(Erica Neely) – Politicians of every stripe are flooding your mailbox with hysteria-filled, “hair-on-fire” postcards. Enough to wallpaper your living room!
Misleading headlines. Fear-mongering. Distortions. Unfounded accusations. Doctored photographs. They treat us voters as if we’re morons and idiots.
And my opponent, Assemblyman Steve Yeager, is one of the worst.
He’s been sending out mailers with headlines screaming that I’m a bigger threat than P. Diddy at a children’s birthday party!
Here are a few examples you may have received on the abortion issue . . .
- “Extreme Erica”
- “Danger! Extreme Erica Neely”
- “Extreme on choice”
- “Extreme on anti-abortion”
- “Meet Extremist Erica”
- “Here are just some Extremist Erica’s most extreme positions”
- “She’s an extremist”
Heck, even I wouldn’t vote for me if any of that was true! But, of course, Mr. Yeager’s mailers are filled with more whoppers than a Burger King.
Which is fine. It’s politics. And he’s a professional politician. So I accept the fact that he’s being less than truthful.
What I won’t accept is a man who has no children trying to lecture – “mansplain” – ME, a woman with six children (one adopted), on this issue.
So rather than insult your intelligence the way Mr. Yeager has, I decided to address his accusations in this letter directly so you can “hear it straight from the horse’s mouth” and make your own informed decision.
The fact is voters cemented abortion rights in Nevada over 30 years ago. It’s legal for up to six months for any reason – or even no reason at all – and beyond that under certain emergency circumstances.
And that law can only be changed by another vote of the people. Not by me. Not by Mr. Yeager. Not by the governor. And not by the Legislature. Period.
Anyone who tells you differently is flat-out lying to you.
And with that out of the way, let me share my thoughts on this deeply personal issue and then you can decide for yourself if I’m too “extreme” to represent you in Carson City . . .
First, people are sick of this issue being politicized. I know Democrats believe this is THE issue to get themselves elected or re-elected. But it’s not doing women any favors to treat them like political pawns.
When a woman – especially a young woman – finds herself with an unplanned pregnancy, it takes a serious toll on her mentally and emotionally. Sadness, loss, guilt, confusion. And injecting partisan politics into the situation only makes it worse.
Women deserve better. They want to make their OWN decisions and be treated like they have a brain. They do NOT want to be told by politicians or the government what they can and cannot do . . . especially by men like Steve Yeager.
In order to find a solution to the issue, we’re going to have to find a compromise that empowers women to make this painful choice herself while also protecting an unborn baby that has the ability to survive outside the womb.
Women who find themselves in this difficult situation need the freedom to choose abortion up to a certain point in the pregnancy – even if it’s not a choice you or I would make personally – while also providing some limits.
But those limits need to take into account the rare instances when, sadly, struggling mothers require abortions later in their pregnancies due to serious medical complications for her and/or for the baby.
Nevada’s law making abortion legal up to six months has been in place for three decades and seems to have struck a reasonable balance even though some still think it’s too long and others too short.
With that law in place, it seems to me what we SHOULD be focusing on are ways to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies in the first place, so women aren’t forced to deal with such an agonizing decision.
That means providing women – and men, too – with better pregnancy prevention education and affordable birth control.
In addition, many women facing an unplanned pregnancy would love to have the child. But they’re afraid they won’t be able to afford the medical bills. That’s something legislators can work on.
Also, many women would consider having their baby if the “adoption option” was streamlined and financial support was provided during the pregnancy. That’s also something legislators can work on.
Now, as for Question 6 – which would place a new version of abortion rights in our state Constitution – I will be voting “no,” and here are my reasons why . . .
- It would allow third-trimester abortions even when women are healthy and babies are viable. THAT’S “extreme.”
- It would allow non-doctors to perform surgical abortions. That puts women’s lives in jeopardy. THAT’S “extreme.”
- It would allow for abortions of minors without the approval of their parents or a judge. That would enable sex-traffickers to coerce girls into abortions without anyone knowing about it. THAT’S “extreme.”
Nevertheless, if voters pass it, the voters pass it . . . and I’ll accept their decision. Period.
I know sending you these letters instead of the usual postcards that slick politicians love is a little “weird,” but I think you deserve to know exactly where I stand. If you like what you’ve read, I’d appreciate your vote!
If you have any questions, you can reach me on my personal cell at (702) 785-1160 or shoot an email to erica@neely4nevada.com.
Ms. Neely is the Republican nominee for Assembly District 9 in Clark County. For more information, please visit https://www.neelyfornevada.com