Opinion category, Page 210
Mark Schweiker: It’s time for a second USAR team in Pa.
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, the sun shone brightly. Little did we know that this beautiful day would end as the second bloodiest on American soil in history. The dust had hardly settled when our Pennsylvania Task Force One (PA-TF1) deployed to help with the search and rescue...
Letter to the editor: Hunter’s charges
In the article “Hunter Biden is indicted on 9 tax charges, adding to gun charges in a special counsel investigation” (Dec. 7, TribLIVE), defense attorney Abbe Lowell stated, “Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter’s last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now...
Letter to the editor: Bidenomics has been disastrous
The article “Biden goes into 2024 with the economy getting stronger, but voters feel horrible about it” (Dec. 11, TribLive) quoted a few “experts” that stated they were “mystified” as to why Americans weren’t more positive about Bidenomics. They cited the reduced inflation rate of 3.2 % (annual rate in...
Editorial: Who actually learns a lesson from Comprehensive Healthcare’s guilty verdict?
Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services is guilty. On Monday, after five weeks of trial and 29 witnesses taking the stand, two entities of the corporation were found guilty of health care fraud. The case involved accusations of making false statements in connection with the payment of health care benefits and for...
Letter to the editor: Why don’t Republicans want to help ALL children?
The hypocrisy of Republicans concerning right to life is astounding. They are against abortion — many with no exceptions. New draconian laws threaten to punish women if they can’t prove a miscarriage is “spontaneous.” However, they are promoting socioeconomic genocide by cutting funds for WIC, school lunch programs and Medicaid,...
Mary Ziegler: A Texas case shows how cruel and illusory the latest abortion-ban exceptions can be
A historic drama playing out in Texas ended last week when the Texas Supreme Court held that Kate Cox, a woman 20 weeks pregnant with a fetus with trisomy 18, an almost always fatal abnormality, could not legally end her pregnancy in her home state. Cox had taken the rare...
Ryan Costello: U.S. Steel-NSC Merger a good deal for workers, consumers and Pa.
U.S. Steel is one of the most iconic American brands in one of America’s most storied industries, and both have deep roots in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The announced sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel Corp. (NSC) may seem like another American industry falling to foreign competition, but...
Letter to the editor: Gift card safety
Please be careful when purchasing gift cards at this time of year, especially if purchased off kiosks that aren’t watched by store personnel. I tried to use a $50 gift card given to me as a birthday present, but it was turned down. The security code on the back had...
Letter to the editor: Individualism and morality
The late 20th and 21st centuries ushered in a host of concepts that have radically changed how many view their relationships with God and others. Individualism, and its offspring relativism, dominated a cultural change that caused fractures in our dependencies, community life, families, religious institutions and public affairs. The bonds...
Editorial: What is the future of U.S. Steel?
U.S. Steel has been the skeleton of American industry. It didn’t just churn out millions of pounds of metal. It was behind and inside the landscape of the nation. It is in bridges and railroads and freighters. It has drawn the iconic skylines of our cities. It is the U.S....
Letter to the editor: Strong women fight for our democracy
Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who opposed President Trump’s Muslim ban, was among the first to get fired because she stood up for the rule of law. She refused to be cowed by the most powerful man in our country. With integrity and courage, she put the country before...
Tom Purcell: The best Christmas gift ever — re-embrace childlike joy
The best Christmas gift I ever gave anyone was the one I gave my father about 20 years ago: a Lionel train set. Every year, we got him the same gifts, you see. And every year he’d tell me to tell us, “For God’s sakes, please, no more sweaters.” As...
Christine Vendel: Genetic testing can save lives. I believe it saved mine.
I lost a lot this year. My breasts. My ovaries. My uterus. My belly button. (I’ll explain that last one later.) But I gained a lot, too. After enduring four surgeries that benched me from work for a total of 14 weeks, I have removed the vulnerable body parts to...
Letter to the editor: Retired teachers’ raises
Regarding the letter “Comparing pay raises for legislators, retired teachers” (Nov. 29, TribLive), about public school teachers not having a raise since 2004: When I retired Jan. 1, 2000, I had to sign a paper indicating that I understood there would be no raises to the set sum on the...
Letter to the editor: Condemnation of Israel hypocritical
Pro-Palestinian protestors hypocritically criticize Israel for overreacting to the Oct. 7 attack. That attack murdered, tortured, raped and/or abducted over 1,500 Israeli civilians without warning or provocation. Gaza had not been occupied by Israel since 2005. Since then, the Palestinians have received billions in foreign aid intended for humanitarian purposes...
Editorial: So Fetterman’s not a progressive?
John Fetterman, the Democratic U.S. senator from Braddock, says he isn’t a progressive. That might seem like a surprise to a lot of people. We are talking about the most unconventional legislator in the Senate. This is a man who caused an uproar with his wardrobe of shorts and hoodies...
Letter to the editor: Life begins at conception
I have to ask if the writer of the letter “Abortion, choices and free will” (Dec. 4, TribLive) is aware that human life begins at conception. A quick internet search of “When does human life begin” will conclude that when the male sperm fertilizes the woman’s egg, the union creates...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Dec. 18
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Dec. 18....
Editorial cartoons for the week of Dec. 18
Editorial cartoons for the week of Dec. 18....
Michael Reagan: Shut the open door to America
We’ve got Israel looking for billions. We’ve got Ukraine begging for more billions. And the president and Democrats can’t wait another day to cut fat checks for both countries. Thank God the Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives are telling Democrats that before we dish out money to...
Letter to the editor: Border lessons from the Roman Empire
One of the main reasons the 1,000-year Roman Empire collapsed was that the rulers did not secure the borders. The Visigoths, the Lombards, the Vandals and other barbarians streamed over the borders, killed Romans and destroyed Roman society. Think about it, long and hard! Maria Maliszewski Brackenridge...
Letter to the editor: Help for caregivers during holidays
The holiday season can be a stressful time for many, but for the more than 400,000 family and friends serving as unpaid caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia in Pennsylvania, the holidays can be especially challenging. In Pennsylvania, 22% of caregivers report feeling depressed and 56% have a...
Editorial: The best use of opioid settlement funds
Pennsylvania’s share of settlements with opioid manufacturers and from retailers like CVS and Walgreens is huge. The state will receive more than $2 billion. It’s the kind of significant outlay that hasn’t been seen since the tobacco settlement of 1998. The money will roll in over 18 years and be...
Letter to the editor: Dangers of dishonoring an oath
To quote an underrated statement, “Words do matter.” A complete understanding of that statement is required the moment a person in public trust takes an oath of office that begins their commitment to those they serve. An oath of office is a solemn commitment by public officials to uphold the...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Courthouse holiday displays spread cheer, hope
The return of a holiday display — a Christmas tree and a framed depiction of a menorah — in the public square outside the Westmoreland County Courthouse is a small thing when compared to the big events of the day, but if it helps spread the holiday spirit, it may...
