Letters: Vote to protect reproductive rights; Sneaky ‘election reform’
Vote to protect reproductive rights
Attacks on reproductive rights reflect disdain and disregard for women. If men could get pregnant, the right to abortion would not be at risk. Men would not accept government takeover of their bodies, being forced to endure the medical risks and financial costs of pregnancy and parenthood.
Many politicians who claimed mask mandates were government overreach are now legislating government control over women’s reproductive lives. The coronavirus pandemic is a public health crisis where our behavior affects other people; abortion is a personal, medical decision.
The only way to ensure that women are treated as full human beings with autonomy and full constitutional rights is to elect candidates who support reproductive rights. In Pennsylvania, that means voting for Democrats.
As Governor, Josh Shapiro will veto extreme abortion restrictions and support laws to codify reproductive rights; Doug Mastriano supports abortion bans, declaring women’s control over their own bodies “ridiculous nonsense.” As Senator, John Fetterman will vote to support abortion rights nationally; Mehmet Oz says that abortion is murder at any stage of pregnancy.
Electing state legislators who support abortion rights will prevent state bans from ever reaching the governor’s desk or being proposed as constitutional amendments. In Centre County, abortion rights candidates are Paul Takac, Scott Conklin, and Robert Zeigler; their opponents have made clear in words and actions that they will outlaw abortion with minimal, if any, exceptions.
Voting has never been more important for women’s lives. Exercise your power — vote Democrat!
Sneaky ‘election reform’
Republicans in the Legislature are trying to sneak two changes into Pennsylvania’s constitution (SB106), which would disenfranchise thousands of young and minority Democrats — and they’re doing it in the dead of night.
The first is a voter ID law, designed to solve a voter fraud problem that doesn’t exist. Whenever voter ID laws have been implemented across the country, they have the same effect: disenfranchising poor, disproportionately Black and brown voters who don’t have a driver’s license or other government ID. One party — the Republican Party —benefits when voter ID laws suppress the Black vote, and even they’ve admitted it.
The second is even sneakier. A change to the residency requirement from 30 days to 90 days means one must have lived in Pennsylvania in early August to vote. It’s not hard to see who is targeted — students, who overwhelmingly arrive on campuses in late August. Tens of thousands of students, enough to swing an election, will have no way to vote in 2024. As a student, that’s disgusting. That’s un-American.
The worst part is, they’re calling it “election reform” and trying to sneak it through as a ballot referendum in the May 2023 primary, when almost nobody votes. But the changes have to pass the Legislature right after this election to make it to the ballot. A Democratic majority can stop this, and is within reach.
Republicans are right — election integrity is on the ballot this November. Protect the sacred right to vote — vote Democratic for State Legislature.
Conklin takes on tough issues
Teen dating violence. It is a problem so many young people face today and is a parent’s worst nightmare. Possession, isolation and the hidden dangers are real.
Rep. Scott Conklin took on this issue after hearing of Demi Brae Cuccia, a teenager from Monroeville who was brutally killed by her boyfriend. His legislation to encourage school districts across Pennsylvania to implement programs to teach young people the dangers of dating violence has saved lives. Scott takes on the tough issues and during this Domestic Violence Awareness month, I want to publicly thank him for his leadership in protecting the women of this commonwealth.
Please vote to keep him in Harrisburg on November 8th.