Hillbilly wisdom: if you know what is important to your opponent, you would do well to use that knowledge to your advantage. We start with a statement made by Representative Kevin Kiley from California, “22 million people should not have to pay for the inaction of Congress”. On the surface this seems like a fair assessment of the impending votes on healthcare before the 119^th Congress. The first session will end at the end of December 2025 and will resume in January 2026. Rep. Kiley is a voice of compromise, a candidate willing to negotiate for the betterment of the whole. We could use a voice of reason. Thank you for your service.

But why not? It is time to stop pointing the finger and blaming others. Or better yet, the people should not forget how it is now at election time. Both chambers of Congress are currently controlled by the Republican party. This numerical majority gives them certain advantages as to the scheduling of voting and what is brought before their respective chambers. Access to the Congress is as controlled as the press conferences at the executive branch. Makes for good drama. Drama not completed work.

The current debate is not about healthcare. The debate is about how much return the insurance companies will get for the 300 million plus spent lobbying Congress each of the last three years. Over a billion dollars spent and not a single dollar toward healthcare. Both parties are guilty (voters can decide which elected officials are more guilty this year). One of the richest countries in the world and we do not have healthcare for everyone. We lost that battle.

Neither party is overly concerned with health care for the 22 million who will shortly be unable to make insurance payments. The votes speak for themselves. That 22 million cannot afford healthcare via insurance. You can, therefore, bet they do not have extra money to back their candidates. This is the reality of United States in the year 2025-26.

Until healthcare is provided for all, not a subsidy for the insurance companies, cost will continue to increase. Bargaining is easier when your base is the entire 340 million people and your objective is WE THE PEOPLE. Basic healthcare should be high on the list of accomplishments for our nation. The standard for our elected officials should be: Lead, follow or get out of the way. Resign and go home.