Letters: Inmates not expendable. ‘Moral cadaver’ Rand Paul. Disappointed in Mitch.
Inmates not expendable
As executive director of Mission Behind Bars and Beyond Inc., I am appalled at the lack of concern for the lives of incarcerated persons under the care of the Kentucky Department of Corrections during this COVID-19 pandemic. Kentucky has the third highest rate of prison mortality nationwide due to the virus. The frightening numbers recently showing that 90 percent of the inmates at Luther Luckett Correctional Complex are infected with the virus and a total of 42 inmates have died in state prisons is unacceptable and morally incomprehensible. Inmates are among the most vulnerable Kentuckians due to their proximity with others in overcrowded facilities. Women, poor, and marginalized African American and Latinx persons are disproportionately impacted, bringing to light the grave disparity of health care for people who serve time in Kentucky and their respective communities. The only ethical thing to do is for inmates and prison workers to receive the vaccine as part of the group that includes seniors in care facilities and for them to be immediately released from prison to abide by CDC guidelines for social distancing. Incarceration must not be a death sentence. Inmate’s lives are essential, not expendable.
Rev. Dr. D. Anthony Everett, Lexington
Biden, only if . . .
It probably is a good idea for us disappointed Trump fans to finally accept the Biden presidency. And I will, as soon as:
▪ Vice President Kamala Harris condemns the Antifa/Black Lives Matter violence of last summer and endorses a pro-life agenda.
▪ President Joe Biden finishes our border wall, stands behind our brave ICE agents (and police) and cracks down on illegal immigration.
▪ This administration recognizes Israel as a valued ally and refuses to support nations like Iran who call for our destruction.
▪ Denounces the second Trump impeachment and keeps gas and oil exploration at current levels.
After all this is done I’m all in for Biden.
J.D. Mackey, Lexington
Paul a ‘moral cadaver’
I was aghast to see Sen. Rand Paul’s tweet declaring President Joe Biden’s denunciation of white supremacists to be divisive. I approve of unity, which many Republican officials have called for. I want my congressional representatives to unite with the majority party against domestic terrorists.
I believe an investigation is warranted.
I wonder if Senator Paul is afraid that this would implicate him.
Paul said that Biden’s push to raise the minimum wage proves he “hates Black teenagers.” Why does he think that only teens of any race are the ones working minimum wage jobs? My husband and I have both worked minimum wage jobs as adults. These jobs support families.
If Paul wants unity, he should stop obstructing it. He seems to delight in being a contrarian obstructionist. I believe he’s mistaken vocal disagreement for moral fiber.
Our choices demonstrate our character, and Senator Paul’s show him to be a moral cadaver, with a cashbox where his heart ought to be.
I wish he would prove me wrong, and begin to work for the unity he claims to want. Unity means working together, not demanding that other parties do what you want.
Kiersty Lemon-Rogers, Lexington
Minimum wage
The debate over minimum wage is mischaracterized. Communities that have raised the minimum wage have seen no discernible negative effects on jobs, economies, or cost of goods compared to those that didn’t.
Under our current system, taxpayers supplement the wages of low wage workers; therefore resulting in corporate welfare. Employers keep costs down and then make taxpayers fill in the gaps for their FULLTIME employees living below the poverty line. Taxpayers foot the bill by providing their underpaid employees Medicaid, food stamps, housing, and much more. Then these companies have the audacity to demand lower taxes that would decimate the safety net on which their employees rely.
Working individuals should not be forced to make choices between basic needs and taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize their wages so business owners can use the profits to pay their CEOs exorbitant salaries or for stock buybacks.
A higher proportion of money respent in the local economy means a higher multiplier effect because more income is generated for local people. This raises demand for certain products. If you prefer to make your profits off low wage employees while shifting the burden to taxpayers, you may deserve to go out of business.
Lucy Bentley, Midway
Change road’s name
Congressman Hal Rogers’ name needs to be removed from the Hal Rogers Parkway.
The Daniel Boone Parkway connects Hazard to Somerset in southeastern Kentucky. In 1971 the road was opened as a toll road, and in 2003 the toll booths were removed and the road was renamed the Hal Rogers Parkway.
Daniel Boone was a model of the American frontiersman. He hacked out the Wilderness Trail, which led the early settlers across the Appalachian Mountains and into Kentucky, and helped defend early encampments from Indians.
Hal Rogers was the only Kentucky congressional member to support efforts to throw out Arizona’s 11 electoral votes and Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes, and he sided with domestic terrorists when he voted against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November election.
