Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
Dear Editor,
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could once again talk politics with family and friends without campaign admen, social media billionaires and foreign trolls manipulating us, and dividing us? I think we are smarter than that. This election, let’s ignore the sleazy ads bombarding us with their crappy photos, lies and misquotes.
My home mailbox and email inbox is full of GOP messages, pretending to know what I stand for. Speaking as a Mother, Grandmother, a Democrat, a Christian and a Healthcare provider here in rural Southwest Wisconsin, I would like to set the record straight about what we WI Democrats support.
We support our sheriffs, police, their staff and the rule of law. We all want excellent, safe policing. We support reasonable Gun safety measures and expanded mental health care support services. We know that drug and alcohol addiction and mental illness are the root of many crimes. We support law enforcement’s effort to bring to justice those that attacked the Capital and assaulted our rule of law.
We are proud patriots who support our veterans and men and women on active duty.
We support small businesses, farmers, the return of manufacturing to the USA and inflation control. We support keeping wild places wild for hunting and fishing.
We support affordable Health care insurance for all. More than half of all personal and family bankruptcies are still due to illness. It is heartbreaking when families lose their homes because they can’t pay medical bills. I know from my medical practice that small problems left untreated can become big problems, which can result in visits to the ER or hospitalization. Needless suffering and expense that could have been avoided by expanding Badgercare for our uninsured workforce, families and children. I don’t understand why our Republican representatives repeatedly vote against this?
We support Medicare and Social security. It’s OUR money, saved from OUR paychecks. Multi millionaires like Senator Johnson don’t have a clue. Middle class folks depend on both for retirement. Ron Johnson gave a 270 trillion tax cut to the wealthiest 1 percent in 2017, so now wants to “adjust” our benefits yearly to pay for it.
We support secure borders, and common sense agricultural work visas so we can hire the year round workforce needed for our dairy farms, cheese factories and farms. There are many undocumented workers keeping these industries going in SW WI and they deserve to live without fear.
We support excellent public schools and teachers. What better investment than our kids?
We support free and fair elections and our dedicated poll workers. The handful who commit voter fraud deserve jail time. We live in a purple state yet Republicans control the legislature to the tune of 65%. Because of unfair district redrawing, elections have essentially been stolen since 2011. Government is at its best when there is true discussion and compromise.
We support reproductive freedom, men and women want to choose when to have their families including access to birth control, something the supreme court is now considering banning. With the backslide to a 1849 law banning abortion, women will do what they have always done, if they feel desperate enough they will turn to unsafe methods to terminate pregnancies and some will die. We should be taking every possible opportunity to prevent unwanted pregnancies, prevent violence against women, and when babies do arrive, we must support them by helping their parents with daycare and healthcare, not just 6 months of diapers and baby clothes.
We support clean water, clean air, a sensible switch over to clean energy and tackling climate change.
We all want to go to work, see our Grandkids and kids grow and prosper, watch a ball game, and enjoy our friends and families. We don’t want to have to watch over our elected leaders constantly, worrying what dirty tricks they will use to keep power and riches for themselves.
If you agree with me on these issues, ignore the misleading ads and please Vote on November 8th for Tony Evers, Mandela Barnes, and all of the sensible, hard working Democrats on the ballot. They truly represent the little guy.
Sincerely,
E. Bothfeld, Dodgeville, WI
