This is in response to the Cambridge Chronicle’s piece, “Capuano reverses course, would vote against health bill with abortion ban,” Nov. 11.

First of all, to my liberal friends, I don’t think the government should be responsible for paying for the decision, or lack thereof, regarding a woman’s choice to abort her child. As long as there are abortion clinics, she is exercising that right. However, it takes two to tango and the responsibility should financially lie upon the mother and the father.

Secondly, the national debate coming from the Democrats is only being half-told. Abortion will be covered under the public option for a woman who is impregnated by incest, rape, or if the life of the mother is in danger. There are already private health insurers who don’t cover abortion, so why such the outrage?

I think I can live with a healthcare bill that doesn’t cover abortion. Let’s face it, some women use abortion as a birth control mechanism, emphasis on the word, “some.” Should the government be responsible for the woman not going on birth control or her partner not using protection? Let’s focus on more sex education in middle school or high school, protection from sexually transmitted diseases, and not so much focus on abortion.

Not that it really matters, but politically I’m center left. I think the government has a role regarding many of the things that private industry can’t make up, but it’s not the only entity. When there’s a political party that is middle-of-the-road with a platform to end poverty and homelessness, with ideas to combine both government and private industry, I will be signing up in a heartbeat.

On that note, I urge the Cambridge Chronicle to cover the other candidates, too — Democrats Steve Pagliuca and Alan Kharzei; Republican Scott Brown; and the independent candidates, although so far Joseph L. Kennedy, Libertarian candidate, is the only independent running who has set up a website: http://joekennedyforsenate.com. We can’t say that someonecoming from the left or the right represents the views of the entire state, therefore, it’s vital that we also hear from the candidates who are coming from the venter. Yes, this is a blue state, but it’s not that blue. After all, a Democratic governor hasn’t won office for 16 years until Gov. Deval Patrick came along in 2006. In short, it’s vital to hear all sides of the debate and listen to the ideas from all of the candidates before making an informed decision.

Originally published in the Cambridge Chronicle, Wicked Local Cambridge, November 19, 2009 @ 7:13 AM. To view it, click here