Letters to the Editor category, Page 328

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, appears on the front page taking UPMC to court to force it to permit Highmark Medicare recipients to forever be entitled to UPMC’s lower in-network rates for their physicians, services and hospitals, eliminating the inherent competition between the two firms (“AG Shapiro: UPMC’s...

We moved to Vandergrift from another state, and although we were born in Pennsylvania, this is our first impression. Some of the borough employees appear to have the attitude that the citizens of Vandergrift work for them. Any Vandergrift employees with that mindset, please be advised that you work for...

Why are people so up in arms (pun intended) about Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto wishing for a gun ban? Little girls wish for ponies and to be princesses; little boys wish to be cowboys and astronauts. Parents don’t tell them that wishing is wrong, and that most wishes don’t come...

Riddle me this: In today’s paper it was reported that Westmoreland County may have to spend $7 million to upgrade its voting machines to make them more secure (“Commission recommends Pennsylvania security measures for elections,” Jan. 29, TribLIVE) — but not one word about doing something to help make the...

The 2019 primary election season is fast approaching, and the spring always promises us daffodils, weeds and yard signs. Regardless of your party, you will be choosing between candidates for local positions. Our choices are not always clear, as many candidates are inexperienced and have no record, or experienced and...

Are politicians really working for us? Can there be no compromise? Is the revelation that a governor put on a black face or white sheet, more than 30 years ago, really more offensive than the bill he backs that legalizes the murder of an infant in the late third trimester?...

In the article, “Officials: Temperature swings cause poor air quality in Allegheny County” (Feb. 5, TribLIVE), Matt Mehalik of the Breathe Project says that Allegheny County’s air-quality issues may be exacerbated by a quick temperature warm-up, but the problem of air pollution comes from polluting sources in the county. I...

So you think socialism is the answer? As the Venezuelans who haven’t left their country yet what they think. They can’t afford toilet paper in the near-empty stores. Just sayin’. Joseph Marmo Cheswick...

In a Jan. 30 radio interview, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a physician, said this about late-term abortions: “The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians...

There must be something very mesmerizing and hypnotic about the letter “D.” It’s the only explanation. My once upstanding, compassionate Democratic “party of the working class” has become the party of trashing patriotism and promoting socialism, homosexual marriage, multiple gender recognitions and abortions up to the moment of birth. Good,...

Surviving Trump: Can we endure 2 more years? After promises of a great presidency surrounded by great people, it’s been just the opposite. Have we ever seen such a group of classless, know-nothing, inexperienced, cartoonish characters? With backgrounds in fashion/modeling, real estate development, oil, neurosurgery and, of course, reality shows,...

I have been at a loss to understand why family members and friends are such strong supporters of President Trump. He continually lies and when facts support that he lied, he calls it “fake news,” and his supporters believe him. Recently I heard a doctor on a medical panel call...

We hear from the media that no compromise will be reached on the wall because both sides are playing to their bases. Who are the bases? On the one side are Trump haters, multinational corporations and their media spokespeople, Dems and Republicans who are supported by companies that want cheap...

I am writing to express support of the 100 percent renewable energy bill introduced in Harrisburg last month, and to thank Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, for becoming a co-sponsor. Already some of Pennsylvania’s largest cities such as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Allentown are committed to going 100 percent renewable. And they aren’t...

History is replete with mass murderers — Ramses II, King Herod, Gengis Kahn, Mao Tse Tung, Hitler, Stalin — and now the Democratic Party has joined those ranks, or at least finally admitted to being a member for the past 45 or 50 years. The legislation recently signed into law...

Area 51 = no walls. Eastern Russian border = no walls. Border between North and South Korea = no wall. Keith Vacula Penn Hills...