Letters to editor: McConnell must protect Mueller; School-safety fail; Barr hypocrisy

McConnell, protect Mueller

Earlier this week, Sen. Mitch McConnell warned Democrats of the perils of “presidential harassment,” saying efforts to obtain President Donald Trump’s tax returns and conduct oversight of his administration would backfire politically.

Really? After obstruction of President Barack Obama’s SCOTUS nominee? After voting 70 times to repeal the ACA? After impeding his administration at every turn for eight years? Now, that’s harassment.

Oversight and investigation into violations that are written into the Constitution lawmakers swore to uphold? Not harassment.

They have a legal, ethical responsibility to protect the special counsel investigation into the Trump campaign and administration, especially since the firing of Jeff Sessions and the apparently unconstitutional appointment of Mark Whitaker to assistant attorney general.

Earlier this year, a bipartisan bill, S.2644, the Special Counsel Independence and Integrity Act, passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill would safeguard Robert Mueller’s investigation.

When the Senate next convenes, Sen. Chris Coons and Jeff Flake will ask for unanimous consent to bring that bill to a vote on the Senate floor.

McConnell should do so, as soon as possible. It’s his job and responsibility.

Safety rules failed at school

A student at Fayette County’s Frederick Douglass High School was found in possession of a gun in his backpack last week. The Herald-Leader article stated he had arrived at school late, was not sent through the walk-through metal detector but was subject to a hand-held metal detector and his backpack checked. He was then sent to an in-school suspension room until he obtained a student identification badge, which he did not have on him at arrival, He then continued with his scheduled classes. When there was an unrelated disciplinary issue later, his backpack was searched and the gun was found.

The article stated that district officials said “the school’s administrative team did a good job of handling the situation, that safety protocols worked because the weapon was found, and they pointed out that no one was hurt.”

How did the “safety protocols” work when he was present in school for several hours while possessing a gun? I would submit that the safety protocols did not work. If they had, the gun would have been found when they searched his backpack upon his arrival. Staff training needs to be reviewed and the failure to follow protocols should be addressed.

Give me a break, Barr

In his acceptance speech after retaining his congressional seat, Andy Barr lamented the sharp political divisions afflicting our country, and in particular “how acrimonious those divisions have become.” He wants to “solve the problem.”

But his own campaign, with its barrage of attack ads and repeated visits by that arch divider and prince of acrimony Donald Trump (and his entourage), had exactly the opposite effect. Amy McGrath’s campaign actually worked hard to tell the truth and avoid acrimony and division. Who is really working to “solve the problem?”

Pay attention to poverty

Hearing I was growing up in the richest country in the world came as a surprise to me as a child. I was wearing the same shoes to school for years, going to bed hungry because the rice was gone, using a blanket to sleep on the floor.

Next time you write a political piece, focus on poverty in America. People shouldn’t have to experience what I have: hunger, embarrassing clothes, sleeping on the floor, drug-addicted fathers. Why can’t we band together, speak truth to power and tell them poverty is inexcusable? Kentucky needs major wage increases. My hometown, Salyersville, needs more than insider jobs.

Kentucky politicians need to do more for our people. What good is a job two or three counties over, when you have to starve to pay for gas money until the first paycheck?

Food stamps are good for people who can’t work because of disabilities and so forth, but it’s easy to take advantage of. Kentucky needs a better system. The homelessness, addictions, the poverty… people need, no, they deserve, more attention than just a glance.

Tell the next politician you talk to to speak on the real issues. Fix the poor parts of America.