PA is a third-world state because of funding issues
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
Pennsylvania has a funding problem. Yes, right now, there is a budget surplus, but for decades state government has slowly been starving essential services such as police, education and roads/infrastructure.
There are a lot of issues — too many loopholes and tax exemptions for corporations (a shocking number of profitable companies pay nothing in tax),...
Ignoring the will of the voters won’t end well for GOP
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
“Voters? We don’t need no stinkin’ voters.”
As it self-immolates into the dustbin of history, the Republican Party in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. seems to really only stand for one thing: ignoring the will of the voters.
Sure, it’s bad politics and bad policy, but ignoring the will of the people seems to be just about that trick left to...
Op/Ed: Resolve to keep your personal data safe in 2023
By Liz Terwilliger, Special to The Times
Liz Terwilliger
I considered repeating the usual New Year’s resolutions this year – eating better, exercising, listen more than talking, reading that stack of unopened books…all worthy goals. But this year I am prioritizing personal data safety by reducing my exposure to electronic surveillance.
Most of us are concerned with how much electronic...
Why was there a Blue Wave in Pennsylvania?
By Mike McGann, Editor, the Times @mikemcgannpa
By now we’ve all had a bit of time to digest the election results — in terms of Pennsylvania and Chester County — it was a very good mid-term election for Democrats, sweeping the statewide races, taking control of the state House of Representatives and holding all of their Congressional seats.
As you may know, the party in control of the White House...
Election Day 2022: Be patient and ‘Don’t panic.’
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
While tonight might be election night, don’t expect results tonight.
It’s likely to be a bit more like 2020, when it took a few days to sort things out — a fact largely driven by your favorite GOP state legislator, as they and their cohorts refuse to allow counties to count the large number of mail-in ballots before election day — a transparent...
Op/Ed: Safe nursing staffing rules save lives
By Leah Cosgrove, Special to The Times
Leah Cosgrove
Today, nurses are burnt out and at their limit. There are no mandated staffing ratios in Pennsylvania. Our nurses are being spread dangerously thin in taking care of too many patients. Implementation of mandated staffing ratios will create safer patient care and happier nurses.
Imagine that you’re a barista with a line of customers. One is allergic...
Gun violence is spiking because, frankly, we just don’t care
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
The texts from my daughter happen every few days: “There was a shooting. I’m safe.” She — like her twin brother — is a senior at Temple University.
The two of them live about 10 blocks apart in North Philly, but gunfire has become a pretty regular event for both, distressingly. Obviously, it scares the hell of out of me, but both are where they...
Op/Ed: SB 106 is too radical, too extreme
By Melissa Shusterman, State Representative, 157th District
Melissa Shusterman
This past summer, Republicans in the Pennsylvania House and Senate rammed through a bill with several proposed constitutional amendments that would limit personal rights instead of protecting them. One of the amendments included in SB 106 would change the state constitution to say there is no constitutional right to an abortion...
Letter: A vote for Katie Muth
To The Editor:
As election day approaches I am looking forward to supporting the candidates best aligned with my beliefs and values. As a lifelong Republican I will be supporting many of the Republican candidates. For Senate in the 44th district I will be supporting Katie Muth.
As a Humane Society of the United States volunteer I have had the opportunity to work with Senator Muth and her staff on a...
It’s not about ‘parental rights,’ it’s about greed