Letters to the editor: Barr-McGrath congressional race

Vets’ right to choose

I attended Rep. Andy Barr’s veterans’ rally last month because I want to see Barr re-elected. He is an honorable man who has served this district, its constituents and the nation with distinction.

Marisa McNee, deputy executive director of the Kentucky Democratic Party, put forward a false narrative in the Herald-Leader article about the event. No one disrespected Amy McGrath’s service. We are simply not impressed with her campaign’s attempt to convince everyone that they should vote for her because of that service. We disagree with her message. We attended that rally not to disrespect McGrath, but to support Barr.

We fought for the rights that Americans enjoy, including the right to attend a rally for a candidate we support and to disagree with one we do not. As veterans we earned that right and if we cannot disagree with or criticize another veteran then our sacrifices are meaningless.

‘Us’ or ‘them’

Out of curiosity I have two questions that I need answered. In a recent political advertisement by Rep. Andy Barr, he states that challenger Amy McGrath is not one of us but one of them. I am a 100 percent-disabled Vietnam combat veteran and my question is, "Am I one of us or one of them?"

My second question would be that after the recent death of Sen. John McCain, a true American patriot and hero who said we are more alike than different, why did Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump not post complimentary responses, and why did Trump only after much public and private uproar have the flag on the White House (our house, the American people's house) returned to half-staff to honor the senator?

Barr stays too quiet

What is Rep. Andy Barr afraid of? He has remained silent for 18 months despite having had many opportunities to publicly condemn President Donald Trump’s crude, uninformed and divisive rhetoric directed at our allies, trading partners and anyone who disagrees with him.

It’s obvious that Barr is too timid to speak up because he’s afraid that Trump will criticize him if he publicly tells his constituents the truth about the president. Barr’s overall record as a congressman is positive, but that record will be lost and his legacy instead will be that of someone who, when given the opportunity, did not publicly condemn Trump’s corrosive words and actions.

Nothing that Barr is doing for us in Washington is more important than speaking up now against this corrupt, clueless and vulgar president.

McGrath a liberal

Democratic candidate for Congress Amy McGrath identifies with the liberal politics of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders. These liberals support open borders, abortion on demand and the transformation of America to a socialist form of government. If McGrath had been from Central Kentucky or had any ties to the good people who make up the 6th District, she would understand that there is no market for what she and the Democratic Party are selling.

‘Liberal’ not sacrilege

Andy Barr accuses Amy McGrath of being a liberal. Jesus was a liberal. Is Barr anti-Jesus?

Chance for new ideas

Democracy functions better when some level of checks and balances are offered from the lesser-represented party.

In many congressional elections around the country, a pivotal moment will occur: the chance to edge back into Washington with some more open thinking and a greater voice for all people.

Retired Lt. Col. Amy McGrath is the embodiment of fresh, fair and reasonable, unspoiled thinking and would take with her to Washington the broad-based voice of the people in our district’s 19 counties.

If you are happy with what you see happening each day in Washington, then vote for Andy Barr. If you like the way things are going for you personally, then vote for Andy Barr. If you want some new thinking in Washington, and more questions asked of the current leadership, you want to vote for McGrath.

Nov. 6 is our chance.

Barr’s hands muddy

My wife and I happened to catch Rep. Andy Barr’s latest invidious comparison ad. This ad employed four colorless pictures: a current senator; a former senator who also served as secretary of state and was a first lady and a presidential candidate; a former speaker of the House, and the congressional candidate who was the target of Barr’s mudslinging.

Besides selecting four unflattering pictures, another criterion was these four very accomplished people are all women. Does Barr really think we (men and women) can’t see through his dog whistling as he simultaneously runs down liberals?

The four women that he is mischaracterizing are really, and very much really, centrists.

Barr should put down the mud balls and pick up some praising phrases and talk about McGrath’s time in uniform and how she was dedicated to slugging it out in the skies over Iraq — for all of us.

Same old politics

Who is Amy McGrath? This candidate is for abortion and increased taxes, says she has a plan to increase employment when we have the lowest unemployment rate in decades, and so far has no real plan on illegal immigration. She thinks President Donald Trump is a joke. She brags about 89 combat missions and how it didn’t matter if the pilot to her right or left was a Democrat or Republican.

Yet, she spouts the liberal Democratic agenda. If she goes to Washington, she will follow the same partisan politics going on there for the last eight years.

Her success in the Marines was because she followed orders. If she goes to Washington she will follow orders given to her by the Democratic Party.

She is not a politician such as Sen. John McCain or Sen. Daniel Inouye, who could work with both sides.

Barr respected

Rep. Andy Barr has grown up in Central Kentucky and I have watched him mature into one of the outstanding talented individuals of his generation. He has traits acquired from his father, who is a respected, retired business leader in financial matters; and his mother, an Episcopal minister who has instilled in him the ability to recognize those in need and to help them.

Recently I heard Rep. Hal Rogers say he has watched Barr garner respect in Congress across party lines, as evidenced by Barr’s appointments to committees on important issues. He is chairman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over Treasury Department sanctions on North Korea, Iran and Russia.

Let’s support Barr for another term in the 6th District. Barr has worked hard to address the problem Kentucky has with drug abuse. He will do great work in the future because of his character, experience and background.

What are Barr ideas?

I read with great interest and a fair amount of puzzlement the statement by Rep. Andy Barr to the effect that his service “ ... in a position where ideas matter” is equivalent to Amy McGrath’s military service, which includes her 89 combat missions.

I wonder if the congressman would be so kind as to identify one or two of his ideas. Since the fighter aircraft McGrath piloted can be single or duel seated, I would ask Barr to only include ideas which he alone or with one other person proposed for the good of the nation. Congressional group-think ideas do not count.