Opinion category, Page 337
Letter to the editor: Vote for candidates who will secure border, keep funding for police
I don’t know how any parents with school-age children can vote for a candidate, regardless of party, who won’t secure our southern border. We are losing our children from drugs being brought into our country by illegal immigrants every day. It is sad that we as a country are allowing...
Letter to the editor: Thoughts on abortion, voting
Some comments regarding the upcoming election: A recent poll of the “over 50” population taken by AARP indicates that the third highest concern is abortion. This is ahead of immigration/border security, Social Security, Medicare, government spending, taxes and voting rights! Why is someone over 50 so concerned about abortion to...
Letter to the editor: GOP’s refusal to tally votes early results in chaos
It would be gratifying to believe that results from the critical upcoming midterm election would be available on the evening that in-person balloting takes place. That hope is virtually certain to be dashed. As we have seen in recent elections, Pennsylvanians appreciate the convenience of mail-in balloting. Consequently, a large...
Editorial: Is getting the most votes the best measure of a coroner?
The coroner’s office in a Pennsylvania county is where the justice system and public health collide. Coroners are responsible for investigating the deaths that aren’t from an acknowledged and medically attended reason. They determine whether someone died of an overdose. They have been an important part of evaluating the impact...
Letter to the editor: This Republican can’t vote Republican now
An open letter to the Republican Party: I have been a registered Republican for over four decades. The GOP always stood for less government, less spending and commonsense legislation. Now, however, I find that my GOP has changed to the party of banning personal freedoms, spending the Social Security funds...
Letter to the editor: Consider candidates’ agendas before voting
When our “Greatest Generation” fought World War II, they did so to preserve our American traditionalism of God, family and country. Yet every day we witness their erosion piece by piece. If one believes in all three, God, family and country, he or she is often labeled a racist, supremacist...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Dr. Oz’s cruel experiments dog his campaign
“Every dog has its day” means that sooner or later, everyone will have a moment of great influence. For actual dogs, that moment might be the upcoming election between Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz and Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman for Pennsylvania U.S. senator. A recent ad paid for by the...
Point: Inflation is not the main issue in the election
The media have been obsessed with inflation for the last year and a half, reporting that this is the only economic issue that matters to people. In the real world, people have other things to worry about, like jobs. Jobs are a huge deal for most people since it is...
Counterpoint: Focus on policy, not politics, this election
Sometimes the quieter political issues have more to say. High-decibel culture warriors have been getting people riled up over everything from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” remake to a woman playing a flute. But more important things are going on right now, such as the highest inflation in 40 years. And...
Letter to the editor: Before voting, ask yourself if you’re happy with …
I pose a simple question to our voters: Are you happy with the following? 1. Soaring costs of necessities such as groceries, gasoline, utilities and housing. 2. China’s purchase of huge swaths of U.S. real estate such as farmland — some reported in proximity to U.S. military installations. 3. Unsecure...
Sounding off: As election approaches, readers share thoughts on parties, candidates
The moderates need to take charge It’s supposed to be majority rule and minority representation, but instead we have a noisy and dangerous left and right minority turning things upside down. Moderate conservative Republicans have no home in today’s Republican Party, and centrist Democrats see the radical left calling too...
Letter to the editor: Fetterman on crime, lieutenant governor’s mansion
I have two subjects I would like Lt. Gov. John Fetterman to address. First, he states he lowered crime in Braddock. That is a partial truth. If you go on crime websites and look for Braddock, they show “major” crime decreased. However, “minor” crime remained the same. We are talking...
Letter to the editor: Vote Democrat to solve our real problems
Heading into the midterm election, we face a lot of real problems. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused worldwide inflation. Ballooning medical and college costs have been squeezing families for years. A changing climate is driving stronger storms and worse floods. Democrats have been working hard — for example, the...
Editorial: Gunfire makes us all innocent bystanders
Innocent bystanders. It is a phrase of absolution. It says that in a particular instance, these people were not in the wrong. On Oct. 15, three people were killed in Pittsburgh’s North Side when an argument in a parking lot jumped from a war of words to a gunfight. Jacquelyn...
Letter to the editor: Abortion is a woman’s issue
New anti-abortion laws in Louisiana criminalize women who have miscarriages with suspicion of crimes that potentially carry the death penalty. Five to 25% of all pregnancies end in spontaneous miscarriage. These are devastating events for the women involved. Now these women are going to be put through more trauma! One...
Letter to the editor: Abortion is the No. 1 issue
It is my opinion that the No. 1 issue in this year’s election — other than skyrocketing inflation or millions of immigrants being welcomed with open arms into our country or President Biden signing an executive order that allows the government to spy on Americans to assess “political instability” —...
Gary Franks: Black tribal voting must stop
America seeks to be a melting pot. Ideally, we seek to evaluate people, organizations, performances, records, visions and conditions not based on skin color or party affiliation, but on merit. Otherwise, you can be prejudged. For example, if you are a Black American, there is a more than 90% chance...
Nathan Benefield: Pa. is epicenter of Democrats’ political spending
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Shapiro’s overflowing campaign coffers underscore the importance of Pennsylvania to national politics — and the influence of government unions in elections. With four weeks remaining until the midterm elections, Shapiro reported raising a whopping $25.4 million in his latest campaign-finance report, bringing his total to a...
Brittany Crampsie: On the economy, Democrats deliver
A plurality of Pennsylvanians and Americans rate the economy as the most important issue right now. As we approach the midterm elections, economic arguments are the focal points of most campaigns. In most years, this works to the detriment of the Democratic Party, but this year could be different. Year...
Letter to the editor: Abortion is not health care
Abortion is not health care. Liberals can sugarcoat it any way they want, but abortion is premeditated (“to plan or consider beforehand”) murder (“the intentional killing of one human being by another”). I could not imagine a more odious (“highly offensive, disgusting, hateful”) act. What have we become? Godless barbarians...
Letter to the editor: Absurdities of Trump
When I think of French philosopher Voltaire’s words — “Truly, whoever can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities” — my thoughts are immediately drawn to Donald J. Trump, former president and perpetrator of lies, hate, discord, etc. An instigator who has created instability and uncertainty among U.S....
Letter to the editor: Where was ‘choice’ on covid vaccines?
The Democratic Party’s major catchphrase to lure young women to vote for them is in fact a double standard lie. If a woman wants an abortion, that is her right, because “her body, her choice,” but when members of our military and police forces and our municipal employees chose not...
Letter to the editor: Legislators favor donors over constituents
Polls show the majority of citizens support Pennsylvania joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative with the benefits of increased job growth and decreased pollution and carbon emission. However, our Legislature, with the backing of the fossil-fuel industry, has been blocking that effort. They have gone to court to stop us...
Lori Falce: Is it fair to criticize a candidate for a health problem?
Ableism refers to attitudes or actions that make assumptions about or throw roadblocks in front of people dealing with a handicap or medical issue. Sometimes it is intentional. Sometimes it is uncaring. Sometimes it is simply unaware. But ableism also is frequently correctable — just like the medical issues in...
Letter to the editor: Allegheny County appeals board should do its job
Allegheny County’s Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review is performing a disservice to taxpayers. The board shut the entire hearing process down indefinitely. Its solicitor says it is a “waste of resources” to continue having hearings until a court appeal is resolved. The county executive has publicly said it...
