Letters to the Editor category, Page 278

The common narrative to endure social distancing measures is to protect the frail elderly. There are unintended consequences of the world we’ve imposed on them, based on my recent rounds in nursing facilities. Many elderly there are frail with debility and dementia. Usually an otherwise mundane existence is broken up...

During this time of uncertainty, closures and orders to stay home, let’s do something productive. A lot of people are not at work and kids are off school, so get out with your kids and do a little spring cleaning along the roads. Litter is everywhere and looks disgusting. Dave...

I started this morning on my knees, praying that God would fill me with love, compassion and courage, and then I made my way to Westmoreland Hospital, where I am a physician. The mood at the hospital is tense. As of March 22, we still have limited capacity to perform...

All the Earth’s environmental problems are a direct result of overpopulation. Any other consideration is a result of, and not in addition to, overpopulation. Overpopulation results in polluted water, air pollution, deforestation, rising crime rates, loss of wildlife leading to mass extinctions, widespread food shortages, vanishing fish in the oceans,...

Walter Williams’ silly “We have no ‘right’ to health care” (March 13, TribLIVE) completely misses the point, besides being extraordinarily ill-timed. It’s not about “right,” it’s about “how do we want to spend our tax dollars — and would we prefer higher taxes to cover the cost of a universal...

March is National Social Work Month. As a senior at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work, I have the honor of working with extraordinary individuals who have accepted the call to become change-makers and advocates for the vulnerable and oppressed. While case management will always be a vital...

“Grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, beer distributors, bakeries and auto parts stores are among those businesses permitted to stay open.” “Car dealers and laundromats are among the businesses that must close.” The above sentences appeared in the article “Gov. Wolf orders ‘nonlife-sustaining’ businesses to close physical locations to halt coronavirus...

So now we have the federal government talking about a cash payment for people affected by the pandemic that is covid-19. I can see a lot of room for fraud in this approach, especially with all the red tape associated with anything the feds do. How about property tax forgiveness...

The coronavirus outbreak has panicked people into hoarding food, paper products and sanitizing compounds. Consumers across the country are conducting binge purchases of these products, and most supermarkets are reporting bare shelves and difficulty in restocking them. The binging activity is very un-American. There is no need for people to...

“It was a very poor choice of words,” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said. And just like that, Sen. Chuck Schumer’s attack on two sitting members of the Supreme Court in the most voracious manner was dismissed by some on the left. Those words to Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh...

The Rev. Hugh Lang, who was convicted in November on charges that he sexually abused an 11-year-old boy in 2001, had his conviction vacated this month because a new judge believes Lang did not receive a fair trial. We are dismayed that the victim will have to go through yet...

On March 16, PennDOT and governor’s office moved to close all the Turnpike rest stops with just fueling and convenience stores available — no food and restroom facilities, just Porta-Johns. Then on Wednesday they opened some rest areas to truckers, but still no bathrooms other than Porta-Johns. By Friday, the...

It’s about time. Finally, President Trump is acting more like a president should. His recent news conferences have shown exactly how he should act: as a concerned president for all Americans during a crisis. He has turned away from Republican and conservative radio talking points concerning the coronavirus outbreak as...

After all the campaigning and wasted money, it appears that the Democratic/socialist party is narrowed down to two white men, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. Sanders is an avowed socialist, and Biden, who has run several times before, was President Obama’s vice president for eight years. If Obama thinks Biden...

When was the last time you heard someone praise the wisdom of the DMV? When I visited the Bridgeville DMV facility to secure a Real ID, I expected the worst: a three-hour wait for the painful experience of being told I didn’t have the right documents. To my delight, the...

The editorial “The people have a right to know” (March 2, TribLIVE) offers only one side of the story. I don’t disagree that the people have a right to know what their public officials are doing, but I think it’s important that they understand the entire scope of what an...

Regarding Ron Slabe’s letter “Electoral College is archaic”: Any law, resolution or proposal to change the core process of our national election, especially one heavily sponsored (i.e., funded) by left-wing progressives, is something the electorate should strongly oppose. The left has a way of assigning nomenclature to disguise the purpose...

Warning! “Experts” report that Vladimir Putin is personally crafting the most hypnotic Facebook ad ever created. If Hillary herself even glances in the ad’s general direction, she will become another Trump zombie. In reality, though, I find it maddening that the media and politicians use the words “meddling” and “interference”...

To me, “pro-life” means supporting all aspects of all lives. It’s not enough to merely encourage a child’s birth while ignoring efforts to feed, clothe, educate, provide health care and protect that child throughout life. Since 2016, we’ve seen expanding anti-life policies, including attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act...

Coronavirus has done one good thing: It forced individuals to reassess investment. The result: a near-recession. While a bear market is never preferable, the chance of an economy not propped up on overconfidence and malinvestment should be desirable to all. Then, the Fed reduced rates to 1.5% in an attempt...

I believe in total elimination of school tax. No property owners should lose their homes because of it! Op-ed writer Gary English (“Tax -shifting schemes won’t provide property tax relief,” Feb. 18, TribLIVE) doesn’t agree. The proposed House/Senate Bill 76 on school tax elimination would provide much more than a...

In response to the letter “Obama vs. Trump on national debt” (Feb. 27, TribLIVE): The Bible tell us that the truth will set you free. While President Obama inherited a bad economy, the truth about the Obama “recovery” is that it had the lowest labor participation rate in years with...

There is a growing trend of Republican retirements in the Pennsylvania Legislature. From Joe Scarnati to Mike Turzai to local representatives, it’s clear that something is sending career Republicans packing in 2020. Each time members of the GOP decide against filing reelection papers, it’s an opportunity for voters to ask...

I would like to clarify the history of an economic organization that is important in the history of Pittsburgh’s black community — the African American Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1996 at the suggestion of business consultant Richard Portis. Founding members were Mulu Birru and Charles Reaves of the Urban...

In his appeal “Less judging, more love,” letter-writer Keith Kondrich ironically ponders bedtime questions through a lens of self, but imagining hardship on ourselves doesn’t prevent or alleviate hardship for others. “What if it’s me” ignores searching for solutions to help improve lives of those struggling with difficult circumstances. If...