Of the four Oct. 16 letters on issues in the U.S. presidential election, all alarmed me except the one by Milton Claassen, who supported Social Security and Medicare based on biblical principles of caring for the needy. According to the two letters under the headline “Not a matter of choice,” just one issue will decide the writers’ vote: abortion. Many people think voting for Republicans will decrease abortion. History shows the opposite. In the administration of George H.W. Bush, the number of abortions rose; in that of his son, it stayed level. In the administrations of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, the number of abortions dramatically decreased. Reasons included availability of affordable contraception, fewer teenage pregnancies due to education and a better economy. Joe Biden will support policies to lower the number of abortions.
Nancy V. Lee
Madison, Wis.
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