Election results offer a glimmer of hope for Kentucky Democrats

Democratic hope

There was a glimmer of hope for Kentucky Democrats, like me, in the Nov. 5 general election. The defeat of Amendment 2 showed us that split ticket voting is not completely dead in our commonwealth.

Kentuckians surely saw the spending of public funds for private schools as a Republican policy. U.S. Sen. Rand Paul made plain and clear what most of us had already supposed. We couldn't miss all those TV ads featuring Paul and his wife.

Let's hope the Kentucky Democratic Party studies the defeat of Amendment 2 very thoroughly.

Tom Louderback, Louisville

Trump voters

HOW?

How did we allow a man who has no moral compass, no regard for the law and who holds tyrannical leaders in high regard to be elected for another term? How can any WOMAN vote for a man who wants to take away any rights that they have? How can anyone of any vote for a man who hawked bibles only to get their vote and has probably broken every commandment? How can any IMMIGRANT vote for a man who would rid our country of them, as HITLER did to the Jews? How can anyone currently serving in the military or a VETERAN vote for a man has such utter disdain for a true American hero like John McCain? How can any PARENT who should want a better life for their offspring vote for a man who has basically destroyed our democracy and the future of their children? How can any SENIOR vote for a man who would take away their earned government benefits and leave them in limbo? We used to be the greatest country in the world. We are now the dumbest and weakest and wide open for our enemies to rush in and destroy us!

Sara Wellnitz, Lexington

Trump wins

I hope everyone who voted for former President Donald Trump gets what they voted for! When you allow evil people into your lives, you pay the consequences. Every time somebody signs a contract with the devil or an evil villain in the movies, the person who agreed to do business with the villain regrets signing it, because the evil entity or villain always shows up early to collect his debt, and the debt has tripled in cost, causing the person to give everything they have to the evil villain who tricked them. People who didn't vote for Trump in 2020 gave him a second chance. They think Trump can bring down the cost of groceries, even though they don't like him as a person. I ain't worrying about Trump, because God told me a year ago that any decision Trump makes as president will not hurt people who believe and trust Him! God has our backs even if the sky falls! He won't let Trump harm us! I believe that with all of my heart. If Trump does what he says he's going to do tariff-wise, and it really ends up costing American households an extra $4,000 a year, they voted for that!

Yolanda Averette, Lexington

Trump wars

Trump being elected will result in our economy beginning to fail within eight months. It will be in full-blown recession in roughly 18 months from the time he is elected. I have predicted to the month and nearly to the day every recession since the late 1980's. I have never incorrectly predicted a recession.

I predicted every war and combat event from Desert Storm on. We will be at war with Iran with Israel and will not help Europe or fulfill our role in NATO in its war with Russia. Russia and Iran will be buttressed with aid from China. The South Pacific and Taiwan will be embroiled in China's advances that we will be paralyzed to fight against because of Putin's aggressions in Europe.

While this is occurring, global climate change will exacerbate to levels that we are not only not equipped to adapt to, but will be of such great catastrophe that it will dwarf the catastrophe of the Trump administration's wars.

In short a Trump Presidency will be cataclysmic.

Humanity will be in decline and the necessary innovations that we are on the cusp of obtaining to insure our survival as a civilization will be stymied.

We have one chance to avoid this dystopia.

Robert Moreland, Lexington

New constitution

In a book review in the September 30, 2024 , The New Yorker under the question: "Is it time for a new Constitution?" the reviewer noted the Constitution's virtual imperviousness to amendment or replacement. However, the reviewer did highlight reforms that are within our grasp if participants on all sides are willing to admit that our current state of affairs is thwarting compromise and bipartisanship. As the reviewer summarized, these reforms "are mainly about re-democratizing the electoral process: automatic voter registration, a ban on partisan gerrymandering, the admission of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia as states, and the adoption of nonpartisan primaries and ranked-choice voting practices that are already in place in a few states."

I find these reforms reasonable and worthy of support. My goal is understanding others' objections to them. To me, these reforms suggest that we are less likely to insist on extremism and more likely to work together. That could be a good thing.

Ann Render, Lexington, Ky.

Republican irresponsibility

There are two issues the United States is facing today that are critically important – much more important than any other issues we are facing. They are more important than immigration, the economy, gun control, abortion rights, social security, health care, inflation, crime, or the price of food at the grocery. These are two issues the Republicans fear to discuss since they are, mainly, responsible for them.

Issue #1: The United States is $35 Trillion in debt - that's Trillion, with a "T." That's Trillion as in twelve zeros. That's $35 trillion dollars we are doing nothing about. A $35 trillion dollar can we are kicking down the road. A $35 Trillion dollar legacy we are passing on to our children, our grandchildren, our great grandchildren, and countless future generations of U.S. citizens. How did we get $35 Trillion in debt?

Issue #2: The United States has had 40 years of excessive, irresponsible spending on defense. Let me clarify this – it is excessive, as in we spent too much, and it's irresponsible, as in we knew we were spending too much and we did it anyway. Forty years of Republicans overspending and refusing to implement tax increases to pay for it. Forty years of fiscal irresponsibility by the Republican party.

Dana Herbst, Lexington

STR denial

Existing apartments that have been long term rentals should be allowed to be short term rentals.

Recently, our conditional use application to short term rent an apartment we have long-term rented for over 20 years was denied. At least four out of five people who spoke against the application own long-term or short-term rentals and are members of the Ashland Park Homeowners Association. They raised two issues: 1) screening and 2) parking. We screen the short term renters through Airbnb more closely than we ever screened long-term renters. The parking is the same for long or short term rentals.

We asked the Board to approve our application because we need to use the apartment to visit my husband's parents, do non-profit board work headquartered in Lexington, and rent to Western Kentucky tourists and traveling medical professionals.

We stated that we liked the Airbnb platform because it allowed race-blind background checks. We were happy to rent to a more diverse population.

The Homeowners Association actually clapped when our application was denied.

If too many apartments are offered for rent short term, the market will correct the problem. Owners will sell the apartments or rent them long term only.

Julie Tennyson, Paducah

UK Football

Since University of Kentucky head football coach Mark Stoops finds fault with UK's ability or willingness to pay Name/Image/Likeness (NIL) money to his players, I wonder why he doesn't take some substantial part of that $9 million he's getting paid and put it towards NIL for his players? I suggest half, or $4.5 million. And, while we're at it, perhaps UK's Athletic Director could do the same since he likes giving money to coaches, like John Calipari and Mark Stoops. Just wondering.

Harold Salsbery, Charleston, WV

UK Championship

As a young boy growing up in Central Kentucky I used to listen to University of Kentucky basketball games on the radio in my bedroom. As soon as the Cats went ahead by a few points, I would let myself drift off to sleep because I knew the game was over. Of course, I was and have been a fervent fan since attending UK in the 60s. It has always been my desire that, before I shuffle off this mortal coil, UK will surpass UCLA in NCAA championships. I hope Coach Mark Pope will begin to accomplish that feat.

GO CATS!

McChord Carrico, Covington, LA