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Selling federal lands

The March 24 editorial suggested it would be a good idea to sell federal lands in the western states to be developed for housing. No it is not! Arizona is already dealing with on going water shortages and an increasing population as is Nevada. Would developers be required to use composting toilets and landscaping with native plants and no grass? I doubt the mountains of Utah need more housing as they are very sparsely populated. But developers probably want to build pricey condos for vacationers that local people could not afford. Let’s figure out how to build simple, adequate homes ...

Demand town halls

I don’t know why U.S. Representative Dan Meuser was in Philadelphia for a town hall, but let me tell you that the most Democratic place in America didn’t ask for him to appear! We do need elected officials to do town halls. Please contact Rep. Meuser for town halls in YOUR town, you guys voted for him, Philly didn’t! While we are on the subject, somehow PA’s two U.S. Senators have time to promote a book together, but not to do a town hall! Call their offices and demand a town hall in your area. Use the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 for your elected officials ...

A scam?

Are speed cameras an enforcement-for-profit racket? 90% of PA’s posted speed limits are 8 to 16 mph below the average safe speeds that the super-majority of drivers travel (Federal Highway Administration data). That turns most drivers into wanton “speeders” liable for a $170+ citation. That’s what the camera promoters are banking on, literally. Put a speed camera on a road with a low-posted limit and millions of dollars will flow like water into Harrisburg’s coffers, and onto camera makers’ bottom line. This is all because Harrisburg refuses to enforce a provision in ...

Uncertainty

The decision by the new administration to freeze billions of dollars in clean energy funding has cast uncertainty over the nearly $2 billion KeyState complex proposed for Clinton County, a project that’s unlikely to happen without a massive influx of government subsidies. This puts the financial life of the project, which includes multiple, complex – and expensive -- operations, very much in question. The future of petrochemical projects, in general, is uncertain in Pennsylvania. In the past several years, the Nacero synthetic fuels project planned for Luzerne County has been ...

The new arithmetic

The federal government has roughly 2.3 million civilian employees. Presently 75,000 have accepted Trump’s offer of buy-out retirements. That amounts to about 3% of the federal workforce. In addition to this, Trump has ordered that four employees must depart government employment for each new hire. That’s a 3% net reduction for every 4% leaving. Since about 7% of the federal work force leaves their jobs each year and therefore 28% in four years, if only one-in-four or 7% is replaced, that means a 21% work force reduction. Along with the 3% already quitting, that means Trump will have ...

How do you feel?

Is it just me, high up on a mountain in Clinton County, or am I experiencing what I don’t want to expect. Okay, Mister Trump won the race fair & square. He is our leader. But, were is he leading us ? His meeting with President Zelenskyy was embarrassing for Ukraine, for the U S, but most importantly, for the American people. Have we dropped that low that, we can become the laughing stock of the world. I’ve been holding my breath for a while, to placate my friends on the right. But, there comes a time, when we have to sit back, and say, “ Hey, did we really sign on for this ...