Opinion category, Page 220
Editorial: Joe Manchin’s decision could mean more political ads in Pennsylvania
It is exhausting to be politically important. Pennsylvanians have barely recovered from the 2022 U.S. Senate campaign between then-Lt. Gov. John Fetterman on the Democratic side and Republican nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz. That was followed by Fetterman’s post-inaugural hospitalization for depression. Then there was the controversy over his penchant for...
Letter to the editor: Time to end apartheid in Israel
It is with sadness and frustration that I witness my country’s role in supporting the apartheid government of Israel. It seems that we champion human rights everywhere on the planet except for the Palestinian people. Their plight over the last 75 years is like no other group. They were displaced...
Tom Purcell: Footing a fast-growing debt-service bill
Well, that didn’t take as long as expected. In case you missed it, our federal government is now paying more than $1 trillion a year to service just the interest on our national debt — $200 billion more than we spend on our military. Why are we suddenly paying so...
Rep. Bryan Cutler: RGGI decision and executive overreach
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court rightly recently rejected an effort by prior Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration to unlawfully impose an energy tax on Pennsylvanians by entering the state into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is a multi-state compact that would ultimately lead to higher energy taxes on Pennsylvania consumers...
Aaron Moore: Too many pardons? No — way too few.
You may have seen the news last January that outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf had granted 2,540 pardons over his two terms. They were recommended by the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, which you’ve probably never heard of. This past week, that board recommended 114 more people for pardons, bringing their total...
Rick Santorum: My point on Election Night
On Newsmax last week, I commented on the passage of the Ohio initiatives that created constitutional rights to recreational marijuana and abortion. I stated that “pure democracies are not the way to run a country.” Columnist Lori Falce posited that I am “not a fan of letting people make decisions...
Bruce Ledewitz: I sent $1,000 to the Dean Phillips’ Democratic presidential campaign — here’s why
Joe Biden has done a very good job as president. I want to see his record vigorously and effectively defended in the 2024 presidential election. Because of his age, I don’t think Biden is the right candidate to do that. That is why I sent a campaign contribution to U.S....
Letter to the editor: Focus on effects, not causes, of DUI
In the op-ed “Commercial pot push comes with great risks to public safety” (Nov. 6, TribLIVE), Edward Wood conflates cause and effect. There are many causes of DUI, all equally bad. Marijuana isn’t better or worse; it is just a cause. People currently drive under the influence of illegal drugs....
Letter to the editor: Our country needs a leader
After recently watching a political commercial I found out I am a radical extremest for being pro-life. Then while reading your opinion page, I see that Ray Epps was forced to stand with the so-called insurgents by the Republicans (“We must stop hate and fearmongering,” Nov. 4, TribLIVE). I am...
Editorial: Major’s bill isn’t ‘see you later, alligator’
State Rep. Abby Major isn’t looking to make exotic pets illegal in Pennsylvania. She knows people like their boa constrictors and tarantulas and potentially enormous reptiles. But the 60th District legislator would like to enforce a little more responsibility. She has introduced legislation to make the law have a little...
Letter to the editor: What’s the real state of our economy?
I see many letters in the opinion section decrying the state of our economy as a “disaster.” This seems to be at odds with the actual news reporting section of the paper, which has stories of record low unemployment, record holiday retail sales, record wage increases , record airline travel...
Editorial cartoons for the week of Nov. 13
Editorial cartoons for the week of Nov. 13....
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Nov. 13
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Nov. 13....
Viewpoint 2: A 4-day workweek is a win-win for all
The four-day workweek has gained increasing traction over the past decade because of technological advancements, improved productivity and pandemic shifts in the labor market. The covid-19 pandemic gave us a chance to reimagine the work-life balance, and we should continue on that path by truly considering the benefits of the...
Letter to the editor: Government-run slavery at county jail
At a recent Jail Oversight Board meeting, a motion by Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam to pay incarcerated workers for their labor failed after receiving five abstentions. County Controller Corey O’Connor, one of the abstainers, remarked, “County council should pass the budget first, and then we should have the conversation.”...
Letter to the editor: Condemning Hamas
If you live in Iran and are brave enough to speak up, by all means condemn Hamas. But if you live in the U.S., and are brave enough to speak up, you should condemn your government’s supply of blind support and weapons to Israel. Every time I see someone condemn...
Editorial: It’s time to figure out marijuana in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvanians can use marijuana for anxiety or epilepsy. They can use it to ease the side effects of chemotherapy or the symptoms of post-traumatic stress. There are 23 different medical conditions that will qualify someone for a card allowing them to access medical marijuana. There is one reason that is...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Voters want public officials who govern
Our local political fever may have broken last Tuesday in Allegheny County’s general election. In both the county executive and district attorney races, after a string of recent successes by progressive candidates, the voters brought local politics back toward the center. That may be good for the entire region. Democrat...
Viewpoint 1: 40-hour workweek is under scrutiny
Technology is making the 40-hour workweek an outmoded tradition. Historically, the workweek concept was based on the cycle of working from sunup to sundown, stopping either because the necessary work got done or it got too dark to see. The invention of gaslights in the late 19th century, followed by...
Mark Z. Barabak: Overwhelmed? Confused? Here’s what to make of all those presidential polls.
The New York Times recently released polling from a half-dozen political battleground states, and you might have thought Moses himself had descended Mt. Sinai with a commandment: Thus shall be decided the 2024 presidential race. The findings weren’t good for the Democratic incumbent. President Joe Biden trails the serially indicted...
Letter to the editor: Do NFL referees get commissions?
I enjoy watching the Pittsburgh Steelers whether they are winning or losing. Of course, winning is more fun. This season I’ve noticed a disproportionate number of “roughing the passer” calls being made, not only against T.J. Watt, but against other defensive players as well. This begs the question: Do NFL...
Sounding off: Politics and religion, Israel, school choice among week’s topics
Religion and politics shouldn’t mix Why are we relying on writings over centuries old to provide answers and solace to problems? Some quote the Bible, shouting “it has the answers.” To me, the Bible, is a book of fantasy stories written by individuals who at that time believed mostly in...
Letter to the editor: Religion and politics shouldn’t mix
Why are we relying on writings over centuries old to provide answers and solace to problems? Some quote the Bible, shouting “it has the answers.” To me, the Bible, is a book of fantasy stories written by individuals who at that time believed mostly in superstitions. Yet we sit back...
Editorial: Older veterans need more support
Like Pennsylvania’s population overall, the veteran population is aging. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 37.1% of veterans are senior citizens. The largest group at 41.2% is those aged 45 to 64, meaning those approaching or planning for retirement. Only 21% are under age 45. That means more...
S.E. Cupp: On abortion, lessons not learned by Republicans
On Tuesday night, voters in a handful of important states gave us a crucial temperature check on the state of the union leading up to the 2024 presidential election — and it’s not good news for Republicans. In Virginia, the very popular Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin was hoping his party...
