Brian Fitzpatrick Enters the Twilight Zone with His Feeble Defense of Ukraine
While brave Ukrainians spill their blood to defend their country and freedom from Russia, Fitzpatrick can’t muster the courage to speak out against Trump. Fitzpatrick has become so two-faced, hypocritical and cowardly in his Facebook and X posts (he won’t speak to local media or constituents at public town halls) that many of his observers and commenters are wondering if he has entered the Twilight Zone. For instance, his verbal and written claims about his deep belief in the importance of Ukraine’s sovereignty and freedom are so completely disconnected from his actions that he seems to be operating in some kind of alternate reality. He has been so emphatically vocal about being a moderate, bi-partisan congressman that voters have re-elected him because that is what they want, and they have believed him. But the moderate mirage is melting away, and all that is left is sand and empty words.
Fitzpatrick twists himself into a human pretzel voting for Trump’s agenda while trying to appear as a caring, thoughtful, supportive advocate for causes he claims to care about. He wrote about Ukraine after the disastrous ambush of Zelensky by Trump and Vance:
It was heartbreaking to witness the turn of events that transpired in today’s meeting regarding Ukraine’s future. It is time to put understandable emotions aside and come back to the negotiation table. This can and will be fixed. A strong, sovereign Ukraine is essential for global stability in the face of Putin’s ongoing aggression.
He has made many other supportive statements about Ukraine, where he once worked, but he refuses to have the nerve to actually try to use any leverage he has. If he does not have the courage to look at himself in the mirror and actually stand up for what he cares about, his words mean nothing.
Fitzpatrick’s boss, Donald Trump, only cares about raw power. Trump did not talk about the nobility of Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people fighting for their freedom. He just told Zelenskyy that he had no ‘cards’ – no power.
After 8 years in congress, Fitzpatrick should be holding some cards. But if he has any, he chooses not to use them.
In the coming year, either he stands up on behalf of the people who elected him and on behalf of what he himself says he believes in, or it is time for him to leave the stage.
Thomas Taft, Chalfont
GOP’s Budget Cuts Hurt People
It’s a sad day when Congress proposes a budget that takes money from vulnerable Americans – cutting health and food benefits – to fund tax cuts for the ultra-rich.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is charged with cutting $880 billion over 10 years. This requires cuts to Medicaid – a health care program overseen by the federal government, but managed by states. Close to home, Medicaid covers approximately 3 million people, in every county in Pennsylvania— mainly children, people with disabilities, lower income adults and older adults. About 1 in 4 Pennsylvanians receive Medicaid. For children, that number is even higher at 39%.
Food benefits are also at risk. House Republicans aim to cut $230 billion from the Agriculture budget, which includes SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). Representative Glenn Thompson claims that SNAP will be safe, but it’s impossible to take so much money from the budget without cutting SNAP. Pennsylvanians would be deeply impacted – 15.5% of our neighbors are enrolled in SNAP, and again, children would be hardest hit.
Rural communities will be hit especially hard. County-specific data can be found here: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/data-reports.html.
As a former auditor, I understand the need to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse. But it’s unconscionable to cut health and food benefits for vulnerable Pennsylvanians in order to fund tax cuts for the wealthy.
Make sure your representatives understand that their jobs are to support the less fortunate in our commonwealth, not to throw money at people who don’t need it.
Debbie Meder, Lock Haven
Trump Kicks Veterans to the Curb
Did you know that 30% of the federal employees being fired (to date) are veterans? These firings have occurred with no transparency to the American people, let alone our elected officials. Even if one believes that downsizing should occur, which is highly debatable, there appears to be no coherent or humane approach being employed. As such, one can only surmise that the intent is to simply create chaos.
Further evidence of this is that representatives of the Trump administration have stated their desire for “federal employees to be traumatized”. This is a despicable statement and immoral sentiment. The human toll of these firings, with the vast majority of those fired having positive performance reviews, is immeasurable.
Beyond the irreparable harm to these civil servants and those dependent on their services, the alleged savings that this administration claims are non-existent. Specifically, the U.S. government spent $710 billion in the first month of the Trump administration, more than was spent during the initial month of any prior President. Further, none of these actions have helped to lower the cost of housing, food, or other essentials.
To add further insult to injury, Trump has spent almost $11 million taxpayer dollars playing golf during his first month in office. Sadly, it appears the cliché attributed to Marie Antionette “let them eat cake” when referring to her subjects that did not have enough bread to eat appears relevant today in America.
Sue Ellen Feuerstein, Lewisburg
DOGE’s Unchecked Power and Cruelty
President Trump’s second term began with a whirlwind of activity, claiming increased efficiency and transparency. But that’s not what is happening.
Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines transparency as “free from pretense or deceit, readily understood, and characterized by visibility or accessibility of information, especially concerning business practices” and defines efficiency as “capable of producing desired results with little or no waste.”
How is it efficient or transparent when:
– Civil servants are fired, rehired, and fired again;
– Justifications for firing are false, i.e., employees are claimed to lack skills after receiving outstanding performance reviews;
– Fired employees don’t receive mandated information about filing for unemployment and maintaining health insurance;
– Employees are fired in agencies actively recruiting because they are short-staffed, including the Federal Aviation Administration and Centers for Disease Control;
– Costs of firings haven’t considered costs to public safety and the federal budget, such as the increase in unemployment benefits;
– Claims about money saved from firings are sparse and inaccurate;
– Sources require anonymity to protect them from retaliation;
– White House, cabinet offices, and DOGE refuse to answer media requests for comments.
Last week one-third of United States Digital Service technicians resigned rather than work for DOGE, refusing to compromise and dismantle core government systems and jeopardize Americans’ personal data.
Don’t be fooled. We’re not getting efficiency and transparency.
We’re getting unchecked power and outright cruelty. We’re also being set up: the claimed “spending cuts” are used to justify planned tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations.
This doesn’t Make America Great Again.
Linda Barton, State College
