Congratulations to David and Joyce Schweikert for the recent addition to their family of a beautiful baby girl. As a loving father to three adult children, I know that the experiences and memories of parenthood last a lifetime. As we look to the future, we hope that our children will be well-educated, as well as independent and responsible citizens of the United States.

I am writing to ask you what kind of society and world your child, Olivia, will encounter as she grows up?

Will you send her to the public schools of Arizona where the state legislature is cutting funding to public schools, community colleges and universities?

Will you explain why special interest groups attempt to reduce, eliminate and deny women their rights regarding family planning and other gender issues? Will you explain why there are still “glass ceilings” for women, denial of equal pay for equal work and few women in public office?

Will you discuss why political parties are trying to deny the right to vote to American citizens?

Will you explain that taxes are the lifeblood of our nation? Will you tell her that taxes are used to protect all of us, for military, Social Security and Medicare benefits? Will you tell her that taxes fund research, infrastructure and her father’s salary and medical coverage?

Will you explain how we praised scientists in the past for sending men to the moon yet we deny current scientific data about the dramatic effects of global warming?

Will you explain how guns and the Second Amendment are seemingly more important to special interest groups than the First Amendment?

Do you think that Olivia will understand and accept your explanations of these issues? The majority of the American people do not.