The fight over abortion
I have been a primary care physician in Colorado for many years. During my career, I have seen many things relative to a womanās reproductive abilities and rights. I believe that these matters are strictly between a woman and her physician.
During all the media coverage and screaming about this subject, I am disappointed that an obvious subject has apparently been overlooked: birth control. The wider use of all the available methods would mitigate the need for some abortions.
Maybe more media emphasis on this would influence more women and awaken people to the fact that they donāt have to become pregnant unwillingly.
Martin Thumim, Littleton
Speaking as a moderate left-wing woman, I believe that the Republican Party has gone too far to the right. Moderates stay mute, while the radical right tries to take away a womanās rights to her body and the right to choose her own destiny. They support a hateful man who is acting more and more like a dictator than a president and try to recall a legislator who supports common- sense gun control. It isnāt a good fit for Colorado and the majority of Americans.
Instead of complaining about losing power, they should focus on creating legislation that people want. As I picture the symbols of the parties, instead of seeing a donkey and an elephant I see a donkey and an angry white man with a Bible in one hand, a gun in the other, and his foot on the neck of a woman. It isnāt the Wild West anymore, and it isnāt the 1950s. Fighting a culture change isnāt going to turn out well for the Republicans.
Judith Coleman, Thornton
Re: āWhen I needed it, abortions werenāt illegal,ā May 19 commentary
I was appalled and disgusted by the article āWhen I needed it, abortions werenāt illegal.ā Ms. Trichell is proud of the fact that she not only had an abortion when she was 14, she apparently learned nothing of control over her own body — which is the catch phrase for abortionists ā because she boasts of having had an additional two abortions after she became a mother. She speaks of the āprocedureā being over ābefore she knew it.ā Maybe for her, but the baby she killed was forever impacted. And let me correct one fact: She is not the āmother of three;ā she is the mother of six. Three of them are dead.
Margaret L. Martin, Denver
Mandy, I applaud your courage in speaking out about abortion and your personal history. Thank you for your much-needed perspective. What anti-abortion supporters do not seem to realize is that making abortion illegal will not stop women from having abortions. They will just return to the back alley, coat hanger abortions. Surely, because all life is precious, we do not want to return to those dark times.
Nancy Litwack-Strong, Lakewood
Here is a compelling case for solving our climate crisis
Re: āA palatable carbon tax,ā May 19 commentary
Mark Paul and Anthony Underwood make a compelling case for a national carbon tax that sends dividends back to American households as a powerful first step toward solving our climate crisis. This approach would reduce our CO2 emissions through a transparent market mechanism while also protecting the poor and middle class as fossil fuel prices rise.
Just such a bill is now before Congress, HR 763 the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (EICDA). This bill will get us very close to the 2018 IPCC Special Report¶¶Ņõap target for keeping world temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius: a 40 percent reduction of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and a net-zero goal by mid-century.
EICDA is good for people: Public health will improve, and 60 percent of American households will receive more than they put in.
It¶¶Ņõap good for the economy: Jobs will increase. It also has bipartisan support because it doesnāt grow government, so it is a bill that can pass and last.
But what about the rest of the world? The EICDA applies a border tax adjustment to emissions-intensive, trade- exposed goods that are imported or exported.
This border adjustment keeps American businesses competitive while also incentivizing other countries to charge a similar carbon fee within their borders. EICDA is not a silver bullet, but it is a significant first step toward solving our climate crisis.
Please urge Colorado Reps. Ken Buck, Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, Doug Lamborn, Joe Neguse, Ed Perlmutter and Scott Tipton to co-sponsor HR 763.
Susan Secord, Boulder
Two economics professors brandish their academic swagger with validations such as āeconomic theory ā¦ thisā and āeconomists call it ā¦ that.ā
Having thus established a presumably unassailable foundation, they present wildly simplistic assumptions about the implementation (āPigovian taxā), operation (āincome effectā) and efficacy (āsubstitution effectā) of a carbon tax.
Omitted from their fairy tale account are the countless comparative social benefits of oil, gas and coal, measured instead by hard facts. These include availability, portability, storability, variability in character and function, and favorable cost, touching virtually every — repeat, every ā product and service available to society.
Ask yourself which of these you would abandon.
Think carefully and act accordingly, because the ultimate objective of those proposing a carbon tax is destruction of the fossil fuel industry, and the consequential disruption in matters of daily living, large and small, as we know them today.
Bud Markos, Grand Junction
Iām an old guy and feel very fortunate that my life has spanned what is probably the best period of any for this country.
Iām thankful for antibiotics, Novocain, desktop computers, smartphones, GPS and a generally progressive cultural environment.
Medical care and my college education were very inexpensive.
Iāve greatly enjoyed visiting and working in Americaās wildlands, with mostly clean air and water.
I wish I could expect the same good fortune for my grandchildren, but I canāt.
Between global warming and the national debt, they have had it. They will be loathing my generation and the next one for their poor stewardship as they struggle for survival.
Republicans like Eisenhower and Nelson Rockefeller did a lot to make American lives better, and I was proud to be a Republican back then, but Republicans generally donāt do that anymore.
Iām thankful that Democrats are still fighting for our planet.
A shoutout for Underwood and Paul for their explanation of the carbon tax. Some hope there.
Bob Wood, Monument
Thankful to those who shelter asylum seekers
I want to express my overwhelming gratitude to the Denver churches and organizations that have provided refuge to the asylum seekers. The violence experienced by these families is unimaginable, as well as their fate if and when they are detained and held by ICE, as weāve seen with multiple children dying in ICE custody. These refuge organizations are the leaders in our community. In our current climate conducive to white supremacism and patriarchy, it¶¶Ņõap time for all of us to support those who have experienced unfathomable violence, particularly women and children, even when we ourselves struggle.
Naomi Nishi, Denver
Whoās on the wrong side of the gun issue?
Re: āSullivan recall try divides the GOP,ā May 18 news story
Let me get this straight. The pro-gun lobby claims that all these school, theater, concert and church shootings are the result of mental health issues, not unlimited gun ownership. They also oppose the red-flag bill that would take guns out of the hands of people with mental health issues. Now they want to recall Rep. Tom Sullivan, whose son was killed by a disturbed individual, because he supports a bill that would take guns out of the hands of people like the one who killed his son. Does this clarify whoās on the wrong side of this issue?
James Roth, Denver
Recoiling from recalls
Re: āRochelle Galindoās resignation under a cloud of suspicion was a recall win,ā May 19 commentary by Jon Caldara
The GOP — not only trade protectionists, but now endless litigation for elections. At least Democrats are consistent.
Signed,
Disappointed independent
Craig A Keefner, Westminster
After reading months of Jon Caldaraās broken-record lamentations against āthe progressive monolithā eviscerating Colorado citizensā civil liberties, perhaps it would soothe his soul if he joined the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Chris Horst, Arvada
Not a foolish idea
Re: āMark Kennedy needs CUās āoļ¬cial fool.ā Send me in,ā May 19 commentary
I have always loved Patty Limerickās good-natured, common-sense wisdom, as well as her way with words. Both Mark Kennedy and The Denver Post should definitely renew her ālicense to speak to the kings without fear of retaliation.ā
Send in the fool!
Gail Ryan, Lakewood
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