Opinion category, Page 514
Leonard Pitts Jr.: It takes 2 parties to be bipartisan
There is nothing sacred about nine. The number was not carried down from a mountain on stone tablets, nor did it appear in a burning bush. In fact, before the Supreme Court contained nine justices, it contained six, the number fixed when the tribunal was established in 1789. Then, in...
Jonah Goldberg: Biden citing wrong reasons for Afghanistan withdrawal
President Biden has decided to end the war in Afghanistan. He feels it’s time, and so do a lot of Americans. I feel it too. I’m just not sure feelings should win the day. In his televised address announcing the decision, Biden reiterated that American withdrawal can’t be “tied to...
Laurels & lances: Efficient vaccine clinics and not-transparent leasing
Laurel: To a well-oiled machine. When it comes to large gatherings of people for a specific purpose, sometimes the operation can function perfectly. Sometimes it turns into chaos. Anyone who has tried to get out of a parking lot after a big concert can attest to best laid plans going...
Letter to the editor: Writer belittled our land, president, intelligence and hope
It is rare that a liberal hater can besmirch, demean and insult as broadly as Al Scovern did in his letter “Loyalty to Trump has gotten Allegheny Valley nowhere” (April 8, TribLIVE). He belittled our beautiful Western Pennsylvania countryside, our former president, our intelligence and our hope in one fell...
Lori Falce: Risks of not researching women’s health
It seems like just a couple of weeks since I was writing a column where I said we need to pay more attention to the way diseases and treatments affect the bodies of women. Oh, wait. It was. Now, here we are, with one of the three vaccines meant to...
Letter to the editor: Tell Chew, other leaders how you feel about voting process
I am thankful to Rich Cholodofsky for writing the article “Westmoreland commissioner says county voters want end to no-excuse mail-in ballots, another disputes that” (March 23, TribLIVE). Sadly, Doug Chew is certainly not adequately representing all Westmoreland County residents. I disagree with the assertion that constituents do not want “mail-in...
Letter to the editor: Totalitarianism frightening — and coming
Coming soon to a theater near you: the frightening blockbuster with the unforgettable catchphrase, “Show me your papers, please.” It’s the request for your internal passport: the vaccine documentation necessary for any travel, social gatherings, purchases and so much more. We’ve seen this movie before, and it never ends well....
Paul Kengor: Will MLB boycott the Pirates — and the Phillies?
“Georgia has 17 days of in-person early voting, including two optional Sundays. Colorado has 15. … They also have a photo ID requirement. So, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.” So puzzled Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp over the decision by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred...
Dave Kitzinger: Gupta should be confirmed as associate attorney general
Bipartisanship is often invoked but rarely practiced in politics these days. Unfortunately, the confirmation fight over President Biden’s nominee for associate attorney general, Vanita Gupta, has become the latest example of partisanship crowding out substance in Washington. Fair-minded senators like Sen. Pat Toomey have a reputation for rising above the...
Colin McNickle: Government-mandated sick leave bad idea
Allegheny County Council could not muster enough votes to override the county executive’s veto of a mandatory paid sick-leave ordinance for private businesses. Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald said that while he supports paid sick leave, the legislation did not originate where it should have — with the county health board...
Editorial: Pandemic rent relief is welcome, but a band-aid
Fixing the coronavirus pandemic might start with a covid-19 vaccine, but the shot isn’t a light switch that turns back the dark with a flick. By the same token, the progress toward correcting the economic impact of the pandemic isn’t going to respond to the push of a button either....
Letter to the editor: Self-denial seen in Trump signs
In response to Rick Tatano’s letter “Keep Trump signs up” (April 11, TribLIVE): Yes, please do keep them up. Show Americans how you are self-denying. Show real Americans how you still follow a man who would try to do anything to be president — as far as suggesting a coup....
Stephanie Catarino Wissman: Pennsylvanians could pay more under Wolf’s proposed severance tax plan
For the seventh straight year, Gov. Tom Wolf is proposing a new tax on the state’s natural gas producers — and ultimately on Pennsylvanians. This year’s severance tax plan, like the others before it, could undermine the production of natural gas — which about half of American households rely on...
Letter to the editor: Morality of gun control vs. abortion
In his letter “Gun violence prevention laws effective and a moral imperative”, Rev. Vincent Kolb laments mass shootings and states “anyone with compassion who values human life should be morally outraged by our society’s refusal to prevent this slaughter.” Someone should ask him about the morality of the 60 million...
Letter to the editor: Misconceptions on vaccines, Biden, voter rights
Recent letters to the editor have blamed the poor inoculation progress in Westmoreland County on not having a health department and the county commissioners. I believe the fault lies solely at the state level. It doesn’t matter whether a county had a health department; none knew when, or how much,...
Letter to the editor: GOP’s racism
Republican efforts to restrict voting rights and widespread attacks on people of color and immigrants are symptomatic of many white Americans’ attitudes promulgated, in my opinion, by none other than Donald J. Trump. Sadly, his racist legacy lives on and will continue for many years. It is this nonsensical idea...
Letter to the editor: Frustrated with Biden
Regarding the letter “Disagree with election results? Return stimulus checks”: I do disagree with the presidential election results, and I would send my stimulus check back but for the following reasons: 1. I work and have paid taxes for 57 years, so I believe it is my money to begin...
Rich Fitzgerald: Portable benefits system would protect gig workers
As we turn the past year, and look ahead to a better 2021, it’s also time to continue to build on our strengths, which became all the more evident during this pandemic. Our southwest Pennsylvania region has a diverse economy and has been fortunate to see growth in both traditional...
Jonah Goldberg: Future of the GOP may hinge on Florida
You know all those “Florida Man” stories? “Florida man arrested for throwing alligator through drive-thru window,” “Florida man learns the hard way he stole laxatives, not opioids,” etc.? There are several theories for why Florida men stand out so much, starting with Florida is just weird. The most interesting involves...
Editorial: The vaccine process depends on maintaining public trust
On Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the investigation of six reports of blood clots in women who had been administered the Johnson & Johnson covid-19 vaccine. This isn’t a reason to be alarmed so much as proof that the system...
Letter to the editor: Mariah Fisher will work for good of all constituents
This time we have a choice. On May 18, a special election will be held to elect the representative of the 59th District of the Pennsylvania House. All registered voters can vote in this election — Republicans, Democrats and independents — and they can vote by mail or in person....
Letter to the editor: Doug Chew is wrong on mail-in voting
Eric Falk was right to call out Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew’s Senate testimony as one-sided and misleading in his op-ed (“Not all Westmoreland residents want mail-in voting eliminated,” March 29, TribLIVE). As a county resident, I was proud and happy to vote by mail in 2020. Current voter suppression...
Letter to the editor: Politicians working together can save lives
Would you agree that 12 weeks could be a lifetime during a pandemic? It has been about 12 weeks since President Biden took office. More than 150 million shots of vaccine have been administered to people. Just imagine how many people would have been vaccinated if, in the approximately 12-week...
Pat Buchanan: Vaccine patriotism vs. vaccine globalism
When the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines first proved their efficacy, preventing nearly 95% of coronavirus infections in those who got the shots in test trials, a vexing issue immediately arose. Who should get priority in receiving these lifesaving shots? Generally speaking, the answer, while differing slightly from state to state,...
Leonard Pitts Jr.: Another word for anxiety is fear
Apparently, Robert Pape was surprised. Notwithstanding earlier research or the alarm raised in this and other forums, Pape, a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, expected, when he began studying the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, to find the rioters acted out of economic anxiety....
