Letters: ‘Hilarious’ or ‘refreshing’? Readers disagree on Op-Ed defending McConnell

Op-ed ‘hilarious’

Barbara Ellerbrook’s comments in her recent op-ed were hilarious. I wonder if she wrote them herself or had one of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s droids write it.

In 2019, Mitch’s chief droid Gov. Matt Bevin tried to alter history by reversing the Thirteenth Amendment by changing the Medicaid eligibility rules, showing to the world that for Republicans, “Black Lives don’t Matter.”

Ellerbrook wrote that Mitch doesn’t have “TOTAL CONTROL” over Congress. Oh, really. When 20 senators wanted to vote President Donald Trump out, McConnell persuaded them not to because it would have been bad for the party. At present there are over 200 bills on Mitch’s desk, but he would rather confirm judges.

McConnell is more concerned with protecting businesses than humans. Mitch is a fine pet for the Kochs, and the finest senator China ever sent to Washington.

Ms. Ellerbrook’s article did one thing. It restored my belief that Republicans have no redeeming value in her only truthful statement that “(the $600 supplemenal unemployment benefits) allowed them to collect more in unemployment benefits than they made working.” Greed wins. Get them back to work on starvation wages and suck them dry. Then strip them of healthcare.

Damian C. Beach, Frankfort

Op-ed ‘refreshing’

In response to the recent op-ed by Barbara Ellerbrook: My day started on a positive foot instead of the usual negative one. As Gayle King would say on CBS “This Morning,” “Kudos and Bravos” to Ms. Ellerbrook. I read Herald-Leader columnist Linda Blackford’s opinions quite often even though I shake my head in disbelief at her prejudiced and uncivil comments. To have Ms. Blackford be held accountable by some pertinent facts was refreshing to experience. Ms. Blackford’s mission seems to be aimed at being as derogatory, discourteous, and vicious as possible to any conservative or Republican who has a position in the arena. Her frequent targets receive little credit of any positive efforts they are endeavoring to make. In a perfect world, foresight and hindsight would be synonymous.

Of course it is everyone’s right to voice their opinion. To ridicule an opinion which differs from your own, insinuating stupidity, ignorance, or incompetence, is the problem pervasive in our society. To have this mean-spirited rhetoric printed almost daily with no visible redeeming purpose is “nauseating” to me.

I reclaim my time, too.

Mike Hamm, London

Motorcycle event

Bikers numbering 250,000 are expected to attend the rally in Sturgis, South Dakota.

This time a wall or high fence actually makes sense. Build it. There is no reason anyone should have to pay for the care of people who knowingly expose themselves to death. It’s like having a date with Typhoid Mary at the top of your wish list.

John C. Wolff Jr., Lexington

Silenced voters

Seven years ago, Sen. Mitch McConnell and Republicans were arguing that all campaign finance restrictions should be removed. They wanted the Supreme Court to accept the assertion that money poured into elections by billionaires is free speech.

I argued in a published letter that ordinary folks don’t have millions of dollars to be their voices in the political arena. They have only their votes.

In 2014, the court accepted McConnell’s argument, and an amendment called Citizens United made those campaign finance restrictions unconstitutional. At the same time, states governed by Republicans were trying to stifle the voices of ordinary citizens by redistricting, eliminating early voting, and creating new voting requirements, demanding picture IDs from voters who, because of age or poverty, have no driver’s license or credit cards. In my letter, I called those rules the equivalent of a poll tax masquerading as a plan to eliminate voter fraud, even though no voter fraud existed.

There is still no evidence of voter fraud, but Republicans are trying to eliminate voting by mail, which is a blessing for the elderly and the disabled. I wonder why billionaires’ free speech is entitled to First Amendment protection, while ordinary folks’ free speech gets silenced.

Shirley Baechtold, Richmond

Mask alternative

I don’t like wearing a mask. It’s hot, fogs my glasses, and is just a nuisance. Course, I could be in a bed at the University of Kentucky hospital in the ICU unit, tubes everywhere, fighting for every break, burning up with fever and thinking a lot about dying. I’ve been thinking... maybe I should keep on wearing my mask.

Tom Dixon, Lexington