Letters to the Editor: UK fan cutouts are a ‘ridiculous’ waste. More election reactions.

Waste of money

University of Kentucky fan cutouts — ridiculous! Another money grab by UK athletics are the $50- 70 fan cutouts in Rupp Arena and Memorial Coliseum for the coming basketball season. If people are willing to spend $50 just to feed their own vanity, then they might want to stop reading now. If not, why not donate that $50 or $70 to one of dozens of quality charitable groups in the Bluegrass. For example, the Lexington Rescue Mission (serving the hungry and homeless) just had a fire right before their annual Thanksgiving meal event. For $50, you can provide Thanksgiving dinner for 23 homeless folks. At Arbor Youth Services (a shelter for at-risk youth), $50 can provide gloves and a winter coat for an in-need youth. Nathaniel Mission (support services for marginalized Lexingtonians) can use a person’s $50 to provide shelter, food and clothing. God’s Pantry (a 50-county food bank) is especially in need during the COVID-19 months with many people out of work. The New Life Day Center, men’s and women’s Hope Centers, The Nest, Natalie’s Sisters, Step By Step — the list goes on and on. Please, before you waste your money on a fan cutout, find any charity that needs your help. They all do.

Richard Fern, Lexington

Opinion ‘condescending’

Robert Curran’s recent opinion piece oozes with the condescension he has shown previously on these pages concerning Kentucky voters. In 2018, he described 6th District voters outside of Fayette and Franklin counties as “close-minded and politically inert”; part of a constituency based on “racism, xenophobia, anti-abortion, and an aversion to fair-share taxation”. This time around he basically accuses voters of being drones who mindlessly hit the “Republican” voting button (notwithstanding that he likely mindlessly pushed the “Democrat” button himself). In addition to his usual haughty scorn; this time around he adds a dash of hypocrisy. It is rich to see a so-called “liberal” Democrat accuse Republican voters of “conspiracy-mongering” after they watched Democrats in Congress and their media allies chase the conspiracy theory that Donald Trump was a Russian agent and that the Russians had engineered his victory in 2016. Curran must feel awfully lonely as he longingly gazes out the window of his ivory tower toward San Francisco.

David L. Patton, Lexington

‘Beacon of hope’

In many ways the recent campaigns and elections were disgusting, misleading, and not a representative portrayal of who we really are as American citizens. One real beacon of hope and positivity was that of Mr. Josh Hicks. The respect, honesty, fairness, and empathetic identification which he exhibited gives us hope that he will continue to pursue and follow those noble aspirations.

Mr. Hicks’ avowed goals were compatible with the common man, working class, and underprivileged, as opposed to the insurance, banking, and special interest lobbying programs.

It was President Abraham Lincoln who endured defeats and failures before his election, who said, “The fight must go on”.

As Kentuckians, we must examine our priorities. Did we actually weigh, evaluate, and give our honest consideration to the actual, factual qualifications and platform offered by Mr. Hicks?

Our American democracy is facing ominous, foreboding signs. My hope is that Mr. Hicks will remain engaged, encouraged, and willing to offer his services in a future election.

This letter is, unequivocally, not sour grapes, but rather giving credit where due.

John Britton, Winchester

Enough, already

This charade about election fraud has to stop. I am a Republican but ashamed by President Donald Trump’s actions. Does the Republican Party really want him to represent our mission and ethics? I think not. Republican senators, put down the bully,

Judith Coleman, Independence

Election ‘farce’

As a concerned citizen of Kentucky, I’m alarmed with the recent evidence of voter fraud. It seems odd to me that in the most recent governor’s race here in Kentucky, similar anomalies occurred in that race as well.

I would like to call for an audit on our election, because I, along with other citizens I’ve talked to, believe our commonwealth’s election was a farce. I would like for our Kentucky legislature to investigate this situation to be sure our elections here are safe, secure, fair, and legal.

We deserve to know that our votes, our legal votes, are properly counted. We deserve a legislature that takes this seriously and protects us and our elections and represents the voters effectively and honestly.

I’m asking the legislature to step up now.

Lesa Moore, Danville

Leader, personified

One can call into question Gov. Andy Beshear’s decisions but not his leadership. As a former administrator in both the public and private sector it is my humble opinion that his handling of the pandemic has exemplified the definition of leadership. The partisan nature of the criticisms cut to the heart of the many reasons we are so deeply mired in this mess.

