Sunday, August 28, 2016
Columnist fails to ask Hillary tough questions
I notice that Vindica- tor columnist Bertram de Souza has transferred his venom from Jim Traficant to Donald Trump. But what in his recent column deserves front-page treatment? What has happened to The Vindicator’s editorial staff? Were they away for the summer?
He obviously was in a snit because he wasn’t invited to Trump’s private gathering at Youngstown State University, but what has he done to deserve free wine and canap from Trump supporters? Why doesn’t he ask simple questions of Hillary Clinton, such as: Your husband Bill is a disbarred lawyer. He was disbarred for lying under oath. You, Hillary, have been caught lying under oath. Why aren’t you disbarred?
Texas ingenuity developed “fracking,” now being used worldwide, unchaining the world from OPEC abuse. Why is Hillary against fracking? Would “donations” of tens of million dollars to her “charitable” foundation and Clinton “Library” by the Saudis and other Gulf states have influenced her ?
Vallourec, probably one of the best things ever to happen in Youngstown in the last three decades, is silent; hundreds there are laid off. Shouldn’t de Souza, as a reporter of the local scene, ask why? Perhaps EPA requirements have become so onerous that drillers can no longer drill, pipe is no longer needed, and new motels in Salem and Columbiana County are sitting empty.
Perhaps Hillary’s promise to kill coal also extends to energy independence.
Perhaps de Souza should have commented on Hillary’s armed guard at her East High School gathering; the only thing missing was a Sherman Tank. Second Amendment? Who paid for her “Applause” signs?
Oh, Mr. de Souza, what opportunities you have missed. Like The Vindicator, Mr. de Souza, you, too, are growing old and tired.
Godfrey Anderson, Youngstown New rail-safety technology cannot move too rapidly
Readers who saw the Aug. 22 editorial in The Vindicator – “Congress must no longer derail train-safety angst” – should know the freight rail industry is fully committed to implementing Positive Train Control (PTC) technology across the nation’s rail system as quickly as possible, but, without sacrificing safety.
PTC is not off-the-shelf technology, and the industry has already invested more than $6.5 billion to develop a signaling system from scratch that safely communicates across various rail networks.
Freight railroads are spending billions more of private money to implement this revolutionary technology and meticulously testing it to ensure this safety system is fully operational before giving it the green light.
Freight-rail operators take the responsibility of safely moving America’s economy seriously, and implementing this highly sophisticated technology involves a step-by-step process requiring extensive development and testing at railroad- field labs and designated pilot territories. The process cannot be rushed.
The freight-rail industry is working all out to fully implement PTC and progress is, indeed, being made. It is important to make sure this technology is done right and provides the important safety benefits it is designed to do.
Patricia M. Reilly, Washington, D.C.
The writer is senior vice president of the Association of American Railroads in Washington, D.C.
Out-of-state visitor finds Vindy, Valley pleasing
Recently, I had a short visit to Poland, but a very nice one. I found the people there to be very friendly and polite.
Read a copy of The Vindicator, being a newspaper junkie, and I have added a copy of your fine newspaper to my collection of newspapers of different states and foreign countries.
I have been in all 50 states and all the continents except Antarctica.
I received a copy of the Youngstown-Mahoning County 2016 Travel Guide, as I plan to visit Youngstown soon. Also, as a history buff, there are many interesting places to see as museums and places of interest. I look forward to my visit to Youngstown.
Ray F. Dively, Baden, Pa.