To the editor,

We are a not a rich family. We are blessed to be middle or upper middle class. We’re OK but we worry about the future for our kids and honestly, for America. Like so many Americans, we now find ourselves dealing with cancer. If it were not for Medicare — the technology, diagnosis, chemo, operation, genetic research — we would be financially crushed.

There may be a perception that only rich people go to the Mayo Clinic. We’ve spent a lot of time there now. Most of the people we run into are average citizens, just like us or poorer. They are white, brown, black, handicapped, regular, etc. Some wear dress clothes, some wear hijabs, some wear MAGA type stuff. All of us are getting world class care. BECAUSE OF MEDICARE OR MEDICAID. People need to wake up and think about what it means if DOGE goes after our medical safety nets as powerful Republican voices have indicated. Forget what President Trump said about not touching Medicare or Medicaid. He also said Mexico would pay for the wall, he said the war would be ended in 24 hours and food prices would drop right away. 

Every time you run into a willing listener consider asking them what they would do if they find themselves in our boat, but with slashed benefits. It could happen to you. It can happen to anyone. No one believes it until it does. None of what is going on now makes sense. Our country is embroiled in mean-spirited chaos run by a South African born billionaire who could care less about average folks suffering. If Musk got cancer and had to go through what we and so many other average Americans are, he could pay cash and never notice. We can’t. You can’t,

We are OK for now and thankful. That could change for all of us. Do you really want to roll the dice on your health care because of tribal loyalty to people who are speaking nonsense and running amuck in the Capitol? 

We need to make our representatives notice. We’ve contacted our local and state Republican representatives. No response. If enough people speak out, they will sit down with us in our community and listen. The campaign is over. Now is when they need to show up.

If you are OK with how things are headed, good luck. If you are worried, let’s demand some representation that speaks not for billionaires but for the people who live in our community. 

Dan & Beth Woll

River Falls