The Republican-led state legislature is hard at work – not passing legislation that would benefit Pennsylvanians but proposing amendments to the state Constitution (in SB 106) that would dramatically move power from the people to the legislature and political parties.
As described by the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania – an organization without ties to any political party or candidate – SB 106 shows the breakdown of the legislative process in Harrisburg. It was passed (by Pennsylvania’s Senate and House of Representatives) after considerable backroom dealing: manipulated procedural rules, no public hearings, and little opportunity for the public to participate or even know what was happening.
Of particular concern, voters would be asked to:
– Change the voting age to 21, in direct violation of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and to affirm a 90-day residency requirement to vote in Pennsylvania, when it is actually 30 days.
– Declare that the state constitution does not grant any right relating to abortion.
Adding insult to injury, these amendments will likely be on the ballot with little notice and no educational materials. In the past, amendments have appeared on off-year primary ballots, with votes cast by fewer than 25% of registered voters.
But we can prevent this takeover. We can vote for state legislators who will honor their commitment to the rule of law and their constituents. In Centre County, that’s Paul Takac, Scott Conklin, and Robert Zeigler. Vote as if your rights depend on it – they do!
Mary Bruce Serene,
State College
Birth control no substitute for abortion rights
Why do we need abortion services when there’s birth control?
Unfortunately, contraceptives are far from perfect and can be difficult to obtain, which is why about half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended.
Most women experiencing a crisis pregnancy use birth control. The American Pregnancy Association, supported by Focus on the Family and other Christian groups, says, “Birth control failure is more common than many believe.”
A National Institute of Health report says, “Millions of couples conceive while trying to avoid doing so.”
Contraception is a personal decision based on what ‘s best for the woman’s health, relationship and economic-status. Permanent choices (vasectomy and tubal surgery) have a 1% failure rate. Long-acting reversible contraceptives (injectable, pill, ring, patch) have a 7% failure rate–condoms 15%. Methods such as spermicides, diaphragm, withdrawal and fertility awareness have a 15-90% failure rate (Guttmacher Institute).
Although the ACA mandates free contraception, the challenges of acquiring birth control persist. Many insurance companies cover medication or devices, but not doctor visits—and most cover only one type for each method and don’t cover newly developed birth control methods.
America could do more to educate, distribute and fund contraception care (note: the Affordable Care Act birth control coverage isn’t tax-funded; it’s paid through insurance premiums), but as long as challenges in contraception provisions lead to unwanted pregnancies, abortion care remains essential.
In November, vote for candidates who will protect abortion access in Pennsylvania.
Kathleen O’Connell,
Lemont
Clinton vs. Trump
Many in the right wing consider the Clinton email and Trump documents at Mar-A-Lago issues as equivalent, in terms of wrongdoing. Either they don’t understand the details, or they are just looking to score political points.
Suppose you are a research chemist working on a new product with great sales potential. Your employer wants to safeguard product documentation from falling into competitors’ hands, and establishes record-keeping protocols to accomplish this. If you are sloppy in your storage of documents, in violation of company policy, you might be subject to dismissal from your position. You might be guilty of carelessness and negligence, and might lose your job.
But you won’t go to jail. What you have done is not a crime.
This is the nature of the Clinton case. As Secretary of State, she was fully authorized to be in possession of the documents in question. She was careless in her document management, by using her personal email account, and could have been fired from her job. But she did not violate any federal statutes, as concluded by DOJ and several Congressional committees.
The Trump case regarding documents stored at Mar-A-Lago is entirely different. He had no authorization to possess the documents in question. He had simply stolen them from the government. The “careless storage” aspect might apply to both cases, but the “authorization to possess” aspect is totally different.
Ms. Clinton’s possession was legal and authorized, and Mr. Trump’s was not. It is that simple.
Pat Piper-Smyer,
Lewisburg
Party of Lincoln has decision to make
Now that the Trump facade is cracking (see Karl Rove’s criticism, Aug. 26, on Fox “News”) Republican leaders and, more importantly, voters have a choice to make. (Rove is the modern-day inventor of the political lie, with plenty of competition from Newt Gingrich, G.W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Bill and Hillary Clinton.)
Republicans can circle the wagons, as they have in the past. (As an example, consider Rep. Thompson, PA-15, who, as poster boy for hypocrisy, blamed Democrats for his unbelievably unprincipled behavior regarding his House anti-gay marriage vote just two days before he blessed his son’s gay marriage.) Or, they could formulate a Republican party with a conscience and a purpose.
