The following letter to the editor was published in The Daily Sun on August 25, 2022. Thanks, Cat.
In June 2022 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to end national abortion protections and many states are quickly moving to enact legislation to ban or severely restrict abortions.
One question that some officials are asking is whether the government (state or federal) now has a greater obligation to provide material support to families to help ease financial insecurities associated with childbirth and parenthood
Over the past 20 years Republicans have roundly rejected proposals to expand childcare, prekindergarten, national paid family leave — all measures to facilitate raising children. President Biden’s expanded Child Care Credit of $250 to $300 per child expired at the end of 2021 and will likely not be reinstated.
What have Florida’s State Legislators done to help families since Roe v Wade was overturned? Nothing! Twelve percent of the population has no insurance and Florida did not pass the expansion of Medicaid. We rank 35th in the nation for children living in poverty. States that did expand Medicaid to cover low-income people had much lower rates of maternal and infant mortality. Florida’s maternal deaths during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, ranks 13th out of the 48 states for which there was information.
Let’s remember which party cares about families in Charlotte County, when you vote this November. Let’s also note that Greg Steube voted against capping the cost of insulin at $35 per month. Do you really think that Republican politicians care about us, our health, and our families?
Catherine Baxter, Punta Gorda
