Opinion category, Page 507
Letter to the editor: Don’t follow Republican advice on these ballot questions
Many conservatives feel betrayed by their Republican state representatives for actively championing Act 77 in 2019, prior to covid-19, for legalized no-excuse mail-in ballots, which I believe is a Democratic initiative similar to defunding the police. Our May 18 primary will have four ballot questions. Again, our Republican Legislature wants...
Editorial: Nurses provide the healing touch, hand to hand
The medical profession has been built by hardship. People go in for all kinds of mundane things now. Refill this prescription for headaches. Get a few stitches on a cut from a fall. A referral for physical therapy or a pregnancy test. But what built the legion of medical professionals...
Letter to the editor: Vote ‘no’ on Pa. amendments
In the movie “Horse Feathers,” Groucho Marx sings, “I don’t know what they have to say / It makes no difference anyway / Whatever it is, I’m against it / No matter what it is or who commenced it / I’m against it.” The GOP’s proposed amendments to the Pennsylvania...
Pat Buchanan: Biden vs. Biden on ‘Is America a racist country?’
“Hear me clearly: America is not a racist country.” So declared Sen. Tim Scott, a Black Republican, in his televised rebuttal to President Biden’s address to Congress. Asked the next day what he thought of Scott’s statement, Biden said he agrees. “No, I don’t think the American people are racist.”...
Leonard Pitts Jr.: Missing the days of thoughtful debate
Thirty years ago, when I was still a music critic, I received a letter from a lady who informed me in no uncertain terms that I didn’t know what I was talking about. This was after I’d written about the origins of gospel music, a subject on which I considered...
Linda Kerns: Judges should be faithful to Constitution
Pennsylvanians elect judges in odd years. More accurately, a small percentage of Pennsylvanians participate in these “off year” elections so that even though we have over 8 million registered voters, only about a million voters (12% ) weigh in on who should take the bench. That should worry those who...
Letter to the editor: Kings another lockdown casualty
Congratulations, Gov. Wolf — another casualty of your onerous lockdowns. The Kings Family Restaurant in Salem was unable to pull itself out of the death spiral that you forced upon it (“Kings restaurant on Route 66 in Salem closes after more than 3 decades,” April 27, TribLIVE). The “Closed” sign...
Letter to the editor: Ramey the leader Franklin Regional needs
Traci Eshelman Ramey would be an excellent school board member for the Franklin Regional School District. She is a self-starter and problem-solver committed to education. Ramey started a local company that taught foreign language skills to children because she understands the value of bilingualism in children at an early age....
Letter to the editor: Pittsburgh’s carbon neutrality vow
It’s great to see Pittsburgh and U.S. Steel committing to carbon neutrality by 2050 (“Pittsburgh, U.S. Steel commit to become carbon neutral by 2050,” April 23, TribLIVE). Bold actions on the part of our local governments and businesses can be a strong tool in fighting climate change, inspiring others to...
Editorial: A positive incentive to become a vaccinated Pens fan
Consumers are accustomed to choices: First class or coach? Table or booth? Balcony or orchestra? And now maybe vaccinated or unvaccinated? The Pittsburgh Penguins have proposed the idea of a vaccinated section of PPG Paints Arena as a way to increase capacity at the venue while still maintaining adequate and...
Letter to the editor: Poor judgment by FBI, media, those in charge
America has a serious problem with its institutions like the FBI due to poor judgment, ignorance and politicization. What spurred me to write this letter was the recent announcement of the FBI coming to the conclusion that the 2017 congressional baseball game shooting was an incident of suicide by police....
Letter to the editor: Expanding, not restricting, our freedoms
These days it seems like everyone complains that their freedoms are being infringed upon. Wearing masks is a small sacrifice during a pandemic, and actually gives us more freedom — freedom to be healthy. Letter-writer Steven Crichley (“Totalitarianism frightening — and coming,” April 16) worries about vaccination passports. They would...
Tom Purcell: A mother’s comfort
Scientific American describes my mother to a T. An article titled “The Incredible Importance of Mothers,” by social scientist Melanie Tannenbaum, lays out the argument that a mother’s comfort — not just meeting basic needs, such as providing food and shelter — is essential to the development and well-being of...
Leonard Pitts Jr.: We’ve failed our children
An open letter to the children. We owe you an apology. Meaning all of us in the generations above you. We had one job where you were concerned, and that was to keep you safe. “Save the children,” pleaded a man named Marvin Gaye a long time ago. But we...
Letter to the editor: Do your research before voting
Elections are here again, and we all say, “vote out the lifetime politicians,” but we never do. I think I know why; It’s because we just don’t know who is an incumbent and who isn’t. So they get reelected or, if they fail to make the cut, they are given...
Letter to the editor: Voting Kurimsky for Franklin Regional board
I have never written a letter to the editor before. However, I feel compelled to do that in support of Kevin Kurimsky and his run for the Franklin Regional School Board director seat. I first met Kurimsky as a young boy learning to ride his bike on our front street...
Letter to the editor: Won’t vote Republican again
Why I will never vote Republican again: 1. I believe Republicans have contributed more to gun violence in this country than anything anyone has done in our history by allowing and encouraging millions of guns to drown our society. 2. Republicans seem to sit back and ignore the daily mass...
Editorial: One way or another, bridge repairs must be paid for
In the fairy tale about goats trying to cross a bridge, a troll sat under the bridge, waiting to gobble up the goats as payment for their audacity. Troll bridge. Toll bridge. Is there really much difference? It’s easy to feel like you are being gobbled down one bite at...
Letter to the editor: Broadband, jobs priorities for Mariah Fisher
To letter-writer Pamela Ann Long (“District 59 leader must be responsible,” April 19, TribLIVE), thank you for the questions you raised in your April 19 response to my letter “Mariah Fisher ready to represent” (April 4, TribLIVE). Efficient use of taxpayer funds and well-paying jobs are concerns for us all....
Letter to the editor: Pa. should join RGGI the right way
To the extent that Gov. Tom Wolf transitions properly to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), this is a good decision for Pennsylvania. Several New England states have already joined the initiative and seen carbon emissions drop without losing business. Joining RGGI is the first step in avoiding the worst...
Editorial cartoons for the week of May 3
Editorial cartoons for the week of May 3....
Letter to the editor: What to do with D.C.
Combining the congressional and George Will proposals (“The D.C. statehood pretense,” April 22), the U.S. should give most of Washington, D.C., “back” to Maryland. The new D.C. should just be the area currently bounded by the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, Third Street East and I Street to the north. Maryland...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of May 3
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of May 3....
Letter to the editor: Paying inmates to take vaccine is ridiculous
Regarding the article “Westmoreland County to pay jail inmates to get covid vaccine” (April 26, TribLIVE): This is the most cockamamie scheme one can imagine. And it will cost all county taxpayers. Voters — remember who did this to us! William R. Iski Penn Township, Westmoreland County...
Letter to the editor: God missing in mass shootings commentary
Christine Sarteschi’s op-ed “Ideas to prevent mass shootings” (April 23, TribLIVE) was insightful. There were positive suggestions made, and what caught my attention was the information about Aaron Stark, who in 1996 planned a mass school shooting in Denver because “he had nothing at all in life to look forward...
