Opinion category, Page 135
Laurels & lances: Potholes & potshots
Laurel: To demanding action. The bare minimum that should be expected of a shopping area is accessibility. Long before there were food courts and anchor stores, marketplaces realized that, to serve their purpose, they had to be easily traversed. In the modern era, that means they should have good roads...
Letter to the editor: Vote for leaders who support commonsense gun safety
Before the late 1990s, laws regulating firearms were in place and American citizens did not feel threatened by gun violence. During the George W. Bush administration, gun regulations were allowed to lapse. Gun manufacturers and the NRA were responsible for lobbying members of Congress to vote for gun legislation that...
Paul Kengor: Kennedy family values
The Kennedys have dominated American politics unlike any other family. And that’s no small statement. First, there was the Adams family — that is, John and John Quincy, and the brilliant Abigail. Then there were the Roosevelts. More recently, the Bushes. But it’s hard to surpass the Kennedy longevity, given...
Jonah Goldberg: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump both call for unity. Here’s why they’re wrong.
The single most abused, misused and misunderstood word in American politics is “unity.” All presidential candidates vow to unite Americans. Nearly every pundit and public intellectual laments the lack of unity. “When America is united, America is totally unstoppable,” Donald Trump declared in his inaugural address. “With unity, we can...
Peter Morici: College has to offer a better return on investment than students are getting
With students heading back to campuses, America’s universities need a reality check — and American business could provide it. Even before recent demonstrations disrupted campuses and forced embarrassing confrontations between university presidents and congressional leaders, Americans’ confidence in higher education was declining. A recent Gallup poll found that just 36%...
Cal Thomas: Questions to ask Kamala Harris
CNN has won the “privilege” of conducting the first interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday night, beating the promised “end of the month” deadline she had set. The Harris team had reportedly been “shopping” networks to assess what they believe would be...
Letter to the editor: Solar power can keep us cool
I was deeply concerned by your article “Blackouts in extreme weather drive demand for cleaner backup power” (Aug. 22, TribLive). Challenges faced by families such as Kenna Ofoegbu’s are real, but the suggestion to revert to fossil-fuel generators is like taking a step backward when we should be racing ahead...
Letter to the editor: Harris will stand up to Trump, world leaders
The article “Path to the presidency: Keys to victory for Harris and Trump” (Aug. 25, TribLive) stated, “To sway voters, Harris will need to detail her policy positions, nail the debate with Trump scheduled for next month and continue her momentum.” But there has been far too much said by...
Editorial: Juries, not judges, decide death penalty. That means judges must seat death penalty juries
Judges can’t pick and choose when it comes to death penalty cases. That’s the ruling of the Pennsylvania Superior Court. The case in question started with the Bellevue killing of Rachel Dowden in January 2022. Prosecutors say the crime was committed by her ex-boyfriend, Deangelo Zieglar, 28. The Allegheny County...
Letter to the editor: Biden-Walz will be a disaster
Regarding the letter “Comparing Trump, Biden-Harris” (Aug. 7, TribLive): Under President Biden and Vice President Harris, gas prices went through the roof along with food prices. Interest rates went up, also. As far as the infrastructure is concerned, taxpayers are on the hook for the money spent, as the federal...
Paul Alexander: Shapiro figured out how to combat high drug prices — can it help Kamala Harris?
In a recent poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, health care was the third most important issue for voters in the presidential race, a concern voiced by 57% of respondents who were interviewed. In many cases, voters are worried about high drug costs. That’s why, this year before he...
Letter to the editor: Inflation under Trump, Biden-Harris
While Donald Trump was president, the inflation rate averaged just a bit over 2%, and the month he left office it had fallen to 1.6%, one of the lowest rates in 40 years. Then President Biden and Vice President Harris come into office with their $5 trillion spend-and-borrow-and-print-money economic program,...
Letter to the editor: PPS should reveal where money is going
So Pittsburgh Public Schools has rolled out a plan to close schools (“Firm suggests closing 16 Pittsburgh Public schools, opening 2 new ones,” Aug. 14, TribLive). This is something that should have happened years ago. However, it will impact some of the lowest hourly employees first, from cafeteria workers and...
Letter to the editor: Women’s rights may determine presidential election
The lyrics to an old movement song, “Pass It On,” carry the warning that freedom “doesn’t come like a bird on the wing” and “doesn’t come down like the falling rain,” then advise that “freedom is a hard won thing” and “every generation has to win it again,” with instructions...
Editorial: Why did Westmoreland warden tell tall tale about tampered lock?
Children will make up elaborate stories to get out of trouble. The broken cookie jar is because of a monster. Or an imaginary friend. Or the dog. Yeah, that’s it. The dog did it. The child will tell that story with innocent eyes as big as the missing cookies. It’s...
Letter to the editor: We must expand Supreme Court to correct corruption
Our Declaration of Independence states, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.” We the governed do not agree with this Supreme Court’s rulings. They are taking away our rights and freedoms and the laws and regulations that protect us. The Supreme Court...
Letter to the editor: Pennsylvanians will benefit from community solar
Solar is the most affordable form of energy, but many face barriers to accessing its benefits. With funding available to expand solar in Pennsylvania, the best way is establishing a community solar program. Community solar allows everyone with an electric bill to benefit from solar: farmers who host projects, members...
Sen. Greg Rothman: Clean power plan reboot will cripple Pa.’s energy affordability
President Biden’s political implosion has sparked one of the most chaotic election cycles in modern history. Desperate to put the turmoil behind them, Democrats moved with lightning speed to anoint Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s presidential nominee. In doing so, they careened from one disaster to another by...
Donna Barbisch: We need a president who honors our military heroes
As someone who has dedicated my life to the service of this nation, I understand what it means to sacrifice for the greater good. I’ve witnessed the courage it takes to stand up in the face of danger and the strength required to put others before oneself. That’s why the...
Letter to the editor: Together we can fight for the changes we want
As President Biden said during the Democratic National Convention, “Folks, we just have to remember who we are. We are the United States of America, and there is nothing we can’t do when we do it TOGETHER.” Whether we are independents, Republicans or Democrats, together we can fight for things...
Letter to the editor: Priest’s resignation still painful
In May, Bishop Larry Kulick asked Father John Moineau for his resignation as pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and Immaculate Conception parishes. At the time, many felt as though a knife had been thrust into them, as it was so painful and still is. Now, in August, we find...
Letter to the editor: Democrats will do anything to win
I worked 36 years as an engineer and paid off my own student loan. I am an extremely hard worker, capable of fighting my own battles and not a stupid person. I vote independent and supported President Obama. I am looking for a competent executive to be president and manage...
Editorial: Trump shooting cannot stop political process
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly opened his news conference at the Butler Farm Show grounds Monday with an explanation. Kelly, R-Butler, co-chairs a committee investigating the July 13 shooting in which former President Donald Trump was wounded, Buffalo Township volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed and two others also were hit...
Letter to the editor: Applying Thomas Paine’s ‘Reason’ to Trump
In this age of Donald Trump claiming to be Christian, Project 2025, white Christian nationalism aligned with Trump to teach their version of Christianity, and the Bible in schools, schoolchildren and the public should be reading Thomas Paine’s “The Age of Reason” as applied to Trumpism: “Infidelity does not consist...
Letter to the editor: A true nature park would be better in Hempfield
The 43 acres Hempfield Township purchased from Excela Health three years ago has been providing profound benefits for the region for decades. The woodlands and meadow greatly enhance the air and water quality in nearby neighborhoods, as well as the greater surrounding area. They help mitigate the noxious emissions from...