Tom Padgett, Lexington

AG obstacle

Attorney General Daniel Cameron needs to stop being a Republican politician and get out of the governor’s way. Andy Beshear is doing the responsible thing by mandating restrictions. His only concern is the welfare of the citizens of this state, and for this he should be applauded. Cameron, on the other hand, is only interested in proving that he is a good little sycophant to the Republican Party and thus hopefully will move up the political ladder. Kentuckians should be proud to have a governor who cares about us and doesn’t turn a blind eye to this raging pandemic. If our president had done this in January we wouldn’t be in this mess. If all Cameron cares about is his political aspirations, why doesn’t go to White House and help President Donald Trump pack his bags. All of this grandstanding by Cameron and Trump is nothing short of treason, so keep it up Andy.

Sara Houston Wellnitz, Lexington

Learn from it

The Democrats may have won the presidency but many Americans didn’t embrace them. One group they almost certainly didn’t win was that of non-college white males. This demographic has legitimate fears and grievances for which neither party has an answer but the GOP gave them a sympathetic ear. With President Donald Trump they also got resounding verbal support. President Trump may be revolting and incompetent but to them he was a captivating figure who voiced their frustrations. The president misled them and didn’t provide much materially, but he was on their side and in comparison to the Democrats of recent years the choice was a no-brainer.

No large swath of Americans should be categorized as deplorable. Not having a college degree doesn’t mean uneducated. Devotion to guns or religion doesn’t equate to ignorance or lack of sophistication. Hard-working Americans deserve respect and positive acknowledgment regardless of their personal choices or political views. The Democrats need to take a hard look in the mirror if they want to unify the nation and avoid another Trump-like debacle.

John Vance, Versailles

SNAP fix

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused childhood hunger to soar to record-level highs. One in four children in Kentucky could face hunger this year because of this health and economic crisis.

But hunger is a problem we can actually fix. If Congress temporarily increases SNAP benefits by 15%, families in need would receive an additional $25 per person each month. This benefit is a lifeline for those in our state who are facing extreme hardship —unemployment, rising food prices, eviction and hunger — because of this pandemic.

I know because as a parent who relies on SNAP to help feed her family, this program offers us critical flexibility to get the nutrition my kids need.

It’s critical that Congress gets to work on a stimulus package that includes this SNAP increase. SNAP is one of the most effective ways to feed people and boost our economy.

Right now, Congress is failing these children by delaying a relief package and leaving nutrition assistance out of it. I urge Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul to work with Congress to pass a relief package that includes SNAP.

Valerie Frost, Richmond

Help heroes

After many conversations about COVID-19 with former colleagues and fellow nurses, it has come to my attention that many healthcare facilities do not or will not offer any compensation for staff who contract COVID-19.

Many of these corporately owned facilities are even fighting worker’s compensation claims by refusing to acknowledge the staff are contracting COVID-19 in these facilities at the same time a majority of their patients are testing positive.

I’m totally outraged. These brave souls are laying their lives, and the lives of their families, on the line to take care of their patients whatever their position happens to be in the workplace. All the while the corporations are raking in massive profits and paying their upper management huge salaries.

This is not about politics.

It’s about taking a stand for our heroes and attempting to make sure they are taken care of after they risk their lives for all of us on a daily basis.

Deborah Bolton-Plucknett, Sadieville

Paul doing harm

Kentuckians are sick, hospitalized and dying from COVID-19. We do not yet know everything about this serious disease. Reinfection is still possible, so survivors could also be carriers. Children are not immune. Masks work. It is dangerous and reckless for Sen. Rand Paul to go on national TV, stating otherwise, speaking against science and experts, spewing lies and disinformation. The senator is complicit in the out-of-control spread of this contagious virus and the deaths and long term effects it causes.

This is counter to the Hippocratic oath to do no harm. Senator Paul should be ashamed. I urge him to recant his false narrative and promote recommended tactics to get COVID-19 under control. I hope the senator remembers that he works for us.

Diane Cahill, Lexington

Show yourself

Where are you hiding Senator McConnell? President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede endangers democracy. The American people are suffering and masses are dying because of Trump’s diabolical pandemic denial. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s decision to humor him in his delusion is grossly irresponsible. History will expose his unscrupulous inexcusable refusal to carry out the duties of his office. It is way past time to put an end to Trump’s destructive behavior. Do your job, Mitch. Enough is enough!

Beverly Johnson-Miller, Lexington

Grow a spine

I am so sick of weak Democrats. The problem here is that Democrats run as anti-conservatives. This is not working for anyone. This is because the right has too much skill at casting negative impressions on constructive ideas from the left while fomenting none of these on their own. We need Democrats like Gov. Huey Long, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, pissed at the Democratic establishment for using them when convenient, and with the skill to speak plainly to the electorate about how they are the same with regard to blind subservience to the right. Folks on the right are not inherently bad, but they are woefully misled. And nothing will change this until folks on the left learn to relate this to them.

Doug Epling, Lexington