A brave new world for local Congress members
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
It is a brave (cough-cough) new world for some of our elected officials — specifically the three gentlemen who hold congressional seats in Chester County and find themselves coming home to districts this week they may not recognize.
Yes — we’ll grant everything is new for U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker, who is little more than a month in from joining the world’s most...
Letter: The Times, citizens need to be vigilant
To The Editor,
I am writing to encourage The Times of Chester County to remain an independent news organization that fact-checks statements made by all politicians (particularly the president-elect) and exposes false statements clearly while reporting on any issue. The president-elect has consistently derogated news sources that disagree with him or his positions.
However, our success as a democracy...
Was BuzzFeed right to publish alleged Trump dossier?
By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times
If those allegations weren’t news before January 10, they sure are now.
The post that contains the download to the full 35-page version of the allegations was viewed over 5,000,000 times in its first 3 days online. (The 2-page executive summary has not been posted.) Here is Buzzfeed’s self-justification:
“BuzzFeed News is publishing the full...
A shiny new year: things are about to get interesting
Congressional, legislative officials face new political minefields in 2017
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
From Harrisburg to Washington, D.C., it is a bold, bright new year in politics.
From fresh starts to fresh panics, 2017 looks to be among the most interesting ever in the history of our little republic — and possibly not in a good way, but time will tell.
To kick off the year, we’ll gloss...
Letter: To save public education, Senate must reject DeVos
To The Editor,
When describing public education in America our President-Elect Donald Trump compared our schools to third world countries. To fix the education system at a national level, he has chosen Betsy DeVos as education secretary.
The former leader of the Michigan Republican Party, DeVos’ only contribution to education policy has been advocating for school vouchers and charter schools. Conservatives...
Letter: Republicans, you own this
To The Editor,
Donald Trump and Secretary Hillary Clinton faced off their final debate, and once again Mr. Trump found new ways to embarrass the Republican Party – and those in the Chester County Republican Committee and their candidates who have continued to endorse him.
The Trumpocalypse hits home
Meanwhile, local candidates gather and talk issues thoughtfully
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Well, that was a week to be proud of in politics, right?
As Donald Trump continues to loom over the election of down ballot candidates much as he did over Hillary Clinton during last Sunday night’s town hall forum — frankly, all it needed was slasher movie music to make it perfect — it seems likely...
Trump puts local candidates in a deplorable situation
No good choice for down ballot GOP candidates
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Um, now what?
If you think the average American doesn’t know what to think about the tapes revealed Friday involving Donald Trump’s comments on women, imagine if you happen to a Republican appearing on the Nov. 8 ballot for Congress or the State Legislature.
I’m not going to address the actual content of the comments...
Welcome to the center of the political universe
National media highlights major role of Chester County in presidential race
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Well, we told you so.
For most of the summer in this space, we’ve told you that Chester County figures to be ground zero in the presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump — and now multiple stories from outside the region, in USA Today, The New York Times and The Harrisburg...
Tribute to a great man: Mayor Kennedy
Meanwhile, Trump claims PA election will be ‘rigged’
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
In a week that we should be celebrating the legacy of a Chester County legend — James C. Kennedy, the long-time Mayor of South Coatesville who passed away Thursday at the age of 99 — we are forced to deal with the specter of a presidential candidate who claims the commonwealth’s elections are likely...
