Letters to the editor: Sports betting a bad bet. Letters to the editor too angry.

Be the example

The Herald-Leader’s Letters to the Editor have become increasingly contentious. I know that people are angry, frightened, and unhappy with the current political situation. I also know that anger and contentious words breed more of the same. That won’t help anyone, nor is it likely to induce changes for the better.

The best advice I ever got applies to this situation: Let others show who they are by how they behave, and you can show who you are by how you behave. This advice is worth sharing.

Be the person you claim you want others to be. Behave as you wish others would behave. And pay much more attention to how your behavior portrays you, and less attention to how others portray themselves via their behavior.

Consider this quotation, attributed to Gandhi: “The only devils in this world are those running around in our own hearts, and that is where all our battles should be fought.”

We all have the capacity to fight the devils in our own hearts, and the right to decide whether or not to undertake this struggle. Start there if you truly want the world to be a better place.

Martha Victoria Rosett, Lexington

A bad bet

Herald-Leader opinions columnist Linda Blackford, as well as many Kentucky politicians, advocate for sports betting in our state. I believe sports betting, and gambling of any kind, are a bad idea. Betting very often creates addicts. In light of the destruction that has come to our society through rampant drug addiction, alcoholism, porn addiction, etc., why should we pass legislation that will encourage our citizens to pursue the highly addictive gambling habit. Increased gambling may raise revenue for the state, but will do so at the expense of ruining lives. Many poor people would engage in expanded gambling. Overall, they would lose much of the money needed to take care of their families and pay their bills. As a state, let’s not encourage addictions and destructive habits in others for our own profit.

Tom Caldwell, Frankfort

Plan no help

I sent this letter to Sen. Rand Paul’s Senate web page regarding his Higher Education Loan Repayment and Enhanced Retirement (HELPER) bill. It was not forwarded due to “server problems.” Here is my submission in case he reads the Herald-Leader.

“After reading your editorial in the Lexington Herald-Leader, I have concluded that it is a “rob Peter to pay Paul” scheme. Instead of proposing a bill that would reduce tuition for college or forgiving student debt, this plan takes from the retirement funds to pay the student debt. It will end up with people not having enough to retire. Student loans are the only debt which do not have a fail safe. Corporations can declare bankruptcy with fewer consequences than individuals. Student debt going into default will negatively impact these individuals for life. I would suggest that this plan could be made better because it is not a solution to the problem.”

Cheryl Keenan, Lexington

Prior evidence

During the House impeachment hearings, there was a criticism offered by Republicans that hasn’t been adequately addressed. Several times they offered “Democrats were talking about impeachment before President Trump was sworn in”.

This is a true statement. I was one of those Democrats, though I took no joy in saying it. I would compare the experience to driving on a snowy road and a driver passing me at a high rate of speed. I would probably say, “He is going to end up in a ditch.”

I might know very little about that particular driver, I would, however, recognize his behavior as being dangerous to himself and others.

When Donald Trump became the Republican Party nominee, he was not unknown. As an American, it was impossible to not have 40-plus years of exposure to him in the media. I had seen no behavior or attributes to admire or respect.

So yes, when he was elected I did say, “He is going to end up impeached.”

I was not happy about it. I had merely witnessed 40 years of him driving too fast on a slick road. The only question was which ditch would he end up in, and who would clean up the mess.

Scott Land, Perryville

Divided by Democrats

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her Democratic colleagues have done more to divide the American people than any of America’s external foes and enemies could possibly have accomplished.

Dale Henley, Lexington

Take action now

To put the brakes on climate change, we must act quickly. We need to pass “shovel-ready” national legislation that will drive large-scale reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. We don’t have time to wait for new technologies, cumbersome bureaucracies, or a better society. Every year of delay means future costs skyrocket and risk of catastrophic runaway climate change increases.

Fortunately, we already have a ready-to-implement solution: the carbon fee and dividend legislation currently before Congress. Called the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, this bipartisan bill already has more than 73 co-sponsors. It is designed to cut greenhouse gas emissions dramatically while cushioning people during the transition to the clean energy economy. It is the most effective and plausible solution for putting the brakes climate change quickly. Carbon fee and dividend legislation is simple and provides an excellent foundation for other efforts.

Similar legislation, the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, went into effect this year in Canada.

Focus on effective action. Join your Lexington, Danville, or other Citizens’ Climate Lobby chapter. Find out more at CitizensClimateLobby.org. There is a role for you.

Christine Missik, Danville

So many lies

President Donald Trump set the tone for his administration by lying about the number of people attending his inauguration. At about the same time, he began to show his insecurity, immaturity, and potential paranoia about having received three million fewer popular votes than Hillary Clinton. With this evidence from the beginning of his tenure many people began right at the get-go, as the Republicans claim, to believe that Trump was not qualified to be president.

Since the initial truthfulness problems, the Washington Post reports that, through 993 days in office or October 9, 2019, Trump “had made 13,435 false or misleading claims.” “That’s an average of almost 22 claims a day since our last update 65 days ago.” “One big reason for the uptick: The uproar over Trump’s phone call with Ukraine’s president on July 25 … .”

In my opinion, “13,435 false or misleading claims” should be enough to disqualify Trump from the presidency and the Ukrainian situation should be considered only the straw that broke the camel’s back.

John C. Wolff Jr., Lexington

This story was originally published December 13, 2019 at 7:39 AM.