline was a wake-up call for everyone in America. Ransomware is malicious software that cyberscammers use to encrypt a company’s or individual’s data and block access to it — until a hefty sum of money is...
Sen. Sharif Street: Wolf exercised his constitutional powers to save lives
On May 18 Pennsylvanians will have the opportunity to select ballot measures during the primary election, two of which fundamentally alter the governor’s executive powers and ability to respond to emergencies. In March 2020, Gov. Tom Wolf signed a covid-19 disaster declaration to provide increased support for the state’s response...
Sen. Jake Corman, Rep. Bryan Cutler, Sen. Kim Ward and Rep. Kerry Benninghoff: Covid response proves government works better together
After 14 months of dealing with a once-in-a-century pandemic, the strengths and weaknesses of state government’s emergency response is coming into clearer focus. With more Pennsylvanians getting vaccinated and infection rates plummeting, our job now is to review the lessons learned during this crisis so future emergencies can be managed...
Letter to the editor: Misinformation on Pa. election deadlines
I hoped that Paul Kengor, a professor of political science at Grove City College, would be more knowledgeable about Pennsylvania elections. His column “Will MLB boycott the Pirates — and the Phillies?” (April 15, TribLIVE) contained wrong information, saying absentee ballots must be in by May 11. Ballots must be...
Editorial: All politics start local — so vote on Tuesday
Here it is again: Time to go to the polls. Time to do your duty. Time to cast your ballot. Doesn’t it seem like we just did this? Well, we did, but while presidential races like the 2020 contest and its seeming four-year march to the ballot box get all...
Letter to the editor: Problems with PASSHE schools
I’m amazed that the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) can’t figure out why students don’t want to go its schools. As a long-term Pennsylvania resident and a parent whose child attends college out of state, let me clarify what I think the problems are: 1. Pennsylvania state colleges...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of May 17
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of May 17....
Letter to the editor: Roads sacrificed for pricey garage?
Regarding the article “Debt-free: 30 years of saving pays for Loyalhanna Township’s new $1 million garage” (May 6, TribLIVE): Ken Walters, a 15-year supervisor, and Mary Trunzo, 33 years as secretary/treasurer and 20 years as supervisor, were instrumental in saving money for half or more of the 30 years, all...
Editorial cartoons for the week of May 17
Editorial cartoons for the week of May 17....
Colin McNickle: The trouble with Pittsburgh International Airport
Despite repeated efforts to generate higher passenger counts at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) through subsidies to both domestic and international flights, the airport has lagged well behind the average passenger increases at the nation’s top 50 airports, concludes an analysis by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy. “Between 2009 and...
S.E. Cupp: Tale of Liz Cheney, Kevin McCarthy and Donald Trump
The woodshed: It’s a popular place in politics, meaning somewhere you metaphorically go when you’ve done something bad. Parties go there when they lose big elections. Presidential advisers are sent there when they mess up. In 2010, Gen. Stanley McChrystal was summoned to the woodshed by President Barack Obama over...
Letter to the editor: Lincoln’s Lyceum Address is enlightening
I’d like to encourage everyone who reads this to please look up on Google or YouTube the 1838 Lyceum Address by Abraham Lincoln. It was written 23 years before the Civil War. Similar to today, tensions were high, and there was much unease. Lincoln warned the nation of immense harm...
Letter to the editor: Biden as Santa Claus
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Just witness the gifts included in President Biden’s “bag of goodies” as presented in his address to the joint session of Congress last month — a $1.8 trillion ($1,800,000,000,000) “American Families Plan” of investment and tax credits over 10 years for families and...
Letter to the editor: Covid’s toll on our planet
With people being in isolation for much of the past year, different aspects of everyday life have been altered, and we have had to adapt to this new “normal.” Although some of these changes have made our lives better, have they benefited Earth? According to the Climate School at Columbia...
Editorial: Transparency in state spending is a constant process
In a functioning democracy, citizens need to be able to see certain facts about their elected officials in the glaring light of day. They need to know what government is spending money on. They need to know where the money is going. They need to know how much people are...
Letter to the editor: Telecommuting would benefit DC
One key lesson the pandemic taught us is that about one-third of the population can effectively work from home. Among the D.C. ruling class, the figure is far higher. So why not make it permanent, starting with Congress? The Capitol and hearing rooms could be turned into big-screen Microsoft Teams...
