Opinion category, Page 230
Letter to the editor: Climate change is natural
In reference to global warming, all temperature comparisons start around 1880, after the end of the mini ice age which lasted from 1300 to 1850 AD. Of course, temperatures must rise, just as they do in spring. Climate change is natural. It was 3.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer 3,300 years ago;...
Paul Kengor: The Middle East’s element of surprise
On June 5, 1967, at 7:45 a.m. Jerusalem time, the young nation of Israel sent nearly its entire Air Force on a top-secret bombing run. In total, that was almost 200 fighter aircraft. Only about a dozen planes were left behind. In mere hours (if that), the Israelis wiped out...
Colin Kohlhaas: Today’s white working-class young men who turn to racist violence are part of a long, sad American history
In recent years, the United States has seen a surge of white supremacist mass shootings against racial minorities. While not always the case, mass shooters tend to be young white men. Some journalists and researchers have argued that class and ideals of white masculinity are partly to blame. This argument...
Peter Morici: Biden gets no credit for the improved U.S. economy — but that won’t cost him votes
The U.S. economy and voter polls have been delivering both good and bad news to Joe Biden, but Republicans have more to worry about than what voters think of the U.S. president. U.S. inflation has moderated and jobs growth is generally robust. Voters feel better about the economy, but don’t...
Letter to the editor: Happy with Biden?
For those of you who voted for Joe Biden, ask yourself the following questions: Has Bidenomics affected your standard of living? If you are an investor, have you been happy with the way your investments are performing? Are you happy with his border policy? Are you thrilled with a “woke”...
Letter to the editor: Yakopec devoted to job, community
I highly recommend District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec for reelection Nov. 7. She has shown that she is dedicated to her only job as a judge to make fair and just decisions, especially in these times of uncertainty. She also goes the extra step to help people who cannot vote...
Editorial: DA Zappala needs to build bridges instead of playing politics
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. should not be surprised at remarks from Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey. In August, the DA released what he called a “briefing” but what felt more like an odd campaign video. Rather than providing an update on cases on the horizon, Zappala used...
Letter to the editor: Greed the motive for automaker CEOs
Recent Trib articles on the workers strike at GM and Stellantis were eye-opening. The CEOs’ compensation of $21 million to $29 million yearly is indeed staggering. Using an average of $25 million, the CEOs earn $12,000 per hour, or $96,000 a day, which is more than the yearly median household...
David J. Marmins: Kiski School deserves support
I graduated from the Kiski School in 1987, so I am a contemporary of David Conrad, who wrote an eloquent op-ed lamenting the decision of our alma mater to begin accepting girls next year (“What The Kiski School has lost,” Oct. 9, TribLIVE). David went so far as to speak...
Jonah Goldberg: Who’s to blame for Hamas attack on Israel — debate already off the rails
Within hours of the slaughter in Israel, the question of Israel’s “massive intelligence failure” — as many have called it — came to dominate a lot of the media coverage and conversation. On one level, this is entirely defensible. Israeli officials acknowledge the obvious fact that it was, with the...
Letter to the editor: Plenty of justification for Trump impeachment
Regarding the op-ed “The impeachment to end them all” (Sept. 30, TribLIVE): While the “where there’s smoke there’s fire” justification for the President Biden inquiry has some merit, May Mailman’s completely inaccurate representation of the facts of the President Trump impeachment does not. The “untrustworthy” accusations were shown to be...
Letter to the editor: Wake-up call from Reagan’s son
Just read an opinion by none other than Ronald Reagan’s son Michael (“House Republicans need to grow up,” Oct. 9, TribLIVE). I would urge every Republican to read this piece. It is truly a wake-up call from one of your own. I also urge Democrats to read it, as I...
Letter to the editor: Biden is no visionary
The writer of the letter “Flags fly in support of Biden” (Sept. 24, TribLIVE) speaks of President Biden’s greatness and vision. Well, let’s look at the facts. • In 2022, Biden permitted the largest undocumented immigrant crossing in our country’s history, 2.4 million, and with them came disease, crime and...
Letter to the editor: Our Bucs have heart
I know there has been a focus on the Pirates securing their fifth losing season in a row and their 27th losing season out of the last 31, but I have to say that this is the first year in at least a decade that I was avidly listening to...
Stephen Herzenberg: Pa. must invest in career-related learning for high school students
This week, the state’s Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC) will meet in Pittsburgh to gather testimony from educators and education advocates on the state of public education in Pennsylvania. Considering the Commonwealth Court’s ruling this year declaring the state’s funding of public education to be unconstitutional, the BEFC is tasked...
Editorial: Domestic violence bill would acknowledge reality
Domestic abuse doesn’t always look like a black eye or a broken wrist. Physical abuse is the most identifiable because it can be seen. It’s the abuse we know from television, movies and public service announcements. There also is emotional abuse. There is verbal and psychological abuse. There is isolation...
Dov Waxman: Hamas assault echoes 1973 Arab-Israeli war — a shock attack and questions of political, intelligence culpability
The parallels were striking — and surely not coincidental. Exactly 50 years and a day after being taken completely off guard by a coordinated military attack by its neighbors — Egypt and Syria — Israel was again caught by surprise. Early on Oct. 7, Hamas militants invaded southern Israel by...
Elwood Watson: History in the House
Oct. 3, 2023, will go down in American history as the first time a speaker of the House was expelled from Congress by his own peers. Kevin McCarthy, a man consumed of blind personal ambition and self-interest, was shown the exit door by his congressional colleagues. Eight Republicans — Andy...
Aaron Pilkington: The Israel-Hamas war — no matter who loses, Iran wins
There will be only one winner in the war that has broken out between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. And it is neither Israel nor Hamas. In an operation coined “the Al-Aqsa Storm,” Hamas, whose formal name is the Islamic Resistance Movement, fired thousands of rockets into Israel...
Letter to the editor: Leaders should be penalized for budget inaction
Invariably, another nail-biter on funding the government is met with continuing resolution to fund the government until Nov. 17 and avoid a shutdown. This extension allows Congress another 48 days to do its work. Have we all forgotten the long-standing fiscal year (June-July) was established in 1873? Then, in 1974,...
Letter to the editor: Presidents should serve all, not just one side
The president of the United States should strive to represent as many segments of the country as is possible and practical under our political system of government. Even the effort to do so on the part of our chief executives and representatives in the past few years has been lacking,...
Editorial: Indiana shooting shows gun violence isn’t just in cities
Gun violence in cities is something sadly familiar to everyone. We are not surprised to hear of a death toll in an American city over the weekend. We have ceased to be shocked by news of one or two or more shot on any given day in New York or...
Letter to the editor: Senate’s dress code preoccupation
I will sleep comforted knowing that the U.S. Senate has resolved that “… a coat, tie and slacks or other long pants …” are mandatory attire when members of that august body take to the Senate floor. I fully expect that the Professional Golf Association will soon follow by warning...
Note on election-related letters
The Tribune-Review will accept submissions of election-related letters until Oct. 21. Election-related letters will not be published after Oct. 29....
Tom Purcell: We need a rebirth of empathy
When I read a news piece about the passing of longtime California senator Dianne Feinstein a few weeks ago, some of the comments left at the bottom of the online article made me sad. Feinstein suffered a very public health decline before she passed. Anyone with the slightest sense of...
