Podcast Summary

Podcast: Real America’s Voice – Just the News No Noise
Hosts: John Solomon, Amanda Head
Original Air Date: December 26, 2025
Episode Theme: Post-holiday deep dive into the 2026 Congressional agenda, healthcare reform, crime, and recent legislative wins, featuring interviews with Congress members and policy advocates.

Overview

This Boxing Day episode of "Just the News No Noise" focuses on what to expect from Congress in 2026, especially Republican policy ambitions in healthcare, government shutdown aftermath, tackling crime, and recent notable legislative wins both federally and at the state level. The show brings a mix of in-depth commentary and exclusive interviews with key Congressional Republicans and policy advocates, breaking down their strategies and priorities for the coming year. The episode is rich with analysis of ongoing US cultural and political battles, always through the lens of American values, limited government, and freedom.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The 2026 Legislative Agenda – Setting the Stage

[03:38–05:32]

• John Solomon opens by noting that 2026, while an off-election year, is poised to be unexpectedly busy in Congress.
• Amanda Head highlights a major theme: for the first time, Republicans have developed an organized, comprehensive alternative to "Medicare for All" and Democratic healthcare proposals.
  • "This is the first time that Republicans have actually had some, some usable solutions and fixes and alternatives to what Democrats are trying to do." (Amanda Head, [04:28])
• The episode introduces a suite of interviews with lawmakers focusing on legislative priorities for the coming year.

2. Free Speech and International Sanctions

[05:32–07:40]

• John Solomon describes Senator Marco Rubio’s recent actions: issuing US sanctions against members of European governments and NGOs accused of participating in online censorship or so-called "industrial censorship complex."
  • "There will be members of Europe who will not be able to come to the United States because they were involved in what Marco Rubio called the industrial censorship complex." (John Solomon, [05:32])
• Discussion of contrasting free speech climates:
  • US: An update from the University of Oklahoma, where academic freedom and religious citation were defended following a grading controversy.
  • Europe/UK: "Free speech in the UK and Europe in general has been contracting as it is expanding here in this country." (Amanda Head, [06:23])

3. HEALTHCARE: Deep Dive with Rep. Rich McCormick (GA)

[08:15–19:40]

Systemic Failures of Obamacare

• Rep. McCormick, an ER doctor, offers a blistering critique:
  • Lack of competition and accountability are driving up costs—premiums up 90% since ACA, insurance profits up 230%.
    • "They get away with murder. Your insurance premiums have gone up around 90% since the Affordable Care Act… Meanwhile, the insurance companies are making 230% more in profits." (Rep. McCormick, [09:41])
  • Compares misuse of health insurance to using car insurance for oil changes—drives unnecessary costs.
• Doctors Squeezed: Now majority are employed by hospital systems/insurers, not independent.
  • "Doctors, by the way, make about 30% less when adjusted for inflation since the Affordable Care Act." ([11:39])
• Spending out of control: Average family pays $30,000/yr; Medicaid/Medicare now over a third of federal mandatory spending.

PBMs, Pharma, and Competition

• Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) labeled as core profiteers; reform efforts repeatedly blocked by lobbying.
  • "It is the biggest lobbying effort in D.C.; watch where the money's going... they're ripping you off and they're doing it with their eyes wide open." ([14:39])

The Military and Trump’s Second Term

• Morale, recruitment, and leadership in the military addressed:
  • The Afghanistan withdrawal is called irreparable—a "gut punch."
  • "Trump in his first presidency didn't realize how ingrained Obama's appointees were in the military... When he came in the second time though, brilliant. First of all, you watch the recruiting just skyrocket." ([16:42])

4. Legislative Process, Shutdown Fallout, and Healthcare's Future: Rep. Troy Downing (MT)

[24:13–33:48]

• Amanda interviews Rep. Downing on legislative challenges and post-shutdown work:
  • Congress is hustling to pass nine outstanding appropriations bills before the continuing resolution ends, emphasizing bipartisanship and hope to "get back to regular order."
    • "Even though the government was shut down, we were still doing policy work, we were still doing district work." (Downing, [25:30])
• On ACA/Obamacare:
  • Bipartisan consensus that it’s a "horrible failure," fueling rising costs.
  • "Now you've got both Republicans and Democrats agreeing that it's a failed system... So now let's, yeah, at least they recognize it." ([28:33])
  • Explains insurance market "adverse selection": young and healthy drop out, risk/costs spiral.
    • "The doctor-patient relationship needs to be exactly us right now... So many middlemen, so many people taking a piece— we're a mile apart." ([31:46])
  • Argues ACA was designed to push the US toward single-payer.
    • "They designed this to fail. Just force our hands into a single payer system. And I'm going to tell you for me personally, I don't want to be in a system where I go take one number to register my car and take another number to see a doctor." ([33:41])

