Featured Commentary category, Page 115
Nathan Benefield: Transparency victory a call to action for lawmakers
On Sunday, Gov. Tom Wolf concluded a weeks-long standoff with the state Legislature by caving. Despite repeated veto threats, he allowed a transparency bill — passed unanimously — to become law, but without his signature. Wolf’s opposition to the benign transparency legislation, sponsored by Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, was a...
Martin Schram: This may be John Lewis’ greatest gift to us all
For two weeks, we have watched and listened to history’s recordings of the late John Lewis, speaking powerfully and movingly to us during his lifetime of courageously nonviolent combat in the name of our civil rights. But we really shouldn’t say our final goodbyes to the iconic man who is...
Janet Jai: The dangers of Pittsburgh’s new Bike(+) Plan, especially for children
Pittsburgh’s new Bike(+) Plan will be coming to all of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods, maybe to your street. Be careful! This new bike plan may make Pittsburgh’s newly designated bike-path streets (and others around them) more dangerous — especially for children — and for drivers and pedestrians as well. Given the pandemic...
Timothy L. O’Brien: William Barr only claims to respect the rule of law
Attorney General William Barr is famously unflappable, the legal technician and savvy Washington insider unswayed by lesser minds or weaker wills. But on Tuesday, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing examining the past 19 months of his tenure, Barr’s legendary composure dissolved several times. His anger flared at moments when...
Carl P. Leubsdorf: With campaign lagging, Trump has a Pence dilemma
When President George H.W. Bush faced an uphill reelection fight in 1992, aides discussed ways to change the political calculus and give his candidacy a much-needed boost. Now, Donald Trump faces a comparable situation and a similar option. In the case of Bush, several top advisers, including the candidate’s future...
Ann Sanders and Theodoros Papazekos: Congress must boost SNAP benefits to address hunger crisis
The economic downturn accompanying the pandemic has cost millions their jobs, and millions more have faced reduced hours and wages. The problem is perhaps particularly acute in Pennsylvania. As of June, our state unemployment rate of 13% was the ninth worst in the country and far worse than its peak...
Jay Ambrose: Nancy Pelosi is wrong on Trump
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called the coronavirus “the Trump virus,” explaining that the president has caused deaths with his initial, ho-hum reaction to it. The verbal assault should be no surprise. After all, she said Republicans “were trying to get away with murder” on a police reform bill and...
Alana R. Sacriponte: ‘The 8-Second Exchange’ on the Pennsylvania Turnpike
As a graduate student looking for a summer job, my mom suggested I apply to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I considered it odd at first. It was 2008 and cash had lost much of its prevalence already. Did people still carry coins? Didn’t everyone use EZPass? I took my mom’s suggestion,...
Wendell W. Young IV: Pa. families need Toomey to lead in covid-19 debate
As President Trump and some lawmakers, including Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, debate whether or not additional federal support is necessary to manage the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic, I encourage them to spend just one day with Pennsylvania workers and their families before they make up their mind. They...
Timothy L. O’Brien: Sinclair pulls the plug on Fauci propaganda — this time
Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. is one of the largest television station operators in the country, with 191 stations in 89 markets broadcasting to 629 channels. For the most part, the company operates in small, conservative metropolitan locations. Most viewers aren’t likely to be aware of the Sinclair brand, because the...
Matt Smith: Liability safe harbor needed for safe, sustainable reopening
Since the beginning of the covid-19 crisis, Pittsburghers from across the region — including our region’s manufacturers, hospitals, small businesses and nonprofits — continue to come together to look for ways to protect our neighbors, friends and families. In fact, many businesses and other organizations have altered their operations to...
L.A Times Editorial Board: Honor John Lewis — and serve democracy — by reinvigorating the Voting Rights Act
Republicans in Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, effusively eulogized Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia after the civil rights legend died July 17. McConnell, R-Ky., rightly described Lewis as an “American hero” who “put his life on the line to fight racism, promote equal rights and bring our...
