Democrats, ignore Obama’s “too far left” warning

Recently, former President Barack Obama warned against Democratic candidates going “too far left.” He said the average American does not want to “tear down the system.”

Well, many of us are drowning in the current system and we need help.

With all due respect to Obama, a man who campaigned on a message of hope and change — and who wrote a book called, “The Audacity of Hope” — it is soul-crushing to hear this type of message.

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However, a new type of progressive has emerged from this shell of a country.

That man is Bernie Sanders. A man who has stood up for us even when we weren’t aware of it. Sanders continues to have and preach the audacity of hope.

Now, let us consider several things.

Is it “too far left” to demand that hundreds of Americans who suffer from chronic, progressive diseases receive adequate and timely care? Is it “too far left” to demand that children at the border be treated humanely and not left in cages without their parents?

Is it “too far left” to demand that every child receive a proper education? Is it “too far left” to act when scientists tell us that climate change will decimate the earth in less than a decade?

Right now, in this country, we are tired. What we need is a president who can instill in us a beacon of hope and change, love and humanity. We need somebody who says, “Not me, us.”

When Americans come together, we can change anything, even if we go “too far to the left.”

That’s the audacity to hope.

Rosemary Callahan, Northbrook

Repeal the medical device tax once and for all

As a patient whose cancer diagnosis from a medical scan came just at the right time, I was excited to travel to Washington, D.C. to represent Right Scan Right Time, a patient and survivor community network.

Representing states across the country, we came together to discuss the damaging impact of the medical device tax with leaders on Capitol Hill.

By imposing a 2.3% tax on medicine’s most critical tools, the device tax creates access and affordability issues for everyone who has ever received an X-Ray, CAT scan, pacemaker, or any other type of medical scan or device.

While Congress has addressed the medical device tax by voting to suspend it several times, the temporary suspensions are not enough. The looming tax makes it difficult for companies to invest in innovation and drives up medical care costs for all Americans.

I want to thank Sen. Tammy Duckworth for her support to repeal the medical device tax this year as well as urge Sen. Dick Durbin and Congressman Bill Foster to vote to repeal the medical device tax and finally address this issue once and for all.

Ann Elliot, Waterman