How to Test Negative for Stupid: And Why Washington Never Will

The C-band spectrum auction represents a key legislative victory where Kennedy intervened to prevent what he describes as a multibillion-dollar giveaway of a public asset. The issue centered on valuable mid-band spectrum, essential for 5G technology, which was licensed to foreign satellite companies. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) planned to allow these companies to sell the spectrum directly to telecommunication providers and keep the profits. Kennedy framed this as a betrayal of the public trust, as the spectrum belonged to the American people.

He details his strong opposition, stating he “immediately started raising fresh hell” (130) by giving speeches and lobbying against the arrangement. The critical turning point came when he called President Trump directly, explaining that an open auction could generate tens of billions for the US Treasury. This appeal to fiscal common sense proved decisive, as the president overruled the FCC. The resulting public auction ultimately brought in over $80 billion, funding national 5G deployment while demonstrating Kennedy’s pragmatic, hands-on approach to influencing policy and protecting taxpayer interests.

The Dump Opioids Act is a bipartisan law that expanded access to safe disposal sites for unused opioids, showcasing Kennedy’s ability to work across the aisle on critical public health issues. The law enlists the Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies to help reduce the risk of prescription drug diversion and overdose by making it easier for people to remove unneeded medications from their homes. Kennedy presents the act as a practical, commonsense solution to a key driver of the opioid crisis.

The legislation culminates in a pivotal anecdote from the book: a bill-signing ceremony at the White House on July 29, 2021. Kennedy uses his extended, forty-minute interaction with President Joe Biden at this event to offer a firsthand account of the president’s physical and cognitive state. While the act itself is an example of successful bipartisan lawmaking, its primary narrative function is to provide the setting for Kennedy’s detailed observations of Biden, which he uses to build his critique of the administration’s leadership and competence.

This federal law, introduced as a bill in the Senate by Kennedy, requires foreign companies listed on US stock exchanges to comply with American auditing standards or face delisting. Kennedy highlights this act as a major achievement in protecting American investors and asserting US economic sovereignty, particularly in relation to China. The legislation directly addresses the problem of opaque, state-influenced Chinese firms that had long avoided the transparency required of domestic companies, creating risks for US capital markets. By linking access to American exchanges with compliance, the law enforces a level playing field and holds foreign entities to the same standards as their American counterparts. Kennedy highlights his introduction of this act to reinforce his hawkish stance on China and his belief in using economic policy as a tool for geopolitical leverage, positioning him as a defender of Main Street investors against fraud by foreign companies.

The Louisiana Campaign Finance Act is a state law Kennedy drafted early in his career that serves as a cornerstone of his anti-corruption platform. The legislation fundamentally reshaped Louisiana’s political fundraising landscape by banning cash contributions, capping donations at $5,000, and requiring full public reporting of all money raised and spent. Kennedy contrasts this reform with the state’s previous political culture, which he characterizes as rife with untraceable “suitcase” cash deals and a general lack of transparency. By authoring and lobbying for this bill, he establishes his credentials as a reformer committed to cleaning up a system he viewed as broken. The act functions in his narrative as a foundational accomplishment, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to accountability that he would later carry to Washington.