Letters to the Editor

Sound off! Readers share their thoughts

In my perfect justice system my cops will arrest you, my investigators will investigate you, my judges will hear my lawyers prosecute you and you will be convicted unless judge and jury actually follow laws I have yet to rewrite. You will be imprisoned in another country where I pay your keep (with your taxes) and where you will have no right to appeal or to have visitors. Guess who I am. If you can't, your red ball cap may be so tight it's interfering with your thought processes. Everyone else, raise your voice, cast your ballot.

-- Canfield

When there is no money left for Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid, then and then only will people realize that all programs are connected and pay into these social programs which Trump says he's not going to touch. When your Dr or specialist or hospital doesn't get paid and no one can purchase this paper anymore, then it will be too late to fix it. You are eliminated too.

-- Youngstown

Government employees told to resign or be fired should wait to be fired: 1) 47 is a liar so place no trust in any promise of post resignation salary. He and his unelected co-president have no contractural right to fire you without notice. 2) 47 is a bully who quits when his nose is bloodied so join your colleagues, post firing, in suits for wrongful firing; the strength of numbers is noticed even by cowering pols. 3) 47 is a deadbeat, stiffing many he owed money as he grew wealthier on their work. Voters for Trump the disruptor now know he's an incompetent destroyer.

-- Canfield

Isn't eliminating the Madison Avenue Expressway a wonderful idea? Just think how easy it will be for our emergency services to respond to other sides of town when the fabulous TitoPlex police/fire station is built on Wick Avenue. I sure hope that the voters of Youngstown will finally come to their senses this year and vote this clown out of office.

-- Youngstown

What a leader Pete Hegseth is proving to be. He officially renamed Fort Liberty as Fort Bragg (again) and found a U.S. service hero of the same name as the general of the Lost Cause to claim as the honoree. Really, he just made the switch for his boss, the Peevish Prince of Pettiness. Meanwhile, Ukraine can't find enough artillery shells, drones and fuel to continue holding Putins' bear at bay. But, Pete held up his signed order for the cameras, just like the felon he obeys. I wonder if he'll grift photo merch, too, so all the patriot fridges can have a copy to display.

-- Canfield

The American people are not stupid. They know that efficiency means using less to get the same results. An example would be automatic checkouts in stores. When DOGE cuts a 3rd or more or defunding the FBI, CIA, FEMMA, USAID, Police, the Pentagon, DOE, air traffic controllers and other government departments, they aren't making us more efficient but weaker. As disasters increase or we're hacked by Russia, China and Iran or another 9-11 occurs, more and more Americans will come out against this stupidity.

-- Campbell

Notable differences between 47 and Hitler include: 160 lbs. and natural skin and hair color. Hitler destroyed Germany by bombing weaker nations, 47 has cut to the chase with a blitz of paper orders dropped on the democratic norms of non-billionaire citizens of America. Musk bought influence and will be repaid with your taxes, Goebbels sold lies and stole art. Russia will turn on 47 as on Hitler, 47 doesn't think so; Trump is a convicted felon.

-- Canfield

On 2-7-25 the Vindicator printed "Three cheers for less government spending, fewer regulations." In 2025, Trump ordered a task force to investigate targeted Christians; The new DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency); investigating lawyers and agents who worked on the Jan 6 rioter cases; a White House Faith Office; a Software modernization Initiative; etc. Do those orders count for or are they against regulations?

-- Campbell

What the Philadelphia Eagles did to the Kansas City Chiefs is what a mandate victory looks like. Trump vs Harris was more like a one point squeaker in popular vote and would have required nine referees to handle all the protested calls against 47 plus a Musk-like DOGE bag of tricks to overcome the verified calls.

-- Canfield

So called evangelical christians have overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump. Millions will suffer and die around the world due to Trump's and Musk's elimination of USAID. I am curious as to how these "christians" justify this in their twisted minds. Are you not your brothers' keepers?

-- Youngstown

We are one of the wealthiest countries in the world with opportunities for all. Yet we have decided to separate families who have lived here and contributed to our society for years. We are withdrawing from organizations that provide support for the poorest people in the world. Have we no sense of decency?

-- Youngstown

Did you know Jamie Stiehm was at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021. How could you not? She makes sure to tell you in EVERY article she writes.

-- Youngstown

Letters to the Editor

Sound off! Readers share their thoughts

As a subscriber and reader of your newspaper for over 50 years, I really appreciated your Feb. 12 column by editor Ed Puskas. I will follow your information and analytical recommendation, and I sincerely hope that others will do the same, as you stated. Everyone must take a deep breath.

