A friendly tip to Republican legislators on how to revamp your party image: Stop trying to politicize the nonissue of a woman's right to make decisions regarding her body.

Women don't need politicians to make decisions about their reproductive rights. Tackle issues that actually matter, such as the desperate need for health care reform as highlighted in an article by Charles S. Johnson in the Independent Record on May 7.

In "Family's struggles highlight health care costs," Johnson spotlights the financial struggles of the Ritter family to illustrate some disturbing statistics with regard to this issue; "The Ritters are among 271,000 Montanans in families that will spend more than 10 percent of their pre-tax income on health care this year according to Families USA, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit, nonpartisan, advocacy group for affordable health care in America. Nearly 85 percent of these families are insured."

This is only one of numerous issues that are actually at the fore of the minds of Montanans. If you truly wish to reconnect with your constituents, stop wasting their time and money by continuing to attack a woman's right to choose. There are far more pressing and urgent matters at hand.

Moira McNichols-Drake

2527 Ferndale Lane #203