Letters to the Editor: More on Mitch McConnell, his gaffes, his Burma policy, his age.

Step down, Mitch

Our 79-year-old senator, Mitch McConnell, is losing it. Before God and the TV cameras, Mitch said recently “... if you look at the statistics, African American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as Americans.” I wonder what we are to make this statement. Any thinking person has to conclude that the senator believes African American voters are not “true Americans.” It’s a subconscious revelation of exactly how Mitch feels about African American voters, and it’s racist. Mitch is outraged that the media and others have called him out on his ad hoc comments. But he has no one to blame but himself. He is an old man now and his brain is beginning to slow down. This is not a misstatement Mitch would have made several years ago. He needs to move on. He is showing us that it’s time for him to retire. Kentucky deserves it. The nation deserves it.

Jack C. Blanton, Lexington

Telling words

Sen. Mitch McConnell says African Americans vote in the same percentage as Americans. A Freudian slip?

Bob A. Sutton, Springfield

Scared in Ky.

Sen. Mitch McConnell’s words on his commitments to freedom and democracy in Burma were informative. He talked of working with then Sen. Joe Biden and witnessing disregard for free and fair elections in Burma. The day after his Burma editorial appeared in the Herald-Leader, Senator McConnell continued to block legislation defending American’s right to vote and stated he wants President Biden’s agenda to fail. He said, “There is no factual standard by which any state in America is creating a civil rights crisis. …” Our history provides such a factual standard, in my opinion. And experience with our past presidential election and state legislative actions in Kentucky frightens me. I am at a loss as to how to defend our democracy.

Karen Gerstle, Lexington

Don’t forget

Voters need to remember that Sen. John McCain was dying when he stood on the Senate floor to vote against Sen. Mitch McConnell, then-President Donald Trump and Republicans who were determined to kill the Affordable Care Act. Senator McCain saved it and us, using his power to protect the people, while McConnell was determined to deny the people.

Mitch McConnell was always terrified of John McCain.

McConnell knows John McCain would have voted in support of the Voting Rights Act.

Donald Trump called McCain a “loser.” Senator McCain never lost an election. Donald Trump did.

We will never forget John McCain. We will never forgive Mitch McConnell.

Judy Rembacki, Georgetown

Driver remedy

I have a partial solution to the school bus driver shortage. Many people won’t drive a bus because they need a full-time job. Therefore I propose that we hire janitors and other school personnel who can get a commercial driver’s license. The janitors would be full time and part time bus drivers. Also, some teachers might want to pull double duty.

George Thomas, Nicholasville

Work together

In a perfect world those who are elected to Congress would actually represent their constituents. When campaigning the candidates expound on their attributes and how if elected their presence in Washington would benefit both the state and nation. Once elected these legislators forget that democracy is REPRESENTATIVE (We the People). These elected officials should honor the oath of office and put our country and democracy over party lines. Their duty is to advocate for their constituents and not be partisan rubber stamps. When did Congress become more attentive to the special interests (donors and lobbyists) over the needs of the people? When did it become anathema to work across the aisle to try cooperation, communication, and compromise for the common good? When did it become an affront to the party to think independently and vote on the merits of a bill? When did individual reasoning become so abhorrent that anyone who goes against party lines is ostracized?

We are living in an age of urgency: an international pandemic with its myriad problems. It is time to unite, forget politics and work together for solutions. Hopefully common sense and decency can change the status quo.

Cheryl Keenan, Lexington