Letters: Embrace Pa.’s role as energy leader; Why are we in Ukraine?

Embrace Pa.’s role as energy leader

Pennsylvania is a global powerhouse when it comes to natural gas production. In fact, we are second only to Texas when it comes to natural gas production in the United States. The industry has made a lasting positive impact on the commonwealth in the form of countless direct jobs and ancillary, down-stream jobs; an influx to the state’s economy via business taxes and Pennsylvania’s unique impact fee, which goes directly to environmental projects and local communities across the state; revitalizing a languishing manufacturing sector and making the state a hub for energy innovation.

Not only that, thanks to an increased use of natural gas, Pennsylvania is also helping to lower greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. Simply put — the natural gas industry is a win for Pennsylvania.

That’s why it’s so important for elected officials on the state and federal level to support policies that will allow the industry to thrive. That’s not to say we should do away with all regulation and oversight. On the contrary, reasonable regulation and permitting processes should be the standard. The problem comes when government officials put in place overly burdensome and duplicative regulatory and permitting procedures. That type of unfriendly business climate may lead the industry to leave Pennsylvania — taking away countless opportunities for economic and community growth.

The time has come to embrace Pennsylvania’s role as an energy leader. We can, and should, do more to grow our state’s energy industry while helping to reduce emissions with cleaner natural gas.

Why are we in Ukraine?

The June issue of Harper’s contains an article titled, “Why are we in Ukraine?” Its subtitle reads: “On the Dangers of American Hubris.” Although the authors, Benjamin Schwarz and Christopher Layne, focus on the post-Cold War period of American foreign policy hubris, they note that a fundamental misreading of President Kennedy’s “victory” during the Cuban missile crisis persuaded future policy makers that a resolute willingness to employ force would compel potential adversaries to back down. In fact, the Soviet Union did not back down. It wasn’t revealed until much later that the Soviet Union pulled its nuclear missiles out of Cuba only after the United States agreed to pull its similar missiles out of Turkey and Italy.

Yet, this willingness to use force informed America’s post-Cold War triumphalism which fostered NATO expansion and Western aggression: witness the invasion of Panama, NATO’s unprovoked bombing of Yugoslavia, America’s illegal, immoral invasion of Iraq, NATO’s bombing of Libya leading to the overthrow of Muammar Qaddafi’s regime and, finally, the coup in Ukraine that provoked President Putin to seize control of Russian speaking Crimea and support Russian speaking separatists in the Donbas; before ultimately invading Ukraine to pre-empt an impending Ukrainian attack on the Donbas.

American-led aggression set off many alarms in Russia, but they have been magnified by America’s largely successful attempt to acquire a first strike nuclear capability that would disable Russia’s attempt to retaliate. Thus, a Ukraine in NATO simply becomes as intolerable as Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Memorial continues to disrespect veterans

With Memorial Day approaching I have to again ask: When are the Miles Township supervisors going to replace the etched stars that showed who the Vietnam veterans from Miles Township were? This has to hurt families of loved ones who passed and served in Vietnam that go to look at the veterans monument, only to see their relatives incorrectly listed as “Vietnam era veterans.” A Vietnam era veteran is a veteran who served honorably during the period the Vietnam War was being fought. They were not in the conflict or harm’s way at any time in their careers. Whereas, the Vietnam veterans were! This injustice and disrespect against the Vietnam veterans of Miles Township has gone on far too long. It is over ten years since the etched stars were not replaced when there was a pillar replacement. Why? No one will exactly say. Who made the decision? The township refuses to also say. This has gone on long enough. Time to replace the etched stars or replace the township supervisors with ones that care about their veterans!