Breaking News

Letters to the Editor

Government made to deter oppression

When are we, as Americans, going to wake up and take a stand against the unimaginable abuse of power emitting from the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has weaponized the DOJ and has made the Attorney General his own personal attorney. He is now on a tour of retribution towards anyone who he feels has failed the loyalty test. The last time I checked, most, if not all of these people swore an oath to uphold the constitution. They did not swear an oath of blind loyalty to a want-to-be king. The entire concept of three branches of co-equal government was established to ...

Paving work was job well done

Thank you to every person that was involved in the successful repair and paving jobs on the roads in and around Altoona. Becky Bettwy Altoona

As in all things, this too will pass

Obviously, we are experiencing historic times. Just as we study the rise and fall of foreign empires, as well as times in our own past, including the revolution, the Civil War, the Depression, the civil rights movement, etc., we will for many years ahead study the “Trump Era,” as an inexplicable time in which all the norms of democracy and decency experienced an unexpected and rapid decline. All thoughtful citizens lament the distressing current status and, for those of us of a certain age, we may not see its resolution. However, it’s helpful again to put this in historical ...

Health care should be affordable for all

President Donald Trump has always despised health care created by President Barack Obama, and things added by President Joe Biden, to help the American people. Trump is telling Republicans in Congress to destroy American health care. Over 500,000 Pennsylvanians get their health care from the Pennie program. Every state has similar programs. There are tens of millions of Americans in these affordable programs. Many will not be able to afford a good health care program, or not be able to have any at all. Republicans say they will discuss health care if the Democrats vote to reopen ...

Respect Life is a year round endeavor

In the U.S. Catholic Church, October is Respect Life Month. What I would hope to see promoted and organized by the U.S. bishops and each diocese from “cradle to grave” is lobbying for continuation of the Affordable Care Act to provide prenatal and postnatal care for babies, moms and all family members. Respect Life from “the cradle” means advocating for women who have an unplanned pregnancy and publicizing the Rachel Project, which gives support to women and families who have chosen an abortion and need compassionate advocacy. Promoting research and medical ...

Killing without accountability

President Donald Trump has now killed more than two dozen people on boats off the coast of Venezuela, claiming that the occupants are “narco-terrorists.” Never mind the fact that drug smuggling is not a capital offense, the Constitution states that anyone accused of a crime is entitled to due process. The president cannot just order extra-judicial executions by accusing people of a crime. While the president, as commander-in-chief, does have broad powers to authorize deadly force in war zones or when an entity poses an imminent threat, there is no way that the Caribbean ...