“For God’s sake, this man (Putin) cannot remain in power.” A completely correct and inspiring statement by President Biden, this made me proud to be an American.

For God’s sake, let us give Ukraine the military equipment immediately that they are requesting — the fighter jets, the tanks, air defense missiles, anti-ship missiles, more sophisticated drones, whatever Zelenskyy’s military desires.

The sooner Putin’s troops are defeated and removed from Ukraine, the sooner the humanitarian disaster can be resolved. Let us spend the money in helping the Ukrainians return and rebuild, rather than for housing them in other countries.

We must stand side by side with Ukraine, rather than hiding behind its skirts, until there are no Russian troops alive on Ukrainian territory other than POWs. Daily escalation of military help should occur until Russia capitulates — no more of this frozen conflict nonsense which has paralyzed the Western democracies.

Michael Culig, Shadyside

Bills should be shorter — and read — in Congress

I would love to see a bill proposed by Congress to limit the amount of pages each new proposed bill could contain — no more than five pages, front and back. In addition, before a vote is taken on the bill, each member of Congress must sign a statement that they have read the bill in its entirety and understand all contained within the bill — and then sign.

I can’t imagine that bills are voted on that have not been read. This is allowing money to be recklessly spent and wasted in ways that never should be. There should be no more bills presented to Congress in the middle of the night.

Come on, Congress — we expect and deserve better than this. Our forefathers would be outraged and ashamed of the sneaky, possibly criminal behavior that has now become “business as usual” in our Congress.

Please, please, please, let’s save our country!

Marcia Anderson, Acme

ARP funds should go to treat substance abuse, mental illness

I am a Westmoreland County physician who has worked throughout the pandemic and witnessed the damage from covid-19 firsthand. Many patients and families are still struggling with depression, addiction or both. Hopefully, our county commissioners will use Westmoreland County’s American Rescue Plan funds to rescue our communities as we recover from the effects of covid-19. We need funding for critical programs to treat substance use disorders and mental illness.

The CDC reported a record-high 93,331 U.S. overdose deaths in 2020 (over 20,000 more deaths than the previous high in 2019). Westmoreland County suffered 168 overdose deaths in 2021, a 37% increase from 2020. Currently, we have no dual- diagnosis unit (treatment for both mental health diagnoses and addiction). We need a transitional program such as the Pathways Program, which allows patients time for additional stabilization following inpatient behavioral health admissions. We have a shortage of mental health and addiction medicine providers.

Patients with mental health and substance use disorders are not “other people, from somewhere else.” These are our brothers, sisters, moms, dads, sons and daughters, right here in our community, right now. Let’s fund mental health and substance abuse programs. Our recovering community members deserve a brighter post-covid-19 future.

Dr. Marti Haykin, Unity

What about treatment of Brett Kavanaugh?

Letter-writer Robert J. Reiland thinks several Republican senators embarrassed themselves during Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings, and that Sen. Ted Cruz made racist attacks on the nominee (“Republicans’ questioning of Jackson embarrassing.”

Asking difficult questions, as Cruz did, is not an attack and does not make one a racist. Rather, difficult questions are meant to test the nominee’s intelligence and ability to think on their feet. I would like to see Reiland provide the quotes from Cruz that he thinks were racist. And don’t tell me it was the tone of his questions, unless Reiland is a mind reader.

Just for fun, Mr. Reiland, compare the Jackson hearings with the Brett Kavanaugh hearings. What did you think about the way the Democrats treated Kavanaugh? I’ll bet you loved the accusations and what I believe were lies the Democrats used that falsely portrayed Kavanaugh as a serial rapist.

I’ll bet you loved the “witnesses” who I think were coached and fed questions by the Democrats to perpetuate the lies. That’s not to mention the others who did not testify, who I believe were also liars, but were given free rein by a complicit fake news media to say anything they wanted about Kavanaugh, as long as it led to further destruction of his character.

So, Mr. Reiland, were you also embarrassed by the way the Democrats treated Kavanaugh? Is that a racist attack on my part or just a difficult question for you?

Ralph Dunsworth, Oviedo, Fla.

Biden a better car salesman than president

Joe Biden said in his State of the Union address that if you buy an electric vehicle (EV), you can save $80 in gasoline every month. Imagine that.

In August, the White House held an EV summit, inviting executives from GM, Ford and Chrysler but none from the world’s largest maker of EVs, Tesla.

Of the nation’s 290.1 million registered vehicles, only 1.7 million (0.58%) are electric. There aren’t many used EVs.

A new EV costs $42,000. Add 6% sales tax ($2,500), $250 for vehicle title, registration and new plates, and another $250 for the dealer’s privilege to sell you a car, and the total becomes $45,000. A $5,000 trade/cash payment makes the final cost $40,000.

With an average credit rating (680), finance rates are 3.6% so that EV cost is $720 over 60 months.

In five years, that EV will need batteries replaced (up to $10,000 or more) and brakes replaced ($1,500).

So, to save $80 per month in gasoline, Biden wants you to assume $720 in debt.

Question: Why is the national debt nearing $30 trillion?

Answer: Joe Biden is a better car salesman than he is a president.

David Scandrol, Lower Burrell

GOP looking more like Communist Party

Maybe President Biden could be more successful if he mobilized an angry mob and sent them down to Washington to smash their way into the Capitol, erect a gallows and then chase down the disagreeable legislators. But if he did that, he wouldn’t be Democrat, he’d be a Republican.

And if you think that’s as low as Republicans can go, tune in to their rallies where sometimes they chant and cheer for Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator who is ravaging Ukraine. Hear former President Trump call Putin “savvy” and “a genius.”

It seems Republicans will never accept the results of an election unless they win, and, in my opinion, they are relentless in their efforts to keep those who won’t vote for them from voting. This Republican Party is looking more and more to me like the Communist Party.

Lew Kemerer, New Stanton

Pirates need to focus on team, not amenities

The Pirates’ announced upgrades to PNC Park are the latest smoke-and-mirrors act from the Bob Nutting Bank and Trust (”PNC Park getting enhancements in advance of Pirates’ season opener.”) Ooh. Ahh. More barstools. Giant bobbleheads. More overpriced food and drink options.

None of these enhancements, while nice, do a blessed thing to improve the ball club on the field. If anything, they distract fans from the overmatched, underfunded Buccos. Which might be Nutting’s plan all along. Watch the TV commercials. They’re all about the ballpark, the views, the fireworks. Everything except what happens between the white lines.

I have just one question: Who paid for those capital upgrades? The Pirates or the taxpayers?

Dan Skantar, North Fayette

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