Recently a political flyer was sent out by a Progressive organization attacking Andy Tyska. This flyer was not only inaccurate but it maligned a contributing member of our community.

The flyer was paid for by Progressive groups that include Planned Parenthood and the R.I. Coalition against Gun Violence.

Mr. Tyska’s opponent in the Democratic primary for the representative seat in District 68, Laufton Ascencao, claims no knowledge of this flyer. This may or may not be true, but his positions mirror the four hot-button issues noted in the flyer

As a progressive, Mr. Ascencao seeks to protect access to birth control. This is a great example of a strawman argument, as I suspect Mr. Tyska has never threatened anyone’s access to birth control.

Mr. Ascencao supports keeping guns out of schools, as we all do. However, to cut through the fine sounding words, this is an attack on the Second Amendment. What we really need to do is keep guns out of the hands of people who would do harm to our children or others in society.

Mr. Ascencao will protect access to safe and legal abortion. Safe and legal, except to the unborn. One suspects that this is unlimited abortion.

Finally, he supports fair pay for women for equal work. The flyer strongly implies that Mr. Tyska does not support such fair pay. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The progressive agenda’s ultimate outcome is socialism. They may call it democratic socialism, but the end result is always bigger and more intrusive government, along with an evisceration of personal responsibility. This flyer is a great example of why citizens are frustrated with politics.

Mr. Ascencao claims he will be a representative who listens, but in my personal contact with him he only listens when it is a position he favors.

Mike Byrnes

Bristol