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What has happened to the GOP party?

Presidential candidate Donald Trump has put forth proposals to exempt tips and overtime from income taxation. These exemptions would almost exclusively benefit low- and middle-income households. Examining the economic consequences of these proposals is a worthwhile exercise. Incentives drive economic behavior. Encourage an activity, and we get more of it. Discourage it, and we get less. These tax exemptions dramatically increase the incentive to work for low- and middle-income households because they will keep more of their wages. They are virtually worthless to higher income ...

Lower med standards endangers health

As a practicing physician in Pennsylvania, I firmly believe that the relationship between a doctor and their patient should guide every treatment decision. When physicians recommend treatments, we rely on years of training, clinical evidence, and the unique medical history of each patient. Patients should have the confidence to make decisions about their care in partnership with their doctor, without the fear that insurance companies or pharmacies will override those choices for non-medical reasons such as increasing profitability. Unfortunately, a proposed policy change ...

Tourism transparency key, success critical

We agree with the Altoona Mirror. Transparency in any public process is key. Lasting positive impact and outcomes are equally critical. The Commissioners’ desire for a different tourism approach, one focused on developing outdoor assets, is less about an organization or how things have been done in the past, and more about our kids, and future generations of Blair Countians. We need to attract and retain new residents. We see each visitor as a potential resident and investor. Our mountains, rivers, slopes and trails have been part of our economic history and are now part of our ...

Voting for Trump hazardous to your health

My grandmother used to say: “As long as you have your health, you have everything. If you don’t have your health, you have nothing.” As we prepare to vote in the upcoming presidential election, it would be well to remember her admonition. Donald Trump has been vague about his policies and proposals regarding health care, promising only that it will be “great,” and better than before. He has offered no specifics about how he plans to accomplish this, but we do have his track record. During his presidency he: sued unsuccessfully to overturn the Affordable Care Act; tried ...

Illegal immigration taxes economy

With illegal immigration in the news for almost four years, and a presidential election approaching, viewing this situation from an economic lens seems appropriate. According to Customs and Border Patrol Protection, encounters were 10,617,065 since Inauguration Day. More than 10 million were admitted. This doesn’t include what CBPP calls “got aways” as they intentionally avoid an encounter. This number is unknown but is estimated to exceed 2 million. The magnitudes are generally acknowledged as substantially larger than the 2016-20 period. How large is large and what ...

Mourning the loss of objectivity

Over 50 million people viewed the last presidential debate. The aftermath still reverberates in many current conversations. At least in my lifetime, I don’t recall another more consequential debate. One aspect of the debate particularly intrigued me. So, I developed a short quiz for individuals open to answer the questions. The answers I received reveal a stark pattern and two concerning observations. As a young person I recall the advice to “be careful when raising politics or religion” in conversation unless willing to risk friends and family relationships. The advice was ...