1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I’m writing because your decision to cave on the government shutdown—after 40 days of needless suffering—was nothing short of disgraceful. Millions of people endured uncertainty, stress, and financial hardship, only for you to walk away with absolutely nothing to show for it. That is unacceptable. It’s a betrayal of the people you represent and of basic governance itself. While workers went without paychecks and families stretched every dollar to survive, you allowed yourselves to be outmaneuvered. And for what? Not even to protect a status quo that is already collapsing under its own weight. Our healthcare system is unsustainable. As a 28-year-old with a solid job, I shouldn’t be living month to month worried about whether I can afford coverage. My premium is already $340 a month. If it jumps by another $100 or $200, it will become impossible—not with Denver’s housing costs. I’m healthy, responsible, fully contributing, and yet the system makes even basic security feel out of reach. That should alarm you. There’s a reason Democrats won so decisively in 2025. Affordability is at the core of every working American’s anxiety. People want stability. They want to breathe. They want leaders who will show backbone when the stakes are high. You should be fighting tooth and nail for the people who are barely staying afloat, not folding when pressure peaks. Instead of pushing for meaningful reform, you stepped back at the exact moment when courage and clarity were needed. We either confront this broken system now, or we wait until it collapses and leaves us scrambling to rebuild out of necessity. That is not leadership—that is avoidance.