Letters to the Editor: Severe weather is the new normal; Sen. Paul’s hypocrisy on aid.

Be ready

Now is a good time for government officials and Kentucky residents to review tornado preparedness.

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio makes a good Christmas gift for about $30. Make a plan where your family would go in the event of an approaching tornado. Visit bereadylexington.com for more ideas.

Officials should inspect trailer parks and ensure all units are tied down to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development standards. Update building codes to require hurricane clips, which only cost 75 cents but will help keep the roof attached to a house. Prohibit the cheap, flimsy metal storage buildings which are popping up like mushrooms in backyards — many have been installed in city neighborhoods without proper building permits. Require that building permits be prominently posted at all construction sites.

Severe weather is our new normal, due to climate change.

Dave Cooper, Lexington

Nod to Paul

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul was recently criticized as being hypocritical for requesting rapid federal support for the tragic storm damage in Kentucky after being obstructionist in previous similar situations. Perhaps he was hypocritical but that’s common to most politicians. At least in this case his seeming turnaround was done to advance a good cause and he was willing to accept the political damage that came with it. He deserves credit for that.

I have been severely critical of Senator Paul in previous letters but it has always been due to his highly unethical behavior regarding the COVID-19 crisis. A licensed physician should not engage in misleading, dishonest commentary regarding a medical issue — ever. In that regard I remain unmoved. He is a medical charlatan; a snake oil salesman with MD after his name. As COVID appears to be re-energizing, remember that his previous scientifically inaccurate statements were counterproductive in corralling this terrible disease. Don’t let him off the hook as the virus sickens and kills more people.

John Vance, Versailles

Free storm news

Thanks for letting me access the paper without subscribing after tornado events. I lived in Lexington all my life until last year and have loads of family there and in Richmond and Berea. I wondered right away about the candle factory in Mayfield; so was interested in the Herald-Leader article about that. Kentucky will always be my “home”.

Sharon Piper, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Bury power lines

In general but especially in hurricane and tornado prone areas, power lines should be in the ground. That should make sense to every politician and person with common sense. Wooden power poles are as stupid as it gets. Use the military to help with the infrastructure and environmental issues. The talented manpower is there. Provide soldiers with the opportunity to learn a second job besides being a soldier. That will help them to get a better start after their military career is over. It is also a cheaper way to get the infrastructure back on track.

Manfred von Hassel, Frankfurt, Germany

Bye-bye, Chris

I’ve been amused by the recent major news story about Chris Wallace leaving Fox News and going to CNN. This is hardly a revelation to me. For those of you who may not follow the political news as much as I do, in spirit Chris Wallace left Fox, bound for CNN, at least two years ago. His transformation in reporting the news and political events and his growing alienation from Donald Trump has become more and more evident over time. His referring to the Jan. 6 “insurrection” and his recent adulation of Jen Psaki as the best White House press secretary ever cost him millions of viewers. Wallace has followed in the footsteps of his Fox predecessor, Shepard Smith, whose nasty and condescending attitude towards Trump sent him packing two years ago.

I think Chris Wallace is a perfect fit for CNN. They are both trying to recover a level of journalistic credibility from opposite ends of the spectrum. Now Chris can sound like Wolf Blitzer without having someone looking over his shoulder. The really good news is that Fox is so replete with first-rate journalistic anchors, Chris Wallace’s departure will hardly be noticed.

Steve Nussbaum, NIcholasville

Democracy in peril

I recently listened to Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock on “The Rachel Maddow Show”. He is so eloquent. This may be our last chance to save our democracy. If we don’t act now to pass voting rights legislation we will lose our representative democracy. The Republicans make no bones about it. The actions that they are currently taking range from gerrymandering to voter suppression to passing laws in red states that will enable the entrenched majority to discard voting results that they do not like and replace them with manufactured results more to their liking. Quite frankly they are taking strong action to ensure that in states where they rule (the majority of states) they will never lose another election. Why are they doing this? Because they are ruthless and power hungry and have no programs and no agenda to try and win the electorate over. And the electorate is becoming more educated and younger and more racially diverse. These are all characteristics that usually result in heavier Democratic votes. So they are doing what they think they have to to win. Our Democratic senators know this; If they don’t pass voting rights legislation they should be damned for all time.

James R. Porter, Danville

KU is right

I have a suggestion for any citizen who wants Kentucky Utilities to cease trimming or removing trees that grow under power lines: create a fund to provide free emergency generators for any households that do want KU to maintain power lines safe from damage caused by trees.

