To the editor:

Last week's Phoenix contained a letter to the editor from an individual complaining about many years of Democrat control in Rhode Island politics, and suggested electing more Republicans and Independents, and while that letter writer is entitled to their opinion, I have a completely different view.

I have voted exclusively for Democrats in the 45 years that I've been eligible to vote, and I'm proud to say I have never cast a vote for a Republican in those 45 years, and the fact that Democrats dominate Rhode Island politics is precisely why I choose to live here.

I've been retired for over 20 years, and could live anywhere in the country, but because Democrats support issues that are important to me, such as racial equality, ensuring a woman's right to safe and legal abortion, passing strict gun control laws, and standing up for the LGBTQ community, I choose to and am happy to live in Rhode Island. But what I find puzzling is why the people who complain about the Democrats controlling Rhode Island politics continue to reside here when there are other parts of the country where Republicans dominate the political landscape.

The last time I checked, there were no laws prohibiting Rhode Islanders from moving to another state if they were dissatisfied with the way Democrats run things here, and perhaps they would be happier if they decided to move to a part of the country where the balance of political power was more to their liking.

Mike Proto
245 Chestnut St.