Kevin de León is a strong supporter of our nation

Kevin de León is a strong supporter of our nation

Letters to the Editor: Why I am telling my neighbors that Kevin de León must resign from the United States Senate

My name is Jody A. Brown and I have lived in Fort Myers, Florida, since 1981. It’s been a great experience and a blessing to be able to raise our two young daughters here in the sunshine. I am a strong supporter of Kevin de León, but I disagree with him on a few key issues.

First, in our state and country, we need to be more engaged citizens to effect positive change in our communities because it is difficult to do that when we are distracted by media coverage focused on presidential politics and personal scandals. Kevin de León is very much likeable as a human being, but his public policy positions, especially regarding the environment, immigration and trade, are misguided and often counter productive.

Since he is running for president, he has taken positions that make him difficult for me to support. When I think about Kevin de León supporting the Florida Comprehensive Water Plan, the water plan that includes conservation and treatment in the Everglades, I cringe because he supports the idea that Florida needs to be turned into the desert, a place devoid of water. We should not be building a water supply for a future Florida when there is so little water in the state today.

Second, I disagree with Kevin de León for advocating for the legalization of marijuana as a remedy for the opioid epidemic. Our nation has an opportunity to save the lives of people who use drugs. But by pushing for legalization, we are promoting drug use and drug addiction. We should be fighting against drug use and addiction.

I support efforts to combat homelessness by providing more services for people struggling with homelessness, as well as providing more support to those who are staying at home with their children, including affordable child care, family therapy and education support. Yet I disagree with de León on efforts that would benefit the millions of Americans without health insurance and who lack access to quality, affordable health care that is also available to the uninsured. This is just not right.

I would like for Kevin de León to know that I can respect his political views. But I have found, over the years, that disagreement with his positions is a hallmark of how a strong leader deals with opposition. When I see how much he

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