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April 29, 2024 Editor, The News Gazette, Thank you for featuring (editorial, 4/24) Ben Cline’s inexplicable “no” vote on aid for Ukraine. Like you, I also noticed that it was his only “no” on several aid packages so that could not be explained by his usual claim of “fiscal responsibility”.
Thank you, also, for showing us — via the quote of his own words from his newsletter of 2-plus years ago — what a complete volte-face that vote was. Like you, I also wanted to know the reasons for this change of heart.
Was it something personal? Has he lost interest in a war that drags on, without an easy win in sight?
Does his fealty to The Former Guy (who hopes to sell his own support, if elected, as he had tried to do before) override Cline’s loyalty to his own country?
An answer — of sorts — came in his April 26 newsletter: “Regarding my vote against additional Ukraine funding […] we have already given over $100 billion to Ukraine without sufficient accountability from the Biden administration as to where the money has gone. […] we must exercise fiscal responsibility and demand some accountability for American tax dollars from this Administration.”
Since the “fiscal responsibility” part of argument has been discounted as false, that leaves the claim of “insufficient accountability,” which is false, as well. Anyone following reputable news sources knows (or should) that most of that money is staying within the USA, boosting our economy and improving our own security.
Representative Cline has failed to do his homework before casting his — woefully uninformed — vote. That, despite being paid $174,000 (plus perks like health care and retirement) for the job. Also, BTW, funded by “American tax dollars.”
If Representative Cline can’t be bothered to earn the money we pay him, he should retire from Congress.
TAMARA P. DUVALL Lexington
