Letters to the Editor: Basketball, Ketanji Brown Jackson and term limits, too.
IGA woes
Recently, I have been baffled at the pricing errors at the IGA on Leestown Road. On multiple trips, pet food typically rings up at more than the price marked on the shelf-talker.
Generally, after multiple complaints, the pricing on the shelf is removed, the item sells out and is replace by another item. Last week these folks hit a new low. They have been selling cooked chicken wings; 10 for $6.00 and change. When I went to pay for a purchase, I saw that the item now cost $7.99... a significant price increase, but not unexpected. When I looked on the label, the notation was “10 count”. The actual count was 7. Man, I can’t wait until the rumored Publix is opened nearby.
Russ Lay, Lexington
Term limits
The idea of implementing term limits in Congress is appealing. So appealing it should be extended to local offices right here in Fayette County. Let’s take a look: The office of Sheriff has been held by Kathy Witt since 1999 (23 years). The office of Fayette County Attorney has been held by Larry Roberts since 2006 (15 years). The Office of County Clerk has been held by Donald Blevins, Jr. since 2011 (11 years). Blevins replaced his father, Don Blevins, Sr., who held the clerk’s office for 27 years. In order to keep fresh ideas in our elected offices, term limits need to be implemented in our local offices also. Term limits would also help with corruption in local offices. If nothing else it would keep corruption to a minimum.
James Jeffrey Coleman, Lexington
Court picking
McConnell’s Federalist society court pickers PAC is against Ketanji Brown Jackson so he will withhold his consent as a court packers pick.
I see no reason not to balance justices on the court of Court Pickers PAC with more justices who are court packer picks. We will call this the “McConnell rule” to balance the Court pickers PAC with more court packer picks.
Ray Tucker, Somerset
UK Recruiting
UK is just going to have to recruit stupider athletes. That’s because the smart ones will search the Internet for the states with the most favorable name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules. They will want to earn what they deserve and compete in states with freer or fairer NIL markets than Kentucky.
Douglas Andersen, Lexington
Rebranding Republicans
“Legitimate political discourse”, “fake news”, “alternative facts”: all ideas that have contributed to the U.S. now being labeled a “backsliding democracy.” Those ideas are also now identified with a party bent on subverting democracy. Let’s not forget the 100 plus Republicans that refused to certify the election. The former President Donald Trump, and his propaganda wingmen at Fox “News,” now go further by embracing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. Notice the same Orwellian language? But then, Trump had a bromance with Putin, and other dictators, for quite a while, groveling for their approval of his own pathetic, and highly dangerous, authoritarian impulses.
How much more of Comrade Trump needs to be revealed before republicans try to restore their damaged brand?John Scott, Lexington
School Funding
The Republican super majority in Frankfort is cutting your children’s education funding. Please don’t fall for the line “We’re funding SEEK (Support Education Excellence in Kentucky) at historic levels,” because they’re getting to that number by cutting many other important items. Why not take a moment to ask any teacher you know how their classroom needs are being funded? They are also cutting teacher’s pensions which directly hurt recruitment and retention efforts – AND they’re getting ready to raise sales taxes as well.
After these cuts cause our schools to be starved for enough teachers, substitute teachers, textbooks, and the basic tools to actually help students learn, the Republican super majority will say “See! Our public schools are failing, so we need to fund charter schools and make education great again!” Taking more money from our public schools is both irresponsible and a detriment to successful public education.
Come on Kentucky; we need to quit falling for the snake oil that the Republicans are selling. Aren’t the futures of our children worth it?
Silas Hart, Versailles
Trust Jackson
Last week’s Supreme Court Confirmation hearings for nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson showed she is blessed with a keen intellect, humility, patience, truthfulness, honesty and all-inclusive good character.
I trust her far more than I trust Republican Sens. Lindsay Graham, Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, and Josh Hawley. Their weird questions for Judge Jackson were meant to denigrate her, rattle her, and appeal to their white racist Republican base.The Supreme Court and America will be much better with Jackson on it. She has proved she is more than qualified and fit to be an Associate Justice. Paul L. Whiteley Sr., Louisville
Still champions
Since Saint Peter’s defeated UK on the basketball court, fair-weather fans continue to rain down their flawed criticisms on Coach Calipari, e.g. he doesn’t understand Kentucky; he killed an elite program; UK is an NBA farm team; stop the one-and-done crap; draft picks don’t hang banners.
UK has not lost a drop of “blue blood” under Coach Calipari. He has earned and deserves to be coaching UK’s one-and-done players until his one-hundredth birthday if he so chooses.
