Cheers & Jeers
Jeers: Last fall, Chambersburg became one of about 70 municipalities in Pennsylvania that have enacted ordinances protecting LGBTQ residents from discrimination. On Monday night, it became the first to repeal its ordinance. A newly minted Republican majority on the borough鈥檚 council took it off the books, arguing that it was divisive or lacked enforcement muscle. But, according to PennLive, many residents voiced objections to council鈥檚 decision, arguing that it would brand Chambersburg as a place where it鈥檚 OK to discriminate, and would cause young people or businesses to think twice about locating there. Those are very valid arguments. As one resident was quoted as saying by PennLive, 鈥淭his is just protecting somebody. Why would we not want that as a community? A repeal says we鈥檙e not welcoming here, whether LGBTQ or not. It鈥檚 saying we discriminate here. Why would we want to send that message?鈥�
Jeers: President Biden drew unwanted attention earlier this week when, on a hot mic, he called Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy 鈥渁 stupid son of a bitch.鈥� Biden later called Doocy and, in the words of the correspondent, 鈥渃leared the air,鈥� and was told it was not personal. It was not one of the best moment of Biden鈥檚 presidency, to be sure. Nevertheless, other presidents have said far worse things about individual members of the Fourth Estate. Richard Nixon had journalists on his enemies list, George W. Bush referred to Adam Clymer of The New York Times as a 鈥渕ajor-league a鈥揾ole,鈥� and Harry Truman threatened to slug a music critic from The Washington Post for panning his daughter鈥檚 recital. Presidents vary by party and temperament, but disliking one particular reporter or another is a trait they all seem to share.
Cheers: It鈥檚 been a mixed bag for American workers lately. On the one hand, many have seen wage increases as employers try to attract or retain employees. On the other hand, a considerable share of those wage gains have been gobbled up by inflation. On Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf raised the minimum wage of commonwealth employees to $15, saying it would increase morale and productivity and lower turnover. It鈥檚 also time to raise the federal minimum wage, which was last increased 13 years ago, as well as the state minimum wage, which is lower than neighboring states, including Ohio, where it鈥檚 $8.80, and West Virginia, where it鈥檚 $8.75. Especially after the last couple of years, all of Pennsylvania鈥檚 workers could use a raise.
Jeers: Tobacco use is America鈥檚 leading cause of preventable death, and the American Lung Association鈥檚 annual 鈥淪tate of Tobacco Control鈥� report gives Pennsylvania some pretty rough grades when it comes to policies aimed at reducing or eliminating tobacco use. About 16% of adults in Pennsylvania smoke, as do 26% of students in high school, and the association gives the commonwealth a failing grade in funding for state tobacco prevention programs; the level of its tobacco taxes; coverage and access to services to quit tobacco; and ending the sale of flavored tobacco products. It did earn a 鈥淒,鈥� though, in the strength of its smoke-free workplace laws. According to Molly Pisciottano, advocacy director for the American Lung Association in Pennsylvania, 鈥淐overing quit smoking treatments in Pennsylvania is a win-win because it will also cut health-care costs.鈥