Op-Ed: Let Pennsylvanians Decide, Put Marijuana on the Ballot
Op-ed by Sen. Jim Brewster
Let all citizens have their say on legalizing marijuana.
At our fingertips is a potential $581 million generated annually from legalized marijuana that could be used to establish substance abuse treatment facilities to help stem the deadly tide of drug overdoses and deaths across our state.
No more silence: Why our community must address mental health
Op-Ed by Senator Vincent Hughes
Depression. Anxiety. Mood disorders. Dementia.
We hear about these and other mental health afflictions in our regular conversations, on television shows and even in our music, but it remains a consistent public health crisis in the black community because of the stigma surrounding topic.
Hatred and Gun Violence Have No Place in Pennsylvania. We Must Act.
Op-ed by Senator Wayne D. Fontana (D-Pittsburgh).
I write today with a heavy heart. Far too many times, we have all watched in horror as mass shootings play out across our nation. That nightmare has now come to pass in our own Pennsylvania backyard.
To our friends and neighbors in Squirrel Hill, we admire your spirit, strength and unity. To members of the Tree of Life Synagogue, we offer our heartfelt sympathy and support as you recover from this harrowing tragedy.
To members of the Jewish faith everywhere, we stand with you in solidarity. To our law enforcement and emergency responders, we salute you and thank you for your heroism.
It’s Time to Stand Up for the Sex Abuse Victims
Op-ed by Senator Wayne Fontana
I was raised Catholic and spent all 12 years of schooling in Catholic schools. As an adult, I was married in the Catholic Church, raised my children in the faith and sent them to Catholic school. I still firmly believe in God, but my trust and respect for the Catholic institution has been shattered.
Now that the church hierarchy has finally admitted that hundreds of priests sexually abused so many children for so many years and that church leaders took part in an elaborate coverup scheme, the church’s continued resistance to changing the law to protect victims is clearly all about the money.
A Democrat and a Republican agree: Let seniors get quality care at home
Op-ed by Senators Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Michele Brooks (R-Crawford).
There are many choices and decisions that need to be made as we age. Medical choices are often the most important, and the most difficult, decisions that people will make for themselves and their loved ones.
One choice that people should never be forced to make is moving out of their home and into an institution because Medicaid will not cover the costs of in-home medical care.