-- Youngstown

What a shock to open today's Vindicator and see a FULL half page photo of JD Vance staring back at me. Was that really necessary??? His boss is currently dismantling our government, Trump's lackey Elon Musk, a private citizen, now has access to every American's personal information, and you choose to plaster this guy's face all over the front page?? Show the destruction that happened so people don't forget. Show the people of East Palestine. Not this giant picture of Vance.

-- Austintown

A recent letter detailed failures of the Hubbard post office. Girard is no better. Our mail is often very very late. Some days it doesn't come at all. (We look at informed delivery, so we know we are supposed to get mail.) We've gotten other people's mail numerous times. We know there are some things sent to us we've never gotten. Our mail service is just unreliable.

-- Girard

This message is to those non-MAGA people who voted for Trump. Listen to what he says but watch what he does. He just fired 18 inspector generals created by Reagan to watch for corruption in various government agencies. He created his mean coins as a pump-and-dump scheme to make money off of MAGA. He's threatened Mexico, Canada, Denmark and Colombia, but not a word against Putin. This should reduce the cost of eggs, not!

-- Campbell

Using military planes to go to Colombia that hold 800 people but only had 80. The cost to run that plane is $100,000 PER HOUR. Is it two or three hours to get there and two or three hours to get back or more? And they sent TWO planes. How much did that cost the American people? I thought this guy was supposed to be saving American people money. He's spending like a drunken sailor. It's all optics I tell you.

-- Youngstown

DJT waves a Bible, albeit upside down, and sells his own Bible /Constitution. He was "offended" by Bishop Budde's biblical plea for mercy toward others. On Inauguration Day, he "forgot" to place his hand on the Bible Melania held. If he didn't "swear on the Bible," is he the President or will he tell us he didn't "swear" to uphold the Constitution? "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" are replaced with "Merit, Aptitude, and Hard Work," traits, no doubt, that got DJT where he is.

-- Boardman

President Trump thinks he can change the 14th Amendment to our Constitution with only his signature on an executive order. Forget about a 2/3 vote of Congress and approval of 3/4 of all our state legislatures. How many of Trump's Cabinet members still can't say Trump lost the 2020 election? Congressman Rulli picks Mike Peppel as his communications director after Peppel organized a "scam charity" to deceive people wanting to help residents of East Palestine. Did he do a YSU employment search for the best candidate? Where is their common sense?

-- Poland

The YSU men's basketball team should be ashamed of themselves for playing small weak branch campus teams like PSU-Shenango. Put on your big-boy shorts and play some real Division I teams. This program is a joke.

-- Struthers

The first mail I received this week was on Thursday. When this senior citizen went for his daily walk on Wednesday there wasn't a mail person to be found. Let us bring back the mailmen of 50 years ago. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds. If the workers can't handle it we could have an auxiliary of high school kids home from school and some senior citizens that are homebound get dropped off the mail to about 10 addresses around their house to get the mail delivered. I do remember as a teen delivering a much bigger newspaper than today in colder weather and deeper snow. If I am able to get my newspaper, I should be able to get my mail.

-- Youngstown

Trump is running amok, violating federal laws, breaking rules, and no one is stopping him or even questioning him. He didn't even have his hand on the Bible for his oath of office. We, the people, will suffer, our cities will suffer, our planet and infrastructure are at great risk, and his disregard of all humanity and birthright is fueling his need in his quest for dictatorship. He is a tyrant with no absolute scruples.

-- Liberty

Saw a photo of Trump in a brown fedora and dark blue suit standing next to a DIY sign lettered FAFO. Is that an ad for his Facts And Fashion Offended campaign? I could be wrong, if so, right back at ya, Donny. Plus, spats might be a practical addition to your outfit given the stuff you must walk through every time you step away from your BBSS (Big Bully Sound System). They'd keep your cuffs from fouling your limo.

-- Canfield

Where's DOGE and Elon Musk? Trump using our military C-17's to repatriate illegal migrants is a HUGE waste of our taxpayer dollars! Costing approximately $35,000 per HOUR to operate making them of the most expensive planes to fly. These cargo planes are used to transport military equipment. Use the most cost effective method, please. Commercial airliners. Do not spend our taxpayer dollars for your bullish show.

-- Poland

Trump has seen his shadow. Now we are in for at least six more weeks of insanity!

-- Canfield

Well, they're baaaaaack in letters to the editor. The political jihadists from Canfield and Boardman, still trying to get hired as pundits. At maybe HuffPost or the like. We got rid of them for 2-3 glorious weeks and now, in today's paper, they have made their obnoxious return. Hey guys (girls). Root for your country. Hate Trump at will, but root for the homeland. You guys (girls), haters all, waiting impatiently for 47 to screw up. Not a good look!

-- Youngstown

Elon Musk's DOGE wants to cut $2 trillion from the government budget. Unfortunately, the cuts would impact those on the bottom of the ladder. His cuts would have to include federal employees, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, agencies protecting labor law and anti-trust and workplace safety laws. You will never hear him talking about cutting corporate subsidies, tightening tax loopholes, carried interest or halting Trump's tax cuts because they all benefit him. All of which would save the government more than the Musk plan.

