Majority of Kentuckians are not sorry for the leadership of Mitch McConnell

Once again, I am motivated to respond to a recent Op-Ed by Linda Blackford. Ms. Blackford implies that Senator McConnell “…never does the right thing.” Well, I challenge Ms. Blackford and ask her just what is the right thing?

I’m pretty sure that in her mind, the right thing is to forget that the Senator is the Leader of the Senate, and one of the most powerful leaders in Washington, D.C.; forget that he has the weight of the entire Senate on his shoulders in that he is charged with bringing to the Senate the Constitutional authority of Advise and Consent in the election of the next Supreme Court Jurist; forget that THIS TIME in the selection of a Jurist, the Presidency and the Senate are both in the control of Republicans.

I’m pretty sure that she’s forgotten that the ability to hold an up/down vote on the next jurist was handed to the Senate by Harry Reid in 2013, when he instituted the “nuclear option” by changing the Senate rules to allow a simple majority vote.

I’m pretty sure that Ms. Blackford feels it’s acceptable to condemn Senator McConnell for raising money for Senatorial and presidential elections – but it’s appropriate for the Democratic leaders to raise money, regardless of where their monies come from. I find the “selling our democracy off,” to be extremely hypocritical in and of itself, given that millions and millions of dollars are pouring into the coffers of both the Democrats and Republicans at the presidential, senatorial, and congressional levels all across the country.

The consequence of Trump being elected was a complete shock to the Democrats – they had a bad candidate in 2016 and they have an even worse candidate in 2020. So the only recourse available to them at this point in time (given the President, constitutionally, must nominate a successor to Jurist Ginsberg, AND, the Senate must vote up/down the appointee), is to threaten impeachment; to pack the court; and bring statehood to Puerto Rico and D.C. Of course these threats are conditional on the Senate being lost and Biden becoming president.

Are Kentuckians “sorry” as Ms. Blackford contends? I think not. I’m pretty sure that Kentuckians are the ones who have elected Senator McConnell and ensured he be the Senate Leader, and I’m pretty sure they will elect him again over his ever-weakening opposition who has yet to give a position on anything consequential to Kentuckians. I do respect her service to this country, but then again where are her convictions and positions? We know where Senator McConnell stands, he’s pretty vocal on these.

Elections have consequences. There are many throughout the country who have a different opinion of what is important to the American people. Many are not as accepting of Obama Care, Roe, doing away with 2nd Amendment, immigration, etc., as Ms. Blackford. It begs the question to where she thinks all of these people are hiding – they must be somewhere because they came out and voted in 2016 and they will come out again in 2020. There are always two sides to an issue. I recognize that not everyone agrees with me, but I also respect that they have the right to disagree. I’m not sure that Ms. Blackford recognizes that the majority of Kentuckians differ with her beliefs.

Elections have consequences. We are faced with what I believe is the most crucial election of our lifetime. We can move to the far left and become a socialist country where we will have NO choice, or we can forge ahead on the road that offers us continued choice and freedoms beyond what any country has. We are not perfect – but we are the country that millions of people world-wide want to come to and live. That is a fact that is indisputable.

The choice is fairly simple – freedom of choice or socialism.

Barbara A. Ellerbrook is the national membership chair of the National Federation of Republican Women.