Breaking News

Letters to the editor

Election meddling

Brian Alterio Bellefonte Rep. Thompson voted in favor of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. Thompson just voted to disenfranchise more people at one time than has ever occurred in our nation’s history. Now, he and the others in the House who voted for the Act say its provisions shouldn’t be a problem to “legitimate voters,” whom they say, only need to present a passport or birth certificate to prove they are who they say they are to re-register to vote. That’s right folks. Under the SAVE Act, EVERYONE will be required to re-register to vote. That won’t ...

Regional Air Service and the Fly State College Fund

Ralph W. Stewart State College Strong air service is not a luxury for our region — it is a necessity. It is one of the most direct ways we stay connected to national markets, attract investment, retain talent and remain competitive in an increasingly connected economy. Air service growth supports the industries that drive our regional economy. It strengthens our colleges and universities’ ability to attract research partners, conferences, and visitors. It supports healthcare systems that depend on visiting specialists and time-sensitive travel. It fuels tourism, outdoor ...

Protect the Fourth Amendment

Lassie MacDonald State College The Fourth Amendment guarantees “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” Most Americans are not subjected to constant suspicion, arbitrary searches or the fear of armed intrusions into their private sanctuaries. These practices obliterate personal security and freedom. Yet the Fourth Amendment is applied far more loosely in the border zone, where federal agents wield “extraordinary” authority. In this zone, agents may conduct warrantless searches of ...

Protect our elections

James Hynes State College During the 2020 election, Donald Trump promoted a fake-elector scheme rooted in the claim that a vice president could discard lawful electoral votes in favor of fraudulent ones. When that effort failed — along with more than 60 lawsuits seeking to overturn certified results — he encouraged supporters to descend on the U.S. Capitol as Congress met to complete the constitutional transfer of power. Those events were not an endpoint. Today, Trump is engaged in a broad campaign to undermine confidence in — and control over — the 2026 midterm ...

Republicans today are a party without political ancestors

Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross, Utah It seems deeply hypocritical that in a country where both political parties have long bragged regularly about “our democracy,” Republican Party chiefs and legislators spend a great deal of time drafting voter “integrity” and “security” laws designed to restrict voter access to the polls. In the Federalist Papers, James Madison, asked, “Who are to be the electors [i.e., voters] of the federal representatives? Not the rich, more than the poor; not the learned, more than the ignorant; not the haughty heirs of distinguished names, ...

Questionable voting record

Margie Swoboda Julian Glenn “GT” Thompson represents our district in Congress, but his voting record shows he doesn’t represent the needs of central Pennsylvanians. Thompson voted for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans—along with cuts to SNAP food assistance and Medicaid. As a result, about 6,800 people in our district stand to lose SNAP benefits, and 15,200 could lose Medicaid coverage due to reduced funding and stricter eligibility rules. Statewide, nearly 144,000 Pennsylvanians risk losing SNAP, and 310,000 could lose Medicaid coverage. Thompson also opposed ...