For the latter, they must first ask: Since 2000, just what have Republicans done for the nation? First and foremost, they used deception to get us into the war with Iraq, with all of its tragic consequences. (Note: Gen. Powell died regretting his role in having been drawn into the false justification for that war. The U.K. got rid of Tony Blair over that, but the U.S. never held Bush/Cheney responsible.)
Added to this, consider the total obstructionism by Republicans, and the rewarding of wealthy individuals and institutions at the expense of ordinary citizens, all the while generating an unsolvable national debt. And, of course, there’s the recent tragic Supreme Court appointment of activist justices.
So, Republicans, are you still voting for Oz and Mastriano? The answer will determine if there is any hope for sanity in the Party of Lincoln.
Roger Herman,
Bellefonte
Bipartisan solutions deserve a vote
So President Pro Tem Jake Corman and House Majority Leader, Kerry Benninghoff…
You put a House Bill in
You take the House Bill out
You put the Senate Bill in and shake it all about
You play the Hokey Pokey
And you turn us inside out
Is that what it’s all about?
We are the largest and among the most expensive legislatures in the country. Yet, this Hokey Pokey gets little accomplished.
Fair Districts PA learned the hard way. Six years, we tried to get our bills heard. They were bi-partisan, with over 110 co-sponsors, support of over 350 municipalities, favored by 2/3 of Pennsylvanians. Yet they never saw the light of day.
We learned we were not alone. Other worthwhile bi-partisan efforts were stymied, for example, broadband access, rural and urban school funding, health care, minimum wage increases, property tax reform, and most tragic to me, childhood lead exposure, leaving our children at risk (18 Pennsylvanian communities have higher lead levels than Flint, Michigan).
What is it all about?
Procedural Rules need to be fixed. Right now, the committee chair decides what gets heard, and it is partisan. So bills are shaken all about, amended beyond recognition, tabled, ignored. Less than 7% get passed. While news to many of us, it explains why nothing gets done in Harrisburg.
We need to fix Harrisburg! Legislators need to fix the procedural rules, the first vote they will have in January. Bipartisan solutions deserve a vote.
No more Hokey Pokey.
Let’s turn this mess around.
Joanne Santamaria,
StateCollege
MAGA Republicans
Joe Biden nailed it.
It’s not the rank-and-file Republicans who are trying to destroy our democracy, it’s the MAGA Republicans.
All the MAGA Republicans needed to do is present ideas that Americans support, and they just might be able to win elections and enact legislation. That’s our process.
But they’re not interested in that. With zero evidence of election fraud, they conjure up reasons to change, suppress and destroy our voting system.
They continue to kiss up to Donald Trump, their MAGA emperor. But just like the fairytale, this emperor has nothing to offer, and wears no honest clothes. It’s an ugly sight.
Bob Potter,
Boalsburg
A smart move for Biden
In only 20 months in office, President Biden has amassed an impressive list of achievements. His legislative accomplishments (gun safety, infrastructure, CHIPS, veterans’ benefits, climate change, pandemic relief and inflation reduction) have presidential historians comparing his scorecard to FDR and LBJ. He directed vaccine distribution, mended fences with allies, coordinated Ukrainian support, lowered gas prices by releasing petroleum reserves, and restored integrity, compassion and adulthood to the Oval Office.
Such a record calls for a second term in office. In my opinion, however, he should not seek reelection in 2024, and should announce that decision immediately.
The man will turn age 82 shortly after the 2024 election, and 86 before his second term expires in 2029. Many voters will, fairly or not, consider him too old for the office, which could lead to a reelection loss, notwithstanding his impressive accomplishments.
There’s an excellent chance that relinquishing the office would improve his approval rating, by demonstrating that he is putting the good of the nation ahead of personal aggrandizement. He would be remembered as the perfect administration-bridger who restored dignity to White House.
Announcing at this time could boost his approval and spur Democratic Congressional gains in the upcoming midterms, leading to additional legislative accomplishments in the remainder of his term, such as passing a voting rights bill, additional gun safety and climate change measures, and measures to codify the reproductive rights lost in Dobbs v. Jackson.
Joe Biden should go down in history as one of our greatest Presidents ever.
Richard London,
State College
