How to avoid this thread getting too political?
Well, I have to say that I do believe the US has a dysfunctional democracy which, at the moment, is being largely controlled by corporations. Many (not all) folks are rather easy to manipulate and there seems to be an underlying 'rage'/rightiousness that the corporations have tuned into and increasingly able to channel and control. It seems big business has figured out how to make the little people think the politicians are protecting their rights, whilst most actions are really motivated by making consumers behave the way that corporations want. In particular the medical, financial and insurance industries seem to be most perverse in this sort of manipulation. Politicians are true masters of presenting commercial interests as matters of moral principal to stoke the ire of unquestioning yet innocent Americans.
My perception is that the Republicans are worse than the Democrats in this regard (however the Dems also have a lot to answer for).
In this particular case, it's the Republicans, representing the commercial interests of medical insurers and providers, trying to exploit approval of the national budget to re-argue the health system reforms. They are very close to exposing themselves for what they truly are: they would be willing to see the country stall to serve their true paymasters.
By the way, I have to say the Democrats also have a lot to answer for but in different respects.