Taxation without representation is still tyranny. Mike Johnson, as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, you have an absolute duty to keep Congress open to conduct the people’s business.

The “Big Beautiful Bill” rammed through Congress shoveled money to the wealthiest Americans at the expense of the rest of us. Mark Twain said, “We have the best government that money can buy.” The billionaires who were the primary beneficiaries of this recent largess would agree. Government certainly works for them.

The bill raised the cost of health care for the rest of us. It particularly targeted the poor by attacking Medicare and SNAP programs, eliminating their medical care and increasing food insecurity.

It featured a huge increase to the national debt and an unprecedented allotment to the Department of Homeland Security to enable it to make war in and on American cities.

The American people are suffering from the current administration’s dismantling of our government institutions, unnecessary trade wars, volatile foreign policy, incompetent cabinet appointees and continual assault on the press, individual citizens, businesses, law offices and universities.

This administration seems to have a complete disdain for the rule of law and the Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights. Your refusal to reopen Congress exacer­bates this calamity of governance.

This shutdown is due to your insistence on dictating a nonnegotiable budget that will continue a series of policies many Americans find repulsive.

It’s time to get back to work, Mike. Reopen the people’s house and start negotiating a budget.

Greg Rennels

Stahlstown

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)