Opinion category, Page 532
Letter to the editor: Government just makes bigger mess
With regard to the mess the federal and state governments have made with regard to covid-19 vaccinations, lockdowns, closures and the rest: One great man said it best — “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help” (Ronald Reagan)....
Letter to the editor: Over 80 and still searching for vaccine
My friends and I, the way-over-80 crowd and some of us with preexisting conditions, sit at our computers for hours on end hoping to be lucky enough to score a precious appointment to enable us to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The times we’re not trying to get an elusive...
Letter to the editor: Advice to eliminate pain from covid vaccine
Some folks are experiencing a lot of pain and discomfort in their arm from their covid-19 vaccine injections, especially needle No. 2. One technique that should help those who have yet to get a covid shot is to move the arm around immediately following the injection — swinging in circles,...
Letter to the editor: Still waiting for ballot
It’s hard to believe Westmoreland County will probably pay Midwest Direct for ballots that never appeared in voters’ mailboxes — and may give them another chance. They weren’t delayed — they never arrived! Either Midwest Direct said they mailed them without doing so, or they disappeared from U.S. Postal Service...
Letter to the editor: No more money for public schools
Here we go again with Gov. Tom Wolf’s rhetoric on more funding for public schools. Test scores prove that throwing more money at schools does nothing to improve our children’s education. Teachers unions are the problem. They strike often and mostly for the same two reasons: more money and more...
Jonah Goldberg: ‘Return to normalcy’ isn’t really what Biden’s base wants
Joe Biden ran for president on a “return to normalcy.” His challenge is that there are three competing definitions of normalcy for him to contend with. Biden didn’t actually use the slogan “return to normalcy.” But as numerous political observers (including yours truly) noted during the campaign, that was both...
Letter to the editor: Teachers unions draining us, especially the elderly
So Gov. Tom Wolf wants to tax us some more so he can give money to public schools . No problem … as long as it goes to the schools and not the teachers. We would all be so much better off without the teachers union. I’m done paying for...
Letter to the editor: Trump no patriot
For those who only watch and listen to extreme right-wing news sources, I hope the impeachment hearings were their come-to-Jesus moment. The United States has been led by a crackpot, not a patriot the last four years. President Trump’s words, threats and continued rhetoric to gather the gullible conspiracists toward...
Editorial: Let the Penguins grow safely to 25% capacity
A hockey game is an attempt to control chaos. It is all about advancing toward a goal while sliding on an uncertain surface, balanced on the edge of a blade. Being slammed out of the blue by an unexpected blow that throws everything off course. Sounds like a description of...
Letter to the editor: Our national insanity
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently released a book touting his exemplary leadership during the pandemic and received an Emmy award for his viral press conferences; Hunter Biden plans to put out a memoir titled “Beautiful Things”; Black Lives Matter was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize; and Joe Biden...
Leonard Pitts Jr.: ‘I do not believe unity is possible’
Uh-oh. Joe Biden is talking unity again. It came last week at a CNN town hall in Milwaukee in response to a question about how he will bring Americans together. “I take issue with what everybody says about the division,” he replied. “The nation is not divided. You go out...
Pat Buchanan: Biden — no new cold wars or democracy crusades
“What is America’s mission?” is a question that has been debated since George Washington’s Farewell Address in 1797. At last week’s Munich Security Conference, President Biden laid out his vision as to what is America’s mission. And the contrast with the mission enunciated by George W. Bush in his second...
James Greenwood: American Rescue Plan offers helping hand to struggling Americans
Poverty in America is defined for a family of four as less than $70 per day. That’s about $2,100 a month for food, rent, utilities, transportation, clothing and everything else. The good news is that between 2015 and 2020, the poverty rate in America gradually declined to 10.5%, the lowest...
Letter to the editor: Remembering Hammerin’ Hank Aaron
Thank you to the Tribune-Review and Mark Madden for acknowledging the greatness of Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron (“Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Hank Aaron was one of sports’ most important figures,” Jan. 23, TribLIVE). It’s incredible that Aaron maintained his poise in light of almost constant racism. He was superior in...
Editorial: In West Deer, youth in politics is an inspiring reality
When Pew Research Center asked people in 2014 how many had ever run for elected office, only 2% said yes. Not just 2% that were representatives or council members. Not just 2% that had served previously and had left office. Only 2% had ever raised a hand and said, “I...
Letter to the editor: Senators, representatives must stop supporting Trump
Notice to Republicans voting to censure those courageous Republican senators and representatives who voted to impeach and/or convict former President Trump: You do not represent all registered Republicans! Trump deserves to be punished in any way our society is able. He incited an insurrection against our government. What is wrong...
Letter to the editor: Shame on Wolf, teachers unions
So now it seems that our illustrious governor wants to raise taxes substantially to fund the teachers unions. The teachers unions are a great money laundering organization. They fund the Democratic Party, and in turn the Democrats give it back. How wonderful! If I were in charge and said I...
Letter to the editor: Task force needed to improve Pa. vaccination plan
LeadingAge PA renews its call for Gov. Tom Wolf to form a broader task force to quickly improve Pennsylvania’s lagging vaccination plan. Forming a bipartisan legislative group to address vaccinations was a start, but we can do more. Our organization represents more than 370 quality senior housing, health care and...
Letter to the editor: Dems will return House, Senate to GOP
I have to give Democrats credit for imposing the mail-in vote, because I think that’s the only way Joe Biden could get elected. My dead Republican relatives (there are many) are gleeful that the Democrats have revived their voting rights and are looking forward to future elections. I hope the...
Letter to the editor: When will Trump supporters stop believing?
It sickens me to see that, even after the terrorist attack on the Capitol and on democracy that I believe was incited by President Trump, people are foolish enough to still believe in him. Recent letter-writers have claimed the election was stolen, that it was Democrats dressed as Trump supporters...
Tom Purcell: The puppy solution
Coffee. I need coffee. And sleep. And food. I picked up my Lab puppy, Thurber, four days ago. I have spent every waking moment since happily tending to the little guy’s considerable needs. Before I got him, I was cocksure I’d mastered the proper training techniques to bend my little...
Colin McNickle: Trouble ahead for Allegheny Co. retirement system?
It was seven years ago this month that pension reforms for the Allegheny County Retirement System took effect. But it is not out of the woods yet and additional steps would be prudent, concludes a new analysis by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy. There has been no talk of...
Mark Schwartz: Remembering Rabbi Abraham Twerski — recounting just one miraculous deed
I was a young Pittsburgh lawyer in the early 1980s, over my head in most things, let alone a no-win criminal case. For God knows what reason, a young man had been referred to me, facing a three-year mandatory minimum jail sentence for vehicular homicide while drunk. When I eventually...
Steven Reske: Bruce Castor needs lesson on the First Amendment
Pennsylvania’s Bruce Castor choked on the First Amendment. Unfortunately, while his performance was nearly universally panned, no critics mentioned one jarring error. His gaffe occurred in the very first moments of his opening salvo and was on an issue foundational to President Trump’s defense. While at first blush his factual...
Letter to the editor: Transportation key to returning to school
Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) parents want a return to school, but are they asking the right questions? The focus has been on teachers, but the issue is more complex. To return now, a school district as large as PPS would have to modify the CDC 6-foot distancing guidelines in order...
