Feb 9, 2024 3 min read

Cheers: Since the Americans With Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990, life has been made easier for individuals with disabilities in areas such as public accommodations, employment and transportation. They are more able to fully participate in day-to-day life. But there still seem to be barriers when it comes to being part of our civic life. While it’s estimated that 25% of Americans have a disability, only 10% of elected officials do. Measures recently introduced by Pennsylvania U.S. Bob Casey would help those with disabilities hang onto their federal disability benefits if they campaign for and win an office, do more to ensure that polling places are accessible and help local governments that don’t have sufficient funds make accommodations for an elected official who has a disability. Casey pointed out, “Our democracy is stronger and better off when every American has the opportunity to fully participate. Yet for many people with disabilities, barriers remain to voting, running for office and serving in local government.”

Cheers: Whether you are an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump or you just can’t stand him, you should be glad that a federal appeals court unanimously ruled Tuesday that a president does not have complete immunity from criminal charges for actions taken while he is in office. Trump and his lawyers have been making this argument as the federal trial for his actions leading up to the bedlam at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, looms over the horizon. If the court had agreed that a president is immune from criminal prosecution while in office, it would take away any kind of restraint on what a president can do while they are in the Oval Office – and that would include any future presidents. They could, in theory, solicit bribes, or go to the Treasury and demand briefcases stuffed with $100 bills. It’s a cliche to say this by now, but we are a country of laws, not of men. As the ruling stated: “At bottom, former President Trump’s stance would collapse our system of separated powers by putting the president beyond the reach of all three branches. … We cannot accept that the office of the presidency places its former occupants above the law for all time thereafter.”

Jeers: Washington County’s government was subject to a crippling cyberattack last month, and this week county commissioners approved spending $400,000 to upgrade digital security and also, apparently, make a hefty ransom payment to the hackers. Matters were made worse by how commissioners handled the Tuesday meeting – it was called in haste, with the Observer-Reporter notified about it only minutes beforehand. There were no notices on the county Facebook page and it was not broadcast. Nick Sherman, chairman of the commissioners, said “additional information” became available that necessitated the meeting with short notice. But the cyberattack and its fallout have been unfolding for weeks now. This whole fiasco should serve as a warning for other counties and municipalities.