Kentucky American Water profits gush on Wall Street, plus some musings on Trump
Water profits go where?
On Feb. 23, 2009, the stock of American Water Works Co. of Camden, N. J., parent of Kentucky American Water Co., closed at $18.55. On Feb. 22, 2019, it closed at $100.98. In 10 years, an increase in share price of more than 400 percent. You can see the phenomenal stock chart for American Water through a search on Yahoo Finance. The stock symbol is AWK. Be sure to click “max” on the bar above the opening chart to see the full grandeur of the stock climbing past $100 per share.
Shareholders have also profited from the quarterly dividends. Surely, the customers of Kentucky American have made their contribution to the stunning rise in the value of the shares. This newspaper should consider publishing a series about American Water. Those who are paying for water need to know the full story of this New Jersey company. Those now served by publicly-owned utilities should have important information about who it is that may be trying to buy their systems.
Tom Marshall, Frankfort
Wall no emergency
Why is the border wall suddenly a national “emergency? President Donald Trump had two years to push this through when he had control of the House, Senate and the presidency. Then he had two months after the November election during which something could have been accomplished. Instead, he waited until now to demand legislation. Perhaps this is all to take the attention away from the investigations surrounding his presidency.
Look up the definition of emergency. This isn’t one.
Margaret Thompson, Lexington
A ‘great’ celebration
Get ready to party! The moment America becomes great again a huge celebration will erupt. Millions will be dancing in the streets, throwing confetti and singing in the pubs.
We must form celebration committees now. Needed are a 1,000-member national committee and 50 state committees. The clamor may go on for days and weeks until exhaustion sets in.
Risto Marttinen, Lexington
MAGA’s real meaning
Make America Great Again — two years-plus and thoughtful Americans now see what our president intends and wishes by that bold acronym. It is revealed in his passion for discord, division, distrust and winning at all costs. It’s in the leaving or firing of those who are competent and questioning and replacement with those who are neither. It’s in the denigration of the FBI and intelligence agencies and in the attacks on the courts, the rule of law, the separation of powers and the free press.
Our national security is weakened as he debunks NATO, shreds multilateral agreements, abuses traditional allies and praises dictators. Ignorance of world history, the Constitution, the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes only add to a moral ambiguity already advanced through a cultural decay which tolerates lies, self-reflecting tirades, corruption and self-adulation and discards science, reason, respectful dialogue and Christian compassion.
Put it all together and know now that MAGA spells Make America Go Away.
Jan Rafert, Harrodsburg