Letters: Proposed Amendments Are ‘Cowardly’; GOP Hypocrisy; Remember Casino Actions When Casting Ballot; Democracy on the Line

By now you’ve probably seen full-page ads in your newspaper announcing “Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of Pennsylvania.” And you’ve probably ignored them. Don’t.

These proposed amendments are the latest Republican attack on life as we know it in Pennsylvania.

If enacted these amendments will:

• remove any right for women’s reproductive freedom in Pennsylvania.

• potentially raise the voting age in Pennsylvania to 21 (despite 18 being the voting age for federal elections) and will impose a 60-day residency requirement to vote. Combined, these two proposals will reduce the vote of young people and college students. Just what Republicans want.

• provide for the auditor general, a politically elected official, to audit elections and election results.

Each is a direct attack on our freedoms. Each is advanced by the Republicans in the state legislature. And each one likely will be on the spring primary ballot when fewer people vote.

In the past, proposals such as these would be discussed in open debate in the legislature. Legislators would go on record as supporting or opposing these actions which, if passed, would go to the governor for approval or veto. This is why we elect our representatives.

But such sweeping constitutional amendment proposals are a way around legislators doing their job, of taking a stand, of letting us know how they vote. It’s a cowardly way for Republican legislators to enact laws without actually voting on them.

These amendments threaten all of us. Vote NO when you see them on the ballot.

Bob Potter,
Boalsburg

GOP Hypocrisy

Republicans’ hypocrisy and lies are endless.

Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Glenn Thompson voted against federal legislation requiring states to recognize same-sex marriages. Then Thompson attended his son’s same-sex wedding.

Georgia Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker mindlessly spews anti-abortion rhetoric and decries absent fathers. Evidence shows that he paid for his girlfriend’s abortion and has little to no contact with several of his children.

In 2012, Florida Congressman Ron DeSantis voted against federal funds for victims of Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey. Now Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wants federal money for Hurricane Ian relief and reconstruction.

Republican representatives nationwide are lining up for federal money from the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act for their home districts. Not one Congressional Republican voted for this bill.

MAGA Republicans repeat Donald Trump’s lies about fraud in the 2020 election. Not one Republican has produced a single bit of evidence of widespread voter fraud. They all accepted the legitimacy of their own elections on the same ballot. (If Democrats rigged elections, don’t you think Hillary Clinton would be president?)

When Republicans are called on their lies and hypocrisy, they double down, claiming lies are less important than other issues. But they lie here too, knowing the president has little to do with gas prices, that economic woes are international, that murder rates are actually higher in Republican-ruled states.

Republican leaders put party over country. Don’t let them get away with it. End GOP hypocrisy by voting them out of office.

Patty Satalia,
State College

Remember Actions on Casino at the Ballot Box

College Township voters will go to the polls on Nov. 8 to decide if Paul Takac is elected as state  representative for House District 82. The College Township voters and all voters in HD 82 who oppose the planned Nittany Mall casino were hoping so much for College Township to request Harrisburg to deny approval of the casino’s license. Paul Takac deserves an Academy Award nomination for “Best  Actor in a Supporting Role.” Paul thoughtfully requested that a legal opinion from the township solicitor be provided and considered prior to any potential action requesting denial of the casino’s license application. For weeks, the community members in Happy Valley endured watching a feigned interest by  the township council as it sought legal advice on whether to send a letter to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) requesting denial of the casino’s license application. What legal opinion were they anticipating? No attorney in America would advise, “Go ahead and formally request denial of that casino’s license application. There is absolutely nothing to fear or worry about regarding any  potential legal consequences because of making that decision.” 

Council’s vote on Oct. 6 was incorrectly reported by all three local television stations as if council  voted to not send the letter requesting denial to the PGCB. The meeting included a voting haze of  confusion and with Paul voting remotely via Zoom. That official vote of 4-1 defeated a motion only to  forward casino-related public comments to the PGCB that were received after June 12. The vote had nothing to do with any proposed letter requesting denial of the casino’s license. Over 110 members of  the public attended the Council meeting either in-person or via Zoom. Dozens of voters addressed  council for over 90 minutes. Their pleas were either not heard or were just ignored. 

To confirm all of this, watch the meeting video on YouTube for three minutes as that official vote takes  place. Start watching at the 2:44:01 time marker and you will see everything described above as it took place. Watch the public comments as they are presented to council. Listen carefully as council discusses their options.

Community opposition to the casino has accelerated over the past 12 months. Centre County residents  have often mentioned the “ballot box” when elected officials fail to act in the best interests of their  constituents or ignore thousands of casino opposition comments that are posted on the township  website. 

Before approaching that ballot box on Nov. 8, remember what our community has said about the  voters having the final word. This is not a time to say “That’s OK, Paul. We know you meant well, even  though the confusing vote was about sending some recent community feedback to the PGCB.” 

Do not forget Happy Valley’s strong opposition to the casino when you vote for State Representative on  Nov. 8. Actions by elected officials still have consequences at the ballot box. Paul, we really do not forget.

Dan Materna,
Howard

Democracy on the Line in November

Your vote matters like never before.

If you value democracy, vote for Democrats Josh Shapiro for governor and John Fetterman for U.S. Senate. MAGA acolytes such as Doug Mastriano and Mehmet Oz have hijacked the Republican Party, endorsing positions that are anti-democratic, anti-science and xenophobic.

MAGA Republicans pledge to change the results of the 2024 presidential election if they don’t like the outcome. Mastriano says he’d decertify voting machines if HE doubts the results—and he’d allow a partisan state legislature to pick presidential electors. He denies that Biden is our elected President.

MAGA Republicans don’t trust women to make their own health decisions. If elected, they’ll ban abortion, without exceptions. Mastriano declares women’s control over their bodies to be “ridiculous nonsense.” Oz says abortion at any stage of pregnancy is murder.

MAGA Republicans don’t respect our country’s diversity. Mastriano calls the separation of church and state a “myth.” Oz, a Turkish citizen who voted in Turkey’s 2018 presidential election, wants to build a wall at the border.

MAGA Republicans call climate change “fake science.” They rail against crime, but oppose reasonable gun control and investments to reduce crime. They want to eliminate the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), but have no plans to replace it.

MAGA Republicans will dramatically change our country. They’ll roll back rights, censor information they don’t like and make decisions based on fear.

Prevent that nightmare. Vote for Shapiro and Fetterman. They value truth and science, and will protect our democracy.

Brooklynn Jones,
State College