Recent editorials from Kentucky newspapers:
___
Oct. 5
The State Journal on a replacement for a city manager who was fired in Kentucky:
The Frankfort City Commission, which dumped a popular city manager less than six months before a new commission takes office, shouldn’t compound the mistake by hiring a permanent replacement.
That choice belongs squarely with the mayor and commissioners who are elected on Nov. 3. Because three current members of the commission are lame ducks, they have no vested interest in who succeeds Keith Parker, the former city manager fired in August for reasons not yet publicly disclosed.
Even if incumbent Commissioners Katrisha Waldridge and Eric Whisman are reelected next month, at least three of the commission’s five seats are guaranteed to change hands. Common courtesy requires Mayor Bill May and the current commissioners to defer to their successors the choice of who will manage the day-to-day operations rolling forward under new elected leadership in January.
Courtesy has been in short supply of late at City Hall, so we take nothing for granted with the current board. Parker was blindsided a few days before his dismissal when a mystery personnel item was inserted on the commission’s agenda. It appears that Parker’s firing had been cooked up in secret by the mayor and at least two commissioners in what we strongly believe was a violation of the state’s open meetings law. The state attorney general will let us know soon if he agrees after our newspaper filed a formal complaint.
What we know from Waldridge is that the commission, upon entering closed session the night Parker was fired, went directly to a discussion about how he would be fired, rather than a more legitimate discussion of his performance and whether he should be disciplined or fired. In other words, the decision had been made – confirmed by Commissioner Scott Tippett, who told Parker in advance of the meeting that the mayor had “three votes” to can him.
The current commission has done sufficient damage to morale among city staff and to the trust that citizens should have in their elected leadership. Interim City Manager Tom Russell will do a fine job holding city government together for a few more months until the next mayor and commissioners are on board and ready to make one of the most important decisions of their tenures.
That decision should be theirs alone.
Online: https://www.state-journal.com
___
Oct. 1
The Daily Independent on U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie voting against a resolution that reaffirms a commitment to a peaceful transition of power:
Every time a new president is sworn in, we celebrate the peaceful transition of power, the acceptance of a free and fair election and the turning over of office to another political party.
That’s how it was intended in the United States of America.
Article 1, Section 4 and Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution calls for “elections that enable the peaceful transition of power between factions.”
As legal scholar Lawrence Douglas points out in his book “Will He Go?” the Constitution doesn’t ensure a peaceful transfer of power, but assumes it. Clearly, the founding fathers meant for it to be.
Given the current political atmosphere, however, peaceful transition is in question. President Trump refuses to state he would accept the election results and has sewn seeds of doubt about the fairness and accuracy of the election, even though it hasn’t happened yet and little evidence of election fraud exists anywhere in the country.
That’s why lawmakers thought it necessary to pass a resolution to reaffirm a commitment to a peaceful transition of power. The Senate unanimously passed such a resolution last week and the House passed it this week by a vote of 397 to 5.
The five who voted “nay” were Republicans, including Kentucky’s Thomas Massie.
The resolution states the House “intends that there should be no disruptions by the President of any person in power to overturn the will of the people of the United States.”
In a statement, Massie said, “This resolution was a disingenuous political statement meant to poke the President in the eye.” Then, he changes the subject: “Isn’t it interesting that speaker (Nancy) Pelosi and leader (Kevin) McCarthy didn’t have the time or political willpower to take a recorded vote on the $2 trillion bailout package that passed in March, but they’re now happy to vote on this tripe?”
In essence, Massie called lawmakers’ concerns for our democracy “tripe.” The fact is, the president has given cause for concern about his willingness to leave office peacefully should he lose the election.
Every lawmaker in this country should gladly support a peaceful transition resolution without hesitation and without regard to party affiliation. It’s a building block of democracy. Massie should be ashamed for opposing it in the name of politics and party loyalty.
Online: https://www.dailyindependent.com
___
Oct. 1
The Daily Independent on former President Jimmy Carter:
The year 1924 seems like a time long past, especially when you consider what life was like then:
• “Tea for Two” was a popular song.
• Gasoline cost 10 cents a gallon.
• It took 13 days to travel from New York to California.
• Calvin Coolidge was president.
For farmers, life was worse. While those living in cities had some modern amenities, many living on farms had no indoor plumbing, no electricity and few modern appliances. Many still didn’t have telephones.
Enter Jimmy Carter. Literally. Jimmy Carter was born Oct. 1, 1924, the first president to have been born in a hospital. Now, he is the first president to live 40 years after his inauguration and the first to reach the age of 96.
Many consider Carter, who took office in 1976, a weak president because of the Iran hostage crisis, the 1979 energy crisis, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which escalated the Cold War and resulted in the boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
The good Carter has done since he left office, however, has exceeded any missteps he made while president.
• He has traveled around the world to aid in peace negotiations and monitor elections.
• He has worked to prevent and eradicate diseases in developing nations.
• He’s written more than 30 books, from his memoirs to poetry, while continuing to comment on American and global affairs.
He may be best known for his work with Habitat for Humanity and often is seen doing construction on houses for the organization. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for co-founding the Carter Center, which promotes the expansion of human rights.
Many say Carter was “too nice” to have been an effective president. Maybe so, but we believe that “drawback” to his presidency has been an advantage to his humanity, and the humanity of others.
Online: https://www.dailyindependent.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.