Letters: CDT readers encourage women, young adults to speak up and vote

Time to make our voices heard

Women of Centre County — now it’s our turn to speak up. For 27 years we have been fortunate to have Ruth Bader Ginsburg do the speaking for us. With her death on Friday, we need to make our voices heard by contacting our representatives in the Senate to respect the wishes of such a revered advocate on the Supreme Court. Choosing a person for the Supreme Court just days before the election of a new president degrades the court and encourages political conflict in a time when as a country we surely need consensus.

As a country we should all respect the last wishes of such a fair jurist of the Supreme Court.

Here’s the website for the U.S. Senate: https://www.senate.gov/

Use your vote, young adults

With the 2020 presidential election right around the corner, it is extremely important that people who are eligible to vote are registered. I am registered to vote because, as a young adult and junior at Penn State, I feel that it is important that my generation’s voice is represented at the polls equally and fairly.

I encourage other young adults and students, with an understanding that their beliefs and political values are just as important as the views of other age groups. We are not only living through historic times, but also uncertain times, between the unprecedented pandemic and disastrous effects of climate change causing terrible fires in California; this year is a grave year. This election is one of the most important of our time.

Registering to vote is actually quite simple. All you have to do is visit vote.org, where you will find information on registration, requesting absentee/mail-in ballots, as well as insight on where to vote in-person. Additionally, The Centre Daily Times goes above and beyond with their Voter Guide, which can be found on their website under Sections.

Waltz will be representative for all

Envying the Vietnamese

Did you ever think you’d envy the Vietnamese? And yet here we are. While we are still fighting a mounting infection and death toll, the Vietnamese have beaten down the second outbreak that started in July with only about 25 new cases in the last two weeks — and a total of 35 deaths since the start of the pandemic. They have reopened the economy, which is projected to soar again, and life has gone back to normal.

This is what an effective government does. Learns up early of the threat, and takes all necessary measures to handle it. Vietnam is much closer to China than we are, and is not a rich country. But it is run by people who use their brains and who know that telling people “it is just the flu” is not an option. They know that there will be pain, and they chose pain that is hard and quick.

Instead we practice denial, argue whether wearing a mask infringes our rights, and so our pain lingers, and lingers and lingers.

Lucky Vietnamese. Unlucky us.

Maybe next November we can change things.

Sacrifice is necessary

Being a parent is hard. The role demands that to protect your child, you must often say “no” because it’s the right thing to do for their safety, health and protection.

Being a governor is also hard. The role demands that to protect the citizens of your state, you must often say “no” because it’s the right thing to do for their safety, health and protection.

Fortunately, Gov Tom Wolf knows the demands of his job and executes them for our well-being. He understands the risks of COVID-19, and establishes legislation and bills designed to protect all the citizens of Pennsylvania. This makes him unpopular, yet I am grateful that he demonstrates his ability to make tough decisions. “I’m always amazed at politicians thinking that they can wave a magic wand and suspend reality,” Wolf said, which describes the behavior and actions of Republican lawmakers who are not making decisions in the interests of their constituents’ safety.

Our country has now surpassed 200K deaths from COVID-19. Experts predict this number to double by the end of the year. Yet people are still trying to wave a magic wand and suspend reality. Grow up, citizens of Pennsylvania! Sacrifice is required now — in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Wear a mask, wash your hands, practice social distancing and eventually this virus will be contained and some semblance of our usual activities will resume. Usual — not normal. There is no returning to life as before.

Dishing out grades for Rep. Keller

Ahh, report cards. We all remember those, right? While some might like to forget, it’s fair to say there’s value in knowing how we measure up.

GovTrack.us, a nonpartisan website, tracks legislation in the U.S. Congress so the public can see how their representative measures up. With elections just six weeks away, just what kind of job has Fred Keller done representing the needs of our 12th District in Washington?

Here are highlights from Fred Keller’s 2019 report card.

Percentile rank comparing all representatives serving during the same time:

Number of bills co-sponsored, indicating a willingness to work with others: 4th percentile.

Number of bills introduced: 2nd percentile.

Number of bills introduced that became law: 0 percentile.

Number of bills that got out of committee: 0 percentile.

Number of co-sponsors for a bill: 10th percentile.

Number of powerful co-sponsors for Keller’s bills: 0 percentile.

Number of bipartisan bills, reflecting working across the aisle: 3rd percentile.

Number of leadership positions held: 0 percentile.

If we want to go to the head of the class, we need a representative who quickly learns how to get things done, serves all constituents, regardless of party, builds relationships on both sides of the aisle, and focuses on the right solutions to the right problems.

Lee Griffin, the Democratic candidate for PA’s 12th, has the qualities needed to be an effective legislator.

Griffin, a native rural Pennsylvanian with a proven work ethic and a stellar academic record, will provide the leadership we need and deserve.