Opinion category, Page 21
Alex Wallach Hanson: Strassburger’s failed play on inclusionary zoning
On Wednesday, Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Erika Strassburger introduced a surprise amendment to the inclusionary zoning bill that has been debated in Pittsburgh City Council for months. This proposed amendment would gutthe bill. Instead of requiring developers of buildings with over 20 housing units to include at least two units of...
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Oct. 13
Mallard Fillmore cartoons for the week of Oct. 13....
Letter to the editor: Retain Supreme Court justices Donohue, Dougherty, Wecht
Throughout my legislative and legal career, I have had the opportunity to review the decisions of numerous judges, and Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht have proven themselves to be a few of the best. They are honest, firm but fair and knowledgeable. They are...
Letter to the editor: Civilized politics is possible
I never thought I would say this, but I applaud the actions of a Republican U.S. senator: Dave McCormick. By meeting with Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, to have a conversation free of hate and malice, he has shown me and many others that being a civilized, ethical politician may not...
Editorial: Increasing grocery prices hurt everyone
There are things we can stretch when money is tight. That pair of shoes might have to last another month or two. Replacing the tires could wait until you get your tax return. This electric bill could get shoved in a drawer until next time, even though it will be...
Joseph Sabino Mistick: DOMI’s latest folly — bike lane in the Strip
If you ever wonder what has driven so many people into the arms of Donald Trump and the MAGA crowd, look no further than the insistence of the City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) that a dangerous bike lane be installed along several blocks of Penn Avenue...
Mark Reinecke: A goal of zero youth suicides is reasonable. Here’s how we get there
After 35 years as a clinical child and adolescent psychologist and a medical school professor, treating hundreds of children and teens who suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts and meeting with thousands of parents, I had hoped that through research, training and clinical care, I’d eventually be put out of...
Henry I. Miller: Autism, Tylenol and the perils of easy answers
Half of all pregnant women take acetaminophen — better known as Tylenol or paracetamol — to relieve pain or reduce fever. The drug has been around for decades, is available without a prescription and is often one of the few options doctors consider safe during pregnancy. However, on Sept. 23,...
Mary Ellen Klas: Threats against judges have crossed the line
The destruction of South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein’s home in a fiery inferno Oct. 4 immediately led to speculation it was an act of political violence. South Carolina officials are still investigating, and they said Monday “there is no evidence to indicate” the cause of the explosion “was...
Letter to the editor: Congress, Supreme Court must end Trump’s game
President Trump is running our country like a game. When he’s falling behind in the game he changes the rules. He flip-flops on his own words. His good friend Vladimir Putin is no longer his good friend. His one-hour tirade at the UN was embarrassing. He told Ukraine they’d have...
Letter to the editor: Lingg best choice for Murrysville Council
Jamie Lingg is running for reelection to Murrysville Council. We first met her years ago when she was knocking on doors in our neighborhood discussing her campaign for a council seat. We had a very nice discussion and were impressed by her honest openness and desire to keep Murrysville fiscally...
Editorial: Does Walmart need your money to rip down the Monroeville Mall?
Walmart is the largest retailer in the United States. You might think most of what is bought and sold in America is filtering through Jeff Bezos and his Amazon website, but you would be wrong. According to international professional services company Deloitte, the Arkansas-based superstore pulled in $648 billion in...
Letter to the editor: Trump has created a new type of civil war
Many U.S. presidents have attempted to deflect attention from their low poll numbers by sending troops to foreign nations to start wars or skirmishes, but President Trump has more reason to get voters to look elsewhere than any of these former presidents did. He is violating his campaign promise to...
S.E. Cupp: The politics of Donald Trump’s war on cities
A masked, federal agent in combat uniform leans out the passenger window of a Jeep and points a military rifle directly at the face of a U.S. citizen in Chicago, simply for recording him. It should send a chill down every American’s spine. President Trump’s revenge on America’s liberal cities...
Sheldon H. Jacobson and Dr. Janet A. Jokela: Sage advice — get a flu shot this year
The influenza (flu) season is fast approaching. With it brings the risk of upper respiratory discomfort, fever and various aches. Those over 65 years of age and children under 2years of age have historically been at the greatest risk of poor outcomes, including hospitalizations and even death. In the 2024-25...
Matt K. Lewis: Congress’ Democrats are wildly unprepared to face down Trump
Donald Trump has made politics into a dystopian reality show he loves to host, but Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries are playing by the old rules — and the mismatch may cause Democrats to get blamed for the government shutdown. This is not because they’re dumb (they’re not)...
Letter to the editor: Protect our forests
Our forests are more valuable to us when they still exist. They act as our planet’s lungs, house activities, provide jobs and help to beautify our landscapes. I’m talking about the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, more commonly known as the “Roadless Rule,” which has been under attack from the current...
Letter to the editor: More funding needed for mental health
Today, Oct. 10, is World Mental Health Day. It was established by the World Federation for Mental Health in 1992 to raise global awareness and support for all things related to mental health. As a now-retired counselor in the field for many decades, I have seen how mental health funding...
Lori Falce: Holding our friends responsible is maybe more important than calling out enemies
It is not just easy to criticize those with whom we disagree. It can also be deeply enjoyable. It’s part of what makes social media so addictive. It feeds that spot in our brain where we all have the capacity to be, bluntly, awful. We turn it toward our opponents...
Laurels & lances: Fixing up & tearing down
Laurel: To restoration. Outside the VFW Post 92 in Lower Burrell stands a piece of history. It’s a Vietnam-era helicopter, the kind that carried service members, rescued the wounded and took enemy fire in battle. It stands there as a kind of memorial to those who served in those actions...
Letter to the editor: Let’s look at the Republicans
I’d like to respond to the self-indulged “expose” of the Democratic Party, the letter “Democrats have become party of evil” (Sept. 20, TribLive), by taking a closer look at Republicans. First, many of them claim they don’t like gay people but they drive around in pickup trucks flying flags with...
Paul Kengor: Tipping is getting ridiculous
Let me begin this column by stating for the record that I’m a big tipper. I say this certainly not to boast but so my overall theme isn’t misunderstood. Well beyond the standard 20%, if a waitress/waiter does an especially good job, or tugs at my heartstrings, I err on...
Letter to the editor: Irony of first lady’s anti-bullying campaign
It’s ironic that first lady Melania Trump, who campaigns against bullying, particularly cyber bullying, is married to a man who practices it constantly. He, along with Vice President JD Vance, seem to be amused by behavior that, by any rational measure, is egregious. Sandy Finley Greensburg...
Letter to the editor: It’s a challenge to find the facts
Many Democrats call President Trump a liar, a fascist, a dictator, while many Republicans say President Biden’s policies at the border, promoting woke culture, overspending and weaponizing the Department of Justice against Trump were ruining our country. Extreme wings of both parties are accused of accelerating political partisanship between them....
Letter to the editor: We need competence, not chaos, from our leaders
Competence in leadership is crucial. When Democrats and President Joe Biden were at the helm, America experienced tangible results. Under Biden’s leadership, our economy thrived, unemployment reached record lows and families benefited from significant corporate taxation. In my opinion, Biden prioritized American workers, safely secured our borders (actually more than...
