Sounding off: Reps don't represent, abortion destroys families, no 'freebies,' MAGAs not extremists, Fetterman wrong choice

Representatives don’t represent us

When our Harrisburg representatives run for office, they tell voters that they will represent us. But they don’t. In fact, they willingly agree not to.

As every new session begins, legislators vote on procedural rules. Currently, those rules allow only majority party leaders and committee chairs to bring bills out of committee to votes in the House or Senate. This shifts so much power to majority party leaders that representatives like Leslie Rossi and Eric Nelson can do little regarding issues important to their constituents. Majority party leaders like Sen. Kim Ward, on the other hand, have significant power over which bills get votes.

Need some evidence? Start with the Trib’s editorial “Lawmakers’ big raises are an affront to Pa. taxpayers” (Aug. 21, TribLIVE). Legislators could stop giving themselves automatic raises, but House majority leaders have prevented a vote, even though both parties unanimously supported a bill to do that. A Senate committee is still arguing about their bill. Voters can only wonder whether Ward will exert her influence there to move the bill forward.

Want to know why your property taxes have increased repeatedly for the past decade? For at least that long, bills to reform funding for cyber charter schools have died in committee, despite strong support from both political parties, from Pennsylvania citizens and from 432 out of 500 school districts. School districts have had no choice but to raise taxes. That reform will die in committee again this year.

Call your representatives. Ask why they choose to represent majority party leaders instead of voters who elected them.

Helen Sitler

Ligonier

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Abortion ‘rights’ will destroy our families

The right to choose was given to us by God, not by woman or man (Garden of Eden). Choice requires an understanding between right and wrong. If we choose wrong, serious consequences often jeopardize our relationships. Choice allows us to “freely” respond to God’s enormous love for us. God does not demand it. He wants us to exercise our own free will.

Abortion is considered by many as an individual right without regard to the rights of the unborn. Planned Parenthood has transitioned from the initial word “pro-abortion” to “pro-choice” to “reproductive rights,” and now to “health care.” How can we go from pro-abortion to health care? One destroys life, while the other saves lives. Many abortions are “elective” procedures designed for a woman’s convenience. The opposite of “pro-life” is “pro-death,” plain and simple.

Our president, vice president and speaker of the House strongly promote abortion rights, with two of them claiming to be devout Catholics. Their pro-abortion stance is heretical to Catholic beliefs, which have always affirmed the protection of life from conception to natural death. Our church also opposes the death penalty for the same reason.

Abortion is not a constitutional right, and I pray that our leaders will always respect the God-given sacredness and sanctity of life. To do otherwise will destroy the family, the last hope for our survival.

Edward M. Thimons

Harrison

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Reasons to be an independent

Republicans say I’m a chump for believing that the candidate who wins an election in a certified, judicially reviewed process gets to hold the office. Democrats say I’m a chump for paying off my college loan. That’s why I’m an independent voter.

Jay Lynch

Upper St. Clair

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Someone’s always paying for that ‘something for nothing’

Let’s look back to the start of the Pennsylvania Lottery … one game once a day. Today,, as documented in today’s eTrib, 16 daily drawings! When it started, it was touted to be strictly as a benefit to the elderly. Just where is all this money going? I’ll bet that we the people will never see the facts on this one.

Now let’s look at the federal level: the latest giveaway programs like the student loan “forgiveness,” foreign aid packages to countries that hate us for being us and the never-ending feathering of every piece of legislation with sweetheart add-ins for special interest groups.

I don’t know what scares me the most: the fact that these politicians tell us that they will tax the big companies 15% to pay for all of this or the fact that they believe that those same companies will take that 15% tax out of their profits to pay that bill. We all know that we the people will not only pay this 15% along with the markup to boot by several companies until the product gets to us, the consumers.

One big question: When will we the people wake up and see that the old adage — there is no such thing as a free lunch — is true? If someone gets something for nothing, someone else is picking up the tab!

Kenneth R. Nath

Saltsburg

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MAGA Republicans not extremists

I am a proud MAGA Republican. There are millions of us across this great country. We are not “extremists,” “terrorists” or “neo-Fascists.” We love America and are very concerned with the direction it is taking. We are distressed with the high inflation, as prices of everything soar. We are alarmed as we see illegal immigrants pouring into our country by the thousands along with deadly drugs and child trafficking.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration seems to turn a blind eye. Crime is out of control while police are resigning because they can’t work in a world where the criminal is glorified and the police are evil.

I find it frightening that President Biden would use this inflammatory language to refer to patriotic conservatives. Isn’t this what Hitler did to the Jews in Germany?

Carolyn Thomson

North Huntingdon

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Fetterman disastrous choice for Senate

We are being bombarded with annoying and in many cases untrue TV ads touting the candidates. A new ad promotes John Fetterman, saying that he “rebuilt his town and brought back jobs.” Braddock remains a very depressed town, now numbering only 1,700 residents after losing 41% of its population between the 2000 and 2020 censuses.

John Fetterman was mayor from 2006 to 2019 and earned $150 monthly while being financially supported by his wealthy parents. Did Fetterman rebuild Braddock? The answer is a resounding no! It now has no banks, no drug stores, no gas stations and no supermarket. Crime and drugs remain huge problems.

In 2019, U. S. Steel announced a $1 billion project to extend the useful life of its large Braddock plant. After significant permitting delays while Fetterman was lieutenant governor, U.S. Steel killed this vital project and is now building a new plant in Arkansas. Was Fetterman instrumental in bringing back or saving jobs here? The answer again is no!

Fetterman as lieutenant governor supported failed progressive policies of defunding the police, commuting sentences of many drug dealers and murderers, legalizing recreational marijuana and celebrating sanctuary cities and counties. His role model is socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Would America be well served with Fetterman as a U.S. senator? The answer again is a resounding no! Fetterman has an abysmal record of accomplishments yet his major criticism of Dr. Oz is for being successful.

Larry Schultz

Murrysville

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Hollow words from Pirates leadership

Next year! That’s the battle cry from the Pirates’ general manager and owner. I think it’s now time to put up or shut up! If the Pirates’ owner is not ready to turn loose of some of his money to pay key players, it’s all hollow words. We don’t need to be the “farm system” for the rest of MLB. It’s time to create a team that’s constantly competitive or admit you don’t know what you’re doing. Years of unfulfilled promises make many of us fans skeptical.

Diane Powell

New Kensington