Enough is enough

A few weeks ago, the Chronicle's Weekend Edition published an excellent article about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies — support that millions of Americans rely on to afford health insurance.

In case you missed it, the article noted: "Right now, over 24 million Americans get their health insurance through the ACA marketplace … The state with the most enrollees is Florida, with about 4.7 million residents — roughly 27% of Floridians under age 65."

While the exact number of Citrus County residents enrolled in subsidized ACA plans isn't known, estimates suggest about 11.5% of our community relies on this coverage. That's thousands of local families. And unless Congress acts, many of those families will see their premiums skyrocket — sometimes doubling — in January. For many, it won't just be a financial strain. It will be a "food vs. health care" decision.

Fixing this crisis should have been straightforward. As part of the deal to reopen the government, Republicans in Congress promised Democrats that they would revisit the ACA subsidies. Now we've learned—again—that the promise meant nothing. The Senate is willing to vote. The House leadership refuses even to bring the measure to the floor.

And once again, our congressman, Gus Bilirakis, has put party politics over the people he represents. Instead of fighting to protect these subsidies, he is letting them expire — directly harming thousands of his own constituents — while also voting to give millionaires even more tax breaks.

I realize we live in a deep-red district. But at what point do we say, "Enough is enough"? If you're tired of broken promises, weary of corruption, tired of a "Let's Make Trump Richer" agenda, and tired of watching your rights slowly erode, then it might be time to consider someone new.

Maybe it's time to elect a representative who understands service — not just politics. Someone who has worn our nation's uniform and then spent decades protecting America as a CIA officer. Someone who believes that healthcare is a human right.

Yes, he's a Democrat — but the Republican Party has stopped delivering for ordinary people. So why not take a look at Chris Irizarry? You may find he represents something this district sorely needs: honesty, competence and commitment to the people rather than to party power.

Thomas MItchell

Inverness