Opinion category, Page 272
Letter to the editor: We’re a republic, not a democracy
“The Justice Department will never stop working to defend the democracy to which all Americans are entitled,” Attorney General Merrick Garland recently told reporters after the Proud Boys conviction. The United States is not a democracy and was never intended to be a democracy. The United States is a republic!...
Letter to the editor: Sensible gun laws will help us back the blue
A recent feature article regarding law enforcement line-of-duty deaths was truly disheartening and speaks to our culture of gun violence. Eight local officers who lost their lives while serving our communities were highlighted. Five of those eight officers were fatally shot while responding to domestic disputes. At least some of...
Editorial: Could simple maintenance have prevented the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse?
The Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in January 2022 was not just a calamity for Pittsburgh. It was an alarm bell for every community with an uncoated, weathering, steel bridge like the one that fell into a Frick Park ravine. On Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a report that...
Letter to the editor: Join the Alzheimer’s fight
The Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging local volunteers to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. An estimated 6.7 million Americans 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s. Here in Pennsylvania, there are more than 280,000. As the size of...
Letter to the editor: Questions for Christians
I have a few questions to Americans who call themselves Christians and their clergy. How can Christians turn their backs on innocent people fleeing war-torn or gang- and drug cartel-ridden countries, who flee only because their lives are at stake, especially since our country has been one of the greatest...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: The new politics nothing like the old
They’re gonna dance with the ones that brung ‘em. That is still true in politics. And it is a good thing in terms of the currency of human relationships — loyalty, gratitude, friendship — as long as it does not get in the way of the job for which a...
Yarone Zober: Innamorato needs big action for an Allegheny County that has been thinking small
In January 2024, after 12 years as Allegheny County chief executive, 64-year-old Rich “Fitz” Fitzgerald will be replaced. If voting patterns hold, his successor, in a county with a Democratic voter registration edge of 2-1 over Republicans, will be Tuesday’s newly minted Democratic nominee for the seat, 37-year-old Sara Innamorato,...
Shoshanah Inwood and Florence Becot: U.S. farm bill may finally aid young farmers
Kerissa and Charlie Payne are beginning farmers living their dream of raising two daughters on a farm in Central Ohio. By conventional measures, their livestock farm, Covey Rise, is a success. Yet below the surface, the challenge of finding quality affordable child care has kept their business from growing and...
Cheri Bustos and Reid Ribble: To protect our children and democracy, we need a commonsense approach to social media reform
Technology has transformed the way we live, the way we communicate with one another and the way we relate to the world around us. It also has deepened the political and cultural divisions so prevalent in society today, but Americans are united on at least one point: Most people agree...
Letter to the editor: To stem mass killings, we must turn back to God
I would like to make a comment regarding the front-page headline in the May 9 print edition, “Mass killings: Why so many?”: The question was answered by the letter to the editor, “We must turn back to God” (May 1, TribLIVE). Helen Cindrich North Versailles The writer is executive director...
Sounding off: Biden, plastic bags, extremists, national debt, Trump, wildlife rules, money for migrants
Biden, a modern-day Nero So, according to most recent polling, President Biden’s approval rating bounces from just below to just above 40%. It’s hard for me to imagine that 40% of the country thinks he is doing a good job. Let’s leave Donald Trump out of the conversation. He’s been...
Letter to the editor: Biden, a modern-day Nero
So, according to most recent polling, President Biden’s approval rating bounces from just below to just above 40%. It’s hard for me to imagine that 40% of the country thinks he is doing a good job. Let’s leave Donald Trump out of the conversation. He’s been out of office for...
Editorial: Why did trimming executives take IUP so long?
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is making some staffing cuts. When this happens, people often expect to see the pain start at the bottom. Cut a few new hires. Freeze approval of replacements. Encourage some retirements. Let some openings go through attrition. It’s common in business. It’s very common in education,...
Letter to the editor: May a good time to learn about ALS
Each year, the American Hospital Association publishes a calendar of health-related dates so providers can plan relevant community events, create awareness about various health concerns and educate the public about prevention, signs and symptoms of health issues. May is no exception and includes Stroke Awareness Month, Mental Health Month, Melanoma/Skin...
Gary Franks: America is in an unconventional war
Wars come in many forms. Let us remember how some historic confrontations have been won. David beat Goliath — David had an unconventional weapon (a stone and slingshot), and he killed Goliath. Goliath clearly underestimated David. American early settlers used an unconventional weapon (a gun) to defeat the Native Americans....
S.E. Cupp: Why are Dems following GOP abortion extremism?
Never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity, as the old saying goes. As Republicans venture further off into the extremes, pushing regressive and unpopular culture war policies, Democrats have made the most of the GOP’s missteps. In three consecutive election cycles — 2018, 2020 and 2022 — Democrats have...
John W. Diamond: Banks, Fed preparing for U.S. default — and chaos to follow
Convening war rooms, planning speedy bailouts and raising house-on-fire alarm bells: Those are a few of the ways the biggest banks and financial regulators are preparing for a potential default on U.S. debt. “You hope it doesn’t happen, but hope is not a strategy — so you prepare for it,”...
Letter to the editor: Brighter intersection dividers could prevent wrong-way crashes
The letter “Route 30 needs attention now” (May 8, TribLIVE) reminded me of a suggestion to help prevent wrong-way accidents: If those “very low” dividers at intersections were painted bright yellow and “maintained bright,” it could make the drivers more aware of the direction they are traveling. Hope this suggestion...
Letter to the editor: No porn in Hempfield
I’m not a person who fights or gets involved in public spats. I’m a regular parent who can’t sit silent anymore on important discussions involving children and pornographic books. The other side is loud, organized and backed by mainstream media. I’m not for censorship, I’m for individuals making up their...
Letter to the editor: Effects of living in the MSM cavern
Might I suggest to the writer of the letter “Fox News isn’t ‘news’ at all” (April 26, TribLIVE) that he leave the mainstream media cavern that shields its occupants from the truth? The bane of living in the cavern is manifest in those Heaven’s Gate followers never to see/hear of...
Lori Falce: The ironic Venn diagram of Montana and China
I love a Venn diagram. You know, those charts made of overlapping circles that show what different spheres have in common? Take Democrats and Republicans, for example. The two parties have tons of differences that could make them seem miles apart on everything from taxation to regulation to immigration. But...
Letter to the editor: Lawmakers shouldn’t allow children to be exploited
It was depressing to read the article “States chip away at child labor laws” (April 23). This past century, we fought hard for laws to protect workers against unfair labor practices and to protect our children against exploitation. Stories of our youth in sweat shops, mills and mines still are...
Laurels & lances: Selection and election
Laurel: To reaching a milestone. The slow march to justice for the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting achieved one goal Wednesday when the jury pool was settled. It took four weeks to whittle down hundreds of prospective jurors called for possible service in the death penalty case. The pool stands at 69...
Letter to the editor: Jail inmates deserve humane care
Another death occurred at the Allegheny County Jail. James Washington, age 42, was in intake on May 7, tested positive for opiates and died the following day. The recent National Commission on Correctional Health Care’s Mortality Report concerning the Allegheny County Jail stated the following: “The facility has a ‘detox...
Colin McNickle: The wrong kind of ‘growth’ for Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh’s office vacancy rate grew worse in the first quarter of 2023. And it likely will continue to do so for years, finds a new analysis by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy. “It doesn’t appear the upward trend is going to change anytime soon,” concludes Frank Gamrat, executive director...
