Letters: Americans in the dark about job growth?; Support the most qualified BOT candidates
Americans in the dark about job growth?
The Labor Department announces monthly job gains on the first Friday of each month. During the Biden administration, more than 7 million jobs have been added nationwide. The monthly job gains have exceeded 400,000 for each of the last eleven months, the longest consecutive “winning streak” of its size in 80 years.
This surge in job growth is not surprising, considering how many jobs had been lost due primarily to the COVID pandemic, but the gain statistics are impressive nonetheless. The purpose of this letter is not to present the jobs data, per se, but rather to point out the appalling level of ignorance among our population regarding this data.
A recent poll revealed that only 28% of Americans were aware of this steady pattern of job growth, and a whopping 37% believed the country is actually losing jobs. (Apparently the remaining 35% had no idea either way.)
Given the considerable news coverage, how could so many people be so in the dark — so ignorant — about such a vital economic issue?
Might it be that 37% of respondents are simply anti-Biden Republicans who refuse to give his administration credit for anything at all? Maybe they’re not ignorant after all, but just dishonest.
Or maybe they are unaware of the facts because they keep hearing anti-Biden media and politicians lying to them about this. In this case, the explanation is a combination of ignorance, on the part of the uninformed, and dishonesty, on the part of Republicans with a political ax to grind.
Support the most qualified BOT candidates
This year, I’m supporting the most qualified candidates in the Penn State trustee election: Dr. Farnaz Farhi, Dr. Christa Hasenkopf and Dr. Edward Smith, running together on the Penn State Forward slate. Trustees are charged with a complex job: guaranteeing students a contemporary and competitive education, investing in capital improvements and funds with a high return, and dynamically improving Penn State to remain one of the nation’s leading public universities. Some candidates claim that experience on the board — incumbency — is sufficient to fulfill these responsibilities. To go beyond the set agenda and meet the challenge of the coming years, however, we need trustees who have actual qualifications to lead an institution of higher education.
Through their professional experiences and educational paths, Farnaz, Christa and Ed are excellently prepared to step into the role of trustee. Each would be a groundbreaking addition to the university’s governing body: Farnaz would be the lone medical doctor on the board, Ed would be the only trustee with a graduate degree in higher education (a doctorate from UPenn), and Christa’s tireless work for transparency and equity as a stellar atmospheric scientist has garnered national attention and university alumni awards. These three incredibly qualified alumni were recruited to run and have chosen to give back to Penn State with a bold vision for our shared future. Let’s seize the moment and elect them!
All Penn State alumni can vote and you can learn how to vote at psuforward.org/vote. Polls close on May 5 at 9 a.m. Eastern.
New book puts Centre County history on display
In times that are often offensive and disagreeable, something comes along that is satisfying and uplifting to the human spirit. In this case, just published is a book called “The Amazing Centre County Postcard Collection” of Joan Hawbaker Brower with text by Cathy Horner.
The Centre County Historical Society has just received copies of a gorgeous “coffee table” collection of photos of over 1,000 historical postcards of towns and life in Centre County from Aaronsburg to Zion gathered over a lifetime by Brower. Whether it is a photo of a Bellefonte High School cheerleader in 1907, a bird’s-eye view of Boalsburg around 1900; a coal mine in Philipsburg, a dam and old woolen mill in Oak Hall, a horse and buggy in Milesburg in 1914, or State College Memorial Field in the 1930s, you will be impressed with the clarity of the photo collection.
You can be assured that by purchasing a book from the Centre County Historical Society, 1001 E. College Ave., State College (814-234-4779), you will enjoy viewing this collection as it raises your spirit about locations and individuals around Centre County and will almost guarantee that a gift of this excellent book will be appreciated and treasured as a book to peruse, keep and display.