5. Crime & Law Enforcement: Rep. Mark Harris (NC)

[38:24–47:52]

• Amanda and Rep. Harris discuss the tragedy of the murder of Irena Zaruska and its impact on national awareness about crime and recidivism.
  • Crime attributed to policy failures: "This guy had been arrested 14 times and yet he was on the streets." ([40:40])
• Critiques Democratic officials' rhetoric, especially blame-shifting toward mental illness or societal causes.
• Harris defends law enforcement and military, decries undermining of their authority.
  • "Forgive that these folks are law enforcement. I've said that about the Border Patrol... These people risk their lives each and every day." ([42:01])
• On the way forward: calls for Republicans to stick together and get appropriations done, and for practical fixes rather than complete ACA repeal.
  • "Health care freedom—three words we've got to be able to say and mean." ([46:31])

6. Policy Advocacy and Grassroots Victories: Andy Mangione, AMAC Action

[51:36–58:37] Amanda is joined by Andy Mangione to discuss:

• AMAC's involvement in passing key legislation, including:
  • The Lake and Riley Act: Requires ICE to detain illegal aliens accused of theft and violence against police; allows states to sue over inaction.
  • Halt Fentanyl Act: Permanently schedules fentanyl-related substances as dangerous.
  • "One Big Beautiful Bill": Includes $6,000 tax deduction for seniors, border wall funding, and expanded use of health savings accounts.
    • "No other grassroots organization in the country made such an impact during the bill's deliberations." (Mangione, [53:50])
• State-level wins: Election integrity in Ohio, hospital price transparency in Oklahoma.
  • "This means that patients can shop for the best prices for their non emergency medical services, much like the way they shop for any other major purchase." ([54:09])
• Corporate advocacy: Push against corporate "woke" policies, with AMAC successfully influencing IBM’s media-buying policy and Costco’s non-dispensing of abortion drugs.

Looking Ahead:

• 2026 priorities:
  • Passing the SAVE Act (voting eligibility/citizenship checks)
  • Mobilize turnout for midterms, protect Trump’s Congressional majorities, encourage election worker volunteers.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Health Insurance Costs:
  -"If you used your car insurance the same way you use health insurance, you'd be using it to change your car oil and your blinker... it would be the biggest cost you have."
  (Rep. Rich McCormick, [10:31])

• On ACA’s Legacy:
  -"Over 15 years, nothing has done more to increase the cost of health care than the Affordable Care Act. It's ridiculous."
  (Rep. Troy Downing, [28:33])

• On Crime and Recidivism:
  -"This guy had been arrested 14 times and yet he was on the streets. And when you look at the breakdown in the system… he was out walking the streets."
  (Rep. Mark Harris, [40:40])

• On Military Morale:
  -"The tragedy of the way we withdrew from Afghanistan could never be repaired. That was a gut punch."
  (Rep. Rich McCormick, [16:42])

• On Grassroots Impact:
  -"No other grassroots organization in the country made such an impact during the bill's deliberations."
  (Andy Mangione, [53:50])

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|---------------| | Episode Intro & 2026 Congressional Agenda | 03:38–05:32 | | Free Speech & Marco Rubio Sanctions | 05:32–07:40 | | Rep. McCormick Interview (Healthcare, Military) | 08:15–19:40 | | Rep. Troy Downing (Shutdown, ACA, Reform) | 24:13–33:48 | | Rep. Mark Harris (Crime, Law Enforcement, Appropriations) | 38:24–47:52 | | Andy Mangione, AMAC (Legislative/Grassroots Wins) | 51:36–58:37 | | Hosts' Wrap-up & Key Priorities for GOP | 61:58–64:44 |

Closing Themes

• Republican Priorities, 2026:

  1. Crime reduction
  2. Economic affordability
  3. Tangible, piecemeal improvements to healthcare (instead of full repeal of ACA), positioning as a key pre-midterms issue
     • "If they can achieve all three of those things, I think that November might look good for them." (Amanda Head, [63:11])

• Forecast for 2026 Election:

  • Scott Rasmussen and John Solomon highlight the economy ("the party in power does well when Americans are in a good economic mood") and predict Democrats will pivot to healthcare if economic progress continues to favor Republicans ([64:05]).

• Final Takeaway:
  The episode combines deep policy critique with political strategy, aiming to reassure Republican listeners that the party is unified, proactive, and positioning itself as the party of solutions—from crime and healthcare to restoring American values.

For listeners who missed the show:
This episode is a roadmap for Republican ambitions in Washington, blending exclusive insights from Congress members with sharp critiques of Democratic policy legacies, particularly Obamacare. It arms grassroots activists with legislative victories to tout and future battles to join, all while emphasizing the importance of turnout, vigilance, and reclaiming personal and economic freedoms in the year ahead.