-- Poland

Letters to the Editor

Sound off! Readers share their thoughts

Mike Peppel knew what he was doing as a scammer, collecting donations, to help the victims of the East Palestine train disaster. The money was supposed to go to The Second Harvest Food Bank to help the victims. Instead it went in his pocket! Even though he paid it back, he is still a criminal. Michael Rulli lost my vote and many others when he hired Peppel as his communications director. Rulli might consider making amends to the people of East Palestine by sending a Rulli Gift Card of about $200 or more to each affected family in East Palestine.

-- Canfield

Why is it that for the last 4 Years we never heard anything negative about Joe Biden (after all he was President at the time and doing a terrible job) all we heard about were nasty remarks about Donald Trump, when all he wanted to do was to Make America Great Again. For those of you that are against closing the Border and removing Illegals, how many of them would you want to take into your home?

-- Canfield

Apparently Mayor Brown wants everyone to believe he had nothing to do with his daughter-in-law being hired for the new position in the Youngstown Parks, at $51,000-plus. She was 3rd in the interview process! If you believe that, he will sell you the Market Street bridge! Nepotism, at our expense!

-- Boardman

Stop blaming DEI policies! The head of FAA resigned on January 20th. Trump didn't bother to pick a temporary replacement until the day after the terrible accident at Reagan Airport.

-- Poland

What the American people are witnessing here is the end of the Rule of Law and the rise and fall of a once great diplomatic global country.

-- Edinburg, Pa.

Quantum computing and artificial intelligence input place us on the cusp of achieving cures for diseases yet unconquered because data, formulation, testing, manufacturing and distribution require incredible investments of time, intellects and verification to bring them to bear. Every possible roadblock from ignorance to political posturing prevent this progress by placing a determination of who will profit above how many may be cured, of greed above good, lies above law.

-- Canfield

I laughed at the Campbell writer who was complaining that President Trump pardoned the J6 people. What about Joe Biden ? He pardoned his son and at the last minute five of his family members. He pardoned them for anything they did for the last 10 years! Most people who have any common sense know this is an admission of guilt. Why did they need pardons if they didn't commit a crime? But this is just another example of the radical far left who the American people rejected on Nov. 5.

-- Hubbard

So, the "best candidate" had the 6th-lowest rating of 7 candidates, has 9-10 jobs since 2010, and is related to the mayor. REALLY???? Reeks of nepotism.

-- Boardman

A recent letter detailed failures of the Hubbard post office. Girard is no better. Our mail is often very very late. Some days it doesn't come at all. (We look at informed delivery, so we know we are supposed to get mail.) We've gotten other people's mail numerous times. We know there are some things sent to us we've never gotten. Our mail service is just unreliable.

-- Girard

This message is to those non-MAGA people who voted for Trump. Listen to what he says but watch what he does. He just fired 18 inspector generals created by Reagan to watch for corruption in various government agencies. He created his mean coins as a pump-and-dump scheme to make money off of MAGA. He's threatened Mexico, Canada, Denmark and Colombia, but not a word against Putin. This should reduce the cost of eggs, not!

-- Campbell

Using military planes to go to Colombia that hold 800 people but only had 80. The cost to run that plane is $100,000 PER HOUR. Is it two or three hours to get there and two or three hours to get back or more? And they sent TWO planes. How much did that cost the American people? I thought this guy was supposed to be saving American people money. He's spending like a drunken sailor. It's all optics I tell you.

-- Youngstown

DJT waves a Bible, albeit upside down, and sells his own Bible/Constitution. He was "offended" by Bishop Budde's Biblical plea for mercy toward others. On Inauguration Day, he "forgot" to place his hand on the Bible Melania held. If he didn't "swear on the Bible," is he the President or will he tell us he didn't "swear" to uphold the Constitution? "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" are replaced with "Merit, Aptitude, and Hard Work," traits, no doubt, that got DJT where he is.

-- Boardman

I hope those who enjoyed the spectacle of a felon officially becoming President remember that Roman mobs found bread and circuses just dandy until they didn't. At least their Senate had the guts to whisper in the ear of a triumphant Caesar "remember you are only human". Unfortunately, 47s memories are only alternative facts of his own creation.

-- Canfield

President Trump thinks he can change the 14th Amendment to our Constitution with only his signature on an executive order. Forget about a 2/3 vote of Congress and approval of 3/4 of all our state legislatures. How many of Trump's cabinet members still can't say Trump lost the 2020 election? Congressman Rulli picks Mike Peppel as his communications director after Peppel organized a "scam charity" to deceive people wanting to help residents of East Palestine. Did he do a YSU employment search for the best candidate? Where is their common sense?

