Opinion category, Page 772
Michelle Malkin: Handy history of fake noose
Is it any wonder that American news consumers are at the end of their ropes of patience with the “mainstream media”? Three weeks ago, there were troubling questions, contradictions and doubts about Trump-hating, attention-craving actor Jussie Smollett’s absurd hate crime claims. Few in the “professional” journalism herd paid heed. Now,...
Greg Christy: Can the power region afford to miss the shale revolution boat?
We are in the middle of a great American shale revolution. For the first time in decades, the United States is holding its own against OPEC and Russia, going from energy importer to energy exporter. Unlocking previously inaccessible shale reservoirs deep underground using hydraulic fracturing technology is becoming our nation’s...
Editorial: Election rules have real world consequences
Okay, here’s the deal. You probably shouldn’t work on a political campaign while you are at your job — unless, of course, working on a political campaign actually is your job. Regardless of whether you are an accountant or a short order cook or an airplane mechanic or a kindergarten...
Letter to the editor: Hunters need more opportunities
In response to letter-writer Sylvie Pomicter (“Say ‘no’ to Sunday hunting,” Feb. 11, TribLIVE): Pennsylvania is rich in hunting tradition, and unfortunately we are losing our youth and adult hunters because of lack of opportunity. Pennsylvania is one of three states that do not allow Sunday hunting for big and...
Letter to the editor: Ban polystyrene
Recent media reports have shown that at least half of Philadelphia’s recyclable materials end up in incinerators. The National Geographic Society recently reported that only 9 percent of plastic materials are recycled. These are reminders that we need to minimize waste in the first place. Polystyrene foam, known by many...
Letter to the editor: Democrats & our freedoms
Our great nation was conceived so that all men and women could live in freedom: freedom to worship, freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, freedom for us — not the government — to control our lives. Today, the liberal Democrats want to take away our freedoms. The Democratic...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Stop the ‘socialism’ labels, focus on policy
When Donald Trump accused Democrats of “becoming the party of socialism” at his El Paso rally this month, he left no doubt as to what his campaign message will be in 2020. Trump is anything but coy, and he once again telegraphed his punches. Earlier, in his 2019 State of...
Wayne Campbell: Keep Sunday hunting ban
The issue of allowing Sunday hunting has surfaced again. Senate Bill 147 sponsored by Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, removing the prohibition, was reported out of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee without benefit of public scrutiny or hearings. It is unfortunate that opponents to Sunday hunting were not given a...
Editorial: Does Norfolk Southern proposal double rail cars and risk?
When you have a lot of rivers, you’re going to have a lot of bridges. When you are a city that was built on coal and steel, you’re going to have a lot of trains. And sometimes that’s double the trouble. Norfolk Southern wants to rebuild a bridge on a...
Sounding off: Legalized pot is a gateway drug
Having a family member who went through outpatient rehab a few years back, I am amazed that Pennsylvania would consider legalizing marijuana. During every family meeting I attended, it was stated that marijuana is a gateway drug. Has that changed? Make it legal, and the next step could be cocaine,...
Letter to the editor: Senator minimizes crime of DUI
One of our esteemed U.S. senators recently stated that illegal immigrants who are caught driving under the influence should not be considered criminals. Think about this for a minute. Thousands of Americans are maimed or killed every year by DUI drivers. It is totally willful and criminal to get behind...
Letter to the editor: In politics, compromise is possible
The divisiveness at the federal level is stigmatized as the “worst ever,” “unprecedented” and “without comparison,” to cite just a few epithets. Good rhetoric. Grabs viewers. Raises partisan money. But untrue. There has never been a “golden age” of politics, and in fact the current level of acrimony is historically...
Letter to the editor: UPMC’s positive impact
In Bob Bauder’s article “AG Shapiro: UPMC’s ‘corporate greed’ hurting patients” (Feb. 7, TribLIVE), UPMC said its practices have increased competition in Western Pennsylvania, which benefits consumers. This statement stands in stark contrast to statements by Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who called UPMC’s practices “corporate greed.” Many Western Pennsylvanians will...
Letter to the editor: Voter registration is easy
One has to admire the subtle cleverness of state Rep. Sara Innamorato’s op-ed “It’s time for automatic voter registration in Pa.” (Feb. 9, TribLIVE). This appears to be taken directly from the socialist playbook. Drum up a phony problem where there isn’t one, disguise it as saving democracy, then soft-sell...
Letter to the editor: Damage of legal pot
Legalize pot? Why not? It could get us more money to run our already-bloated state government. It could also provide us a whole new class of citizens who would like to get — and stay — stoned legally. Just what we need, huh? More Timothy Leary fans who want to...
Letter to the editor: Why all the wall hoopla?
I don’t know anything about the southern border. I live in Pennsylvania. So I went on Google Earth to look at the southern border. I just typed in “San Diego” and I saw that there already is a wall there. Now mind you, I only looked at California up to...
Mitchel Nickols: For Black History Month, let’s celebrate contributions
Here we are, hundreds of years since millions of slaves were deported from the west coast of Africa involuntarily, and millions died because of poor conditions on slave ships. Yet the call for all Americans to join in the celebration of Black History Month is not too much to ask....
John Stossel: Bogus gun research
Last week Rep. Nancy Pelosi warned President Donald Trump that if he declared an “emergency” to build a wall, “think what a president with different values can present… Why don’t you declare (the epidemic of gun violence in America) an emergency, Mr. President? I wish you would … . A...
Walter Williams: Plunder an American way of life
Frederic Bastiat, a French economist and member of the French National Assembly, lived from 1801 to 1850. He had great admiration for our country, except for our two faults — slavery and tariffs. He said: “Look at the United States. There is no country in the world where the law...
Editorial: Is a new PIT terminal a $1 billion bargain?
The designs for a new Pittsburgh International Airport terminal are beautiful. They are filled with light pouring in through huge windows. There are ceilings high enough to park an airliner in the concourse. There is enough greenery to give you the feeling you are visiting Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens....
Letter to the editor: No free ride on police protection
An open letter to Sen. Don White, Rep. Jeff Pyle and fiscally responsible legislators: I was pleased to read the letters “Hempfield should share casino wealth” (Dec. 23, TribLIVE) and “Hempfield needs police” (Jan. 18, TribLIVE). I request that you require the $25 per capita tax that Gov. Tom Wolf...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s wall plans
Illegals entering the country is at an all-time low. If President Trump really wanted his wall, wouldn’t it have been a sure thing to bring it up when his party controlled both houses of Congress? Why did he wait for the Democrats to take control of the House? He knew...
Letter to the editor: Fall of Roman Empire
The Roman Empire is said to have lasted from about 27 BC to 476 AD. There were many reasons why it fell, but three stand out: • Overspending and military expansion. Check. • Political instability. Check. • Migration of the Huns ( open borders ). Check. Tony Pittore Penn Township,...
Letter to the editor: Cheap shots at Hempfield supervisors
Regarding the article “Hempfield to review past votes, but supervisors balk at state audit” (Jan. 31, TribLIVE): It seems to me that this is nothing more than a cheap political attempt by upstart township supervisor Robert Ritson to discredit the previous township manager and the supervisors who hired him. With...
Paul Kengor: Democrats vs. democratic socialists
“President Trump has proved himself adroit at creating villains to serve as his political foils,” states The New York Times. “In his State of the Union address, he introduced a new one: socialists. … Mr. Trump chose to introduce the socialist menace in perhaps the highest-profile setting available.” “Yet,” sniffs...
