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Opinion

Searching for monsters

Editorials and columns

"America goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy ... She might become the dictatress of the world, But she would no longer be the ruler of her own spirit." — John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) In the middle of his term as Secretary of State, the future president John Quincy Adams ...

Elon Musk’s America Party is a long shot

Editorials and columns

"Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom," Elon Musk declared on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). Another billionaire quickly replied on his social media platform, "I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely 'off the rails,' essentially becoming a ...

1775: A very good year for a little revolution

Editorials and columns

KITTANNING — In April 1775, William Thompson, a man rarely if ever mentioned in American history books, became the first commissioned colonel in the Continental Army of a rifle battalion in the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment. The men who served with him were German, Irish and Scottish settlers. ...

A Heartland scene: Democracy writ small

Editorials and columns

The village egg toss on the Fourth of July sings of democracy to me. An exuberant gaggle of 100-plus people lined up for the competition. A little bit of everybody joined in, all ages, sizes and colors, with partners. The playing field by the fire station and elementary school filled up in ...

Trump turns on Trump Country

Editorials and columns

The flooding in Texas is cataclysmic. It was a hellscape as dozens, many of them girls from a summer camp, were swept to their deaths. Such tragedies spawn questions over whether the National Weather Service could have better warned the public. But this one is different in that the Trump ...

A Big Beautiful test of GOP principles and discipline

Editorials and columns

The Big Beautiful Bill — a massive package of tax relief, more funding for immigration enforcement, and savings from entitlement reforms — is now law, and it's a triumph not only for President Donald Trump but for the whole Republican Party. The GOP passed two make-or-break tests here: ...