Our region needs an influx of immigrants
I was never so proud to be a citizen of the United States as I was on the afternoon of May 3, having attended the naturalization ceremony for 16 new citizens of our country at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg. The 16 people taking the oath of allegiance to our country came from 16 different countries, such as, India, Australia, Taiwan and Pakistan, to name a few. Those attending can assure you that there were no “bad hombres” among them.
The ceremony pointed out to me the counterproductive and shortsighted immigration policies of the Trump administration. The census demographics for Westmoreland County show that the county is top heavy with people over 50 years of age, making up 45 percent of the population, while only 32 percent are under age 30. This results in a situation in which the county this past year lost 2 percent of its population due to the fact there were more deaths than there were births. As this process continues, the county will continue to lose population needed to uphold the tax base and workforce. Without an influx of new blood, the county will atrophy and die.
A healthy increase of immigrants, such us those who became citizens last week, is the most obvious resolution to this problem. This is true not only of Westmoreland County; it also applies to the majority of counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. How ironic that President Donald Trump is closing the door in the faces of those very people who are needed to become residents of our counties and to provide the labor force to keep them healthy and vital. THOMAS J. SEVERIN
Connellsville
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Once again, a PG headline is misleading in so many ways that it insults our intelligence: “GOP Leaders Mark Major Victory as House Passes Obamacare Repeal” (May 5). It wasn’t a major victory, it didn’t repeal Obamacare (not its correct name) but just passed the buck to the Senate and, worst of all, it was a terrible blow for the elderly, weak and sick and for those with pre-existing conditions. It was only a victory for the healthy wealthy.
I hope all the people who voted for Donald Trump who are on welfare, Social Security and disability and who benefit from other forms of government aid are paying close attention to what’s really going on, not what this headline trumpets. The only good thing about Mr. Trump is that he forces congressional “leaders” to show their true colors. HELEN WILSON Squirrel Hill
These days, life is complicated. The worry about what is going to happen to Medicaid and Medicare, two proven, successful programs benefiting millions of Americans, makes me nervous and scared. I am a person with a dual coverage of both Medicaid and Medicare. When I worked, I paid into Medicare and my income is such that I also receive Medicaid. I am not exaggerating when I say that these safety-net programs save my life.
My journey to wellness in many ways has been like Dorothy’s trip to Oz. Lately, I’m on the lookout for the scary flying monkeys of health care repeal about to snatch away the coverage I have.
As I journey, I look for political leaders with wisdom to know that Medicaid and Medicare work; with a heart to see me and the millions of others like me not as a statistic to be cut but as individuals of worth who contribute to our shared communities; and with courage to do what is right and fund these vital programs before deciding to build a wall or another military toy.
As a lifelong Pittsburgher, I think — to quote Dorothy — “There is no place like home,” and along with my health care, Medicaid also helps me to live in my home and share in all that Pittsburgh has to offer. DENISE WEIS
Homestead