Opinion category, Page 645
Sounding off: A covid-19 tax will be coming to Pennsylvania
Does anybody remember the Johnstown Flood of 1936? Yeah, me neither. But do you know that in 1936, Pennsylvania enacted a “temporary” liquor tax in order to help pay for the damages caused by that flood? At the time, it was 10%; today, it is 18%. Fast-forward to 2020 and...
State Rep. Bob Brooks: Getting Pa. to work while dealing with coronavirus
During the early stages of the highly contagious coronavirus, we had little statistical information, but there was much concern over hospital space for treatment and the loss of lives. Health officials here and abroad are continuing to work to track and contain the pandemic. Our government has tried to slow...
Letter to the editor: Safer ways to exercise religious freedom
I would like to thank those who choose to exercise their religious freedom by attending services at their church. Thank you for potentially exposing yourselves to covid-19 and possibly passing it on to family, friends, co-workers and others. Thank you for likely extending stay-at-home orders and increasing the number of...
Letter to the editor: Cyber charter schools help children thrive
If public charter school choice wasn’t an option, my son would have been left behind. Prior to his kindergarten year, we moved into a good school district excited about the opportunity to offer him the best. But instead, my son became a “number” and quickly began to dread going to...
Letter to the editor: WQED aids learning during covid-19 pandemic
WQED, known worldwide as “Mister Rogers’ station,” was the nation’s first community-supported education television station. Today WQED and Pennsylvania’s six other PBS stations are bringing instructional programming to 12.4 million people across the state during this pandemic. These emergency at-home learning services for students, families, teachers and school systems are...
Letter to the editor: Farmers will keep safe milk available
On behalf of the 10,000 dairy farm families that I have the privilege to represent, I want to acknowledge how difficult this time is for everyone. Our prayers are especially with those families whose health has been affected by the coronavirus. Our dairy farm families are committed to providing wholesome...
John Stossel: China’s tech totalitarianism
The media tell us China “beat coronavirus.” I don’t believe it. The Chinese government lies. AEI’s Derrek Scissors argues that they’ve underreported the number of covid-19 cases by millions. Still, it’s possible that China has the virus under control. But at what cost? Most of us in America now practice...
Walter Williams: Fixing college corruption
America’s colleges are rife with corruption. The financial squeeze resulting from covid-19 offers opportunities for a bit of remediation. Let’s first let’s examine what might be the root of academic corruption, suggested by the title of a 2018 study, “Academic Grievance Studies and the Corruption of Scholarship.” The study was...
Lou Weiss: In memory of ‘Freddie’ the garbage collector, the first city worker taken by covid-19
I lost my garbageman this past Wednesday. While his name hasn’t been officially released from the Pittsburgh Department of Environmental Services, word is that he was the first covid-19 related fatality of a public employee in the city. I’ll call him “Freddie” for now. Not knowing his last name, I...
Dr. Joseph Answine: Nurse anesthetists’ role
We can agree that all medical personnel should be utilized to fight the covid-19 pandemic. However, this is not the time for nurse anesthetists to push a long-fought personal agenda, which is independent practice separating the physician from the patient during the highly complicated and risky period while under anesthesia...
Laurels & lances: Milk, food and liquor
Laurel: To a tall glass of support. When the milk market was drying up for Ben Brown’s Westmoreland County farm Saturday, things looked bleak for Whoa Nellie Dairy. While milk is one of those staples everyone buys when a storm is coming or an emergency threatens, some farmers have been...
Charles Mitchell: Lawmakers offer way out of coronavirus chaos
Since the beginning of the covid-19 outbreak, I have been rooting for our governor, Tom Wolf. We all need him to be successful in protecting our neighbors from this disease, and initially his response was consistent and transparent. But now, his secretive approach is harming his multi-state effort to reopen...
Lori Falce: The politics of ordering groceries
On Wednesday, my groceries were delivered. I had tried to get an Instacart window for more than a week. We didn’t have ham at my house for Easter because the earliest time I could get was Monday. So there I was, Monday morning, trying to focus on reading and research...
Letter to the editor: Covid-19 pandemic is a wake-up call
Do you not see what is going on? The worldwide pandemic is a wake-up call. This has happened many times before. This is a warning from God to the people of the world. Read the Bible. There needs to be more love in the world. There is too much hate...
Letter to the editor: Strengthen food assistance across nation
In the of era of social distancing, Pittsburghers are more united than ever — not only are we keeping up with work and loved ones through video calls, we are also coming together to meet the needs of our community (“Outside PPG Paints Arena and Rivers Casino, groups rally to...
Letter to the editor: Climate lessons from coronavirus
The covid-19 pandemic is unfolding in ways all too familiar in world crises, ways that eerily reflect our inadequate response to climate change. Experts warn us that early and decisive action is needed. But the warnings are largely ignored until the impacts are overwhelming and draconian measures become necessary. The...
Letter to the editor: Democrats don’t automatically win in Westmoreland
Congratulations to Eric Davanzo for a resounding win (“Republican Eric Davanzo poised to claim House 58th District special election,” March 17, TribLIVE). His hard work and that of his family paid off. His party stood solidly behind him before and during the election. Even with the current situation, people of...
Letter to the editor: Keep prisoners in prison
Open up our jails because of covid-19 (“Gov. Wolf approves release of up to 1,800 inmates amid coronavirus concerns”)? Why? How does this make any sense? Those in charge need to think this over and rethink this. Prisoners are in jail for a reason. We have family members and friends...
Editorial: Masks defend health and economy
The best offense is a good defense. It’s a familiar sentiment. It’s a tenet of arenas from the military to Wall Street. It’s a concept that fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers might even consider a religion. It’s the idea that there is no better way to attack a problem than...
Josh Shapiro: Major victory for abuse survivors
We’re working overtime right now in the Office of Attorney General — protecting your financial security and stopping price gouging during the public health emergency — and still meeting our core responsibilities to public safety. In fact, we just won two major victories that will protect Pennsylvanians from the most...
Suzanna Masartis: The race for a covid-19 cure
America traditionally has turned to its biopharmaceutical industry for solutions to our ailments and diseases, with the demands for treatments and vaccines created by the coronavirus pandemic underscoring what members of rare disease communities feel every day. Although biopharmaceutical companies are committed to developing solutions to help diagnose and treat...
State Sens. Lindsey Williams & Maria Collett: Essential workers need our help now
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage across our state, country and world, every day we wake up to new unsettling statistics. As of this writing, in Pennsylvania alone, there are 25,345 cases of coronavirus, but there are surely hundreds, maybe even thousands more, who have contracted the virus but...
Letter to the editor: Put WHO funding back into America
President Trump wants to stop funding for the World Health Organization. I say go for it. And while you’re at it, include Pakistan and all the other supposed allies from third-world countries that we finance, but hate us. Oh, and please include the United Nations. Put this money back into...
Letter to the editor: Listening to Trump & experts
Regarding Carl Mochak’s letter “Don’t listen to Trump” (April 10, TribLIVE): Sir, who are you listening to? Nancy Pelosi telling everyone to come to San Francisco’s Chinatown? New York City leaders saying it is OK to go out to the theaters and restaurants? Are you one of the people who...
Letter to the editor: Changing rules has consequences
I found the letter “Wisconsin voting debacle unconscionable” (April 12, TribLIVE) a huge misrepresentation of what all is happening with our right to vote. Rules are rules, and that is how it is. Imagine an election where people can go around with a handful of absent ballots or go to...
