To the editor,

In 1789, during the French Revolution when the working-class poor couldn’t afford to buy even bread, Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, is reported to have said, “Let them eat cake then.” If you know anything about history, you know that comment didn’t land well with hungry French peasants, and Marie soon found herself jailed and awaiting the end of her reign as the epitome of financial excess.

In July 2025, our Congressional Representative, Derrick Van Orden, voted in favor of HR1 which has been called the One Big Beautiful (Brutal) Bill. This bill has given tax cuts to the Marie Antoinettes of the US (the wealthy) so they can eat more cake. And it is now punishing the working-class by cutting SNAP food benefits so people go hungry, taking away ACA (health care) subsidies so people can’t afford health insurance, cutting Medicaid support so people can’t afford to see a doctor, and putting in place work requirements for people who genuinely can’t work because of health or disability concerns.

Marie Antoinette was seriously out of touch with the problems of the majority of people in her country. Derrick Van Orden is the same.

We don’t need more cake for rich people. We need to support people who are trying every day just be able to afford bread and see a doctor without bankruptcy.

On Nov. 3, vote Cake out of office and support someone who will make bread and healthcare available to everyone.

Ann Leake

River Falls