Opinion category, Page 357
Letter to the editor: Vote to make Pa. more welcoming
I am a local physician who has been practicing in Greensburg and Latrobe since 2009. I would like to point out that some of my physician colleagues are not white. Some are not Christian. Some are immigrants. And they are the kindest, most caring and most morally upstanding people you...
Letter to the editor: Oz’s dual citizenship a concern
The fact that Dr. Mehmet Oz is accused of being a wealthy carpetbagger from New Jersey, or the fact that he gets confused about what Pennsylvania grocery store he is in, or the fact that he uses the pretentious French term “crudités” for a simple vegetable tray, does not disqualify...
Letter to the editor: Our voting system works
In response to Debbie Buffer’s letter “Why is voter ID a bad thing?” (Aug. 15, TribLIVE): 1. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. According to Donald Trump’s attorney general, William Barr, 2020 was the most secure election ever, and his statement was supported by all of the recounts in...
Letter to the editor: Leaders must help prevent wrong-way crashes
How many highways must someone drive the wrong way down before we can make PennDOT take a stand? The answer, my friend, is in our legislators’ hands; the answer should be all over this land. On July 25, nearly a dozen people, including eight children, were taken to the hospital...
Letter to the editor: Catchy names don’t help Americans
Amazing how quickly our politicians have learned that it’s not what’s in the many bills they vote on. It’s giving them a catchy name. This automatically sells it to the masses of blind faith followers. Who can vote against the Save the Puppies Bill even if it contains millions to...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: We need leaders who support our laws
For most of my life, politicians in both parties have stood for law and order, and Republicans have been traditionally strong in their support. But while my Republican friends quickly denounced the Jan. 6 violence by the far right, a large group of Republicans chose safe reelection over their party’s...
Nicholas Goldberg: Is there anything Democrats and Republicans won’t fight about?
It’s gotten to the point where even the most obviously nonpartisan issues that Americans ought to be able to address cooperatively and rationally have fallen victim to the country’s culture of extreme political polarization. Hostility has grown so intense, especially on the Republican side, that subjects that should be entirely...
Ellen Jovin: How fighting over grammar can help fix a divided America
Four years ago, I decided I needed to host a pop-up grammar-advice stand. The plan was simple: I’d sit on the streets of New York City and help people with their questions. I ordered a folding table, drew a “Grammar Table” sign and waited for the weather to cool. On...
Letter to the editor: Democratic magicians
Just as many of the great magicians in history, the career politicians of the Democratic Party have become masters of misdirection. The Clintons, Obamas and Bidens have perfected this art. Any time they want to draw attention away from their self-serving and corrupt operations, they drag out Donald Trump. They...
Letter to the editor: Media trying to prevent Trump from running again
It is not social media causing problems with people taking things into their own hands. It is the liberal press; I think they’ve been lying about President Trump, calling him a Russian spy and now accusing him of espionage over nuclear secrets, just to try and prevent him from running...
Sounding off: Abortion, state of nation, voter ID, Jan. 6 among hot topics
More important issues than abortion We all thought the abortion issue was decided long ago. I am weary of all the coverage devoted to it over the years. Every election, the subject is brought out and debated again, mainly by men who would rather make a show of power by...
Letter to the editor: We need Wolf’s stimulus checks
Pennsylvania citizens: I am writing to prompt you to write or call your state senator and representative regarding the $2,000 stimulus checks Gov. Tom Wolf wishes to give all Pennsylvania citizens. Wolf would like to give every Pennsylvania citizen who makes $80,000 or less a check for $2,000. I wrote...
Editorial: Westmoreland commissioners should be open about settlement money
Watch movies or television shows with cartels and kingpins, and you come away with one message pretty quickly: Drug money can make things go bad in a hurry. A lot of money plus little trust equals suspicion. It’s not just a fictional truism. You can see it in criminal court...
Letter to the editor: A thief is a thief, no excuses
The tempest in a beer can that is the FBI retrieval of unreturned government property from Mar-a-Lago brings to mind this scenario: You throw a party for your spouse, parent, etc. After the guests leave, you discover many pieces of your silverware are missing. Fortunately, a friend remembers seeing “Jim”...
Gary Franks: The Trump reality show and the media’s addiction
I trust we all would agree that addictions — whether it’s drugs, alcohol, gambling or anything else — are not healthy. So why not define former President Donald Trump as a media addiction? Yes, the mainstream media (both left and right), cable stations, social media, newspapers and radio are all...
S.E. Cupp: Biden should speak fully on his plans to run in 2024 or not
“The president has said he’s planning on running again. People should take him at his word.” That was Anita Dunn, a top adviser to President Biden, sounding very confident in her insistence Biden will seek a second term — and almost indignant that the question is being raised at all....
Editorial: Lawmakers’ big raises are an affront to Pa. taxpayers
Aren’t raises great? Everyone likes more money. Everyone appreciates finding out that hard work and service to an employer is rewarded with a little bit extra in the bank account. For too many people, that just doesn’t happen. There are pay freezes. There are sad conversations about how valuable you...
Nathan Benefield: Families need a rein on inflation, not shortsighted spending gimmicks
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) hit a 40-year high in June, with an increase of 9.1% over last year before holding steady in July. According to one analysis, inflation is costing American families about $500 per month in higher prices. Americans are feeling the pain, with a recent Quinnipiac poll...
Letter to the editor: Westmoreland Transit drivers know system best
In the article “Westmoreland transit touts rider gains” (Aug. 11, TribLIVE), the Westmoreland County Transit Authority told of the welcome, slowly growing increase in ridership. Also mentioned was the possibility of hiring a consultant to “review and design a new route structure.” I’m sure, if the Westmoreland Transit managers asked...
Letter to the editor: Klein’s commitment to Harrison unquestionable
As a former Harrison Township commissioner and police commissioner, it was an honor to serve with Mike Klein. Not only is he one of the best police chiefs to serve Harrison Township, but he has been one of the best police chiefs in Western Pennsylvania. His unwavering commitment to protecting...
Lori Falce: Veggie trays or crudite? The battle for Pa. votes
Who could have predicted that carrots and broccoli would have such an impact on politics? Every day at parties, barbecues and receptions of all kinds, platters of produce are being ignored in favor of chips, cookies, pizza and tiny little sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania is taking...
Letter to the editor: Trump brings it on himself
There have been several letters in the last several weeks defending former President Donald Trump and complaining of the “witch hunts” and the constant mainstream media “negative” coverage of him. First off, the never-ending Nazi-like Trump rallies and him hinting at a 2024 run keep him front and center, so...
Paul Kengor: Telling stories, David McCullough’s enduring recipe for success
I just turned in a book manuscript. My editor gave me the publisher’s standard questionnaire for authors. Among the questions was if I preferred my acknowledgments section at the start or end of the book. I was aghast. I told my editor that the very notion of opening a book...
Laurels & lances: Celebrating concerts, condemning crime
Laurel: To a real comeback. Pittsburgh has always been a place to catch some truly amazing music — whether you are talking about at a local bar or small venue or in a traveling theater production. But is there anything like a big stadium show? There really isn’t. And yet,...
Moira Conway: Pa. communities must consider the impact of warehousing growth
With the onset of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020, e-commerce took on a newly important role in delivering necessary items, and truckers, warehouse workers and distribution-center workers have been recognized as essential. An issue often overlooked, however, is the growing impact of warehousing and distribution centers within the communities in...
