Opinion category, Page 148
Letter to the editor: Harris must support ceasefire
Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid has reignited something that had been sorely missing in national politics: a sense of hope and excitement. Coconut tree memes all over TikTok. Pop stars declaring “Kamala IS brat.” The chance to make history by electing the first Black and Asian American woman as...
Peter Morici: Biden leaves an impressive legacy — and a pile of budget and security challenges
Only a handful of U.S. presidents could boast Joe Biden’s range of legislative and foreign policy accomplishments. The Chips and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, for example, steered the U.S. economy in a much-needed new direction. But the 46th U.S. president will leave his successor with tough federal...
Jonah Goldberg: Kamala Harris wants to tackle corporate ‘price-gouging.’ Here’s what she’s missing
The best thing about Kamala Harris’ policy debut last week was the backlash. I don’t mean the political backlash; Harris’ attack on “price-gouging” was probably smart politics. It amplified her campaign’s message that she’s “fighting for the people.” That economists scoff at the tools she would use in that fight...
LZ Granderson: Coach Tim Walz took a stand when queer kids desperately needed an advocate
Harrison Butker, the Kansas City Chiefs player whose “Me Tarzan/You Jane” commencement speech caused an uproar last spring, was back in the news recently after signing a contract extension that made him the highest-paid kicker in the league. Well deserved, considering he’s the second most accurate in NFL history, but...
Robert Perkins and Wesley Caines: Holistic defense can change lives
Everyone agrees that the right to a lawyer, even if you cannot afford one, is a necessary condition of justice. Yet funding for public defense lawyers in Allegheny County has never been enough to protect this right. Local defense spending is roughly a third of the national average — putting...
Letter to the editor: Free-market economy is the answer
Tired of high prices for food, gasoline, prescription meds? And the list goes on. The concept of price fixing is a first step to socialism. It has been tried in other countries and it has failed. A free-market economy is the answer. Bill Burdett West Deer...
Letter to the editor: Sue-crazy people like Mammoth sliders ruin the fun
I read about another person getting hurt on the slide at Mammoth Park (“Hunker woman is latest to sue over Giant Slide safety concerns at Mammoth Park,” Aug. 9, TribLive). I remember flying down the older slide in the ’80s and at the end landing on my feet but doing...
Letter to the editor: All have right to free speech
It is sad to see a letter from someone who wants to have law enforcement officers fired for free speech, engaged in when they are not acting in official capacity (“Hate-filled letters by law enforcement alarming,” Aug. 14, TribLive). All Americans are entitled to form and express opinions without fear...
Editorial: Back-to-school safety: Everyone has a role to play
The first harbinger of autumn’s arrival is upon us, with public school students preparing to return to their classrooms for the 2024-25 school year. Over the next two weeks, classes will begin throughout the area — in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, in public and private, parochial and charter schools. That...
Letter to the editor: Greensburg bishop owes priest an apology
On May 28, Bishop Larry Kulick of the Diocese of Greensburg announced the forced resignation of Father John Moineau, pastor of Immaculate Conception and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parishes, because he believed there was a “conspiracy” to hide the prior criminal record of a worker who had been hired by...
Tyler Fisher and Carlo Macomber: Independents will decide the election. What do we know about them?
Whichever party wins independent voters will win the presidency and other key races this fall. A poll Unite America commissioned this year provides clues for how Democrats and Republicans can appeal to these swing voters — including embracing their right to participate in all primary elections. Nearly 90% of independent...
Bethani Cameron: Bipartisanship closes EV road use tax loophole
Pennsylvania has two important goals when it comes to the future of transportation: maintaining our infrastructure and reducing emissions. But until recently, those two priorities were at odds. Thanks to bipartisan leadership in Harrisburg, a new bill increases funding for roads and transit, while making it easier than ever to...
Dave Breingan, Crystal Jennings-Rivera and Jala Rucker: Addressing Pittsburgh’s affordable housing crisis
Like cities across the country, Pittsburgh is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis, as rental expenses have skyrocketed and the prospect of owning a home becomes further out of reach for working families with each passing year. As the city works to respond to this crisis, leaders must...
Letter to the editor: Whose head should be examined?
Donald Trump has said on numerous occasions that Jewish Americans should have their heads examined if they vote Democrat. As a Jewish American, here are some reasons why I vote Democrat and would never support someone like Trump. 1. In 2017, when white supremacists marched on Charlottesville, Va., and chanted,...
Letter to the editor: Casey must remain in the Senate
This November, it’s crucial that we vote for a senator who exemplifies integrity and honesty and has the knowledge of what is imperative for growth and prosperity in Pennsylvania. Sen. Bob Casey is a product of Pennsylvania. His character and beliefs are demonstrated in the number and type of bills...
Letter to the editor: We need to ‘go back’ to Trump’s policies
At her rally announcing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the vice presidential Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris repeatedly declared, “We are not going back!” She bitterly disapproves of the Supreme Court’s decision to leave abortion laws to the states, and has a long record of being soft on crime. While Harris...
Editorial: Time for the campaigns to really speak to Pennsylvanians
In Chicago, the last steps are being taken. With the Democratic National Convention in full swing and the Republican convention a month in the rear view mirror, we are in the last leg of what seems like the longest power struggle in history. And that leg is running right through...
Barnet Sherman: International students will offer boost to U.S. economy this back-to-school season
Of the millions of young adults heading off to college this fall, many will be international students. If trends continue, about 1 million students from around the world will come to the U.S. to pursue higher education this year. These young scholars make a big economic impact. Altogether, they pump...
Nealin Parker: Funders can’t wait until the day after Nov. 5 to act
In three months, voters will cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election with two out of three Americans concerned about a repeat of the unrest that followed the 2020 election, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. As we get closer to Election Day, the media, philanthropic institutions and everyday citizens...
Carl P. Leubsdorf: How I cost Democrats the presidency in 1968
As the Democrats prepare to meet this week in Chicago, I thought back to their tumultuous 1968 convention, the third of the 27 I covered. That’s where I cost the Democrats the presidency. At least that’s what the press secretary for that year’s defeated Democratic nominee told me. Let me...
Editorial cartoons for the week of Aug. 19
Editorial cartoons for the week of Aug. 19....
Letter to the editor: Nurses are to care for all, regardless of circumstance
I am so disturbed and disappointed by the political ad featuring Arizona Rep. Julie Willoughby, who is a nurse. Does she not remember the modern rendition of the Nightingale Pledge that includes commitments to dedicate oneself to the welfare of those entrusted to their care, practice the art and science...
Letter to the editor: Lawbreaker lawmakers must be held accountable
Section III of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution states: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State … … as a member of Congress … any...
Editorial: Kyiv hits back against Putin — Ukraine’s taking of Russian territory could be a turning point
About 2½ years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the latter has turned the tables with an incursion into the Russian region of Kursk — once the site of a pivotal WWII battle — that by some estimates has left it with control of more than 1,000 square kilometers. While both...
Letter to the editor: Restrictive gas policies hurt Pa.
As one of the top natural gas producers in the country, Pennsylvania energy plays a huge role in creating jobs, boosting the economy and even providing our European allies with energy in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Unfortunately the Biden administration’s efforts to halt these projects, as seen...
