Eyes are finally opening on abortion

Mary Sanchez’s editorial “Every vote in America now about abortion” (Aug. 23, TribLIVE) gave me cause to celebrate. It’s about time!

Before Roe v. Wade was recently overturned, and the question of the legality of abortion was returned to the states, the silence in the media about this subject was stunning.

When I attended the March for Life in 1981, President Reagan sent a message to the crowd affirming his commitment to stand for the protection of the unborn. It was a welcome message to hear from a sitting president. There were an estimated 100,000 people in attendance. The story about the March for Life in the local paper was a short piece on an inside page with a photo of marchers from the area with a priest in the foreground. The prescribed narrative was clear: abortion was a “Catholic issue.” Even now, Sanchez considers abortion a “pro-choice” vs. “religious right” issue.

My cause for celebration stems from the knowledge that by bringing abortion into the light for debate this grisly practice will be seen for what it is. When the violence of abortion for both the mother and the unborn child is seen, championing for abortion as a “sacred right” will be as hollow as championing for the “right” to own slaves was in the South. It’s a tough stance to take when your eyes are finally open.

Trish Lindsay

Buffalo Township

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Abortion is a private matter

I’ll gag if I read one more anti-abortion letter, naturally written by a male. Saying it’s up to the female to prevent her unwanted pregnancy is a true chauvinistic statement. Men have help for erectile dysfunction and Viagra to enhance their sexual desire. Yet many want women to defend themselves against a determined male.

It doesn’t matter if you are pro-choice or pro-life: The government is denying a woman the right to make a medical decision that’s about her own health and her own body. These politicians act like they have an “MD” beside their names. Who are they to decide what is best for the woman? It’s an issue between her doctor and herself.

No one knows the situation the woman is in. She may be in an abusive relationship with an uncontrollable man. She may already have too many children and can’t afford another child. Many times, a male refuses to accept responsibility for raising and supporting a child. There are many issues not said. But I’m sure God wouldn’t want an unwanted baby to be born and then be tortured or killed by an abusive partner.

Marlene Butler

Hempfield

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Free lunches costing us way too much

“E finita la cuccagna!” (no more free lunch), a quote attributable to former New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, must be unfamiliar to letter-writer Dianna J. Rumbaugh (“We need Wolf’s stimulus checks,” Aug. 20, TribLIVE), who advocates another $2,000 from the government printing press.

Are you financially better off today than you were in April 2020 when that first $1,400 stimulus check was deposited in your bank account?

Since $4.5 trillion of stimulus money was pumped into the economy since 2020, inflation is now at a 40-year high at 8.5%. President Biden said inflation is transitory and not to worry. The U.S. Gross Federal Debt to GDP reached 137.20% in 2021, which means the USA is not producing enough goods and services to meet its debt obligations.

Inflation will cost Americans an additional $5,200 this year. Maybe you received $3,200 in stimulus money since 2020, but since free lunches are really not free, the math says you are out $2,000 with no wage growth.

The Democrats just passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which will cost an additional $1.87 trillion, and $54 billion was sent to the Ukraine war by proxy. More hundreds of billions $1.75 trillion will cancelling student loans is being considered.

How does that “free” stimulus money look now? Soon we will be eating “free” wish sandwiches — two pieces of bread and you wish you had some meat to put between them.

David A. Scandrol

Lower Burrell

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Mastriano should speak to us all, not just his ‘target audience’

Letter-writer Peter Busowski (“Media biased against Republican candidates,” Aug. 26, TribLIVE) says that Sen. Doug Mastriano doesn’t talk to the media because the media are biased. He says that alternatives exist that give “conservatives unfiltered access to target audiences.” Aren’t all voters a candidate’s “target audience”? We non-conservatives vote, too, and the more Mastriano avoids the press, the more we question his commitment to us, who make up at least half of the electorate.

If Mastriano really believed what he says, I would think that he would welcome the opportunity to present his case to all of us, not just his “target audience.” Speak to all Pennsylvanians, Mr. Mastriano. Convince us that you have the courage of your convictions and that you can articulate those convictions convincingly. Show us that you have the wisdom and courage to be the governor of all Pennsylvanians, not just your target audience. Don’t expect us to vote for you just because Donald Trump tells us to.

Mary Beth Walling

North Huntingdon

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Voters deserve debates

It has come to my attention there may be no debates by the candidates for Pennsylvania governor and U.S. Senate. If that is indeed the case, it is unacceptable. This is not a middle school popularity contest. It is a job interview, and these candidates will be making decisions that impact our lives. We have every right, as taxpayers and voters, to see these people face to face debating critical issues. How do they act and articulate when they must defend their perspectives ? Twenty-second ads do not cut it.

Why are certain candidates not up for debating? Are we being taken for granted?

Cheryl Boise

Monroeville

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When will our leaders address border drug crisis?

It is wonderful that the drug manufacturers will pay $26 billion for a national settlement as a result of the opioid epidemic, but in my opinion, this money will do nothing to combat addiction. When will we address the real cause of this epidemic?

I’m sure these addicts are not getting these drugs from their doctors. There were nearly 2,000 pounds of fentanyl seized in July alone by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Will there be a federal lawsuit against the drug cartels as well? There were over 108,000 overdose deaths last year.

When will the murderous cartels be stopped? When will our government address the border crisis? Until then, our children and grandchildren will continue to fall victim to President Biden and Vice President Harris’ policies and the resulting damage. People must open their eyes and mouths! Will our children pay the price of our government’s stupidity?

Sandy Hahn

Jeannette

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Jesus was not an American

Oh, Mary Ann Klingensmith (“We must return to ‘one nation under God’,” Aug. 16, TribLIVE). You seem to still cling to the notion that God, or Jesus, or someone, has chosen the United States to represent your view of a God and country forever united together against … the Democrats?

So sorry, but there are a great number of people in every county across these United States who do not share your grand delusion of “God and country.” Do people like you actually believe that if you pray often and hard enough that it entitles you to be called some kind of super patriot? Really! Jesus was not an American.

Remember: Church and state, separate — a notion that was put forth by those guys who wrote … you know, the Constitution.

Al Kaufman

Churchill

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