Featured Commentary category, Page 45
Ben Harris: Inflation isn’t the real problem for U.S. economy. The housing shortage is.
Recently released government data hammered home what we have known for at least a year: A national housing shortage, not broad-based price increases, is driving inflation. Inflation over the past year was 3.1% — far less than in 2021 but still high enough for the Federal Reserve to keep interest...
Brian Clancy: Can St. Patrick and green beer save American democracy?
Let’s make a few things crystal clear right up front. First and foremost, green beer has always been a bad choice and is without any saving grace. I also doubt that even St. Patrick in his prime could drive all the political snakes out of today’s Washington. The history of...
Peter Morici: Biden gets blame for high inflation, but he shouldn’t
Inflation has come down, but not enough for voters to stop complaining about high prices. Since President Joe Biden took office, the economy has recovered from the covid-19 pandemic shutdowns and is now advancing, just as economists expected in 2019 before the pandemic was on the horizon. The rub is...
Autumn Brewington: Kate Middleton messed up. But the royal family has bigger problems than one photo.
The Kate Middleton photo debacle is an unforced error from a person usually seen as picture, and princess, perfect. Yes, Catherine, Princess of Wales, apologized on social media Monday for “any confusion” over the image manipulation that led five major news agencies to recall the family photo the royals had...
Madelyn Sanfilippo: Dealing with false facts — how to correct online misinformation
Deepfakes of celebrities and misinformation about public figures might not be new in 2024, but they are more common and many people seem to grow ever more resigned that they are inevitable. The problems posed by false online content extend far beyond public figures, impacting everyone, including youth. New York...
Curt Schroder: Caps on damages are necessary, not shameful
A recent editorial and article about the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse overlook some key aspects of sovereign immunity and why damages caps are a necessary taxpayer protection. The bridge collapse was indeed a tragedy, but to suggest that the city would have repaired the bridge if caps on lawsuits against...
Rep. Chris Deluzio: A tough and fair border deal killed by Republicans
We need to fix our broken border and immigration system. Period. Like so many of my Democratic colleagues, I have been ready to work with our Republican counterparts to restore order, help local communities and bring some sanity to our immigration system. But guess what? Do-nothing Washington Republicans have killed...
Cal Thomas: President and Congress need an intervention
When some people appear beyond help because of addiction or other circumstances they can’t control, family members have been known to stage an intervention. Congress and President Biden need an intervention as their addiction to spending exceeds anything seen in history. In his State of the Union address last week,...
Jason W. Park: Gun rights, gun control, gun violence
A pending case before the Supreme Court, United States v. Rahimi, addresses the broad question of Second Amendment interpretation and how closely the nation’s laws should be compared to the way firearms were regulated in 1791. For example, making it illegal for the mentally ill and felons to own guns...
Elwood Watson: The creep of Christian nationalism
Historically viewed as a fringe belief system, Christian nationalism has become a considerable force in American politics, particularly as it relates to the current Republican Party. A new survey from Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution revealed more than 50% of Republicans believe the country should aspire to...
Kevin Frazier: Voters need to ask the right questions
“That’s the wrong question.” In the most recent season of “True Detective,” Jodie Foster plays a detective in Alaska. Her character has a knack for pushing other officers to ask better questions about the complex case in their hands. Unsurprisingly, it annoys the heck out of her colleagues. Also unsurprisingly,...
Jennifer Bertetto: Preserving access to public information from public bodies
When journalists emphasize the importance of the Sunshine Act, some people might think we’re seeking special favors or a particular privilege — that we’re looking for more ways to “get dirt.” Nothing could be further from the truth, and here’s why: The Sunshine Act is about preserving public access to...
Michael Reagan: Steve Garvey and the miracle in California
A miracle occurred last week in California’s U.S. Senate primary race. In a deep blue state where Democratic voters outnumber Republicans 2-1, Steve Garvey, the former L.A. Dodger star, ran against three Democrats and came in a close second to Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff. Garvey, a conservative Republican, finished behind...
