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Letters to the editor

Trump’s first year

Dennis Keller Altoona President Donald Trump is neither a “king,” a “dictator,” nor is he a threat to democracy. His actions show the opposite. He is a bold leader who is not afraid to challenge the status quo. He is doing what voters elected him to do, focusing on issues that matter most to everyday Americans. He has built American strength through deregulation, energy independence and supporting U.S. manufacturing. Over $10 trillion in new investments have been promised by domestic and foreign companies. President Trump tariffs brought in $350 billion in revenue in fiscal ...

Reagan 1989

Jim Newton Itasca In his last speech before leaving the presidency in 1989, Ronald Reagan observed, “… we’ve got to teach history based not on what’s in fashion but what’s important — why the Pilgrims came here, who Jimmy Doolittle was, and what those 30 seconds over Tokyo meant…If we forget what we did, we won’t know who we are. I’m warning of an eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit. Let’s start with some basics: more attention to American history and a greater emphasis on civic ritual.” This, ...

Common sense

Tim Cowan Julian Thomas Paine served the Revolutionary Founders and Colonial Citizens well as they went about throwing off an autocrat. Citizens should read Common Sense and the Crisis Papers to remind themselves what Colonists had in mind as they put their lives and fortunes on the line for Liberty. Ultimately, free speech, free press, the right to assemble, due process under law and checks and balances in government were the fundamentals in their view of the future for All People. Also, among those expectations, the right to pursue happiness, unfettered by systemic ...

Daily body count

Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross Journalists are reporting almost a daily body count taken by President Trump out of the skins of our Caribbean neighbors. In doing this, we are mimicking the relentlessly cruel Israeli daily body count of their neighbors we have seen in Gaza for the past two years. This is how Christians and Jews love their neighbors? Have you noticed? Not just far-right leaders in Israel and America, but their disciples in the Knesset and Congress are all good actors. I’m thinking of Senate Majority Leader John Thune in his fiery finger pointing at those ...

Stand up

Laura L. Lister Lock Haven This letter and these questions are sincere. If your comment is something insulting, then it becomes irrelevant and will garner no respect. This letter is to Republicans, of which I am a registered Republican. Here is a scenario to consider and answer: Your daughter is in a political science class in college. Her professor is right-wing Republican, as are you. Your daughter asked him a challenging question. He doesn't like to be challenged and wants total control of the class. He does not consider the question. He does not try to answer it with ...

Support WPSU

DEBBIE MEDER Lock Haven Give to WPSU? In a word, yes. As Penn State refocuses on its core educational mission, WPSU faces an important crossroads. The financial challenges that have affected so many institutions have made it impossible for the university to continue supporting the station as it has. But there is good news in the form of a partnership to protect public media. WHYY, the public media organization serving the Delaware Valley region including Southeastern Pa., Southern New Jersey and Delaware, has stepped forward with a bold and compassionate vision: to acquire WPSU ...