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The Apprentice

Kevin Alloway Port Matilda Remember when Donald Trump was the star of The Apprentice, the hit reality TV show? It ran for 14 seasons, portraying him as a tough, brilliant businessman whose trademark line for underperforming contestants was “You’re fired!” But, like most reality TV, what we saw on screen didn’t reflect reality. Trump claims to be a self-made man, but he inherited $400-$500 million from his father. He ran companies into the ground — declaring bankruptcy six times. He cheated creditors, stiffed his employees and left a trail of financial wreckage. He ...

Facts are a stubborn thing

Terry Engelder University Park His MAGA supporters lived through the chaos, destructiveness and cruelty of his failed presidency. They know all about his two impeachments, multiple criminal and civil convictions and failed insurrection attempt. Trump has even referred to them as “basement dwellers.” Unfortunately, none of this seems to matter. Trump has exploited their fears, prejudices and resentments, conning his followers into believing he actually cares about them. His tax breaks are for the already rich. He has no interest in governing or solving problems at the ...

Your life, your choice

Marie Hornbein Spring Mills Could the election of Donald Trump cause you to lose your farm or your business? If you don't believe it, ask Florida farmers. Florida's punishing 2023 anti-immigration law dealt a blow, not just to the workers but to the owners of the farms whose bottom lines were crushed by the loss of labor. The effect of the law was immediate. The fact is that without unauthorized immigrants, there are very few farm workers left "... (B)erries are going to become an item that's going to be a luxury, not something people buy every time they go to the grocery store ...

Harris protects reproductive rights

Theresa Vescio State College In a Fox town hall with women Wednesday night, Donald Trump falsely claimed he was “the father of IVF” (in vitro fertilization) while admitting he didn’t even know what IVF is until a “young, fantastically attractive person,” Sen. Katie Britt, explained it to him. As the mother of a daughter of child-bearing age, I am outraged by this baldfaced lie and his objectification of women’s bodies. Trump handpicked members of the United States Supreme Court to take away reproductive freedom in 2022 by overturning the constitutional right to ...

Trump’s agenda would cut Social Security benefits

Diane Ebken Port Matilda A new independent report released Monday concludes that Donald Trump’s proposals to eliminate taxation of Social Security benefits, end taxes on tips and overtime, impose tariffs and expand deportations would result in a 33 percent benefit cut in 2035. This conclusion isn’t surprising. As president, Trump tried to cut Social Security and Medicare programs by billions of dollars every single year he was in office. Trump called Social Security a “Ponzi scheme” and has dismissed Social Security and Medicare as bribes for the American people. As a ...

Why do we need assault-style weapons?

Jim Hironimus White Hall I am 73, and a former Centre County resident. I have hunted and owned firearms all my life. I also spent 20 years on active duty and was in combat in Vietnam. When I was young, back in the 60s-70s era, we were proud to shoot a deer and only use “one shot.” We protected our homes with a “pump-style shotgun.” If a burglar heard the pumping noise, to chamber a round by a home owner, that would usually scare them away. We did have some semi-auto guns for shooting at rabbits and squirrels — things that ran while you shot at them. We also had ...