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Editorials

Consumer confidence needs a boost

The Wall Street Journal reported in its Sept. 3 edition that the gap in confidence between high-earners and low-earners “is now the widest it has been in the seven years of tracking the data.” The newspaper said that, for this nation’s middle class, this summer has been one of cooling confidence, with consumer sentiment dropping nearly 6% in August. If that “confidence dive” continues, 2025’s end-of-year holidays could prove dismal for retailers, not only somewhere else but here in the Southern Alleghenies region as well. Black Friday, already a skeleton of its former ...

Internet often not source of good info

It is not uncommon to be suspicious about much of what is posted on the internet. That’s not new, of course. It’s as old as the internet itself. However, when the internet was new, most people gave scant thought to the misinformation and evils that could embrace it and be hidden within it. It was something new, something fun, something exciting, something intriguing — and people increasingly were captivated by it and its myriad possibilities. Over the years, however, attitudes and perceptions changed, the one big change being that people have, as noted in this editorial’s ...

Politicizing Federal Reserve hurts economy

It’s not hard to find mistakes in the Federal Reserve’s recent history, but Donald Trump’s latest attempt to erode the institution’s independence is dangerous. The president wants lower interest rates, but any benefits coming from that would probably be outweighed by supercharged inflation and the economic hangover that comes with it. Last week, Trump announced that he would try to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook, whose term otherwise expires in 2038. He cited an unproven allegation of mortgage fraud that one of his appointees dug up and broadcast on social media, but Cook denies ...

Significance of Labor Day remembered

As this year’s Labor Day observance approaches, America’s workers, traditionally part of the “cement” that holds this country together, are concerned increasingly about what effects robots and Artificial Intelligence will have on their work lives – and lives in general – going forward. And, that worry is destined to continue, although “people in the know” remain certain that humans’ important places in businesses and industries will continue – albeit, in many cases, in different capacities. For now, though, Jorgen Pedersen, CEO of the Advanced Robotics for ...

Amtran plan shows ongoing commitment

Units of local-level government and municipal-related entities know that, when seeking federal or state grants or loans, having a proposed project “shovel-ready” is advantageous when competing against others for the money. Amtran, Altoona’s bus service, obviously is aware of that, judging from the way it is pursuing its proposed $5.7 million project, the centerpiece of which is a new bus storage garage. Rather than waiting for the state or federal government “bearing a financial gift,” it is being proactive in trying to put the project in the right position for obtaining ...

Less mobility directly impacts US economy

Politicians are abundant in putting their self-serving “spin” on issues, circumstances and new developments good and bad, and they’re not shy about voicing rosy predictions and making promises for if they are successful at the ballot box. People who follow politics closely recognize that, but so do many people who have what they consider to be “better things to do” than monitoring closely the issues on the political and governmental landscapes. But although statistics can be “shaped” to benefit one’s own viewpoints and advantage, it is “stats” as a whole, without ...