Hal Rogers has lost the right to have a road named after him. As a member of Congress, his actions are a disgrace.
The road connecting Hazard to Somerset needs to be restored to its rightful name, the Daniel Boone Parkway.
Susan Neff, Lexington
Defining progressives
Herald-Leader contributing columnist Paul Prather needs to realize that progressives are no mystery to Trump supporters. Just read anything published by The Heritage Group. Progressives are globalists, not patriots. Globalists want to reduce America to the least common denominator. Only a strong America can help others.
Tom O’Connor, Lexington
Ag fund should stay put
The Kentucky legislature is considering a fast track bill, Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Sen. Paul Hornback. The bill moves the Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund from the Governor’s Office to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
While to some that might seem to have some logic, it certainly does NOT.
The history of elected commissioners of agriculture is littered with “clowns to the left and jokers to the right”. Can anyone in Kentucky agriculture think that past commissioners Richie Farmer or Butch Burnette or Alben Barkley II could administer this fund (currently $40 million plus per year) without getting their hand in the cookie jar?
Hoppy Henton, Versailles, fulltime Woodford County farmer
State GOP erred
I am extremely disappointed in Sen. Mitch McConnell going after former President Donald Trump and in the state Republican Party for maneuvering to sidestep censuring him. I no longer donate to the national party and now I will not be donating to the state party. I will only be donating to individual, true conservative candidates. I was a county chair during the caucus and the state party completely abandoned us on that day. Now it has completely shown its answers to Mitch McConnell, and not to the voters of Kentucky.
Sharon Graves, Pewee Valley
Censure Mitch
The Republican Party of Wyoming denounced Rep. Liz Cheney for her actions in Washington. My question is, why has Kentucky not done the same? Sen. Mitch McConnell failed to represent us and we elected him to that position, and the state GOP party has not said anything. That’s why after the dust settles, lots of Republicans in the Bluegrass are going to exit the party and head to the independent side. I have never been so ashamed to be a Republican in Kentucky. Mitch failed us and so has the state party.
George Jordan, Girdler
Nix filibuster
I hear Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to keep the filibuster. My answer is no for a very simple reason. If I give you something nice and you break it you do not get another one.
The misuse and abuse of the filibuster fundamentally changed the working of the Senate from simple majority to a 60-vote requirement on most bills. As majority leader McConnell made its use routine to the point where newscasters would refer to a bill “not having the required 60 votes to pass.” What they should have said was that it lacked the 60 votes required to break a filibuster.
The type of scorched earth politics gleefully promoted by Senator McConnell has led directly to gridlock and inaction and contributed to the events of Jan. 6, 2021. To make matters worse he does not even have the decency to be embarrassed.
He laughed about it and made his ability to quash any and all legislation a major part of his fundraising machine
So no, Senator McConnell, the filibuster has long outlived its usefulness. It has become the main tool of those who promote a tyranny of the minority.
Scott Land, Perryville
Tougher ruling
Several years ago a fellow worked for me, doing maintenance at my house. One day I walked with him to his truck and noticed him blowing into a tube before starting the engine. He explained that the truck had a device that kept the engine from starting if his blood alcohol level was above a certain amount. The device, I learned, was an ignition interlock device (IID) and is widely available. Its function is obvious – and if any of the judges who were involved in sentencing the repeat offender driving the car that recently killed two teenagers in Lexington had required it, two lives might have been saved. Why would our criminal justice system not require IIDs for anyone who gets a second DUI? Why would any judge faced with a repeat DUI offender not require such a device? The driver should spend years and years in prison. But also any judge who sentenced him to a toothless license revocation, rather than mandating an IID, should be disciplined.
Michael D. Kennedy, Lexington
Accountability key
Back when we had a choice, too high a priority was given to the economy, education, sports, and super-disease-spreader political meetings. Too much time was wasted in implementing scientifically recommended actions such as mask wearing and social distancing that are still resisted by many of our fellow American citizens. I leave it to the professionals to tell us how many 10s of thousands of the 400,000 (going on one-half million) virus deaths were caused by inaction.
We are again facing the need to implement priorities. Do we go with forgetting about the recent, divided past or do we focus on accountability for threatening the lives of our political leaders from both parties, the deaths and violence suffered by American citizens, and the destruction of public property?
I favor accountability as the number one priority. If we do not call for accountability as a solid foundation for reducing the forces that divided us, we set a really terrible precedent for the future because the violence we have recently suffered will have no consequences and will be repeated unchecked.
John C. Wolff Jr., Lexington