Letters

The former chair of the Southampton Democrats, Mike Anthony, argues in this space that Congressman Nick LaLota is perpetrating a fraud by representing himself as a centrist on reproductive rights [“Watch What They Do,” Letters, September 12].

Yes, Mr. Anthony, Rep. LaLota votes regularly with his Republican majority, just as a Rep. John Avlon will vote exclusively with his fellow Democrats if elected. No shame here.

The difference is, Mr. Avlon will be compelled to support a federal law mandating access to abortion without restriction that absolutely will be passed if the Democrats gain a majority in the House. I’m sure this legislation would be signed into law by a Democrat administration without delay.

But the ugly truth is that Rep. LaLota is a moderate compared with reproductive rights as found in the current statutes of the blue states of Maryland, New Jersey, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., which have no gestational limit on the termination of a pregnancy. Candidate Avalon will be obligated to serve his party masters — moderate or not, he is not running as an independent.

Further, there is a trend emerging from Democrats this election cycle of adopting MAGA talking points and laughably making the argument that they are theirs. Who is and has been in office then? Candidate Kamala Harris is hilariously adopting Trump policies as her own reforms. The fact is, Democrats are shamelessly running from their record and using a press that is willing to assist in the charade.

Joy Flynn of Quogue sees John Avlon as a great guy and dad and thinks these qualify him as the best candidate [“Commitment to Unity,” Letters, September 12]. Hey, I’m a great guy and dad, Joy — why not give me a look? Dr. Tina Jacobwitz in Water Mill can’t understand why so many women do not support an unrestricted right to an abortion [“Choice Matters,” Letters, September 12]. May I suggest there is more than the freedom to have unilateral say in what happens to your body in question here? There is the obligation as a human to recognize the value of the life you are carrying. I know I have no standing in your court being a man, but as a fellow human being, all our lives have value and matter.

The compromise we have as current law gives all of us, as humans, a say in this with our vote in our respective states. Our country is divided on support for the extremes of banning all abortion or the taking of innocent life up to its full term of gestation. Congressman LaLota will be reelected because he is not extreme.

By the issues on which today’s Democrats are running, Mr. Avlon sounds like a good Republican. Maybe he should change teams.

Ed Surgan

Westhampton