Featured Commentary category, Page 29
Joseph J. Ellis: The U.S. alone is saddled with an Electoral College. How did that happen?
In 2016 and 2020, Donald Trump lost the popular election by several million votes. But in 2016 he won in the Electoral College with slim majorities in several toss-up states. That is the only way he can win the looming election, a contest all the polls show is too close...
Dave McCormick: Pa., choose change on Nov. 5
Our country is stuck, and we’ve got to make a change. If voters want more of the same, they should vote for 18-year incumbent Sen. Bob Casey. But if you’re looking for change after once-in-a-generation price increases, a wave of violent crime in our cities, a wide-open southern border and...
Sen. Bob Casey: Fighting for Pennsylvania
Every day I’ve had the honor of representing our commonwealth, I’ve fought for the people of Pennsylvania — our workers, children, seniors and people with disabilities. I’ve worked with both parties to protect American workers, to make our border more secure and to lower costs. I have fought corporate greed...
Donald Trump: Make America Great Again
With the most important election of our lifetimes just days away, I have a simple question: Are you better off now than you were four years ago? Are groceries, gas and rent more affordable? Do you feel safer in our cities? Is our border secure? For most Americans, the answer...
Vice President Kamala Harris: A president for all Americans
On Tuesday, Pennsylvanians have the chance to choose between a president who will fight for you or one focused only on himself. I remember my mother sitting at our kitchen table, with a pile of bills in front of her, cup of tea in hand, trying to figure out how...
Kathryn Anne Edwards: Universal pre-K is worth the cost. We now have proof.
The case for federally funded, universally accessible child care is simple: The private market can’t deliver it adequately or affordably to meet the needs of families. The pushback from policymakers is that it’s too expensive an investment for the government to make, especially in an era of trillion-dollar budget deficits....
Robert T. Smith: Puerto Rico has a waste management problem; we have a media problem
Typical to many islands, Puerto Rico has a waste management problem. Typical to the social-political discourse in our country, the U.S. has a media problem. In an effort to salvage some credibility for his newspaper, even Jeff Bezos was bold enough to recognize that the “mainstream” media has become simply...
Logan Churchwell: Pa.’s mail ballot system signals ‘equal protection’ problem
Pennsylvania voters who commit paperwork errors with their mail ballots could risk their votes being rejected in the days ahead — depending on which county they reside. Thanks to failed leadership from commonwealth Secretary Al Schmidt and the General Assembly, a voting rights “Wild West” has flourished where counties are...
Cal Thomas: Mike Johnson as Clark Kent
If Clark Kent had a twin brother, he might resemble Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. That includes Johnson’s mild-mannered nature. Underneath that bland exterior of Johnson’s may not be a Superman, but Johnson on the first anniversary of his speakership is confident that while Republicans may not be able...
Conor Norris and Edward Timmons: Shapiro’s licensing reforms deserve attention this election season
As we near the finish line for the 2024 election, Pennsylvania seems to be the primary focus of both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Whomever wins this state seems very likely to also win the election and thus become the next president of the United States....
Brian Carr: Casinos mislead the public about slot machine losses
I spent more than 20 years in the casino gaming industry, working for some of the world’s premier casino companies, including Las Vegas Sands in five states, including Pennsylvania. When casinos complain about slot machine revenue losses, I can tell you they are misleading the public. Recently, this has been...
Bill Johnston-Walsh: The power of the 50-and-older vote in Pa.
As we approach the 2024 elections, the significance of the 50-and-older voter in Pennsylvania cannot be overstated. According to AARP Pennsylvania’s recent poll conducted by the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio-Ward and Impact research, 90% of voters ages 50 and older say they are “extremely motivated” to vote in this...
Vincent Trometter: Politics are threatening Nippon-US Steel deal. Do we want a monopoly instead?
Political courage has never been harder to find in Washington. A prime example of this is opposition from President Joe Biden’s administration and presidential nominees Donald Trump and Kamala Harris to the Nippon Steel-U.S. Steel deal — despite the fact that the alternatives are U.S. Steel going bust or forming...
Lainey Newman: The hidden risks of Trump’s anti-government agenda
There are a lot of reasons to complain about current political, economic and social realities in the U.S. But there are also reasons to protect the systems in place that work, which are many. One of the first things I noticed a couple years ago when I traveled to India,...
Cal Thomas: The dangerous marijuana campaign
MIAMI — As in most presidential election years, ballot measures are usually overlooked or downplayed by the national media. One is in Florida where a proposal to legalize cannabis to be administered by the state is on the ballot. Marijuana has been made legal in 24 states, three U.S. territories...
Julie Farnam: Tree of Life anniversary is reminder of dangers of hate
It’s been six years since the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue (L’Simcha Congregation), an attack that killed 11 and injured six others. It was the deadliest incident against Jews on American soil. To intentionally kill is a fundamentally hateful act, a white-hot rage whose flames were fanned by...
Tom Corbett and Conor Lamb: Our elections are safe and secure, so vote with confidence
America’s elections are the safest and most secure in the world. Bar none. And once again, Pennsylvania is leading the way. The world looks to our electoral system as a model of freedom and fairness, powered by a rigorous system of checks and balances that are viewed across the political...
Frank Donatelli: Trump has problems with democracy
Pennsylvania has always prided itself on electing leaders who are focused on governing and making democracy work to solve urgent problems. This has been true from the very beginnings of the American republic and the adoption of the Constitution in Philadelphia over 200 years ago. Pennsylvanians have put the public...
Jason Altmire: Will Harris appeal to Pa.’s independent business owners?
In a slew of mid-October campaign speeches in Pennsylvania, Vice President Kamala Harris pitched economic policies that she believes would boost the purchasing power and job opportunities of the working class. These calls follow the campaign pledge she made this summer to revitalize Pennsylvania’s manufacturing sector and reinvigorate its economy....
Peter Morici: 3 lessons of covid shockflation
Federal Reserve policymakers shouldn’t lower their guard. Inflation isn’t dead. September’s consumer price index was up just 2.4% over 12 months prior, but core inflation, which takes out volatile food and energy prices, hung stubbornly at 3.3%. Rents for apartments and homes increased 4.9%, while prices for other services, excluding...
Bishop Dwayne Royster: Black voters are not a monolith — break this misconception through data, genuine connection
As voters cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election, there’s still time to rethink the oversimplified strategies used to engage Black voters. Doing so starts with rejecting the false notion that Black voters are a monolith. This political convenience fails to acknowledge the rich diversity of perspectives, experiences and...
Candy Woodall: Trump vs. Harris polls — 5 warning signs for Democrats
Kamala Harris’ historic campaign, which launched with joy and once seemed destined for an inevitable victory, is now dogged by doubt. There are less than three weeks until the presidential election, but the postmortem analyses have already begun. One of the most prominent diagnoses came from former President Barack Obama...
Danny Tyree: What’s the lowdown on downtown?
My parents used to talk about the county’s farmers streaming into town on Saturday and shopping until midnight. From my own childhood, I still remember Petula Clark’s then-new song “Downtown” blaring from the radio at my hometown’s first Dollar General store, located about a block from the public square. During...
Counterpoint: A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for free speech
Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? The answer to the question of 2024 couldn’t be more straightforward: Trump. Even without the failures of the Biden-Harris administration, there are plenty of reasons to support a second Trump term. As one of the most successful businessmen in American history, Trump would be a...
Point: For Harris: Harris is the best choice to lead the United States
Voting is already underway in many places nationwide, and Election Day is only weeks away. While many people have decided whether they are voting for one candidate or perhaps just against another, some are still deciding whether they will vote. No matter where you are, I want to share why...
