To the Editor:
On the 4th of July, we celebrate our nation’s freedom and independence. Freedom is a bedrock value for nearly every Iowan and American. We all want the freedom to make our own choices and be in control of our lives and our long-term pursuits.
Freedom allows us to make decisions that benefit our families and future generations, to think for ourselves, and to stand up for what we believe. We want the freedom that an education provides: to pursue a meaningful life, and to have the opportunity to thrive, and to retire with dignity. But how free are we?
MAGA Republicans like Gov. Reynolds, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, State Rep. Anne Osmundson, and State Senator Mike Klimesh are hell-bent on whittling away our freedoms. They are determined to take away our reproductive freedom by banning abortion. They are taking away our freedom to learn by under-funding and weakening public schools and banning books while giving nearly a billion dollars of our taxpayer money to private schools.
Our freedom to thrive, get ahead and make a decent living is eroding as MAGA Republicans give the wealthiest and corporations huge tax cuts at a time when corporations are gouging everyday people and making record profits.
The freedom to retire with security and dignity is in jeopardy as MAGA Republicans in Congress like Ashley Hinson plan to raise the retirement age for Social Security and Medicare to 69. They want to rescind the Biden Prescription Drug Benefit to ‘pay back’ big pharmaceutical companies who donate to their campaigns.
If we want leaders who value, protect and expand our freedoms, we must reject MAGA Republicans who are taking our freedoms away.
Karen Pratte
Waterville
