Opinion category, Page 195
Letter to the editor: We must stop aiding Israel
Rachel Corrie died March 16, 2003, in Gaza. She was a 23-year-old American, in Israel peacefully protesting Israeli policies against Palestinians. She was purposefully run over by an armored Israeli tank, and the U.S. government did nothing, in spite of dozens of witnesses who saw this outrageous act. I have...
S.E. Cupp: Biden and Trump are not treated the same
Welp, it’s official. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump — both of whom are unpopular and underwater in terms of favorability among Americans — are going to be our two major party choices for president. Congrats, America? On Tuesday night both Biden and Trump clinched enough delegates to...
Madelyn Sanfilippo: Dealing with false facts — how to correct online misinformation
Deepfakes of celebrities and misinformation about public figures might not be new in 2024, but they are more common and many people seem to grow ever more resigned that they are inevitable. The problems posed by false online content extend far beyond public figures, impacting everyone, including youth. New York...
Curt Schroder: Caps on damages are necessary, not shameful
A recent editorial and article about the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse overlook some key aspects of sovereign immunity and why damages caps are a necessary taxpayer protection. The bridge collapse was indeed a tragedy, but to suggest that the city would have repaired the bridge if caps on lawsuits against...
Letter to the editor: Jill Cooper deserves reelection
Few representatives have gone to Harrisburg as well prepared to perform effectively as Jill Cooper. She is well known in the Murrysville community as a hard-working and enthusiastic individual who was willing to work as needed to successfully improve our schools, business community and her chosen political party. Since beginning...
Lori Falce: TikTok, hypocrisy and easy answers
If you go on TikTok today, you are going to see a lot of the same things that pop up every day. The “For You” page is a tab on the app where the things that interest you are funneled. The app’s algorithm notices that you engage with cooking demos...
Laurels & lances: Water and bugs
Laurel: To getting back to normal. In November, Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County notified some customers about water restrictions. The move came because of low levels at Beaver Run Reservoir. Drought conditions across the region meant the reservoir was not being replenished by rain, and the amount of water to...
Letter to the editor: What is Trump’s appeal?
Regarding the letter “Trump’s appeal continues to grow” (March 6, TribLive): I am curious what President Trump could have said on Newsmax (!) that would appeal to voters. In my opinion, Donald Trump hates the military (he reportedly called those killed in war “suckers” and “losers”; he asked the father...
Paul Kengor: Remembering true civic leaders — Jim Roddey and Andy Russell
In early 1995, my wife and I, recently married, were looking to come back to Pittsburgh. We were working and living in the Washington, D.C., area. There were appealing things about the area, but it undeniably felt like the proverbial “rat race” to us. It got worse when our house...
Colin McNickle: PRT not worthy of proposed funding increase
Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) would be in line for millions of new dollars in state funding in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed fiscal 2024-25 budget, about $40 million by one estimate. But a scholar at the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy questions if such an increase is prudent. “This is the...
Rep. Chris Deluzio: A tough and fair border deal killed by Republicans
We need to fix our broken border and immigration system. Period. Like so many of my Democratic colleagues, I have been ready to work with our Republican counterparts to restore order, help local communities and bring some sanity to our immigration system. But guess what? Do-nothing Washington Republicans have killed...
Letter to the editor: Border problem shows our government is not working
Someone please tell me why the border problem has not been solved. Please tell me why! We have people from all over the world streaming across our southern border, and it seems like no one cares. This side says it’s the other side’s fault and vice versa, and as usual,...
Letter to the editor: Vote for Kennedy
Normally I don’t talk politics, but in this case, I am. I am a loyal Democrat and have been for many years. And I will vote for the best possible candidate who I feel will do the job — regardless of what party. Joe Biden is too old and looks...
Letter to the editor: Problems with electric everything
So in President Biden’s perfect world, everything will run off electricity — cars, ovens, home heating, just to name a few. I have some problems with this. Can someone please tell me where all this scrap from appliances, cars, etc. is going to end up once the scrap yards are...
Editorial: Is Westmoreland County a sanctuary or not?
Is Westmoreland County a sanctuary for undocumented individuals? It seems unlikely to anyone who knows much about the county’s politics. Republicans make up just over 50% of the county’s 245,290 voters. That might be just over half, but it’s still 13% more than the Democrats. Unaffiliated and “other” voters who...
Jonah Goldberg: Trump, MAGA movement stormed GOP establishment. Now they have become it.
Donald Trump’s domination of last week’s primaries made it official: He has successfully routed the GOP establishment. Some would argue, with ample evidence this happened a long time ago. Particularly in Congress, the party is divided into three sometimes overlapping factions: Reaganites, pragmatists and populists, the last being Trump’s “MAGA”...
Cal Thomas: President and Congress need an intervention
When some people appear beyond help because of addiction or other circumstances they can’t control, family members have been known to stage an intervention. Congress and President Biden need an intervention as their addiction to spending exceeds anything seen in history. In his State of the Union address last week,...
Jason W. Park: Gun rights, gun control, gun violence
A pending case before the Supreme Court, United States v. Rahimi, addresses the broad question of Second Amendment interpretation and how closely the nation’s laws should be compared to the way firearms were regulated in 1791. For example, making it illegal for the mentally ill and felons to own guns...
Letter to the editor: Vote out county commissioners
Taxes paid by Westmoreland County homeowners are monies we entrust to our commissioners to spend wisely. County commissioners are stewards of our money. Unfortunately, commissioners Sean Kertes, Doug Chew and Ted Kopas have not done their jobs. They have, along with previous commissioners, squandered our money and now are bailing...
Letter to the editor: Biden better choice than Trump
Well America, our choice for president is between two old guys, One has been in politics for 50 years, knows virtually every foreign leader and has our economy running like a freight train. Unemployment is the lowest in 54 years. The stock market is through the roof. We have the...
Editorial: Does political party mean what it used to in Pennsylvania?
Laurie MacDonald will not be the next representative for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District. After a challenge to the Mt. Washington resident’s nominating petition, MacDonald was off the Democratic ballot for the April primary. That leaves the first round of the election to a battle between incumbent U.S. Rep. Summer Lee,...
Letter to the editor: U.S. needs to stand up to protect innocent Palestinians
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel, causing 1,200 deaths and destruction to the Jewish homeland. We are moved to tears as we continue to witness daily human suffering of tens of thousands of deaths and injuries of men, women and, yes, children in Gaza. No...
Elwood Watson: The creep of Christian nationalism
Historically viewed as a fringe belief system, Christian nationalism has become a considerable force in American politics, particularly as it relates to the current Republican Party. A new survey from Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution revealed more than 50% of Republicans believe the country should aspire to...
Kevin Frazier: Voters need to ask the right questions
“That’s the wrong question.” In the most recent season of “True Detective,” Jodie Foster plays a detective in Alaska. Her character has a knack for pushing other officers to ask better questions about the complex case in their hands. Unsurprisingly, it annoys the heck out of her colleagues. Also unsurprisingly,...
Letter to the editor: Paranoia may not be a bad thing
People are so wrong about paranoia. It is commonly mistaken for a bad thing, but this writer believes it is a hidden safety feature built into people. Certain people. Me, all right? It’s a trip the way facts and delusions can party together. Huge sums of money, during the last...