Rev. Jes Kast: Access to birth control crucial to religious liberty
A few years ago, in the middle of the night, my wife shook me awake. “I need help,” she whispered and pulled me out of my sleep. I kept her calm as I half carried her to the bathroom. She was having another episode of debilitating pain and nausea caused...
Dr. Robert Cicco: What 13 words could cost Pa. in covid-19 fight
Legislation is often verbose and unclear, sometimes leaving unintended loopholes that can be exploited by special interests. But other times the language is chillingly spare and ruthlessly direct. Like many states across the country that were taking up the charge to “Cover All Kids” and extend health care coverage to...
Jeff Coleman: A conservative’s case for paid family leave
It may not be the end of covid-19, but in the words of Winston Churchill, we may be seeing “the end of the beginning.” Even at this stage, we’ve watched trillions spent to help families keep their heads above water as the unemployment rates seem stuck in the double-digit range....
Greg Keeley: The accidental Manchurian candidate
I pulled the lever for Donald Trump in 2016. As a former GOP Senate staffer, combat veteran and immigrant, when faced with two impossibly unpalatable candidates, I chose party. It was a mistake. Like many who serve or have served this country in the military, intelligence and national security communities,...
Mark Hendrickson: Why has 3% economic growth been so elusive?
Here is an economic riddle that has been puzzling many people: Why has economic growth in the United States remained below 3% for so long? The growth of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) going all the way back to 1790 has averaged less than 3% in only three decades: the...
John M. Crisp: Ominous days ahead for post office
A strange thing happened last week. The mail didn’t arrive. In a world beset by climate change, racial injustice and a pandemic, the failure of my letter carrier to swiftly complete his appointed rounds is a minor disappointment. Besides, like most Americans, I communicate largely via email. It’s immediate. Messages...
Chadwick Dolgos: Mandatory mask mandates conflict with going back to school
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., argued in a recent tweet that the mandatory mask mandates issued by many state governors directly conflict with the Trump administration’s bold plan to return children back to school by fall. Massie’s tweet echoes the concerns of his constituents who do not believe that children are...
Alyssa Lenhoff Brigg, Alison Slinskey Legg and Veronica Gonzales: Pre-college STEM programs can inform equitable college admissions
As with all sectors of society, the education world has been upended and we are all searching for ways to make sense of what is, what was and what will be. The pandemic, the postponement of college board tests and the growing trend of test results becoming optional for college...
Paul Petrick: Name change would dishonor the original Cleveland Indian
As Northeast Ohio baseball fans anticipate the start of a truncated season of Cleveland Indians baseball, they are suddenly faced with the possible end of their beloved ball club as they know it. On July 3, the Indians released a statement explaining how the team was “committed to engaging our...
Scott Martelle: Federal agents deployed by Trump spirit away protesters. What country is this?
Taking a page from the playbooks of autocrats around the globe, President Donald Trump has deployed federal agents to patrol the streets of Portland, Oregon, where, dressed in camouflage uniforms that identified them only as “police,” they have reportedly used tear gas to dispel protesters — and more darkly, cruised...
Bryan Iams: To keep America competitive, we must prioritize infrastructure funding
It is more important than ever for our country to invest in areas that help get more people back to work. Lawmakers should prioritize the passage and implementation of a comprehensive infrastructure program that would immediately provide employment opportunities for many Americans. The U.S. was in dire need of these...
Sarah Charlier-Vermeire: Our children deserve better
When I first heard of a local district’s plan to reopen schools in the fall, with seemingly little in the way of mitigation efforts beyond the use of face masks, I was utterly appalled. I openly proclaimed that I would never trust my children in the hands of a district...
Stuart Fisk: Syringe programs save lives
As Pennsylvania continues to grapple with covid-19, it is urgent that we do not lose sight of the overdose crisis that has ravaged our state in recent years. Pennsylvania has the third highest rate of overdose deaths and the ninth highest rate of new HIV infections in the nation. In...