-- Poland

The YSU men's basketball team should be ashamed of themselves for playing small weak branch campus teams like PSU-Shenango. Put on your big-boy shorts and play some real Division I teams. This program is a joke.

-- Struthers

The first mail I received this week was on Thursday. When this senior citizen went for his daily walk on Wednesday there wasn't a mail person to be found. Let us bring back the mailmen of fifty years ago. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the postmen from their appointed rounds. If the workers can't handle it we could have an auxiliary of high school kids home from school and some senior citizens that are homebound get dropped off the mail to about 10 addresses around their house to get the mail delivered. I do remember as a teen delivering a much bigger newspaper than today in colder weather and deeper snow. If I am able to get my newspaper I should be able to get my mail.

-- Youngstown

Trump is running amok, violating federal laws, breaking rules, and no one is stopping him or even questioning him. He didn't even have his hand on the bible for his oath of office. We, the people, will suffer, our cities will suffer, our planet and infrastructure are at great risk, and his disregard of all humanity and birthright is fueling his need in his quest for dictatorship. He is a tyrant with no absolute scruples.

-- Liberty

Saw a photo of Trump in a brown fedora and dark blue suit standing next to a DIY sign lettered FAFO. Is that an ad for his Facts And Fashion Offended campaign? I could be wrong, if so, right back at ya Donny. Plus, spats might be a practical addition to your outfit given the stuff you must walk through every time you step away from your BBSS (Big Bully Sound System). They'd keep your cuffs from fouling your limo.

-- Canfield

Where's DOGE and Elon Musk? Trump using our military C-17's to repatriate illegal migrants is a HUGE waste of our taxpayer dollars! Costing approximately $35,000 per HOUR to operate making them of the most expensive planes to fly. These cargo planes are used to transport military equipment. Use the most cost effective method, please. Commercial airliners. Do not spend our taxpayer dollars for your bullish show.

-- Poland

Trump has seen his shadow. Now we are in for at least 6 more weeks of insanity!

-- Canfield

Letters to the Editor

Sound off! Readers share their thoughts

Most never-Trumpers would never admit it, but how terrifying it would be if we had elected a cackling insubordinate, far-left idiot as president. Insubordinate as she was tasked to be border czar and disregarded her assignment. And so far left that in four years our entire government would be DEI (Didn't Earn It ). As long as so-called Democrats align themselves with far-left progressives we can only hope common-sense voters prevail and get back to the values that made the United States the greatest country in the world. We have hope now; the alternative would have been devastating.

-- Youngstown

Columbiana. The audacity of public officials to wastefully spend money on their thoughtless whims screams for accountability. Why in the world do school resource officers need an all-wheel drive pursuit vehicle at over $70k a pop? They should drive their own car to work like we do. A pursuit vehicle in a 20-mph zone. The country is trillions in debt partly because of the assumption that public employees deserve every benefit they can dream up. This cannot be sustained.

-- Columbiana

So, if the city can't spend the money, why not do away with the speed cameras?

-- Youngstown

Re: Jan. 21 editorial stating Elon Musk "throws his hands in the air to cheer"-- excuse me? It is called a Nazi salute. I see the Trump-sane washing has begun at the Vindy. Are we bowing to the Oligarchy so soon? I hope The Vindy doesn't turn total "Cal Thomas" on us. Are we going to support the J6 criminals also? Way to "Back the Blue" Trump cultists. Disgusting. Convicted felon 47 surrounds himself with the BEST (HYPOCRITES)!

-- Lake Milton

Very happy to see the commissioners and office / stakeholders sitting together doing a line by line process together. This is the way things should be. Those elected taking the money available and DECIDING how to spend it. Please do NOT start using separate levies for each department like Mahoning and some townships. That is a sneaky way to not have to make decisions one is elected to make!

-- Girard

Mariann Edgar Budde, an episcopal Bishop, gave a sermon asking Trump to have mercy on the people he is attacking. He, of course, came back with all insults, nasty words and calling for an apology from her, which is almost laughable except it is his way to attack. Wouldn't it be nice if more of our Catholic priests would do the same, especially since Pope Francis is trying to help so many?

-- Liberty

"What they did to these people is horrible" said 47 when asked about his pardons for violent criminals with no evidence of who 'they' are or what 'they' did other than follow the law. Welcome to a felons' presidency abetted by a GOP Congress.

-- Canfield

It surely pays to be a criminal in Trump world, starting with himself and many named to the administration, many in key positions, some who were headed to incarceration and others just released in time to work for us. It surely paid off for the insurrectionists who have now been freed with the click of a pen, even though their acts were clearly criminal. Once again, Trump makes fun of law and order, right and wrong.

-- Liberty