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Letters to the editor

The tax man

Ian MacAlister Lewisburg Donald Trump calls himself the “Tariff Man,” recently telling business executives at the Economic Club of Chicago that, “To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff. It’s my favorite word.” But let’s name tariffs what they really are – sales taxes on imported goods. Trump says that he wants to impose automatic tariffs of 10% to 20% on every country we trade with, 60% on China and up to 1,000% in some cases. The moderator of the Chicago event tried repeatedly to get Trump to understand that ordinary American consumers, not ...

Where would we rather live?

Ken Manno Boalsburg I trust that by now most people of voting age have seen the Trump campaign ad on television that talks of immigrants to the United States who have raped and murdered and who knows what else. The ad charges, or at least suggests, that these very bad people came into the United States during the Biden Administration, and that Kamala Harris, as vice president, is responsible. Maybe so. Maybe not. But allowing the premise to stand, it also begs the question of what happened during Donald Trump’s four years as president of the United States? Are we to believe that ...

Candidate scorecard

Brian Dempsey State College It’s time to vote for our president. Thank God we live in a free country where we have that right. Here’s my scorecard: Taxes — Trump plans huge tax breaks for the top 1% of earners. That’s the failed supply side approach that helps the rich. Harris proposes restoring some taxes on top earners. Most economists agree that Trump’s plan will result in much larger national debt that will be passed on to our kids and grandkids. Invasion of the Capitol — Trump encouraged the Jan. 6th mob, was unhappy that VP Pence “didn’t have the ...

MAGA = Authoritarianism

Michelle Newman State College Donald Trump, JD Vance and MAGA colleagues give new meaning to MAGA: Make Authoritarianism Great Again. Authoritarians suppress freedoms and civil rights, ensuring that power is removed from the people (and their representatives) and concentrated in their hands. Trump/Vance epitomize authoritarianism. Authoritarians politicize independent agencies, such as the Justice Department, and concentrate power in the executive (President). This is specified in Project 2025, written by Trump’s former advisors, and endorsed by MAGA clone Vance. Plans ...

Judging character

Connie Schulz State College Last week, retired 76-year-old Judge John M. Cleland of McKean County, Pa., broke his decades long practice of not taking sides in politics. His intelligence and evenhandedness had helped him win three elections to 10-year terms in a ruby red part of the state. Cleland is an expert judge not only of legal matters, but of character. His belief in the critical importance of character inspired him to deliver an eloquent and stirring speech that broke with his long tradition of neutrality. He told a bipartisan audience that the 2024 election is not about ...

Leaders must face challenges

Meghan Sandonato Lewisburg Some people tend to ignore problems until it is too late. Of course, it’s easier to do this if you know that you won’t have to pay a price. Hurricanes Helene and Milton are shocking reminders of the human and financial cost of extreme weather events. Scientists warn that we’ll see more devastating hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and floods if we don’t act now. When I hear people say they don’t “believe” in climate change, I usually just roll my eyes. But when someone running for president does it, it makes me angry. At 78 years old, ...