— Gov. Tom Corbett should abandon his plan to privatize the Pennsylvania Lottery.

His privatization plan is widely opposed, is costly and could harm vital seniors programs such as those supplying prescription drugs, transportation, property tax and rent rebates, and long-term care.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane recently reviewed the lottery contract and confirmed what 80 percent of Pennsylvanians suspected: Privatizing the lottery is an unconstitutional power grab by Corbett aimed at benefiting big business, and not the commonwealth as a whole.

Lawmakers from both parties agree with Kane that gaming expansion is a decision that should be voted on by the Legislature.

The bottom line is that the Pennsylvania Lottery is the only lottery in the nation  focused solely on funding programs to benefit our seniors. It’s highly profitable and efficiently operated.

On the other hand, a private company is accountable to its stockholders and its goal is profit, not Pennsylvania.

In the end, every dollar paid to a private company is a dollar that could have gone to seniors programs.

The plan to privatize Pennsylvania’s Lottery already has wasted state funds and will continue to cost taxpayers as long as Corbett continues down his path to privatization.

Frank Burns

State representative, Ebensburg



NRA rallying behind 2nd Amendment faulty

I’ve read that Einstein defined insanity as continued repetition of an act with the expectation that a different result would occur.

It’s certainly insane that after all the abominations and massacres that have occurred in this country within the past few years, that we’re still debating our obvious need for gun control.

The loud-mouthed bullies from the National Rifle Association who point to the Second Amendment as a blessing to own machine guns should remember that this particular modification was made to our Constitution in 1791, and that considerable changes have occurred in technology since then. As such, I guess we’re fortunate that the word “arms” as used in the Constitution has not been re-defined by the NRA to include low-yield nuclear weapons, or worse.

But since that amendment keeps being hauled out as justification, maybe we can use the document to our benefit and confine our gun-toting brethren to the weaponry that was available during that time. Imagine some sorehead drunk wanting to get even with a bartender who cut him off, and having to run home to get out the cotton, the rod and the powder horn to load up the old blunderbuss.

In the half-hour or so it would take the ninny to get the musket ready for action, he’d hopefully either have blown himself up a la Elmer Fudd, or realized the laughable absurdity of believing that any individual in this day and age has the privilege, right or, particularly, the need to own machine guns or other offensive weaponry.

Carl Schultz

Johnstown



Leaders’ meeting attire was inappropriate

I was shocked to watch on WJAC-TV footage of the Johnstown City Council meeting and see the city manager and at least one other council member dressed as though they had just come from a workout at the local gym.

Since the footage was televised, it is safe to assume that this was a public meeting and, thus, under the Sunshine Law had been advertised; therefore, the officials cannot claim they were called in unexpectedly.

As manager and council member, these people have accepted positions of leadership in the city and, as such, should be mindful of the images they present.

They should be dressed professionally at all times in City Hall, and most certainly at public council meetings. It does not matter whether they expect to be filmed and on television.

Right or wrong, people judge us by what we look like, and a well-dressed leader certainly portrays a much better image of our city and its leaders.

Let’s sport our best look, not our gym look, from now on.

Susan E. Kiniry

Johnstown



Letters defended as freedom of speech

For years, America has been in economic and moral decline. Some of the letters we write are called letters of hate. I call them freedom of speech.

We oppose a racist, liberal, socialist agenda. We are just Americans defending our country.

Elected officials have no right to tell us what we can drink, eat, say or believe; where we can work; or where we can pray.

Taxpayers are being bled dry by the Obama administration. The president and vice president have lost their moral core. Homosexuality is an abomination, and to promote it is also.

Have you noticed the increase in cyber attacks by the Chinese since our nation has run up a huge debt with China?

Have you noticed the increase in violent crimes involving guns since President Obama has threatened to take the weapons away from law-abiding gun owners?

Ron Marol

Moxham

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