What's At Stake
This isn’t just politics—it’s your cost of living, your paycheck, your healthcare, and your safety. Here’s what politicians are doing, and how it’s hitting people here at home.
Cost of Living
Middle-class families are paying more—and getting less.
Why? Jobs are down. Costs are up. And while Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill" gives modest tax breaks to middle-income earners, the reality is that rising healthcare premiums, insurance rates, and inflation on everyday expenses cancel out those gains. At the same time, support programs for working families—like Medicaid, housing aid, and child tax credits—are being slashed. Kevin Kiley voted for the bill which gives with one hand and takes more with the other. Families are left to cover the difference.
Source: Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget; Tax Policy Center
Trump’s tariffs are punishing small businesses & raising prices.
Why? Trump-era tariffs—supported by MAGA Republicans like Kevin Kiley—are driving up the cost of imported materials and finished goods. That means higher prices for consumers, and smaller margins for local manufacturers, farmers, and shop owners. One business owner in CA-03 reported losing a key contract because his materials now cost 30% more. These policies were sold as “America First,” but they’re hitting Americans in the wallet.
Source: NFIB; U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Social Security is being used as a political talking point—not protected.
Why? Despite promises, MAGA Republicans have offered no serious plan to secure Social Security’s long-term future. The current budget prioritizes tax cuts over solvency, kicking the can down the road. Recent cuts have made it harder for seniors to get help, rather than easier. Kevin Kiley repeats vague reform slogans—but has taken no action to protect future retirees or ensure the system’s stability.
Source: Social Security Trustees Report 2025; Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
Food and housing assistance programs are being gutted.
Why? SNAP, rental assistance, and utility support programs are on the chopping block under the MAGA budget. These programs aren’t luxuries—they’re lifelines for families facing temporary hardship, seniors living on fixed incomes, and veterans in transition. Kevin Kiley supported cuts that pull the rug out from under people trying to stay afloat. Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; USDA
Healthcare
Millions will lose their health insurance.
Why? MAGA Republicans approved a budget that slashes Medicaid and allows Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire—jeopardizing health coverage for over 16 million Americans. That includes early retirees, working families, and low-income seniors who depend on affordable insurance options. In rural districts like CA-03, where access is already limited, these cuts mean more ER visits, skipped medications, and rising medical debt. Kevin Kiley supported these cuts, choosing tax breaks for the wealthy over care for the middle class.
Source: Center on Budget an Policy Priorities; Medicare Rights Center
Veterans are being forced into virtual-only care.
Why? Staffing shortages at VA clinics have left rural veterans unable to access in-person appointments—even for serious conditions like PTSD, dementia, and chronic pain. Many are told their only option is a virtual visit, often with long wait times. These are men and women who served our country—and now they’re being told there’s no doctor for them. Kevin Kiley has voted in line with a MAGA agenda that underfunds and undermines the VA system, while offering no real solutions.
Source: Los Angeles Times; Los Angeles Times
Rural hospitals are shutting down—and more could follow.
Why? Over 130 rural hospitals have closed in the past decade, and hundreds more are at risk. MAGA-backed Medicaid cuts and rising operational costs are pushing local facilities to the brink. When a hospital shuts its doors, residents lose emergency care, prenatal services, and jobs—sometimes permanently. Kevin Kiley voted for budget cuts that accelerate this crisis, putting his own district’s access to care on the chopping block.
Source: KFF Health News
Long-term care for aging Americans is on the chopping block.
Why? Medicaid is the largest payer of long-term care in the U.S., covering in-home health aides, memory care, and nursing homes. MAGA Republicans want to slash this funding—leaving families with impossible choices. Kevin Kiley voted for a budget that puts these services at risk, even as more Americans enter retirement.
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation; National Council on Aging
Community Priorities
Wildfire prevention funding is being cut—again.
Why? Despite devastating fire seasons across California, DOGE cuts slashed wildfire mitigation programs, including fuel reduction and fire team staffing. That means higher risk for families in high-fire areas and rising insurance premiums. Kevin Kiley has not voiced opposition to these cuts, even though CA-03 includes some of the most fire-prone terrain in the state.
Source: U.S. Forest Service FY25 Budget Summary; CalMatters; LA Times
Public schools are being drained of funding.
Why? MAGA Republicans are diverting public funds into private school voucher programs, often with little oversight. That leaves fewer resources for public classrooms—especially in rural and low-income districts. Students face larger class sizes, outdated materials, and fewer support staff. Kevin Kiley has echoed culture-war distractions to justify defunding the schools families rely on.
Source: Education Week; Brookings Institution
Safety & Quality of Life
Government watchdogs are being dismantled.
Why? Independent oversight agencies are being defunded or folded into political appointee structures—leaving less transparency in how taxpayer money is spent. These cuts benefit the powerful and connected, while removing protections that keep government honest. Kevin Kiley hasn’t pushed back; he’s voted in lockstep with the party dismantling the guardrails.
Source: Project on Government Oversight; Congressional Research Service
Science is being sidelined—just when we need it most.
Why? House Republicans have already passed deep cuts to the EPA, NOAA, and wildfire science programs—slashing the tools we rely on to track smoke, forecast drought, and respond to public health risks. In CA-03, that means more exposure, less warning, and fewer facts guiding policy. Rep. Kevin Kiley backed these cuts, aligning with an agenda that puts politics over preparedness.
Sources: House Appropriations Committee; Union of Concerned Scientists – Attacks on Science
