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The cabinet a circus

Letters

A sage political axiom posits “elect a clown; expect a circus.” Nowhere was that wisdom on better display than at the State of the Union address last week. The most revelatory aspect of the evening was not the individual delivering the address. Sadly, we’ve become used to the firehose of lies, insults, grievances and deceptions that characterize every Trump appearance. As mind-numbingly wretched as Trump’s “performance Presidency” has become, the more profound tragedy rests in the individuals watching the SOTU from the first row: Trump’s cabinet, once a president’s ...

What other newspapers are saying: Politicians are trying to control press

Editorials

The shadow of press repression is spreading around the world. In the past decade, the number of journalists detained and imprisoned has soared as governments seek tighter control over the media. What started as a crackdown first by dictatorships and then by illiberal democracies is expanding to onetime bastions of civil liberties. A recent high-profile case is Jimmy Lai, whom authorities in Hong Kong sentenced to 20 years in prison last month. He had campaigned against China’s choking of the territory’s freedoms. Mr. Lai, 78, has already spent five years in a dark cell and is ...

Keep fire safety in mind as weather warms up

Editorials

Warmer weather is arriving, and with it there will be barbecues and parties and campfires. We encourage families to enjoy the opportunities these seasons offer — safely. SmokeyBear.com is one online resource to prepare for the fire-building of spring and summer. A few of the tips they ...

A modest proposal

Letters

We can all be proud that our U.S. Representative, Glenn Thompson, sponsored the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, recently signed into law by President Donald Trump. With that feather in his cap, perhaps it’s time for Thompson to take on another pressing matter. Since the president appears increasingly willing to send American troops into foreign conflicts, Thompson might consider sponsoring a bill requiring that the draft-age children and grandchildren of any president or member of Congress who votes for war be first in line for service. If war is truly necessary, surely our leaders ...

Making cancer screenings simple

Letters

Losing family to cancer changed my outlook on life. It taught me that when it comes to cancer, putting off screening just isn’t worth the risk. With Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month around the corner, I hope people across Pennsylvania will take a moment to consider the importance of prevention for this disease that is estimated to claim more than 2,000 Pennsylvanian lives this year alone – more than one in three Pennsylvanians diagnosed with colorectal cancer die from the disease. The problem is that people are not getting screened on time. Nearly 30 percent of Pennsylvanians ...

Free nations must have capacity to defend freedom

Editorials

We agree with several points our U.S. Senator, Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pittsburgh, made in a recent column. After observing the historical importance of the U.S. relationship with our European allies, McCormick wrote that the bond of NATO remains, “but, Secretary Rubio warned, it has grown ...