Sounding off: Election, politics, local priest among week's letter topics

The social contract of a civilized society

The following are remarks made by Elizabeth Warren in 2011: “There is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. … You moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for; you hired workers the rest of us paid to educate; you were safe in your factory because of police forces and fire forces that the rest of us paid for. You didn’t have to worry that marauding bands would come and seize everything at your factory, and hire someone to protect against this, because of the work the rest of us did. Now look, you built a factory and it turned into something terrific, or a great idea. God bless. Keep a big hunk of it. But part of the underlying social contract is, you take a hunk of that and pay forward for the next kid who comes along.”

There is a social contract when you live in a civilized society. We need to care about one another and have each other’s back, because we depend and rely on each other. No matter your race or religion, we are all in this together.

Jackie Hartwick

North Versailles

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Harris doesn’t have backbone for the job

In his op-ed “What kind of prosecutor was Kamala Harris? The answer could be pivotal to her campaign” (Aug. 23, TribLive), Harry Litman states: “The presidential campaign is shaping up to be a tale of two prosecutors, both named Kamala Harris.”

Harris is one prosecutor who has gotten this one wrong: her stance on the death penalty.

As Harris views it, a felon commits a violent crime and will never receive the death penalty. However, at the other end of the spectrum, when it comes to women’s reproductive rights, Harris never gives a second thought in handing down a death sentence to the unborn. An innocent, unborn child who has never committed a violent crime whatsoever. An unborn child who is wrongly accused and sentenced to death.

My view, if you’re going to abolish the death penalty, then make it across the board for all; the unborn children, too. You don’t pretend to be for/against social issues just to garnish votes. A true leader is a leader who stands in the face of opposition and does what is right for the country.

Harris may have the credentials to be president, but she lacks the backbone for the job. Harris has flipped-flopped on too many of the country’s hot topic issues. Her political career shows it.

Casey Coppock

Hempfield

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Trump is a threat

I am 85 years old and on Social Security. I live at home with my son and family. I have voted in every election and this year, I am supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for many reasons, but in particular, for what I see as Donald Trump’s disregard for our laws and Constitution.

He is a convicted felon and has been found liable for sexual abuse. I believe he is unfit for our highest office, and I don’t believe he should even be allowed to run for president. His threats about violence if he doesn’t win should be taken seriously. He has shown what he and his cult members are capable of Jan. 6, 2021. That’s the continuing threat of Donald J. Trump.

I am ashamed that many Westmoreland County residents have fallen for his cons. Why does a billionaire need to sell weird trading cards and beg his supporters for their money? His recent photo op at Arlington National Cemetery and following campaign video has to be his most disgusting stunt yet.

Do we really want a wannabe dictator in office who will claim all power for the president and destroy many of our necessary agencies?

This is my opinion and my right as an American to speak out.

Ann Baldinger

Greensburg

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Americans want Trump back

Once again, the Democratic Party is resorting to hatred and innuendo in its presidential campaign rather than being forthright with the American citizenry about solutions to problems with the economy, energy, immigration and threats to our homeland.

The basement strategy and win of the Biden-Harris administration was disastrous. It gave Americans extreme inflation, an invasion by millions of immigrants, violence and filth in our streets, disrespect by our international adversaries, and trillions of dollars added to our national debt.

Despite being told by the media that Joe Biden was fine, sharp as a tack, and certainly capable and able to serve another four years, that falsehood was exposed in his debate with Donald Trump. The controllers of the party reacted and forced Biden to withdraw in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. But the media had the task of remaking that word-salad- spewing lightweight into the savior of the Democratic Party using Hollywood glitz and glamour to convince the citizenry that she is a brilliant and caring president designate. The problem is, she has the career resume of a radical, soft-on-crime, abortion-on-demand socialist with sparse knowledge of the laws of economics. Hence, she avoids all direct contact with questioners. Will America buy that again?

I believe Americans have had enough of the inflation, runaway debt, overrun borders, uncontrolled crime and offshore threats to our weakened nation. Americans remember the Trump years and want them back, despite the angry media falsehoods and Democrat vitriol in Congress.

Vincent J. Esposito

Murrysville

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Diocese can’t remove priest’s faith, love, courage

I have been a parishioner at Immaculate Conception Church in Irwin for 26 years, 19 of which Father John Moineau has been the pastor.

This is the same Father John who has been vilified by the Diocese of Greensburg since the end of May for potentially creating a “conspiracy” to cover up the criminal background of a former church cemetery employee.

It’s the same Father John who prayed with me after the grand jury report of 2018 revealed that over 300 priests in six Pennsylvania dioceses had sexually assaulted over 1,000 children, with some of those priests conveniently removed from their churches to protect their privacy.

And this is the same Father John who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer three years ago, a dreadful disease that still failed to prevent him from conducting his priestly duties for two parishes, sometimes with his chemo pump visible under his vestments.

But even more crushing was the diocese’s attempts these last several months to seemingly remove Father John as if he never existed for what ultimately resulted from an unintentional clerical error that forced him to immediately resign as pastor and where even a prayer request supporting him on the Queen of Angels Catholic School marquee was deleted.

But the diocese can never remove the power of Father John’s faith, love and courage that will forever remain in the hearts of his parishioners. His reputation will not be tarnished, unlike our respect for the Diocese of Greensburg.

Rosemary Eizenhafer

Penn Township, Westmoreland County

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County election deniers see problem that doesn’t exist

County election deniers are attempting to sow chaos in the upcoming election with false claims of tampering and election fraud (“Westmoreland commissioners urged to switch to paper ballots for November election,” Aug. 27, TribLive). In my opinion, Susanna Dejeet and her group are part of a shameless attempt by Republicans to subvert the will of Westmoreland County voters.

There has never been a documented case of election fraud in Westmoreland County — ever. There are only false claims and misinformation spread by this group.

Neither DeJeet’s group or Murrysville Judge of Elections Mary Turka has produced any proof of tampering of voting machines anywhere, let alone in Westmoreland County.

We have seen these lies debunked in the $800 million settlement against Fox News by Dominion voting systems. The Smartmatic case against Fox News is moving forward.

We cannot allow election deniers to deliberately throw the November election into chaos to the benefit of Donald Trump.

Michael Pardus

Penn Township, Westmoreland County

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Shapiro has a lot to learn

With the Democratic National Convention over, it’s time to stop the home-state hype that somehow our largely untested first-term governor, who ran with no Democratic Party opposition and then faced a fringe, underfinanced Republican, is somehow too good for the No. 2 job of vice president.

Make no mistake about it — I believe Gov. Josh Shapiro salivated, wanting to be VP. And it was his to lose. When it came to President Kennedy’s admonition, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” in my opinion, he got it backwards. And, true to his nakedly ambitious form, he tried to negotiate more for himself. In doing so, he clearly blew the interview.

Historically, great Americans from both parties never had the audacity to claim that they were too good for the vice presidency. These included men with far greater accomplishments. To name a few: Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, Congressman Gerald Ford, Sen. Fritz Mondale and Sen. Hubert Humphrey.

Finally, contrast Shapiro’s DNC naked, blusterous speech to that of others. Clearly, he has a great deal to learn when it comes to likeability and trustworthiness. The question for him is whether modesty can be an acquired trait.

Mark D. Schwartz

Bryn Mawr