Sep 16, 2018 4 min read

Republican David Ball’s irritability is plain as cheese on a cracker with the title to his tirade, “Smell the odor of progressive rot,” published in the Observer-Reporter on Sept. 9.

Progressive rot? Really? Where does he start? With a Rasmussen poll. Oh, would that be the same Rasmussen poll that has been identified as leaning right? Yes.

He goes on to tell everyone not to believe polls because of progressive rot. When I consider polls I try looking at more than one. How were the questions phrased? Is this a push poll? Are they talking to the general population or just likely voters? Reliable polling requires serious effort. Evaluating them also takes effort.

His next bit of rot is the Nobel Prize-winning Paul Krugman. Ball is allowed to spew anger at the left, but when Krugman criticizes right-wing policies, it’s rot. I’m rubber. You’re glue.

Then we get to the praise of the tax cut. Would that be the same tax cut that gives the richest of the rich a wonderful pay day but most ordinary people won’t see a thing? Yep. That tax cut. The same one that is letting corporations do massive stock buybacks – which, in turn, helps even more of the richest rich.

Ball talks about big-box stores that are doing great. I wonder if he saw the reports on Sam’s Clubs being closed or Walmart stores shutting down. Sears? J.C. Penney? Kmart?

Finally, he believes that the only message out there is, “Hate Trump!”

No, Mr. Ball. You’re really writhing in “rot-land” if you believe that. I dare you – go to any local Democratic candidate meet-up. Know what you’ll hear? Education. Health care. Infrastructure. Elder issues. Employment. Job training. Sensible gun laws. Sustainable energy.

By the way, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. By nearly three million votes. Tell us again what stinks.

Kitty Lagorio

Venetia

Vietnam piece’s focus misses mark

In reference to the Sept. 6 article. “Revisiting Vietnam”: Since I visited Vietnam a few years ago, I thought it would be nice to read and compare the author’s experience with my own. But there was no information about cities visited, people encountered, battlefields visited, food eaten, etc. Instead, it was short history lesson on the country, which then appeared to degenerate into the usual Donald Trump bashing. In other words, same old, same old for the Observer-Reporter.

Todd DePastino’s assertion that Trump is a symptom of public distrust of government is true if he means the average citizen likes the president’s straight talk and is sick of the usual political antics. If he’s somehow trying to suggest Trump is part of the problem of government, he’s wrong.

Just a story about visiting Vietnam would have been better than political statements of questionable bias.

Rebecca Martinak

Waynesburg

Pipeline explosion reaffirms concerns

The recent explosion of a natural gas pipeline in Beaver County is a major concern for those of us who work to protect the public’s health.

Our organization has extensively monitored emissions and studied distances between shale gas facilities and occupied buildings. We have concluded this distance is not far enough to prevent a host of chronic diseases, let alone lethal harm from explosions and other accidents. We have recommended setting a minimum distance of 0.6 miles for shale gas wells, with that distance increasing to 1.25 miles for processing plants and compressor stations, or for schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other buildings housing vulnerable populations.

Now is the time to make our families and kids safer.

Jill Kriesky

Kriesky is associate director, Southwest Pennsylvania Environmental Health Project, McMurray.