commentary
Carbon credit opponents play cynical games with dangerous costs | Opinion
Pennsylvania’s participation in a regional greenhouse gas initiative could raise $250M in just one or two quarters alone.
Is the rejection of voting ballots a partisan affair? | John A. Tures
Of those that decreased their number of such rejected ballots, half picked Trump (Kentucky, West Virginia, Alaska) while the other half, which rejected fewer ballots, opted for Biden (Georgia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island).
Federal relief funds ‘critical’ to state park repair needs, DCNR says | Friday Morning Coffee
In a visit to Westmoreland County's Keystone State Park earlier this week, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn continued her call for funds to address infrastructure needs across Pennsylvania's state park system.
The Villages: A new type of retirement community | Ray E. Landis
Pennsylvania is notorious for having an absurd number of different local governments. The commonwealth has counties, cities of various classes, boroughs, towns, school districts and townships. Villages are not officially recognized local entities, although there are PennDOT-issued signs identifying villages throughout the state.
Lawmakers ask Biden for new Chesapeake Bay funds in 2023 budget proposal | Thursday Morning Coffee
The lawmakers argue that creating a new CRFI would help Bay States - those within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed - continue pollution reduction efforts in the agriculture and forestry industries in the hopes of meeting their "critical" 2025 deadline.
What is the Fed taper? How the Federal Reserve withdraws stimulus from the economy | Analysis
By Edouard Wemy Tapering refers to the Federal Reserve policy of unwinding the massive purchases of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities it’s been making to shore up the economy during the pandemic. The unconventional monetary policy of buying assets is commonly known as quantitative easing. The Fed first adopted this policy during the 2008 financial crisis. Normally, when […]
Whether at factories, shops, or campuses, labor is on the move this holiday season | Opinion
Most labor analysts point to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions were laid off suddenly. Essential workers, ranging from nurses to child care workers to grocery stock clerks, stayed on the job despite hazardous conditions. Family life was negatively impacted by school closings and remote work, garnering greater media attention. Gaping holes in the U.S. social safety net were uncovered.
DNC billboard touts Biden infrastructure funding to holiday travelers | Wednesday Morning Coffee
The billboard (see graphic below), was placed by the Democratic National Committee on the Schuylkill Expressway, just north of the Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday, and highlights key road and air travel infrastructure components of the law, which passed Congress and was signed by President Joe Biden, last month.
The slow undoing of the Sixth Amendment | Opinion
A look at the federal criminal justice system is telling. A 2018 report from the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers found that fewer than three percent of federal criminal cases result in a trial. Most criminal cases in America end without a jury hearing even a whisper of evidence.
Krasner’s impressive actions speak louder than his imperfect words | Michael Coard
By Michael Coard At the outset, I must concede that I cannot defend the indefensible. District Attorney Larry Krasner was completely wrong on Dec. 6 when, during an unscripted interview, he extemporaneously said, “We don’t have a crisis of lawlessness. We don’t have a crisis of crime. We don’t have a crisis of violence.” Even […]
How should the law adjust to the Rittenhouse verdict? | Bruce Ledewitz
First, government officials can take a firmer and clearer hand in dealing with violent protests. Arson and looting are not part of any legitimate political expression. State and local governments can only keep out private gunmen if officials are able to protect lives and property. No widespread arson, no Kyle Rittenhouse.