Despite tech advances, pols must still knock doors
The one thing that’s the same as century ago: face to face contact matters
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
EAST MARLBOROUGH — For people not in politics, the process of running for office can seem like an endless series of rallies, speeches and moments of glamor in the spotlight. You know, cue the balloons and confetti.
The truth, though, is a lot different, especially for those running for...
Op/Ed: The need for more leadership on equal pay
By Mike Parrish, Candidate, 6th Congressional District
Mike Parrish
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Chester County Democratic Women’s Leadership Initiative’s Fall Gala with Lilly Ledbetter. Meeting Ms. Ledbetter and hearing her inspirational story about her fight against Goodyear for fair compensation and the creation of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act was a true honor. Her visit...
Chester County: all quiet on the presidential front
Clinton, Trump have fairly low profile, but likely for differing reasons
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
While the usual (or usually unusual) back and forth of local congressional and state legislative races has kicked into what I lovingly call “red mist” mode (a state of hyper intense political engagement that lowers IQ about 25 points and drops discourse to that fourth grade lunch room taunts),...
It’s not just Coatesville: funding crisis coming to your school, too
As poorer districts struggle, they are everyone’s future without state action
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
If you’ve been in and around Coatesville recently, you may have seen picketing teachers — as was the case at the district’s three middle schools Thursday night. The contract between the district and the Coatesville Area Teachers Association expired in late August and there has...
Op/Ed: Government to blame for EpiPen price hikes?
By Joe Pitts, Member, U.S House of Representatives, (R-16)
U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts (R-16)
As the summer sun rises high in the sky, many of us are finishing out the season by enjoying the last remnants of our vegetables and flower blooms. Bees are ever present, seeking out nectar from their favorite flowers, and along with that comes inevitable bee stings. For some, a single sting can cause their throat...
Letter: Despite GOP claims, 158th, 16th are in play
To The Editor,
The Chester County Democratic Committee believes, just as Mike McGann does, that the 158th is very much in play. The first endorsed Republican candidate for this office withdrew because of falsified petitions.
Second choice candidate Eric Roe has serious residency issues that likely disqualify him to run for office in Pennsylvania. His entire employment history indicates eight ‘political...
The Zika virus and Chester County
Getting rid of standing water is more effective than spraying
By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times
News has come around lately that “Pennsylvania Is Now One Of The Top States With Zika Virus ” (Phoenixville Patch, 8/23/16). Currently PA ranks 5th in the number of diagnosed Zika cases. Of course, no one knows how many undiagnosed cases there are anywhere.
Quick quiz: how is Zika spread?...
Letter: Politics column is nothing more than wishful thinking
To The Editor,
I recently read Mike McGann’s column regarding the 2016 election. Let me say first that I have generally been impressed with your political analysis, which (while having a Democrat tilt) was generally unbiased and on the mark. Any pretense of that type of balanced analysis, however, seems to have been lost in the divisiveness of this year’s election.
Case in point is your recent...
Letter: Aug. 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day
To The Editor:
Drug overdose is a leading cause of accidental deaths in Pennsylvania. The rate of overdose deaths in the state has increased by 14% in recent years and is significantly higher than the national average. Government alone cannot fix what is wrong in society, but it does have an important role to play. The government can coordinate and connect systems so that there is less redundancy,...
Letter from the editor: A comment on comments