Opinion category, Page 98
Lori Falce: The time I met Jimmy Carter
After almost two years in hospice care, former President Jimmy Carter died Sunday at the age of 100. I was born when Richard Nixon was in the White House. My first vote was a choice between George H.W. Bush or Bill Clinton. The first time I really paid attention to...
Letter to the editor: Money doesn’t equal meaningful
I am writing in response to Rep. Jesse Topper’s op-ed “We can stop the pinch who stole Christmas” (Dec. 20, TribLive). While I certainly agree that the current economic situation makes it difficult for us to purchase everything we would like to, I take exception to his statement that “the...
Letter to the editor: Westmoreland tax hike also outrageous
Regarding the letter “Allegheny County tax hike outrageous” (Dec. 23, TribLive): I agree with the writer that no one likes their taxes raised. I would also like him to know that there was a recent Westmoreland County property tax hike voted in by Republican county Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug...
Letter to the editor: Thanks to all who donated to support Pollard family
On behalf of myself and fellow Greensburg Walmart co-workers of Elizabeth Pollard, we would like to thank everyone who donated and supported the GoFundMe fundraiser for Liz, who tragically died after falling into a sinkhole in Marguerite. Liz was a beloved friend to so many who worked with her. She...
Editorial: 2024 was a year of questions and conversations
In 2024, our editorials asked questions and started conversations. Pittsburgh being Pittsburgh, our most read editorial came in January, asking why Steelers coach Mike Tomlin had to be so petulant when presented with a very predictable question at a news conference after losing a wild-card playoff game to Buffalo. Other...
Letter to the editor: America’s health care system is broken
United Healthcare alone reported profits in excess of $23 billion in 2023. Former CEO Brian Thompson’s salary for 2023 was $10.2 million. Despite taking billions from the “system” to administrate and often deny care, Thompson and company never treated a sick person and never cured anyone of anything. Citizens of Canada,...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: Hope is alive for 2025
This last week of the year is all about hope — a short pause between the old and new year, a time when we can reflect on the past and ponder the future. Commerce has finally slowed, unused vacation days are being used up and there is even a break...
David M. Lantigua: At 88, Pope Francis dances the tango with the global Catholic Church amid its culture wars
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was 17 years old when he first received his vocation to become a priest. It happened on Sept. 21, 1953 — the beginning of spring in Buenos Aires — during a spontaneous visit to the confessional, or what Catholics call the sacrament of reconciliation. This spiritual turning...
Point: The top 5 moments of 2024
For those on the right side of the political aisle, 2024 was a mixed bag. On the one hand, we had to trudge through the final year of Joe Biden’s disastrous presidency while fighting tooth and nail to prevent the administration from inflicting further economic carnage. On the other hand,...
Counterpoint: 5 signs our country isn’t lost
On the one hand, there’s no sugarcoating how progressives feel at the close of 2024: rough. Donald Trump won back the White House with a campaign that was openly bigoted and fascist. And from President Joe Biden’s backing of Israel’s ghastly war in Gaza to his ill-fated decision to seek...
Letter to the editor: Tomlin should resign
Dear Mike Tomlin, Happy Holidays to you and your family. I have a problem only you can resolve. Please stop using the phrase “the standard is the standard.” I don’t think you know the standard. As a Christian man, you surely realize it is blasphemy. You are not Chuck Noll,...
Sounding off: On Tomlin, on Trump, on taxes
Tomlin should resign Dear Mike Tomlin, Happy Holidays to you and your family. I have a problem only you can resolve. Please stop using the phrase “the standard is the standard.” I don’t think you know the standard. As a Christian man, you surely realize it is blasphemy. You are...
Letter to the editor: Trump’s chaos
Donald Trump isn’t even in the White House yet but is already sowing the chaos he does so well. He and Elon Musk (who I believe should have no say in anything) tanked the bipartisan stopgap spending bill. Musk asked why “we” should give the Democrats everything they want. How...
Letter to the editor: State leaders should follow Innamorato’s lead
From her first day in office, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato has prioritized engaging directly with her constituents to identify and address their concerns and priorities. Innamorato’s 2025 budget proposal demonstrated the leadership we need to put the county in a stronger fiscal position while remaining focused on creating an...
Editorial: Marc Fogel’s wrongful detention designation is just the start
It took more than three years, but it finally happened: The State Department has deemed Marc Fogel wrongfully detained. In August 2021, the teacher from Oakmont was returning to Russia to teach at the Anglo-American School of Moscow. He was arrested at Sheremetyevo Airport when he was found in possession...
Letter to the editor: Does hard work work pay off?
Does our hard work pay off? I ask because I’ve worked several full-time and part-time jobs. Some employers were fair, while others toxic. All employees have had the same experience at some level. Nevertheless, many of us work hard to make ends meet. Others work hard to be promoted or...
Gary Franks: Those we lost in 2024 — a governor, senator and congresswoman
As we close out 2024, there will be some folks who we will deeply miss. For me there is a special governor, senator and congresswoman who quickly come to mind — Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell, Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and my classmate at Yale, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee. Jodi, was placed...
John Wozniak: Seniors deserve alternatives to opioids for pain relief
In recent years, I have watched people I know try to navigate our health care system while seeking treatment for pain or recovering from surgery, and it has opened my eyes to the complexities and frustrations patients face when trying to access appropriate pain management. And it’s why I strongly...
Rachel Locke: Climate of fear is driving local officials to quit
Threats and harassment are pushing some politicians out of office, scaring off some would-be candidates and even compelling some elected officials to change their vote. Those are some of the conclusions of a new two-year study I led on political violence in Southern California. Rising threats against public officials is...
Letter to the editor: Westmoreland sheriff spreading hatred
Sheriff James Albert’s letter “Keeping Westmoreland County safe” (Dec. 10, TribLive), regarding “society becoming more dangerous” and women purchasing guns for protection, in which he repeatedly mentions “illegal aliens,” is fearmongering under the auspices of law enforcement. Most women who are victims of violence are abused by known partners, not...
Letter to the editor: Let Trump’s destruction play out
Democrats need to stay out of Donald Trump’s way this time and let him do what he does well, which is destroy the country, so his low-info voters feel it in the only place they seem to have any nerve endings left, i.e., their pocketbooks. These folks, mired as they...
Lori Falce: It’s time to talk about aging and politics
It is hard to have conversations about aging. We can talk about how to deal with illness because most people are stubbornly optimistic. We can talk about disabilities because we think those are things that happen to other people. We can place limits on children because we have been 16...
Laurels & lances: Getting things done
Laurel: To a meaningful name. Congress is not known to get much done — especially not in the last few years when lawmakers have been paralyzed by partisanship. But this month something crawled across the finish line for Southwestern Pennsylvania. In July 2023, U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, introduced a...
Letter to the editor: Hope for a better tomorrow with Trump
Although I am cautiously hopeful for our country during this holiday season, it’s hard to fully embrace an optimistic outlook when I consider the possibly irreversible damage done during our current presidential administration. A bungled, shameful Afghanistan pullout. A Chinese spy balloon permitted to fly the entire breadth of our...
Jonah Goldberg: This is the trouble with Elon Musk’s debut as a federal budget negotiator
In the wake of a successful effort to kill a year-end spending bill and replace is with more limited legislation to keep the government open, Elon Musk declared victory last week on X (formerly Twitter), the social media platform he owns: “Your actions turned a bill that weighed pounds into...
