Phil Donahue helped Americans grapple with important issues
I am writing to express my gratitude to legendary talk show host Phil Donahue, who passed away on August 18 at the age of 88. Although I was only a teenager when he ended his show in 1996, I am aware of the impact he had on television and, more importantly, on American life as a whole.
His talk show covered real-world issues like mental health, the AIDS crisis, and abortion, many of the same issues we deal with decades later. His show let the audience actively participate in the discussion that was taking place that day. I always felt that his show was almost an extension of the nightly news, just with a live audience. Phil Donahue’s show was somewhat of a departure from the modern “tabloid” talk shows that are prevalent today. If Johnny Carson was the king of late-night shows, then Phil Donahue was the king of daytime shows!
Craig Barto, Girard
Together we can drive change to help Erie families. Rally on September 28
As a mother of two children in Erie, I have found that the upcoming 2024 election holds special significance for women like me, especially with regard to child care – a pressing issue that profoundly impacts our lives.
When my first son was born five years ago, I had the benefit of a full-time job and four months of fully paid maternity leave. We navigated the difficult process of securing a daycare spot, and luckily my son got a spot before my leave ended. But when life circumstances changed—I moved across the country back to Erie and changed jobs—those benefits became more complex.
After the birth of my second son, I worked part-time as a contract worker. Although my employer was accommodating and offered a fair wage, I was not entitled to maternity leave. Although I value the time at home with my children, returning to work presented me with a new dilemma: Find a job without reliable childcare, or ensure childcare without a job? Now that my older son is starting public school, we can afford to send my two-year-old to daycare. This created the challenge of not only ensuring childcare, but also finding a job that could cover those costs. Although I am grateful for the time I spent with my children when they were young, I find work fulfilling and want to contribute financially to my family.
This situation is frustrating and I can only imagine how much more difficult it is for single mothers or those without family support. Many women face the heartbreaking decision of missing out on valuable time with their children or returning to work too soon after giving birth. Some are forced to place their children in untrustworthy or unaffordable care or face financial problems due to the high cost of childcare, which can exceed the cost of rent. This is not only a personal challenge, but a societal problem that impacts the well-being and economic stability of families across our region.
My circumstances, while difficult, are manageable thanks to my husband’s income and the support of my family. But I am deeply aware that many others are not so fortunate. That’s why I’m participating in Erie’s Women’s Freedom Rally at the Bayfront Convention Center on September 28th at 1 p.m. It’s important to advocate for the changes needed to support all women and families. Our voices are critical in shaping policies that address these challenges and ensure a better future for all.
Lisa Ramsay, Erie
A senior citizen boom is coming. Are we ready to care for the elderly?
Older people have been at the center of many strategic conversations lately, and I hope it stays that way. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, by 2030, Pennsylvania’s population of residents age 60 and older is expected to exceed 3.8 million—the fifth-highest number in the country—making up one in every three Pennsylvania residents. According to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), older Pennsylvania residents will soon outnumber every other age group, which is unprecedented in U.S. history.
This dramatic demographic shift is impacting strategic planning and product development across all industries, from housing to healthcare and beyond. The lifestyle habits of older people are also changing. Rather than slowing down, older people are showing that ageing can be an exciting time of growth, reorientation and maintaining their independence. This change in lifestyle also requires a profound rethink of how we support older people.
Fortunately for Pennsylvanians, Governor Shapiro’s strategic plan for older adults, Aging Our Way, proposes strategies to bring together services and investments from 29 different Commonwealth agencies in new ways that meet the changing needs of this growing population. But we can’t just leave it at a plan; it needs money, votes and ambassadors to ensure it is put into action to care for Pennsylvania’s largest population.
I encourage you to contact your legislators and ask them to support funding, planning, and programming for our older adults. It’s time to invest in those who have gotten us through some of the most difficult times in our country’s history. It’s time we care for, engage with, and support Pennsylvania’s – and everyone’s – older Americans.
Geoff Gross, Philadelphia, founder and CEO of Medical Guardian
The public service ensures a government with non-partisan experts
In the early days of America, every time there was a change of government, almost all positions in the federal government were vacated and filled again.
The problem is that the government is permanently in the hands of inexperienced staff due to frequent staff turnover. Just when experience on the job increases staff competence, the next election brings a new government and the routine of firing and replacing starts all over again.
This problem was addressed by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1882, which put an end to this practice of political patronage known as the “spoils system.”
Now the Trump team, with support from the Heritage Foundation through Project 2025, has announced its intention to return to the spoils system and fill key positions with potentially inexperienced and incompetent personnel whose only obvious qualification is personal loyalty to the president.
IRS law enforcement agents and Justice Department investigators could investigate and bring charges against citizens on the government’s “enemies list” simply because he asked them to. (Those on Nixon’s enemies list were not invited to White House dinners; those on the MAGA enemies list faced prison time.)
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Influential positions in technical and scientific agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could be filled by people who do not have adequate knowledge of the issues they are dealing with. (As John Bolton has noted, the ability to quickly say “Yes, sir!” is a prerequisite for such a position.)
This is just another reason to prevent the election of Donald J. Trump.
Suzanne Colvin, Mercer