Jerry Brown and Ernest Moniz: ‘Oppenheimer’s’ best performance — reminding us that we live in dangerous times
On Oscar night, millions will tune in to see whether the captivating story about the race to create the world’s first nuclear weapon will take home an armload of Academy Awards. As we watch, we must remember this: No matter who lands a golden statuette on March 10, we will...
Mark Weisbrot: The GOP wouldn’t be fit to govern, even if Trump were to leave
What is the Republican Party today? Any answer has to start with Donald Trump. He has a grip on the party that is perhaps unprecedented in the modern era, leading some analysts to see it as a cult of personality. Many Republican leaders and elected officials who do not like...
Would Reagan recognize today’s Republican Party? Absolutely.
President Ronald Reagan is remembered as one of America’s greatest presidents as he oversaw the end of the Cold War, creating an exceptional period of peace and an unparalleled economic boom. Simply put, his policies made America safer and Americans more prosperous. Today, he has an almost mythical place in...
Vicki Crawford: The women who stood with Martin Luther King Jr. and sustained a movement for social change
Coretta Scott King is often remembered as a devoted wife and mother, yet she was also a committed activist in her own right. She was deeply involved with social justice causes before she met and married Martin Luther King Jr., and long after his death. Scott King served with civil...
Tricia Wachtendorf and James Kendra: 2.5 million displaced by disasters in 2023 tell story of recovery in America and who is vulnerable
People often think of disasters as great equalizers. After all, a hurricane, tornado or wildfire doesn’t discriminate against those in its path. But the consequences for those impacted are not “one-size-fits-all.” That’s evident in the U.S. Census Bureau’s newly released results from its national household surveys showing who was displaced...
Robert A. Strong: Supreme Court rules it’s unconstitutional for state governments to decide on Trump’s qualifications
When the Supreme Court ruled on March 4 that former President Donald Trump could appear on state presidential ballots for the 2024 election, it did not address an idea that seemed simple and compelling when Justice Brett Kavanaugh raised it during the Feb. 8 oral arguments in the case: “What...
John M. Hammond: Reining in pharmacy benefit managers
Julia Maruca’s reporting of issues facing pharmacies should help bring more attention to the subject of prescription benefit managers’ (PBMs) inordinate influence in the pharmaceutical marketplace. I believe there should be more investigation into the vertical integration of PBMs, health care insurance companies, pharmacies and specialty pharmacies, and I submit...
Salewa Ogunmefun: It’s time to make it easier to vote in the birthplace of democracy
Presidential primary election years are unique because they offer the opportunity to get a state-by-state look at the different ways elections are run across the country. In real time we can compare how various election policies make it easier or more difficult for eligible voters to cast their ballot. A...
Matt Smith, Darrin Kelly and Greg Bernarding: Seizing Western Pa.’s unique hydrogen opportunity
While proudly recognizing its industrial past — which helped to build our region and the modern world — Pittsburgh has emerged as a beacon of transformation primed to redefine America’s cleaner energy future. Think about it: President Biden’s plan to tackle climate change demands swift economy-wide decarbonization, creating and preserving...
Lynn Greenky: Publishing Taylor Swift’s flight information — stalking or protected free speech?
Jack Sweeney, a junior at the University of Central Florida, says the First Amendment gives him the right to publish publicly available information about the flight paths of private jets owned by the rich and famous — including Taylor Swift. Swift’s legal team — and many of her fans —...
Thomas Gilbert: Investing in Pa.’s outdoor economy
As every Pennsylvanian knows, and as those who visit or relocate here quickly discover, our commonwealth is blessed with abundant natural resources and outdoor recreation assets. With more than 86,000 miles of rivers and streams (second only to Alaska), Pennsylvania is one of the best places in the world for...
Dan DeBone: Shapiro proposal will fortify Westmoreland County transit system
The Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a joint press conference with Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll, held to delve into a groundbreaking development that has the potential to redefine the public transit landscape in Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2024-25 budget proposal stands out as a pivotal moment, articulating...
