Democrats should have supported ousted House Speaker McCarthy | Letters

With the lockstep demands of political entities these days, I would be disowned by both Republicans and Democrats. And only the gravely disoriented would think I was a MAGA supporter, leaning left as I do. But shame on the Democrats who offered no support to the former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. Do not think I am a McCarthy supporter; I am not. But when the chips were down, this man did the right thing and was fired for it.

Both parties now deserve whatever they get, but we, the citizens, do not. While not letting congresswomen off the hook, I must ask: Where are the twin reproductive organs of the male House Democrats? Not one bucked the National Committee directive. Flags should be at half staff.

Robert Schneider, Walnut Hills

Sick and tired of minority trying to rule the majority

Last week was "Banned Books Week," and I celebrated my freedom to read by buying more banned books to add to my bookshelf devoted to the banned books I already own. As a young teen, I snuck into my mom’s book collection to read "The Group" and my dad’s medical books for body parts. I am just fine six decades later.

I have heard stories of schools banning a book because one parent suggested/demanded it. One is only a majority of a group of one. In a Washington Post study published June 2023, they reported that of the 153 districts included in their 2021-2022 school year analysis, just 11 people were responsible for filing 60% of challenges. Eleven people is a majority of a group of 21, not 153 districts.

More than 70% of parents oppose book banning in libraries, according to a 2022 poll by the American Library Association. I am sick and tired of the failure to represent the majority. Let freedom read.

Robin Cox, Anderson Township

Voters need more answers before railroad sale

The president of the Cincinnati Southern Railway Board of Trustees attempted to clear up misconceptions on the railroad sale, but just raised more questions. He states that the railroad has exercised their contractual right to extend the existing lease for another 25 years and that the railroad can’t be leased to anyone else. What he didn’t make clear was what is the applicable lease payment if the lease is extended. Why can’t a new lease amount be established? The city should make a copy of the lease available to the public so questions about it’s terms can be answered.

Vice Mayor Jan Michele Lemon Kearney says they tried to raise the rental amount but the railroad said, "no, we’ll just buy it." If that’s true, then when the existing lease expires, the railway can’t be used until a new lease amount is negotiated. If the amount of the existing lease has remained unchanged for the past 25 years, it’s past time for a rate increase to be in line with the increased value of the property.

City officials are salivating over the $1.6 billion. Norfolk Southern is spending a lot of money running ads in favor of the sale. The mayor is predicting some dire consequences if the sale isn’t approved, some of which are ludicrous. There are lots of questions to be answered before the vote. I hope the Enquirer can get the answers.

Maurice Whigham, Florence

How long will it take railroad trust to remedy deferred maintenance?

I am confused. In the Oct. 1 Enquirer, there was a clear statement from the president of the Cincinnati Southern Railway Board of Trustees about the intent to create a trust fund in which the proceeds of the sale of the city-owned railroad would be deposited and only two-thirds of the interest earned would be used to fund Infrastructure expenses. This is expected to spin off about $60 million per year of authorized spending.

Elsewhere in the same edition, as well as in previous Enquirer articles, we see a chorus of officeholders, including our current mayor, listing a $400 million backlog of necessary projects, and that this fund will magically address all those needs without raising taxes. Are they planning to far outspend the authorized funds, or are we looking at six to seven years of delays on these high-priority items?

John S. Berten, East Walnut Hills

Hold on to railroad asset, spend within the city's budget

I read that the mayor says the city’s financial situation is dire, and we must sell the city-owned railroad. Now, I read we need a third city manager at a new high salary plus many additional compensations to help out. Right or wrong, this person comes with previous job difficulties and perhaps questionable degrees as covered in the Oct. 4 Enquirer.

Actually, my concern is directed at the financial decisions being made that may contribute to our "financial emergency." Once the money is spent, it is gone, as would be the land we propose be sold, which does create income. My thought is hold onto assets and spend within the budget. Seems simple.

Susan Kemp, Fairfield

Cincinnati-Kharkiv partnership renewed during Russian invasion

Back in the 1980s − 40-plus years ago − it was the height of the Cold War. There was deep distrust of the people of the Soviet Union − what President Ronald Reagan called the "Evil Empire." And the feeling was returned by the people governed by Moscow. But just because the distrust existed, it didn’t have to endure.

A group of folks in Cincinnati, inspired by President Dwight Eisenhower’s vision of the way to peace was through citizen diplomacy, sought to establish a Sister City Partnership with a city in the Soviet Union. In 1989, the partnership was born when Cincinnati and Kharkiv in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic became Sister Cities due to the efforts of Bud Haupt, Joe Dehner and Mayor Charlie Luken.

Much has changed since 1989, most notable was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of Ukraine as a sovereign nation. Through it all, the Sister City Partnership grew stronger. Every year, citizens from both countries collaborated on multiple projects in all areas, and in the process friendships were formed that have withstood the test of time.

The partnership between Sister Cities is directed by the Memorandum of Understanding that the mayors of the two cities sign every five years. In 2017, Vice Mayor Terrrekov singed the MoU with John Cranley in City Hall. That MoU expired in 2017 but was not able to be renewed in 2022 due to the Russian invasion.

The invitation to attend the Kharkiv Restart Forum held in Kyiv provided the opportunity to sign the new MoU. With the draft approved by Mayors Pureval and Terrekhov, we traveled to Kyiv. In a online meeting with Mayor Pureval, the signing ceremony took place with Bob Herring and Iryna Bakumenko representing their respective NGOs.

Now more than ever, it is imperative that we let our friends and colleagues in Kharkiv know that we value this partnership and that we stand with them through this incredibly challenging time. Kharkiv is undergoing continuous bombardment, but the people are living in through it and starting to rebuild now, addressing challenges they never anticipated when the original MoU was signed. People are returning to Kharkiv in spite of the constant threat from Russian missions. They want to start rebuilding now. We’ll leverage the resources we have to collaborate on projects outlined in the MoU: arts, education, sports, trauma care, infrastructure, business cooperation, professional exchanges, and overcoming the consequences of the Russian invasion.

James Taylor said it best: "… let us recognize that there are ties between us, all men and women, living on the earth, ties of hope and love, of sister and brotherhood. That we are bound together by our desire to see a world become a place in which our children can grow free and strong. We are bound together by the task that stands before us on the road that lies ahead, we are bound and we are bound."

With deep gratitude to President Dwight Eisenhower for his belief in citizen diplomacy and to the founding generation of the Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership who broke through the barrier of distrust that existed during the Cold War. We follow in your footsteps and build on the foundation you created to continue the work in the years to come.

Mark Jeffreys, Cincinnati City Council, and Bob Herring, President, Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Partnership, Kennedy Heights

Can't use 14th Amendment to disqualify Trump from presidency

The idea that Donald Trump should be disqualified from running for president under the 14th Amendment has generated Democratic support. However, Harvard Professor Alan Dershowitz, in his article published on Aug. 13, titled, "No, The 14th Amendment Can’t Disqualify Trump," quashed this notion.

He stated the 14th Amendment fails to designate a procedure for determining a candidate’s disqualification. Dershowitz further stated that the disability provision in the 14th Amendment was for individuals who served in the Confederacy.

Lastly, preventing Trump from obtaining the presidency under the 14th Amendment would disenfranchise around 100 million voters, including millions of minority voters.

Clarence Leatherbury, Vevay, Ind.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Democrats should have supported ousted House Speaker McCarthy