Letters to the Editor: ‘Past time’ for a Black woman on the Supreme Court.
‘It’s past time’
In the 232-year history of the U.S. Supreme Court, there have been 115 judges: five have been women, three have been people of color, none has been a Black woman. That means that the judicial worldview in our society has largely been made up and shaped by white men.
If the Supreme Court interprets the laws that guide the lives of all Americans, shouldn’t Black women have a say in that? If we are a country that strives for equality and equity, we must recognize “that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances.”
Black women make up more than half of the Black population, yet we have no representation on the highest court. When Lyndon B. Johnson nominated Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to the Supreme Court in 1967, we recognized it was past time. When Ronald Reagan chose to put Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman in 1981, we recognized it was past time. In 2022, Joe Biden plans to nominate the first Black woman to the Supreme Court. It’s past time.
The stat tells the story: 0 out of 115. Let’s finally make that zero a one.
Tina Bryson, Lexington
Broaden tax credit
Nearly one in seven children live in poverty, but 2021 was an exceptional year in the fight against child poverty in the United States. By expanding the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to all low-income families and sending it out as a monthly payment, over three million children were kept from poverty each month from July to December.
Columbia University researchers estimate that the 2021 CTC could reduce child poverty by a stunning 45 percent, while an estimated 929,000 children in Kentucky would benefit from a CTC expansion. Lifting children out of poverty would have an immeasurable ripple effect throughout both their lives and our communities.
But unless the U.S. Senate acts soon, it won’t happen.
The expanded CTC expired on December 31, and so far the Senate has refused to extend it. Just when children and families face additional financial hardships from the COVID-19 surge, the Senate is turning a blind eye.
Given that a CTC expansion would help 92% of children under 18 in Kentucky, it’s time for Sens.Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul to put our children first. I call on our senators to extend the expanded CTC for all low-income children and resume the monthly payments immediately.
Abigail Prang, Lexington
COVID effects
Restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic have now been around for almost two years. I am very curious as to how this has affected communities within the Lexington region, and what the general population of the city feels about each other.
In 2000, Robert D. Putnam published a book titled “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community”; in the book, Putnam explores data that seems to point towards the fact that Americans are becoming less connected to their families, friends, and other social groups they are a part of. COVID-19 restrictions have been a barrier for groups to come together, and I wonder if this has only worsened the problem if it even existed in Lexington.
I would love to see a poll about what the people of Lexington feel regarding their connection to others. Simply knowing if there is a problem is the first step towards a solution, and I wonder if there are others like me who feel disconnected. Regardless of how anybody feels this pandemic and its restrictions should be handled, addressing this sense of foreignness I and potentially others feel towards one another seems beneficial for all.
Aidan Eric Smith, Lexington
Shame apparent
Kentucky Republican legislators have passed laws that erode the power of the executive branch. They diminished the governor’s ability to react to emergencies and to call special legislative sessions. Now they propose to remove the governor’s power over our state police. I suppose the next time Republicans armed with assault rifles storm the governor’s home they don’t want him to be able to call for protection. Add that to the new gerrymandered map that has parts of Franklin County included with counties in far western Kentucky and it’s obvious these elected officials are not interested in representing the best interests of our state. Take a close look at Senate President Robert Stivers and Rep. David Osbourne. They have the taint of shame in their body language.
Diana Martin, Lexington
Grateful for governor
Thanks, Kentucky legislature, for setting the state of Kentucky near the top of something! As of Feb. 2, we were fifth in the nation for seven-day average of cases, in the top five highest ranking of states and territories for COVID infection rate (223 daily cases per 100,000 residents), according to the New York Times COVID dashboard.
Kentucky legislators went to work last year in handcuffing our governor and his team who were doing the right thing for this commonwealth in transparency and management of the pandemic. The legislature didn’t want our governor to have too much power or attention — they knew what was best in “controlling” this deadly virus. Hope they are satisfied.
Thank you, Governor Beshear and Team Kentucky, for doing the right thing and attempting to guide us through so much the past two years (pandemic, tornado destruction and rebuilding, many new state building and industry contracts, etc). Their professionalism, dedication, and knowledge ranks #1. We are indeed thankful for your leadership.
Jack and Sydney Easley, Shelbyville
Outdated papers
I am a frequent visitor to the Northside Branch of the Lexington Public Library. I am also an avid reader of current newspapers, none of which you will find on the shelves in the periodical section. As I sit here today, Jan. 31, every paper (Herald-Leader, Courier Journal, New York Times, Wall Street Journal ) is at least four days old. I have spoken with the staff recently, and basically have gotten unsatisfactory answers as to why there aren’t any current editions. Other libraries in the system seem to be current with their newspapers. Why not Northside?
William R. Elam, Lexington
Cherry picking
Congressman Andy Barr’s early January Congressional update highlighted the poor December U.S. job numbers reported by the U.S. Department of Labor, falling short of projections. Only 199,000, in lieu of a projected 422,000, and blamed it all on President Joe Biden.
What Andy did not highlight was that the U.S. economy added a record 6.4 million jobs in 2021 and the unemployment rate in December was 3.9%. Those 6.4 million jobs represent the 11th best calendar year numbers since record keeping began in 1939.
And the gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annualized rate of 6.9% in the fourth quarter of 2021, and for the year, growth was 5.7%. The highest GDP growth since 1984.
This is a case where Andy Barr should not try to pick cherries off the cherry tree in December when the trees are bare, while the rest of the year shines by comparison to President Biden’s predecessor.
Joe and Kathy Crouch, Lexington
Dump Paul
Sen. Rand Paul is a performance artist and crisis actor. He’s injected his personality into the pandemic health crisis for his own profit. He is an embarrassment to Kentucky, a parasite upon the commonwealth, he’s accomplished nothing for Kentucky or the nation.
Paul’s tenure in office has been nothing but a waste of a Senate seat. He’s cost Kentucky far too much and the entertainment value just isn’t there. His bizarre behavior, his Lyndon Larouche persona, has worn thin. In 2022, it’s time for Kentucky to end the travesty and send a real senator who holds Kentucky values and knows the needs of its citizens to Washington.
Bill Adkins, Williamstown