The naysayers apparently place no value on the fundamental purpose of amateur team sports. Each season is a mini version of life. It contains strife, ups and downs, learning hard lessons, disappointments and jubilation, making memories that last a lifetime, and learning to depend on and respect others.
The 2021-22 Wildcats were a most likable team and a joy to watch. When a teammate excelled or failed, they demonstrated their support for him. By the final game, they were already champions, thanks to Coach Calipari and his staff. I offer this to the 2021-22 Wildcats - Always remember, guys, you don’t have to bring home a championship trophy to be a champion.
Shafter Bailey, Lexington
The club
As George Carlin once said, “There’s a big club and you ain’t in it.” Except, of course, former President Donald Trump and hundreds of highly connected, wealthy, influential men are in the club. Basically what this means is that they can commit crimes with impunity. No matter what they do - larceny, bribery, fraud, rape, perjury, obstruction of justice - they remain free and unindicted. They are in “the club.” They watch each other’s backs and pull strings to insure each other’s fidelity to “the club.” And so with Trump, it doesn’t matter what he did or does. The fix is in. All the high-level people in “the club” will take care of him and derail any legitimate investigation that gets too close to him. The new New York Attorney General Alvin Bragg is in “the club” and he shut the Trump investigation down. Just like the Muller investigation was shut down and just like the Georgia investigations will be shut down. “It’s a big club; and you ain’t in it.” But Trump is!
Jim Porter, Danville
Blue Bloods
I think it’s about time we stop bragging about our pro draft picks and return to winning IMPORTANT GAMES. So we put a couple in the NBA this year- great-and lost to a 15 seed in the first round. Another successful year, Cal. Everyone should look hard in the mirror at times.
Maybe time for our “Blue Blood” coach to do the same. I was born and raised in the hated city 65 miles west , graduated proudly from the University of Kentucky, married, raised a family in Lexington and after 40 years here am happy to call it home. I‘m one of a few that bleed Blue AND red. Hopefully, Kenny Payne coaching at Louisville will spark HIS program to succeed again-and realize that having “Kentucky” across their chest doesn’t guarantee a win.
Kenny Smith, Lexington
Mid-term campaigning
The mid-term elections will be coming along soon. The Democrats and their grubby pals in mainstream media are preparing to praise an abysmal Democrat record of the past year or so. The Mainstream Media once again will toss aside even a hint of journalistic integrity to praise the leadership in Washington, DC that seems like a remake of an empty cuckoo’s nest. So, here’s their campaign - Racism. Racism. Donald Trump’s fault. Racism. Toxic masculinity. Racism. White privilege. Racism. Sexism. January 6th. Racism. Transgender rights. Vladimir Putin’s fault. Racism. Trump’s fault. Racism. Hunter Biden (oops, just kidding) Racism. Racism.
It’s worked before so why not do it again?
Wayne Burns, Lexington
Food funding
Mitch is good at food bank photo ops, so you probably didn’t notice he refused to pass the federal budget if it included extending funding created during the pandemic for free school lunch for ALL children. Without the extensions the program will end in June.
Meanwhile when our Republican dominated state legislature voted to end the public health emergency it ended $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief money for additional food stamp benefits. Why?
They did this knowing inflation is making food costs soar and that nearly half of Kentucky’s children live in households making below 200% of the federal poverty level. They did this knowing that before the pandemic 1 in 4 of Kentucky’s children go hungry every single day.
Where is the outrage? Every educator, parent, church and community leader should be asking their legislators why they are ending federal food subsidy dollars and what are they doing to prevent hunger in Kentucky. Taxing food and other essential products instead of income isn’t going to help anyone except people with high incomes.
It used to be Kentucky’s children were its most valuable resource. Now, to the Republican political machine, they’re just collateral damage.
Margaret Groves, Lexington
School report
Hi, my name is Rowen F. I am a fifth grader at St. Helena Elementary in St. Helena, CA.The reason I am writing to you is that my class is doing state reports and I have chosen your magnificent state, Kentucky. I would really like it if you posted my letter in your newspaper so that I can get all the help I need for my report. What I need from you or your readers are pamphlets, postcards, souvenirs or anything else that would be useful.I will be writing about your state’s agriculture, history, economy, famous people, events, historical figures, and national parks. I will also be creating a state float about your state highlighting all the amazing parts to see and do.Thank you for your support and help in making me a great researcher of your astounding state. Please email me at emoreno@sthelenaunified.org, or send me a letter at 1325 Adams Street, St. Helena, CA 94574, care of my teacher Eduardo Moreno.
Rowen, St. Helena, Cal.