Commentary
Compassion and science must lead in safe injection debate | Commentary
By Dwayne D. Royster Across Philadelphia, the overdose epidemic is ripping apart families and shattering lives. Marginalized communities suffer the most, perpetuating a cycle of suffering borne of generations of disinvestment and exacerbated by COVID-19. We must take a thoughtful and compassionate approach to addressing this crisis. First, we must confront a sobering reality: the […]
Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Celebrating 1,000 cultures within the United States
By Rebecca Tallent Monday, Oct. 9 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, replacing Columbus Day in many places. But what is it and why should anyone care? Indigenous Peoples’ Day began as a movement in 1992 to honor the more than 1,000 Indigenous cultures within the United States. It is estimated prior to 1491 the Indigenous population […]
Opinion: It’s time to restore dignity to construction work
By Stephen Herzenberg The construction industry in the United States has a rich history, once known for providing quality jobs that were a pathway to the middle class to millions of workers. Over the past 50+ years, however, the quality of construction jobs here in Pennsylvania and across the country has significantly deteriorated, resulting in adverse effects for workers […]
Opinion: It’s the policy disputes behind the government shutdown that should concern us most
By Erica Freeman and Marc Stier There is a political answer and a policy answer. And from both perspectives, extremists in the Republican run House of Representatives, who have been encouraged by former President Trump, are responsible for the current crisis. While far more attention is being given to the political answer, it is the policy […]
Fetterman will wear a suit in the Senate. Can we all move on now? Please?
For anyone who thought the furor over U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) wearing shorts and a hoodie on the Senate floor was eventually going to die down, well, you and I were both sorely mistaken. I steered away from writing about it here or covering it as “news” because it seemed like there were other, […]
Opinion: School vouchers in Pennsylvania would violate the principles of ‘public’ education
By Marc Stier Pennsylvania Republican legislators support a voucher program they say is meant to help a small number of students who attend schools they claim are failing. (They don’t say that those schools are also severely underfunded.) However, they and their supporters, including billionaires Betsy DeVos and Jeffrey Yass, have made no secret that […]
Corporate consolidation is hurting Americans. Now is the time to rein it in.
By Justin Stofferahn Just weeks after Sanford Health and Fairview Health Services called off a mega-merger that would have remade Minnesota’s healthcare system, Cleveland-Cliffs announced its interest in acquiring U.S. Steel, a combination that would remake Minnesota’s Iron Range. The relentless pace of merger news is no anomaly though. In 2021 merger activity set an […]
It’s time for Pennsylvania to open its primary elections to all voters
This article is part of U.S. Democracy Day, a nationwide collaborative on Sept. 15, the International Day of Democracy, in which news organizations cover how democracy works and the threats it faces. To learn more, visit usdemocracyday.org Pennsylvania’s closed primaries keep most voters out of a key part of the decision-making process, namely which candidates […]
Opinion: Four ways to make Pennsylvania’s elections better right now
By Jeff Greenburg We are heading into a second presidential election cycle since the enactment of Act 77, the no-excuse mail voting law, and very basic election issues remain unaddressed by the General Assembly. That is unconscionable. Four relatively easy fixes would benefit all county election officials and thousands of voters in our Commonwealth. Forcing […]
Opinion: The value of life-saving emergency services is worth the price tag
By Lisa Schaefer We live in a world of monthly subscriptions. Whether it’s your two or three favorite movie streaming services, an online TV package or a gaming product, it’s likely that you receive a number of autopay notifications between $6 to $15 every month. And it’s no secret; those rates are climbing at a […]
Suicide prevention is a priority for me now
If you or someone you know is in a crisis, call, text or chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. In Colorado, you can contact Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or text TALK to 38255. If you need help with grief and loss, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers advice and resources. […]
Opinion: The public deserves to speak at Basic Education Funding Commission hearings
By Brenda Morales and Sylvia Witherspoon Just beneath the hustle and bustle of the start of another school year – fundraising campaigns for school supplies, family debates about new backpacks, and wringing every least deal from chain stores – lies a persistent truth: Pennsylvania’s school districts are chronically underfunded, leaving children, families, and their teachers […]