Editorials category, Page 16
Editorial: Why is Trump’s opposition to U.S. Steel sale a ‘gut punch?’
On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump took to social media to make a statement about his feelings on an issue of domestic economy and foreign relations. “I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan,” he...
Editorial: A small but important win for FDA under fire
Given how the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority is better known for limiting the authority of federal regulatory agencies than supporting them, last week’s small victory for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is an especially welcome one. The justices served the nation’s interest by essentially doing nothing — declining...
Editorial: Is a social media ban here possible?
Social media is everywhere. It’s on the desktop computer that might be used for gaming. It’s on the laptop your teenager uses for homework. It’s on the tablet your kindergartner uses for videos. It’s on the smartwatch that counts steps. It’s on the phone tucked in every back pocket or...
Editorial: With 5 words, Trump kills a free-press measure that had bipartisan support
The apparent death of the PRESS Act in Congress should alarm Americans on two levels. After this bill unanimously passed a Republican-controlled House — a testament to its commonsense defense of First Amendment principles that protect Americans of all political persuasions — all it took to ensure its demise in...
Editorial: A month after election, still no answers on Marc Fogel’s detention
For three years, TribLive has periodically contacted the U.S. State Department. We ask the same questions, sometimes tweaked to reflect national or world events. We ask for the most recent information on Marc Fogel. The Butler native and Oakmont teacher has been held in a Russian prison since 2021, when...
Editorial: When should Pennsylvania deer season start?
In Pennsylvania, the national holiday of Thanksgiving and the retail festivities of Black Friday are quickly followed by the state’s own seasonal celebration. Bust out your camouflage and fluorescent orange. It’s deer season. Since 2019, the first day of regular firearm hunting for antlered and antlerless deer has come on...
Laurels & lances: Social media & bad sports
Laurel: To accessibility. Many people don’t have much contact with their local governments. If you are a renter, for instance, any contact with your municipality might be between your landlord and officials. You might not even know where the local government offices are. So what is the best way for...
Editorial: Break bread, not hearts, this Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is not the same from one house to the next. Some families spend all day with relatives coming and going, talking and laughing and eating from an endless buffet. Some gather around an elegantly laid out table for a formal dinner. Some hold hands as they say grace. Some...
Editorial: Offer of fire station dorm room benefits college students and community
You can learn a lot of things in college. You can study the law. You can explore history. You can become an artist, a scientist, an engineer or a teacher. Most college students also learn a lot about debt. The average cost of a year’s in-state public university tuition in...
Editorial: Crypto’s coming back. Here’s how to avert disaster
The crypto party seems to be getting restarted. Bitcoin is surging, and big players are celebrating amid expectations that President-elect Donald Trump will make the U.S., as he put it, “the crypto capital of the world.” Lest this experiment go awry, regulators need to keep some guardrails in place. In...
Editorial: Let’s change the tone of elections in 2025
With the Thursday concession of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, Pennsylvania’s 2024 election season effectively comes to a close. Republican businessman Dave McCormick has already gone to Washington for new-senator orientation. The sliver of difference between the two candidates — McCormick’s 48.8% to Casey’s 48.6% — triggered an automatic recount. Casey’s...
Editorial: Are there any guarantees with Nippon Steel?
If Nippon Steel really wants to buy American, it should start by selling the union on the deal. Right now, the members aren’t buying it. The Japanese company’s $14.9 billion offer to acquire Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel has been on the table since December. U.S. Steel stockholders approved the deal in...
Laurels & lances: Showing up & going on
Laurel: To getting involved. People talk about fighting the government. Winning a battle like that is the stuff of movies and TV shows. Losing the encounter is more expected. But how often do people really engage? This week, Monroeville council denied an application for a controversial development after multiple meetings...
Editorial: Teaching English as Second Language turns immigrants into community
There are places where the cultural mix of a community makes you expect to hear a chorus of different languages. Along the southern border, Spanish makes sense. So might a smattering of Portuguese or the odd native tongue like Quechua. Closer to Canada, there could be some French. But Westmoreland...
Editorial: Courts need to decide election question on more than a race-by-race basis
Pennsylvania needs an answer — once and for all — on mail-in ballots. The ability to use the voting alternative without a reason like being out of town or having a medical condition was given blanket approval with the passage of Act 77 in 2019. It promptly got its first...
Editorial: Regionalization could rescue volunteer fire departments
Pennsylvania has 67 counties. Those counties contain 2,560 municipalities of various sizes, each with its own internal organizations. There are 2,400 fire departments, according to the Office of the State Fire Commissioner. More than 2,300 of those are strictly volunteer. Another 72 are a mix of volunteers with at least...
Editorial: Another step forward for river recreation?
The idea of removing a section of a concrete river wall in order to improve access to Johnstown’s waterways sounds like it would mesh well with the renewed emphasis on outdoor recreation as an economic driver in this region. The project was in the headlines again this past week when...
Editorial: The high cost of running for office
The 2024 election season was expensive. AdImpact, a Virginia-based advertising analytics firm, reported the total cost of political advertising leading to this year’s general election at a staggering $11 billion. Most of that, obviously, went to the presidential races. The top of the ticket crossed $3 billion. That was more...
Editorial: Does Allegheny County council need to swallow a tax increase?
Government is more than just elections. It is the hard part — the part that comes between elections. It’s deciding what services people want. It’s prioritizing what they need. It’s finding a way to promote growth while preserving character. It is finding a way to pay for it all. And...
Laurels & lances: Trees, water & a grenade
Laurel: To a church donation. Usually, when it comes to giving, it is people tithing to their house of worship which then in turn helps others. But one local parish is developing a habit of contributing to the community in a different way. Guardian Angels Catholic Parish in Springdale will...
Editorial: Bullying and harassment need to be defined to be stopped
What is bullying? What is harassment? The definitions in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary are simple. Bullying is abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger or more powerful. Harassment is an unpleasant or hostile situation — especially when involving uninvited or unwelcome verbal or physical interaction. But are those enough for...
Editorial: Is Gainey’s 2025 budget realistic and reasonable?
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey wants to focus on the core services the city provides to residents. That was the tentpole idea of his 2025 budget, presented Tuesday. Good. The administration needs to beef up those aspects that keep the city functioning. Traffic needs to be kept moving. Bridges need to...
Editorial: There is no place for hateful messages as we move on after election
Black Americans and women are being targeted by hateful messaging in the wake of last week’s presidential election. The racist messages are explicit in their referencing of slavery. They tell recipients they have been selected to pick cotton and tell them to be prepared to be picked up and transported...
Editorial: Veterans need political support every day, not just on Veterans Day
For Veterans Day, a classic Trib editorial: Everyone loves a veteran. Especially a politician. On Veterans Day, that pride and appreciation of those who stood up and did their duty when asked or stepped forward to volunteer will be on display in many corners. Flags will be flown, and speeches...
Editorial: The lesson of demographics and the 2024 election
If there was one lesson from the presidential election, it might be about counting chickens. The old adage suggests not counting them before they are hatched. Farm wisdom will tell you just because you have an egg doesn’t guarantee you get a chicken. That egg could end up in an...
