Drug companies must stop dumping prescription pills

Drug companies must stop dumping prescription pills

I have to keep return- ing to President Donald Trump’s record of dishonesty. Honest Americans can’t ignore his total disregard for the truth.

There have been 2,400 misstatements since his inauguration. He has made at least six false claims a day. Trump calls former President Barack Obama a cheater, but he never explains why.

Trump’s approval rating is in the 30-percent range; Obama’s approval rating was much higher in his first 14 months in office. Do you think maybe Trump is a little jealous? Because in his little mind he thinks Obama helped cheat on his approval rating?

Just recently, Trump rallied hard for the death penalty for drug traffickers to try to combat the opioid epidemic in the U.S., but this wouldn’t solve the problem of the real criminals of the opioid crisis: the pharmaceutical companies. These companies contribute massive amounts of money to Republicans, and Trump actually called out Sen. Mitch McConnell for taking that money.

For once Trump was right; the drug companies have two lobbyists for every member of Congress, so it’s no wonder that they want to keep people addicted. They go so far as to send doctors on all-expense-paid trips to seminars just so they can brainwash them to think their way. When we have a drug company (McKesson) contributing 5.8 million pills to just one pharmacy, then something has to be done.

If Trump wants to execute drug traffickers, that’s OK, but some very tough legislation has to be put into effect to stop drug companies from dumping millions of addictive pain killers and other opioids. The younger generation will be the ones to take control of our democracy, and we want them to be of a clear mind.

One way to do this is to get rid of the Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate.

Bud McKelvey, Hermitage, Pa.

Let’s find ways to ID those who shouldn’t get guns

And as we close out another week, Bam!, another school shooting. What can be done?

First we can stop blaming the National Rifle Association and the gun manufacturers and start looking at some common-sense ways to address the problem. How do we identify people who should not have guns?

This will be a problem itself in the highest magnitude for how can we judge the mental state of the individual – certainly not by some standardized test or questionnaire. Law enforcement and the public must come to trust each other and communicate. This will not happen overnight, and the road will not be clear at times, but with some common sense and a will to work together, we can achieve the goal.

Meanwhile, stand for the Second Amendment because it will keep this country free.

Jim Eidel, Beaver Township

Human interaction lost by impersonal traffic cameras

I exist on less than $1,000 a month from Social Security Disability. I live in Liberty and after paying for the bare necessities, I can’t afford a car, gas, insurance and upkeep. But, that’s OK; I rarely go anywhere.

On May 17, my son brought my eldest granddaughter to visit. She forgot something she needed so I borrowed the car to take her back home. Well, in order to get to McDonald from Liberty, I had to drive through Girard. Since the closing of IGA, I’m very rarely on Route 422.

Being blissfully unaware the speed limit in that area is 25, I committed the crime of going 35 sometime during the whole 30 seconds I was on that short stretch of 422. (I know, and you are correct; ignorance of the law is no excuse).

Back when officers actually stopped you for violations and checked your driver’s license, it would have been discovered that I’ve never had a ticket or citation. I probably would have been given a warning and sent on my way. But, time is money, and Girard seems to believe it’s counterproductive for the city to actually do that.

But, what concerns me more than the financial hardship you have caused me is the “what if?”. You took a picture of me, my granddaughter and the license plate. You ran the plate and found that it belongs to a 38-year-old male. With the issue of human trafficking, “what if” what was captured on camera – an older woman with a teen girl in a car obviously not belonging to her – had been exactly that, human trafficking? What a wonderful thing it would have been had an officer actually pulled that car over and inquired about the circumstances and found that he had just saved a girl’s life.

But, time is money. Fancy gadgets reduce time, more time means more tickets, more tickets mean more money. I get it. I don’t support it, but I get it.

Debra Bauman, Liberty

Canfield needs resource officers in its grade schools

On May 16, I spoke at the Canfield Board of Education meeting. My comments were in regard to school resource officers.

For some time, we have had a resource officer at the high school. Recently, an officer was added at the middle school.

I asked the board “Why are there no resource officers at the grade schools?” The reply I got was blank stares from the board. No reply, no comments, no answers, just silence.

Do the grade-school students not deserve the same consideration as those at the high school and middle school? Why are we leaving them unprotected? The board is responsible for the safety of all students.

Personally, I do not want to entertain the argument that we would have to lay off teachers to pay for resource officers. That does not hold water. Layoff of teachers is the last place to go. There is enough “fat” in the system to pay for resource officers.

Parents need to pressure the board to put resource officers in all schools. It is not going to happen otherwise.

Frank A. Micchia, Canfield

Keep children at church, not ball fields, on Sunday

This letter is for the trustees of sports leagues around the Mahoning Valley and beyond.

I have noticed Sunday Mass is quite devoid of young families and children. Family and friends, after working hard all week, dash all weekend to travel to soccer, hockey, baseball, and other sports. While I have a passion for sports and exercise for our children, how did games become a Sunday tradition and replace going to church and family events?

Afternoons may be an option, but no, leagues schedule Sunday morning, afternoon and evening. And perhaps there are not enough children in the Valley, so parents need to travel to Cleveland, Akron, Erie and elsewhere for youth leagues.

We spend a lot of time on teaching our children to overcome the adversity of our society, violence, bullying, etc. in our schools. We remove God and depend on working parents to teach and love. Yet, they are pressured to get to the game and miss church.

Leagues, coaches and organizers, my message to you is that this is shameful. Get over your egos, a minute percent of these children will ever make it to even a high school team. Fight back for Sunday morning family time at your place of worship and reduce the stress on yourselves and the families.

Or quit asking what leads children to the breaking points we witness in our stressful world.

Diane Johnson, Poland

A stark political contrast

Who is Donald Trump? Recently our country lost a person who exhibited great class. Barbara Bush was deeply admired for her stamina and deep convictions. She was an example of maturity, grace and wit. President Trump, on the other hand, displays none of the above.

Gerald Heitkamp, Youngstown