Laurel: To being canceled. The idea of cancel culture gets a lot of criticism, as it should. There should be less shutting down of ideas and more frank discussion of problems and solutions.
But when events get canceled, that’s a little different. Last week, an event featuring both U.S. Sens. Dave McCormick, R-Pittsburgh, and John Fetterman, D-Braddock, was canceled. Well, it was postponed. That was the right move.
The event included the senators’ wives and was meant to be a discussion of mentorship — and the McCormicks’ new book “Who Believed in You?” Tickets were $32 on Eventbrite and attendees would receive a copy of the book.
The location of the event was not disclosed. Demonstrations were planned by multiple organizations. The day before the Saturday event, it was called off.
Opponents have spelled out what made the plan a tone-deaf miss. It isn’t the shift in Fetterman’s politics over the past year or so — although some of the protesters would disagree.
It is the fact that two sitting senators would not hold a town hall where the people they represent could express concerns, voice frustrations and ask questions. People are crying out to hear from these people in open forums. Instead, the senators were asking people to pay for the privilege and shilling a book.
Whether it was reluctance to face protests or realizing the optics, the senators made the right choice in putting off the event. Now they just need to schedule — whether jointly or not — a real chance to talk with the people who put them in office.
Lance: To failed petitions. Voters in several areas over multiple counties are going to have fewer options than they should when they go to the polls for the primary.
Jeannette’s November mayoral contest seems to be set even before the primary after one Democrat and two Republicans were removed from the ballot for failure to submit proper paperwork to the office in Jeannette. In Monessen, a mayoral candidate was removed for being three signatures short of the required number.
Two candidates for Pittsburgh’s District 2 council seat were removed, leaving it wide open for the remaining candidate, current Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith’s chief of staff, Kim Salinetro. School board candidates in Penn-Trafford, Franklin Regional and Norwin have been removed over filing issues. So were three candidates for Gilpin supervisor in Armstrong County.
Let’s be clear, if the rules aren’t followed, a potential candidate shouldn’t appear on the ballot. But the people deserve real options, not single boxes to check. Prospective candidates need to be more vigilant about following the requirements to run.