Senator J. D. Vance Should Realize That His Loyalty Is to The People Of Ohio
There was a disturbing column recently in the Cleveland Plain Dealer regarding Ohio’s junior Senator J. D. Vance regarding his opposition to continuing aid to Ukraine in it’s battle against the Russian invaders. The United States and its European allies in NATO have continually supported Ukraine for two years since Russian forces invaded that nation and sparked the biggest war in Europe since the end of the Second World War. This was an unprovoked invasion by Russia, and it has been the objective of Russian Premier Vladimir Putin to restore the old Soviet Union.
That American aid has enabled the Ukrainian defenders to hold off the Russian advance and has even retaken some of the territory that Russia occupied. However, without the aid from the United States and our NATO allies, it is doubtful that Ukraine can hold off the Russians too much longer.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, Ukraine has been a sovereign nation on its own. However, before 2014, Ukraine had been led by Russian puppets who were loyal to Russia more than Ukraine. In 2014 the Ukrainian people elected a leader who was independent from Moscow and Putin did not like that. Now Vladimir Putin wants to conquer the entire nation and his forces invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The Ukrainian forces have fought back bravely against the Russian army and now the war is at a standstill. Without continuing aid from the United States, no doubt that Russia could take over the entire country.
In case Senator Vance doesn’t realize it, but one of the largest Ukrainian communities in the United States is right here in Parma. Everywhere I go in Parma, I see signs “we stand with Ukraine”. The United States has always helped other nations fight for democracy against dictatorships since the end of the Second World War. This is no debunked “domino theory” that was used to justify the war in Vietnam and no American combat troops are fighting in Ukraine.
But if Russia takes over Ukraine, where would Vladimir Putin go next? Article 5 of the NATO treaty states that an attack on one member is an attack on every member. So would Putin attack Poland, a NATO country next? In that case, there would be American combat troops involved assuming that the United States hold to its agreement in the NATO treaty.
Of course, Donald Trump is against further American aid to Ukraine. Who knows what is his motivation on this issue? It could be that he just opposes anything that President Biden has done and perhaps if he is elected President again, he will dismantle everything done by the Biden Administration. Or this could be that without American aid, Ukraine may fall to the Russians and be a “loss” for the Biden administration going into the presidential election. Or because Donald Trump is in Vladimir Putin’s pocket because of Russian money funding his “business”?
J. D. Vance wrote a great book describing his family and how he managed to rise above the dysfunction he endured growing up. I read that book several years ago and really liked that book. I had a great deal of respect for him then. However, that respect has been lost when he sold his soul to Donald Trump so he could get elected to the Senate. Sure, without Trump’s endorsement, no doubt J. D, Vance would not be in the Senate. But as a Senator his loyalty should be with the people of Ohio who elected him, not to a defeated former president seeking another term.
Is J. D. Vance afraid of the wrath of Trump? He doesn’t have to face the voters again until 2028. By that time, it is likely that Donald Trump could be dead and buried or sitting in a prison cell. Certainly, I don’t expect Trump to be occupying the oval office. With or without Donald Trump, J. D. Vance will have to answer to the people of Ohio. That would be very difficult if Ukraine is occupied by Russian forces thanks to self-serving politicians who sold out a struggling democracy.
Politics is not a zero-sum game where one side wins and the other side loses. That is no way to govern in a democracy. Instead, politics is a game of win – win where both sides walk away with most of what they wanted. Neither side “wins” and neither side “loses”. This is how the Declaration of Independence, and the constitution were hammered out in days of very contentious debate. But, in the end, we have two documents that are at the core of our great nation.
For J. D. Vance, if he intends to represent the people of Ohio in the Senate beyond this term, he must remember that his loyalty should be with the people of Ohio and what is best for the country and not to one man who is acting more like a mad king every day.
Lee Kamps
Lee has been working with Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance since he began working at the Erie County Welfare Department in January 1973 where a major part of his job was determining eligibility for Medicaid. He went into the private insurance business in 1977 with Prudential Insurance Company and within a short time had become one of the company’s top sales agents. In 1982, he was promoted into management where he managed two field offices and as many as thirteen sales agents. After leaving Prudential in 1986, Lee decided to become more focused on health insurance and employee benefits. He has advised many local employers on how to have a more cost effective employee benefit program as well as conducted employee benefit meetings and enrollments for many area employers. The companies Lee has worked with ranged from small “mom and pop” businesses to local operations of large national companies. Lee received his B.S. degree from Kent State University where he has been active in the local alumni association. He has completed seven of the ten courses toward the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist designation. He has taught courses in employee benefits and insurance at Cleveland State University and local community colleges. In addition, Lee is an experienced and accomplished public speaker. He has been a member of Toastmasters International where he achieved the designation of “Able Toastmaster – Silver” in 1994. He has also served as a club president, Area Governor and District Public Relations Officer in Toastmasters as well as winning local speech contests. Lee has also been a member of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association’s Speaker’s Bureau where he was designated as one of the “official spokespeople for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” prior to the hall’s opening in 1995. He has given talks and presentations before many audiences including civic organizations, AARP chapters and many other community groups. With the implementation of the Medicare Modernization Act (Medicare drug bill) in 2006, Lee has shifted his focus to Medicare and helping Medicare beneficiaries navigate the often confusing array of choices and plans available. As an independent representative, Lee is not bound to any one specific company or plan, but he can offer a plan that suits an individual person’s needs and budget. In addition, Lee is well versed in the requirements and availability of various programs for assistance with Medicare part D as well as Medicaid. While he cannot make one eligible, he can assist in the process and steer one to where they may be able to receive assistance.