I live in Gem Lake, MN, yet am a subscriber and faithful reader of the great community newspaper The Cook County News Herald. I am writing out of concern for the passage of the MN Great Outdoors amendment which will be on the front of every voter’s ballot.

I went back to work 6 days after my son was born because my husband had a low paying job and my income was needed. I had no income during the time I gave birth and started recovering from that birth. That was years ago. Now, in Minnesota, we have paid family leave so that Mothers can recover from the birth and both Mom and Dad can spend some quality time with their new child. We do not have that overall in the U.S. even though most industrialized countries provide paid family leave. Additionally, the GOP, as written in their plan Project 2025, page 486, is discouraging day care centers and supporting only home-based childcare. How could I bring in the income to help support our family if I had to stay home with our child? It is imperative to vote for Democrats since they support paid family leave and childcare centers as well as providing a $6,000 tax deduction to support the needs of that young child.

I, and several of my neighbors have had our Harris/Walz signs and American flags stolen. Clearly the few Trump supporters who are doing this are afraid of those of us who support the opposing candidate. The last time I checked, we still live in a democracy where EVERYONE, regardless of political affiliation, has the right to display their preference. Mature adults would never steal the signs of folks who support a candidate they object to because we all should have freedom to express that support. If you are threatened by a mere sign and remove it, then you obviously don’t respect our democracy! Let’s also respect our neighbors here in Cook County and stop this juvenile behavior. I will keep replacing my sign along the highway until the election. Those doing this cannot stop our beliefs OR our vote. Nice try.