President Donald Trump’s newly passed “Big, Beautiful Bill” could spell political disaster for Republicans heading into the next election cycle, argues Time magazine political analyst Philip Elliott in a searing critique published Thursday. Contrary to Democratic claims that the GOP is unaware of the damage the bill could cause them, Elliott writes, Republicans know full well what they’ve signed onto — and many are bracing for the fallout.
“Once again, President Donald Trump seems not to understand the plank he’s asking his rank-and-file friends in the Republican Party to walk. Or maybe he just doesn’t care,” Elliott wrote.
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At the heart of the controversy is a sweeping 1,100-page measure that includes hundreds of billions in cuts to Medicaid, potentially stripping health insurance from an estimated 8.6 million Americans. The bill could also unintentionally trigger significant reductions in Medicare spending, affecting millions of older Americans, while simultaneously ballooning the national debt.
“In crass terms, Trump demanded exhausted Republicans vote for a package that will easily be weaponized against them without even bothering to come up with a decent argument for why it’s worth potentially making life worse for millions of aging, unemployed, working-poor, or disabled Americans,” Elliott explained.
Despite internal objections, only two Republican lawmakers voted against the bill. The rest, Elliott observed, succumbed to mounting pressure from Trump and his allies after an exhausting campaign to push the legislation through. “Even the most enthusiastic Trumpists were worn down after having to come back to the Capitol for the final vote before dawn,” Elliott wrote, adding that many now “feel a little cheated.”
Provisions within the bill offer only minor wins for specific voter blocs, such as a cap increase on state and local tax deductions for high-tax states, most of which are Democratic strongholds, and the elimination of taxes on overtime and tips. However, Elliott questions whether these marginal benefits can compensate for the larger harms.
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“Some workers may land a tangible win… but it’s not clear those savings will dampen the anger from folks booted from health care rolls,” he noted.
Republicans in the Senate have already signaled plans to revise the bill, especially its harshest cuts. But as Elliott concluded, the damage may already be done. “Republicans may be delivering Trump his One Big Beautiful Bill Act — yes, it is actually named that — while drafting their own opposition file.”
While voters may welcome tax cuts, he warned, they are unlikely to overlook the consequences of losing healthcare, watching hospitals lose funding, and seeing vital programs for seniors and the vulnerable slashed.
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