Dear Editor:

I was surprised and disappointed that the Downey Patriot chose not to inform its readers about the overall positive impact of the recently passed Covid relief bill. This is a bill that provides massive funding to help the overall health and welfare of our entire economy, including and especially families with children, who have been so battered by this pandemic.

Included in this bill are direct payment of $1400 to most individuals in the country and the extension unemployment benefits with a $300 weekly supplement through Labor Day. Most relevant to low-income families with children, the bill modifies and expands the earned income tax credit. The bill provides help for small businesses, help for state and local governments battered by the economic impacts of the pandemic, and much more.

But the Downey Patriot’s summary of this historic plan, spelled out in blaring headlines across the top of the Opinion page was “Biden’s Covid-19 Plan: Force taxpayers to pay for abortion.”

A majority of Americans identify as pro-choice, while at the same time a majority of Americans agree there should be reasonable restrictions on abortion. But each individual’s belief is strongly held, and I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind about abortion. However, to only evaluate social issues and major legislation through the lens of abortion is just not right.

We in America struggle when it comes to caring for a healthy life of born children. One in four children in America grow up in poverty. Programs to expand health coverage to all Americans, including and especially children, have been fought tooth-and-nail by conservative politicians. The battle against the Affordable Care Act, the largest expansion of health coverage for children in America, is perhaps the most glaring example of our lack of care for our children. It’s wrong to focus completely on abortion while not caring for the children that we have.

Let the debate about abortion go on if it must. Talk about details of the bill if one must.

But the news is that the Covid Relief Bill provides massive help for Americans, including and especially children. That should be the headline.

Frank Kearns
Downey

Dear Editor:

This is in response to Terrence P. Jeffrey’s op-ed on President Joe Biden’s sweeping $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. (“Biden’s Covid-19 Plan: Force Taxpayers

to Pay for Abortions,” 3/11/2021).

I would like to thank Jeffrey for presenting his ideas.

We all want to protect people’s lives with good health care. That is why we have a United States of America, one country under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all…” as our pledge of allegiance states.

We should protect not only children but also those most at risk of dying, particularly our seniors—parents and grandparents.

His article brings up an important issue which should be discussed in another setting by a woman, a doctor and a priest or minister.

Government or non-governmental organizations should not be in the business of telling someone when to be or not to be pregnant---leave that decision to communist countries. In America, a woman decides what to do with her own body in consultation with a doctor, a priest or minister and her conscience. Since we are a country of laws, that decision was made by the Supreme Court in the Roe v. Wade case in 1973. Period.

What President Biden signed on Thursday, March 11, 2021 was a law that will save millions of lives, and will bring hope to Americans who have been affected by this pandemic.

Three- quarters of the public—Republicans and Democrats-- support this relief package, want to get the pandemic under control, want to see people go back to work, and have the vaccines in their arms.

And about Planned Parenthood, it is an organization which has helped one in five women in the United States. My family used it a few times. It helps people take care of their health and in this Covid-19 health crisis we need more health care providers, not less.

Thanks, Jeffrey for bringing the subject of health. President Biden will do his utmost to make sure everybody in America has access to good health care.

Guido Rivero
Downey