LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Social issues an election priority

9/15/2012

Contrary to Ross Douthat's assertion in his Aug. 31 op-ed column, "Amid the Akin issue, Democrats face an abortion dilemma," social issues are as important as the economy in this election.

Republicans have been using women's reproduction for political posturing long enough. Their attacks against Planned Parenthood, abortion, and birth control were front and center during the primaries, and now they hope women will forget.

This election will be pivotal in deciding whether we allow Christian fundamentalists to continue to be the driving force of our politics, science, and medicine. Or we can move forward to the realization that the economic health of any country is dependent on the ability of women to be able to control their fertility.

Sally Keller

Sabra Road

Women deserve health-care options

For decades, too many women have gone without important preventive health screenings and services because their insurance companies refused to cover them. Thanks to Obamacare, those days will be over.

Mitt Romney wants to repeal Obamacare. Mr. Romney also wants to stop federal funding of Planned Parenthood, which would prevent millions of women from having access to cancer screenings and annual exams.

Every woman deserves to be able to get the care she needs to live a long and healthy life. We should continue to move forward. That is why I am supporting President Obama.

Gary Phillabaum

Port Clinton

What about men and vasectomies?

A lot of people talk about women's reproductive rights and how they should be restricted. Why isn't anyone talking about men and their right to a vasectomy?

Debbie Schmidt

Whitehouse

Obama makes Carter look good

The Democratic Party has used the same old story: Republicans are going to do away with Medicare and Social Security. That's been an attempt to scare senior citizens for as long as I can remember, and I am 76 years old.

This administration stopped the cost of living adjustment for seniors drawing Social Security benefits in 2010 and 2011. Conveniently, it was put back in place in January, 2012, an election year.

For many years, I was a die-hard Democrat. That party left me. Now I am an independent.

I thought the Jimmy Carter administration was incompetent, but President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden make him look like Albert Einstein.

George Sailer

Temperance

Lawmakers won't raise their taxes

It's interesting to note the rumble that goes through Congress about the President's idea that to help the economy, millionaires should pay more than they do now in income taxes ("President pushes for tax-cut extension," July 15).

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, more than half of the members of Congress are millionaires. A bill to increase their own taxes has about as much chance of passing as one expecting pigs to fly,

Rollin MacDonald

Lakeside, Ohio