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Letters to the editor

From humility to grift

Ed Satalia State College As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, former President George W. Bush reflected on George Washington’s defining trait: humility. In “For a Leader, Humility Is the Ultimate Strength,” Bush reminded us that Washington understood power as a trust, not a possession. He surrendered command of the Continental Army after the Revolution and stepped down after two presidential terms — choosing country over ego and setting a precedent that shaped the republic. Bush never mentioned Donald Trump. He didn’t have to. Washington relinquished power. ...

At war against everything that moves

Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross President Trump is at war with the entire globe, either by means of tariffs, or by means of missiles and bombs. Unpopular autocrats like himself go to war primarily to keep themselves in power. War brings out an attraction to evil and to illegitimate power. That is why Benjamin Netanyahu won’t stop warring against Muslims and why Muslim theocrats won’t stop warring against Israel. That is why Vladimir Putin won’t quit war against Ukraine. Trump is made for staying in power, so he is made for war. He is made for life-long war against women who ...

Thompson doesn’t deliver

Beverly Crow State College When announcing his re-election campaign, Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) said he takes his “responsibility to be your voice and your vote with a commitment to service, leadership and problem-solving.” That sounds good. But his record tells a different story. As Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, Thompson should be leading at a time of real strain in farm country. Instead, he has remained silent after receiving a letter from a bipartisan coalition of 27 agricultural leaders warning that current economic conditions and Trump ...

Thompson’s Farm Bill strengthens dairy and supports families

Michael Dykes, D.V.M. Washington, D.C. Food policy works best when it supports farmers and helps families afford healthy food. As Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson is leading national efforts to do exactly that. His draft Farm Bill strengthens core dairy programs that provide stability and certainty to farmers and processors, while also building on the strong momentum behind SNAP dairy incentives that help low-income families purchase nutritious dairy products. Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) Projects were authorized in the ...

Only voters can save America’s democracy

George Polycranos Port Matilda Americans are understandably proud of our nation as a free society and successful experiment in democracy. We have stumbled before, yet endured—guided by constitutional guardrails and leaders who respected them. In the eyes of the world, we were Ronald Reagan’s “shining city on a hill.” Until now. Donald Trump has reminded us just how fragile our democracy is. Preserving our freedoms requires integrity in government. Trump rudely woke us to the reality that freedom can never be taken for granted. By neutering Congress and staffing his ...

You can’t repeal reality

Patty Satalia State College Under pressure from the president, the Environmental Protection Agency has repealed its 2009 finding that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases “endanger public health and welfare.” That finding wasn’t symbolic. It was the legal backbone for regulating climate pollution under the Clean Air Act. Without it, the EPA now claims it has no authority to regulate greenhouse gases at all. But that’s not how this works. In Massachusetts v. EPA, the Supreme Court ruled that greenhouse gases are pollutants under the Clean Air Act. The Court said that ...