Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) delivered a stark warning on Sunday, saying inflation is “gutting the middle class like a fish” and that Congress has squandered months that could have been used to address rising prices before the November elections.
Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Kennedy minced no words when asked about the state of the economy and the political calendar.
“Inflation is a big if, and it’s gutting people like a fish,” Kennedy said. “Inflation is pernicious. And we’ve had it for a few years now. It’s been up and down since President Biden’s administration.”
Host Kristen Welker pressed Kennedy on whether there is still time for Congress to meaningfully tackle inflation before voters head to the polls. His answer was candid—and not particularly optimistic.
“Sure, if we wanted to. We can do anything we want to in reconciliation and ask the House to come back and do it,” Kennedy said. “I’m not saying we will do that. Certainly based on our record of the last five or six months, it’s not likely.”
The Louisiana Republican’s comments come as inflation remains a top concern for voters, even as the rate has cooled from its peak. Kennedy’s language was deliberately visceral, aimed at conveying the pain households are feeling at the grocery store and the pump.
“These prices are gutting the middle class like a fish and they expect Congress to address them,” he said. “And we should have started five months ago. We didn’t. But we need to start talking about it now. That’s my opinion. I’m not putting anybody down. I’m labor, I’m not management. I don’t run the show. But if I did we would be on this issue.”
Kennedy, known for his folksy turns of phrase, added a memorable image for how aggressively he would pursue the issue if he were in charge.
“We’d be on this issue like a hobo on a ham sandwich. We would be all over inflation, passing bills,” he said.
His remarks reflect a broader frustration among Republicans that the party, which controls the House, has not made inflation a more central legislative push. Kennedy’s willingness to criticize his own side’s pace—acknowledging that Congress “didn’t” start early enough—stands out in a political environment where party leaders often circle the wagons.
The senator’s nod to reconciliation as a possible vehicle for action is significant. Reconciliation allows for passage of certain budget-related legislation with a simple majority in the Senate, bypassing the 60-vote threshold typically required. It has been used by both parties in recent years to push through major policy changes on a party-line basis.
But Kennedy made clear that just because the tool exists doesn’t mean it will be used. His assessment of the last several months of legislative output was blunt.
The comments on “Meet the Press” are the latest in a series of high-profile statements from Kennedy on economic issues. He has frequently used colorful analogies to hammer home the impact of government policy on ordinary Americans. His “fish” comment quickly drew attention on social media and in political circles, with supporters praising his directness and critics noting the severity of the imagery.
Kennedy’s remarks also implicitly underscore the political stakes for the party in power. With control of Congress up for grabs in November, inflation is likely to be a central theme in campaign ads and debates. Democrats have argued that inflation is easing and that their policies—such as the Inflation Reduction Act—are helping families. Republicans, by contrast, have sought to tie high prices to Democratic spending and regulatory policies.
Kennedy, however, did not direct his fire solely at Democrats. His frustration with the pace of action seemed aimed at the institution as a whole, and possibly at his own party’s leadership in the House.
When Welker asked whether voters would reward or punish Congress for its inaction, Kennedy did not offer a prediction. Instead, he returned to the core problem: Americans are hurting, and they expect their elected representatives to do something about it.
“They expect Congress to address them,” he said of high prices. “And we should have started five months ago. We didn’t.”
Whether the House will be called back to tackle inflation in the coming weeks remains unclear. Kennedy’s skepticism suggests that, at least in his view, the window for legislative action may be closing fast—and that voters’ patience is wearing thin.
For now, his metaphor is likely to resonate with many Americans who open their monthly bills and feel that something has to give—soon.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/09/06/sen-john-kennedy-inflation-gutting-the-middle-class-like-a-fish/