Opinion category, Page 59
Letter to the editor: Tariffs will make us less rich, less respected
Picture a White House press conference. A conservative journalist mentions a rumor that Amazon might display tariff surcharges online. Before tariff evangelist Scott Bessent has a chance to speak, the press secretary lunges in front of him. She launches into a breathless rant about Joe Biden and Amazon’s disloyalty, complete...
Letter to the editor: Pet care assistance available
As a volunteer with Humane Action Pennsylvania (HAP) and a proud guardian of two cats, I have seen firsthand the importance of responsible pet guardianship. This means more than just providing food and shelter, it’s ensuring proper medical care, socialization and love. It includes spaying or neutering, routine vet visits...
Ed Beck: Independent vets locked out of Pa. primaries
Consider this situation. A Pennsylvanian devotes over three decades to military service, most of it in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Along the way, he earns multiple degrees and becomes a management consultant, a college professor and an entrepreneur. He’s played by the rules, served his country and contributed to...
Jeff Kupfer: Hydrogen future begins in Western Pa. — if we seize it
Western Pennsylvania helped build America’s energy backbone. Now, we stand at the edge of another turning point – one where the region can once again lead, this time by investing in clean hydrogen technologies that power the future and support our workers, manufacturers, or communities. Let’s be clear: This isn’t...
A.J. Bauer: NPR and PBS aren’t threats. They’re treasures.
When President Donald Trump signed an executive order cutting federal funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, he was right about one thing: We do live in a moment of media abundance. But his market-based notion of abundance fundamentally misunderstands the purpose of public broadcasting, which is...
Letter to the editor: Harvard should lose tax-exempt status
Quincy Reese omits an important U.S. Supreme Court case in the article “If Harvard loses its tax-exempt status, Western Pa. universities, nonprofits could be in trouble” (May 3, TribLive). In the case Students for Fair Admissions vs. Harvard, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that Harvard had discriminated against Asian applicants...
Letter to the editor: Carson has earned reelection
I want to take a moment to recognize our coroner, Tim Carson, for the incredible work he’s doing in our community — because it truly goes far beyond what most expect from that role. Tim has shown exceptional compassion and community leadership through initiatives like Operation Dignity, which honored 15...
Letter to the editor: Lingg deserves reelection
I am writing in support of Jamie Lingg, who is running for reelection to Murrysville Council. Lingg is currently the only woman on council and, notably, the only female candidate running this year who was not endorsed by the local committee despite having a nearly identical voting record to a...
Editorial: Pope Leo XIV is symbol of hope in a world of suffering
Our world needs symbols of hope, compassion and something greater than the struggles of this life. For that reason, we believe so many people, not just Roman Catholics, pay great attention to the selection of a new pope, in the belief that faith, even a faith they may not share,...
Letter to the editor: Real patriots question Trump’s moves
The dictionary definition of a patriot is as follows: “One who loves and supports his country.” You will note it does not include verbiage indicating a patriot is someone who staunchly follows their politician of choice. It is beyond my comprehension that some letter-writers here will attack their fellow citizens...
Letter to the editor: We’ve made enormous progress
In his op-ed “The arc of history does not simply bend toward justice” (May 3, TribLive), Adrian Wooldridge writes that the “nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘The arc of the moral universe bends towards justice.’ ” Wooldridge says they are not true and they engender a...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of May 12
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of May 12....
Letter to the editor: Questions for Duquesne Light
Duquesne Light has been an incredibly poor steward of what should be a public utility. I grew up in the foothills outside Boulder, Colo. We regularly experienced 100 mph winds and almost never lost power. Now I live in Pittsburgh, where every gentle breeze or mildly hot day knocks out...
Letter to the editor: We need candidates of good character
Attaching any word to “Christian” or to “Christianity” limits what it means or in some cases makes it not “Christian” at all (i.e., Christian nationalist). A portion of the country and a great many of our political leaders will defy logic and contort themselves, often comically, but ultimately tragically, to...
Editorial: What is happening with John Fetterman?
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, does not seem pleased with scrutiny over his behavior. It hasn’t been about his language processing in the wake of his 2022 stroke. It hasn’t been about the depression that saw him hospitalized in 2023. It isn’t about his quirky fashion choices or even his...
Letter to the editor: VOTE411.org offers help for voters
The League of Women Voters of Westmoreland County (LWVWC) works to help voters become more informed and make their voices heard in the upcoming primary election on May 20. This election has over 360 candidates running in over 230 statewide judicial, county, municipal and school board races in Westmoreland County...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Pittsburgh needs its bridges
Everyone traveling into Downtown Pittsburgh from the East End through Schenley Park has been stopped in their tracks by a sign that has stood on the edge of the park for a good part of Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration. Against a bright orange background, it reads “All Bridges Closed Ahead.”...
Mark Gongloff: Pope Leo XIV might be the climate champion we need
In picking a new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, the Vatican had a chance to honor the late Pope Francis’ legacy as the greenest pope in modern history. In choosing the American (and Peruvian) Cardinal Robert Prevost — henceforth known as Pope Leo XIV — his fellow cardinals...
Point: Deception and destruction — Musk and DOGE’s real goal
Waste, fraud and abuse. These are the seemingly magic words the world’s richest man incants to justify the chainsaw he’s taking to our government in the form of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). However, as Elon Musk steps back to a part-time role, the question remains: Were these words...
Counterpoint: DOGE’s swift but not-so-terrible sword
Critics swing between accusing the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of overreach and declaring it a failure at cutting government. Here are some reality checks: DOGE-like efforts are not new. George H.W. Bush’s Council on Competitiveness was created to ease regulatory burdens. Led by Vice President Dan Quayle,...
Letter to the editor: High school grads, consider the trades
Listen up, graduating high school seniors: In today’s world, except for STEM disciplines, most college degrees are a huge waste of money and your time. A plumber, an electrician, an HVAC technician and other skilled tradesmen make darn good money and don’t carry a heavy debt load. They can have...
Letter to the editor: Gainey shows up, deserves vote
I’ll be voting for Ed Gainey in the primary because he showed up for Greenfield when Corey O’Connor, our city council person at the time, would not. Carnegie Mellon University wanted to privatize Junction Hollow, the park that links Oakland to Four Mile Run, in order to build the Mon...
Letter to the editor: O’Connor nearly killed paid sick leave
Corey O’Connor is claiming credit for Pittsburgh’s paid sick leave policy in TV ads and mailers in his campaign against Mayor Ed Gainey. But the truth is, he almost killed it. I know this because I was there in the negotiating rooms. As executive director of Pittsburgh United, I helped...
Editorial: No excuse for not letting Pittsburgh City Council, controller know about emergency coordinator’s absence
“That’s my bad.” Pittsburgh Emergency Management Coordinator Darryl Jones used those incredibly underwhelming words to explain not making it clear to City Council or Controller Rachael Heisler that he was leaving the state or who would be in charge while he was gone. That’s the apology you offer for not...
Letter to the editor: ICE’s treatment of students troubling
My heart sank when I saw a young female Tufts University student, on TV, being taken by several men in black with their faces covered. She was grabbed without warning and with no knowledge of the reason. It looked as if she was being kidnapped. As we learned, the student...