All citizens who want KU to cease being proactive about preventing power loss should contribute to this fund, and also should plan to manage without power when trees knock out power lines. Tree trimming will proceed as scheduled until this fund is adequate to supply generators to all who want them.

All citizens who approve KU’s efforts to maintain a power supply (including trimming or removing trees as needed to protect power lines) will have free emergency generators, and need only pay for fuel.

My own preference, having experienced the great 1965 New York City blackout, is to encourage KU to continue monitoring and trimming or removing any tree that poses the risk of loss of electrical power. Proactive is better than reactive. I support and appreciate KU’s determination to keep my lights on and my appliances working.

Martha Victoria Rosett, Lexington

What was he thinking?

In light of the school shooting du jour, I find the picture posted by U.S. Congressman Thomas Massie to be appalling, disgusting, insensitive and horrifying. How could anyone, especially in an elected office, think this was a good idea. It makes one question his morals, his ethics, and his parenting skills. To involve his family in such a heinous act of thoughtlessness, carelessness, and disregard for the anguish the parents of those killed are dealing with right now shows total disrespect for those affected. I wonder if Massie is trying to pass himself off as a Christian or even a decent human being, because that is not the picture he is presenting to the voting public. My Christmas wish is that he is sued by the families of those children. I also hope that when his re-election time rolls around, he will realize how he embarrassed the people of Kentucky yet again. Shame on you, Thomas Massie.

Catherine Ferguson, Lexington

Holiday tune

On the twelfth day of Christmas the GOP gave me:

Twelve concealed weapons,

Eleven vigilantes,

Ten high school shootings,

Nine N.R.A. members,

Eight grieving parents,

Seven little coffins,

Six active shooters,

A-R Fifteens!

Four thousand rounds,

Three bump stocks,

Two drum magazines,

And the Congressman Thomas Massie.

Ross Carter, Lexington

Photo shameful

There is not a parent alive who has not thought about what would happen if their children were hurt or killed at school. In Michigan, four families are feeling the horrifying pain of losing a child. What does our Kentucky representative, Thomas Massie do? He mocks the death of the students by supporting the killer’s looking for ammunition. I also find fault with those who posed in the picture with him. I wonder if his whole family is devoid of any morality.To laugh at the pain of losing a child is beyond the pale. It is simply disgusting, repulsive, and the action of someone who is not mentally right. He should be stripped of all assignments and his children and wife should be shunned in the community. They are old enough to know better.

And of course U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert thinks losing a child is funny also. Massie, his family, and Lauren Beobert do not have a shred of decency.

Mary I. Lisle, Lexington

Open up redistricting

Now that the Kentucky legislators have completed their redistricting maps, I wonder why they are not having meetings with the voters of Kentucky to show their work.

Why are the legislators refusing to meet with the public?

Probably because they have, as politicians of both major parties have always done, made lines that are politically beneficial to one party over the other. Legislators make lines on maps so they can decide who we can vote for rather than creating fair maps.

This is called gerrymandering. In many states this has been outlawed by the will of the people. Other states let citizens petition to get an amendment to their state constitution on the ballot to ensure fair maps for redistricting. In Kentucky, only the legislature can vote for amendments to the state Constitution to be put on a ballot.

The League of Women voters has created fair maps that create districts that are not based on political agendas but where people live. They have asked to have public meetings discussing the new redistricting maps but the legislators have refused. Their refusal means no transparency and no public input.

Redistricting decides who we send to Frankfort and Washington. Creating partisan maps behind closed doors is not acceptable.

Maureen Murphy, Lexington

Picture ‘appalling’

The recent front page photo of the Chinoe Road house’s Christmas decor was appalling to say the least. It wasn’t the lights and snow scene, but the central message: GOD / AMERICA.

Margaret Atwood, the author of “The Handmaid’s Tale”, summed it up perfectly when she said just recently that we are not a democracy. We are a theocracy founded by Puritans. It has carried forward and is still very much with us. Our future is not bright.

Dominic Martina, Lexington

Support for Enes

Former Wildcat Enes Kanter (who has changed his name to Enes Kanter Freedom) became a U.S. citizen this year and has repeatedly spoken out harshly against China and the hypocrisy of the NBA when it comes to human rights. I haven’t seen a word of support from University of Kentucky Coach John Calipari, UK, or this paper. I wonder why that is.

Doug Reed, Lexington