Opinion category, Page 541
Tom Purcell: Community, not money, the key to happiness
Get this: A study by McGill University has found that more money does not necessarily make people in low-income countries happier. I like more money as much as the next guy, but that does not surprise me. Sara Miñarro, the lead author, says in Futurity.org that the people interviewed reported...
Noe Ortega: Investing in students is good for Pa.’s economy
Nellie Bly was one of the most influential American journalists. As an intrepid young reporter who wanted to make a difference in the world, Bly inspired changes to the nation’s mental health care system. In 1887, Bly went undercover to investigate the conditions at Blackwell’s Island Asylum in New York....
Michael Butler: Don’t be that surprised that Allegheny County has clean air
Did you hear the news? Allegheny County has met all federal air quality standards for the first time. The Allegheny County Health Department termed the late January achievement a historic milestone in its efforts to curb air pollution. Actually, despite the region’s heavy energy production, Western Pennsylvania and the entire...
Colin McNickle: The evergreen case against prevailing wage laws
The Allegheny Institute for Public Policy is reiterating its long-standing call for the state Legislature to repeal Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage law. “Many studies over the years involving many states have demonstrated the higher construction costs … that are caused by prevailing wage laws that require ‘prevailing wages and benefits’ be...
Letter to the editor: Democrats keep hating rather than uniting
Hate is a very evil thing. It can ruin a person’s mental and physical stability and even affect the soul. It can also affect a country. For four years we watched and listened to the hatred that the Democratic leadership in Congress had for President Trump. One of President Biden’s...
Letter to the editor: Us-vs.-them nastiness must stop
I find Ken Mowl’s letter “Democrats’ end game is their ‘social justice’ ” (Jan. 26, TribLIVE) repellent. He claims that Democratic leadership “espouses conspiracies, divisiveness, greed and a lust for power. I believe their path to power is paved by racism … .” None of this is true. I do believe...
Letter to the editor: Global covid funding needed
Later this month in a virtual constituent meeting, I’ll be speaking with Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey and Reps. Mike Doyle and Conor Lamb to discuss the need for additional investments in global health security. If the coronavirus pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that global health security is...
Editorial: In Harrisburg, a bipartisan bill on marijuana shows a constructive path
Two Pennsylvania senators — Dan Laughlin, a Republcian from Erie, and Sharif Street, a Philadelphia Democrat — are not typically on the same side of any issue. Laughlin is a committed member of the GOP delegation. He voted against reseating Jim Brewster while the 45th District still was being contested...
Letter to the editor: Better uses for money used to protect DC
Every one of us is constantly receiving requests for money to help our military veterans. The Wounded Warriors, Disabled American Veterans, AMVETS and a host of other organizations are trying to meet the needs of our true veterans who gave so much for our freedoms. That made me think of...
Letter to the editor: Legislators wrong to fight mail-in voting
I believe Trump supporter Leslie Rossi, Republican candidate for the state House seat in the 59th District, who’s urging like-minded voters in that district to go in person to their polling places May 18 and help her become their next state legislator, would vote to overturn our state’s mail-in voting...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 1
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of March 1....
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 1
Editorial cartoons for the week of March 1....
Stephen Segal: Take it from a millionaire, a $15 minimum wage is good for Pa. businesses
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives voted to approve the American Rescue Plan, a major step toward providing Americans the relief they desperately need and deserve. As President Biden’s relief package moves to the Senate floor, tense negotiations still are taking place on key provisions included in the plan. Despite...
Letter to the editor: Vaccination process positive
My husband and I are senior citizens. Our daughter started signing us up to get the covid-19 vaccine in the middle of January on at least 10 sites. We finally got a call on Feb. 8 from Mainline Pharmacy to go to St. Barbara Catholic Church in Harrison City on...
Letter to the editor: Pa. is failing its vulnerable seniors
The following is a copy of a letter I sent to Gov. Tom Wolf: I am writing to voice my disappointment if not anger at how Pennsylvania is handling the covid-19 vaccine rollout. I no longer live in Pennsylvania but was born and grew up in Greensburg. I left years...
Letter to the editor: Hope for Alzheimer’s
Today more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and more than 16 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with this disease. Approximately 5% of those Americans have younger onset. Sara, the co-author of this letter, has younger onset and is just 56. She has just started...
Editorial: Westmoreland County Transit steps up with free rides to vaccinations
When it comes to problem-solving, you can’t just look for the obvious answer and stop there. You can’t jack up the car without a spare tire to fix the flat. You can’t go to the moon without a way to get back. You can’t put a cast on a broken...
Letter to the editor: Think of others — wear a mask, get the vaccine
I want to applaud Lori Falce’s column “Why did I get the vaccine?”. I think it could be used by President Biden to head his “unity” mantra for all Americans. Well done, Lori! It reminded me of a recent conversation I had with my BFF. I was telling her that...
Letter to the editor: Too much pork in American Rescue Plan
The 591-page American Rescue Plan is full of “pork.” Supposedly it is to fight and provide covid relief, but the bill instead is designed to cure social inequities. Keep in mind that these amounts are in addition to what is already budgeted for in these areas. Even programs directly addressing...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Nation’s grief not Democrat or Republican
If you had any doubts that words matter, Joe Biden’s speech last week should put that to rest. Marking the deaths of over 500,000 of our fellow Americans from the coronavirus, Biden bared his heart and spoke of the tragic losses of his first wife and his daughter and later...
Editorial: Real progress at nursing homes is a welcome covid success story
There are more than 700 nursing homes in Pennsylvania. More than 88,000 people, mostly older individuals, live there — whether for the long term or a short stay. For the last year, those facilities have been under nervous pressure as seniors and those with preexisting medical conditions like diabetes and...
Sounding off: No more money for public schools
Here we go again with Gov. Tom Wolf’s rhetoric on more funding for public schools. Test scores prove that throwing more money at schools does nothing to improve our children’s education. Teachers unions are the problem. They strike often and mostly for the same two reasons: more money and more...
Letter to the editor: Trump signs a reminder of loss
I quite enjoyed the letter from Carol Deverse telling us, “hell no,” she was not taking down her Trump sign (“Trump signs are here to stay,” Feb. 13, TribLIVE). And I can understand her attitude. After all, the Democrats do have the presidency, the House of Representatives and the Senate....
Letter to the editor: Don’t Republicans believe in democracy?
We are living in precarious times. It appears that one political party, the Republicans, no longer believe in democracy. They are trying to restrict our voting rights (11 bills in Pennsylvania), plus expand gerrymandering to include judges. A select group of men suggested nullifying the last election. They support people...
Letter to the editor: Both Peduto, Tomlin need to go
Pittsburgh needs Mayor Bill Peduto for a third term as mayor like we need Mike Tomlin as head coach for the Steelers. It’s time for both to take a hike down Retirement Road. The best thing for Pittsburgh is to get a person who cares for the city and the...
