Washington avoided a government shutdown last week.
That is a good thing.
But let’s be honest: keeping the government open is the bare minimum. It is not a plan to lower costs. It is not a plan to protect health care. It is not a plan to help families afford groceries, housing, gas, childcare, or prescriptions.
It is just Congress doing the most basic part of its job.
And we deserve more than that.
Right now, people are trying to build budgets around rising prices and uncertainty. Rural hospitals are under pressure. Farmers are facing debt and unstable markets. Young families are wondering if they will ever be able to buy a home. Workers are doing everything right and still feeling like they are falling behind.
Meanwhile, too many politicians in Washington pat themselves on the back for avoiding a crisis they helped create.
