Letters to the Editor: ‘Very best’ or ‘rushed’? Readers debate Supreme Court
Barrett ‘very best’
With the appointment of our new Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the U.S. Senate and Sen. Mitch McConnell have proven they can deliver the very best for America.
Marianne Weiss, Lexington
‘Alternate universe’
In 2016, Sen. Mitch McConnell and his fellow Republicans denied consideration of President Barack Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court by claiming we needed to let the voters decide. In typical Republican hypocrisy they rushed through the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett just eight days before the election. Among the 52 Republicans voting to confirm were two senators (Kelly Loeffler and Martha McSally) who were appointed, not elected by anyone, and three senators ( Lamar Alexander, Mike Enzi and Pat Roberts) who are retiring in a few weeks. Ironically, less than 30 days before the 2018 congressional elections, two appointed (Cindy Hyde-Smith and Jon Kyl) and three retiring (Bob Corker, Jeff Flake and Orrin Hatch) Republicans voted to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh. In what alternate universe is that letting the voters decide?
Remember, they did all this while refusing to consider another round of COVID-19 relief stimulus that the Federal Reserve Board and most economists say is needed.
Lloyd Hughes, Lexington
No pretense
Coronavirus cases are rising nationwide. Employment is unsteady. Many people will lose their housing once eviction moratoriums expire in December. At this point, 230,000 Americans have died from the virus. What is Sen. Mitch McConnell’s response? He led the Senate to confirm a partisan Supreme Court justice with eight days to go before Election Day. Millions of Americans have already cast their ballot.
Surely he helped develop a stimulus package after he filled the court vacancy, right? Of course not. He closed the Senate down until mid-November. He refused to work with the House and pass a bill. He doesn’t even pretend to help the country through this crisis
This gleeful inaction represents Kentucky poorly. It is time, after 36 years, to elect someone new.
Bradley Kruse-Diehr, Lexington
Fogle query
On Oct. 20 the Herald-Leader published responses of unendorsed city council candidates Liz Sheehan (District 5) and Willy Fogle (District 9). It struck me that your reasons for not endorsing Willy bore close similarity to the Herald-Leader’s reasons for endorsing Bill Farmer. Why the disparity in endorsements?
The Herald-Leader’s words: “Over the next two years, Lexington will face some of the biggest challenges in its history: an unprecedented budget crisis caused by coronavirus at a time when more people need government services than ever, a ... troubled renovation of the downtown convention center, and . . . completion of the EPA consent decree to fix . . . stormwater problems. The need for steady and experienced hands . . . is why we are endorsing Bill Farmer.”
Willy’s service as a Lexington city councilmember from 1994 to 2003 and subsequently as an aide in the mayor’s office, his board memberships — Board of Health, Lexington Center, Explorium, Bluegrass Area Development District — have kept him involved in creating positive change for many years. In Willy’s words, “Experience matters.” I agree and hope people will give their vote to Willy Fogle for 9th District Council.
Janet Cabaniss, Lexington
Endorsement ‘one-sided’
The Herald-Leader’s coverage of the 5th District Council race has been disappointingly one-sided and sexist.
To say, as the paper’s endorsement did, that the male incumbent “deserves” to remain in office in part to provide the city’s female mayor with “steady and experienced hands on deck” whiffs of patronizing tropes that too often surround women in politics.
The paper’s endorsement, as well as its recent article about the race, then dismiss the challenger, Liz Sheehan, with condescending lines such as she’s “active in a lot of different organizations and nonprofits” and has done a good job of “educating herself about the 5th District.” How about acknowledging that Sheehan is the chair of Lexington Fairness, or the vice chair of the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Environmental Commission? Or the co-founder of Compassionate Lexington?
Both pieces also fail to mention that, as a first-time candidate in 2018, Sheehan garnered 46 percent of the vote against the incumbent — an impressive total that testifies to Sheehan’s extraordinary effort to mobilize district voters.
Sheehan is a skilled, inclusive, and serious leader who is in touch with the needs of all Lexington residents. If anyone deserves anything, it is Sheehan who deserves better coverage from the Herald-Leader.
Amy Murrell Taylor, Lexington