Sounding off: Leaders must address border crisis

The Trib recently reported 168 drug overdose deaths in Westmoreland County in 2021, up 37% from the prior year (“Coroner’s report shows 168 accidental overdose deaths in 2021 in Westmoreland County”). What a senseless tragedy this is for families that have needlessly lost loved ones.

Sadly, addiction is an illness, but with an unsecure southern border, the supply chain for illegal drugs greatly expanded in the last year. Fentanyl was responsible for 137, or a whopping 82%, of the county’s overdose deaths. This deadly drug flows north with drug cartel couriers, many of whom avoid detection by border agents as “get-aways.” About 1.66 million illegals were encountered by border guards in fiscal 2021, up more than four-fold from the prior year.

President Biden and Vice President Harris seem to have ignored this crisis and now plan to end Title 42, which will further overwhelm border agents who have added duties as babysitters and travel agents to relocate this flood of known lawbreakers throughout the U.S., including to Pennsylvania.

With a crisis-overwhelmed executive branch, the time is now for our elected senators and representatives to display leadership by impeaching totally feckless Alejandro Mayorkas, the Biden-appointed secretary of Homeland Security. This is a critical test for our Democratic and Republican legislators who either stand with our people and fix this border crisis or who take the easier route by allowing Biden’s appointee to continue ignoring immigration laws and the resulting increased flow of deadly drugs that cause devastation in our county, state and country.

Larry Schultz, Murrysville

How can anyone still support Biden?

I find it hard to believe how anyone can still support our so-called president after his many serious mistakes and blunders. His sloppy pullout of Afghanistan and the southern border are just two of the many blunders we have witnessed. It seems he is leading us down the wrong road.

We traded one of the best, if not the best, president in modern times for the worst president ever. Everything Joe Biden touches seems to turn into a complete disaster. I hope and pray that if he is able to serve out his full four-year term that our great country will survive it.

Dave Burdis, Charleroi

Whistleblowers are key to recouping covid fraud losses

The letter “Pandemic fraud is an eye-opener” referenced the Associated Press article “Fraud overwhelms pandemic-related unemployment programs” spotlighting a tidal wave of fraud. Unfortunately, this is only the tip of the fraud iceberg.

Two years ago, lawmakers passed a series of spending bills to provide pandemic relief and shore up a battered economy. Congress acted quickly and decisively, pumping more than $5 trillion into the economy. Sadly, but inevitably, oversight and fraud controls were sacrificed for speed. According to recent estimates, hundreds of billions of dollars will be lost to fraud.

All is not lost. Some of this money can be recovered, and citizen whistleblowers are in the best position to assist the government. Citizen whistleblowers filing suit under the federal False Claims Act have long been the government’s most effective tool to police waste, fraud and abuse in government programs. If successful, a whistleblower bringing this kind of qui tam lawsuit can receive a reward of up to 30% of the amount recovered. Over the previous 35 years, whistleblowers have recovered more than $60 billion on behalf of taxpayers.

Fraud may involve fraudulent applications for loans and grants, kickbacks, overcharging and other schemes that result in losses to the federal programs. Bottom line: You can’t tell a lie to obtain money that you are not otherwise entitled to receive.

Whistleblowers also should be on high alert for fraudsters targeting spending from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Andrew Stone, Downtown

The writer is an attorney.

If we respect life, we must end death penalty

On April 29, Richard Bernard Moore, a man on South Carolina’s death row, will be executed by firing squad. That’s right. Firing squad! As an ordained Roman Catholic deacon, serving as a chaplain to our incarcerated sisters and brothers in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, I most strongly urge my fellow Christians, people of faith and other pro-life advocates to petition South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to put an immediate halt to this barbaric execution.

St. John Paul II clearly stated in “Evangelium Vitae” (“The Gospel of Life”): “The dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform.”

Pope Francis recently updated Catholic teaching on the death penalty, stating that, “In light of the teachings of Christ, this deliberate taking of life is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the human person.”

On a daily basis, within my ministry, I witness God’s powerful grace redeem the lives of men and women whom society judges as unredeemable — even individuals who have committed the most heinous crimes. Cries to “respect life” and that “all lives matter” ring hollow in the face of a society that sanctions and facilitates the taking of life — any life!

Keith Kondrich, Swisshelm Park

Housing authority committed to residents’ well-being

A thank you, letter-writer Eileen Krynock (“Residents not to blame for poor housing conditions”), goes to you and all the leaders and members of Voice of Westmoreland. Your compassion and care for those in need is unbelievable. I have attended Westmoreland County commissioners meetings and have listened to members of VOW speak. VOW’s commitment is very respected.

But, with all due respect, I do not agree with what you wrote about the Westmoreland County Housing Authority (WCHA). Your statement that “all too often residents who speak out are threatened with eviction/rent increases” could not be further from the truth. Furthermore, issues with the infrastructure, appliances, HVAC systems, mold and bug infestation are anything but swept under the rug, as you stated.

I worked for and retired from the WCHA maintenance department. I know firsthand the commitment all employees have, from the directors to managers to maintenance, for the well-being and safety of the residents. When the maintenance department prepares a vacant unit for occupation, no shortcuts are taken. When residents have a tough time with their rent, managers have set up payment plans. Our directors are continually improving and expanding so more people will have a place to call home.

The strong conviction you and the other members of VOW have for the people in need in Westmoreland County is the same strong conviction the employees of WCHA have for their residents.

It sure is a nice feeling knowing what Westmoreland County has going for it.

Joe Zaccagnini, Export

Questions for Pa. Republican candidates

No matter what side of the coin you’re on, I think every Pennsylvania citizen wants to know the following from all our governor and Senate candidates:

Do you support Donald Trump as the leader of the Republican Party?

Do you believe that he is still the legally elected president and not Joe Biden?

I just watched a candidate from a Southern state refuse to answer such “controversial” questions (the first question to her was, “Is Trump still the president?”). Since asking what year it is and who is president are pretty standard questions if you get a brain injury, I feel candidates should be able to answer such an easy question, right? I would love to know how to get these questions in for the upcoming debate. I bet they would be scrambling all over the place in an attempt to not answer.

Karla Thomas, Hempfield

Student loan forgiveness is a destructive policy

I went to college so I could get a job that would provide an adequate standard of living and enable me to pay my bills. Today’s culture has apparently hoodwinked a huge number of people into attending college to pursue unmarketable majors, and worse, amass outlandish student debt they now can’t repay.

Currently 40 million Americans owe the federal government $1.6 trillion, or an average of $40,000 per person for student loans. The Biden administration has already forgiven 725,000 borrowers $17 billion in loans and recently deferred student loan payments again until Aug. 31.

Facing a tough election in November, this administration, at the urging of prominent Democrats like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, is contemplating action that would 1) extend suspension of federal student loan payments beyond the election or 2) greatly expand the student loan forgiveness program.

America is experiencing record-high inflation caused mainly by profligate government spending. Rather than helping those with student loans find employment, Democrats are trying to buy their votes with yet another handout funded by taxpayers.

Student-loan forgiveness rewards irresponsible behavior. Those who paid for their own education or chose not to go to college should not be on the hook for this massive expense. Call Sen. Bob Casey and tell him to block this legislation. Further, work and vote to defeat any candidate who supports this destructive policy.

Jane Tower, Murrysville