Letters to the editor for May 31

I would like to thank all who supported our recent benefit dinner at the Nelson Heritage Center (April 21, 2023) for the refugees of the Ukraine War. For the second year in a row we have sold out after moving to a larger venue. Last year we raised $9,000 and this year we were able to send a check for $12,500 to the Ukraine Solidarity Fund of the Knights of Columbus.

Whether you attended the dinner, worked at the dinner or just gave a donation to the Knights of Columbus for Ukraine, thank you for making this possible. What an amazing community event.

The Ukraine Solidarity fund was set up soon after the war started last year to support the KofC councils in Ukraine and Poland who were immediately providing food, water and shelter to the refugees of that war. Since then the fund has received over $23 million in donations that goes directly to supporting the Ukrainian Refugees.

The Knights have also helped those who had to leave destroyed areas and resettled in Poland. Over 5,000 Knights in Poland and 2,000 in Ukraine are directly supporting the people of Ukraine in this time of great need. It is estimated that two-thirds of all Ukrainian children have been displaced by this war.

On behalf of the 32 Knights of John Paul II Council 16535 here in Nelson and Amherst thank you for helping us to help them!

Grand Knight, St. John Paul II Council 16535 Lovingston/Amherst

Dolly Parton has a new song entitled “World on Fire” that has a line that goes like this “Liar, Liar, the world’s on fire. Whatcha gonna do when it all burns down?” She says it is directed at all the politicians and all I can say is that if Dolly Parton is mad at you, you are in big trouble. There is a sense that the Republicans and the Democrats in all their partisan wrangling have completely forgotten about us.

If this letter is published it will be May 31 and the next day is when the government runs out of money. So, it is either the end of civilization as we know it or maybe business as usual. I can’t predict the future, but my guess is that they blow through the default just to see what is on other side and because they both playing a game of chicken. The truth of the matter is that neither party is really interested in the deficit or having a reasonable discussion of the role of government and at what rate we should set taxes to fund it. It is all about power and who gets to decide. And even if they come to some kind of agreement, McCarthy might need Democrats to get it passed. He might win the war and lose his job.

Then the Republicans could stop pretending they are a reasonable party and elect U.S. Rep. Bob Good as their next speaker.

Could we arrive at a moment when the voters are tired of both parties? That view is certainly reflected in the unease that the voters feel about a Biden-Trump rematch. A recent poll found that 44% of Americans consider themselves Independents. An organization called “No Labels” has floated the idea of Joe Manchin running for president. I don’t know about you but that doesn’t excite me at all; the man is dour to say the least and a scold. Others have suggested Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson. If he is elected, would it be called the action hero presidency?

Two things seem to never change: we are always looking for a man or woman on a white horse to save us and every election is the most important election in our lifetimes. As a headline said yesterday “Is this anyway to run a superpower?”

There is a new Trump/Putin connection that was demonstrated this week when Vladimir Putin added 500 names to the list of Americans forbidden to visit Russia. Those Americans have not made disparaging statements about his horrific war on his neighbor or about his Russian dictatorship. They said derogatory things about Donald Trump. Putin has made it plain. The Russian dictator is now an active participant in the Republican Party’s plan to regain the White House. Remember that when you go to vote.

This week Stewart Rhodes, leader of the Qath Keepers, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his part of the January 6th insurrection. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy and the judge said he was still a threat to the nation. I submit he was just another violent lackey of Donald Trump, the real threat to the nation. When will the Department of Justice bring charges against the leader of the insurrection?

It appears that U.S. Rep. Bob Good is now blatantly vying with Trump for the lying championship or is one of the least intelligent members of the present House of Representatives. I prefer to think that he is lying because I hate to think of the massive ignorance it would take to believe what he says. Among other lies his newsletter to constituents on 5/20 stated “House Republicans did our part for the fiscal state of the union by passing the Limit, Save, Grow Act in April. We are united in our efforts to shrink Washington and grow America. We joined with our Senate colleagues this week at a press conference to reaffirm our commitment to fiscal responsibility…”

First the “Limit, Save, Grow Act passed the House only after Speaker McCarthy’s last minute concessions made it highly unlikely that it would ever become law. It was just an extortion note to the president holding the global economy and America’s international reputation hostage to right-wing terrorists like Bob Good. Second, the Biden administration has grown America so much we even have had a bit of inflation. The Republican response to that growth has been to lie about it and to hamper it.

The great lie above is the reference to “fiscal responsibility”. “Fiscal responsibility” starts with paying your bills. Refusing to pay the nation’s bills shows these terrorists know nothing about “fiscal responsibility.” The House should pass an unencumbered debt ceiling increase today.