The Ugly Parts Of The One Big Beautiful Bill.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Is Full Of Ugliness, Some Not Getting Discussed As Much As It Should.
The One Big Beautiful Bill, more aptly known as the one big beautiful disaster, has now officially passed through congress and been signed into law by Donald Trump.
As a spending bill it includes massive cuts to many social programs, so we thought we’d take a moment to briefly discuss things being cut from this bill, and how they directly affect you.
Medicaid Cuts.
This is the part receiving the largest amount of coverage, rightfully so. Over 78 million people are insured through Medicaid, and it funds over 40% of births in this country.
So when it gets around this program will be facing the largest cuts in it’s history, ones that put rural hospitals in direct risk, people rightfully get worried.
With work requirements getting the largest brunt of the discussion, it is important to mention limiting payments to providers and the eligibility in which states can insure people through Medicaid will also have major effects.
Over 16 million people will have their healthcare affected, with those lucky enough to remain insured expected to now face unexpected out-of-pocket costs. As Medicaid typically covers the lowest earning Americans, you can imagine the financial strain this could add to many households.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Cuts.
SNAP, more commonly known as food stamps, is a nutrition assistance program for low-income households to help them afford groceries. Not only are over 42 million individuals on food stamps, but multiple schools use this for their free lunch programs as well.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the changes in the bill would cut funding by roughly 20%, nearly $186 billion through 2034. This makes it the largest cut to SNAP in history, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
22.3 million families are estimated be affected by the legislation’s changes, and over 5 million would lose at least $25 per month in SNAP benefits, according to the Urban Institute.
On average, those families would lose $146 per month in SNAP support.
Analysis finds that an estimated 832,000 students might need to revert to school meal applications, something that has become less common because of the rise in universal free meal programs such as the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
These application requirements are not only associated with lower rates of enrollment for free lunch programs, but stigmas for the children who are on them.
Clean Energy Incentives Get Destroyed.
A portion not being discussed as much as I believe it should is the rollback of multiple clean energy initiatives and tax credits for green energy investment we saw signed into law under Joe Biden.
These combined together to mark the largest investment into climate change in American history, a huge step in the right direction due to the list of negative effects climate change can cause.
Many of these efforts however are now being undone by the stroke of a pen.
This includes cuts for grants to lower air pollution, home-energy upgrades, and emission-free public transportation. In facts, estimates range at increased out of pocket costs of $110 a year for electricity per household due to these cuts.
Increases in local air pollution as a result of the bill will likely lead to 430 avoidable deaths every year by 2030 and 930 by 2035.
It is also set to increase greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 310 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035, this increases disasters associated with climate change such as wildfires and hurricanes.
From worker safety in extreme heat, to rising rates of preventable injuries from climate change, the setbacks that this bill will solidify risks to Americans’ safety and health.
Those In Poverty Will Now Have To Pay Student Loans.
It also decimates the SAVE plan, in which Joe Biden used to massively reduced the debt low-income earners had on their student loans. Reducing their payments over time to eventually be forgiven if paid on long enough.
Now under Donald Trump those making under $10,000 a year, well below the poverty line in America, will now have to make student loan payments. In fact, someone making the average US salary will now pay 5 times as much as before a month on student loans.
Only further leaving less money in the hands of the Americans who need it the most.
Conclusion
This bill is an act of theft from the middle class to give massive handouts to the wealthy. It leaves the average American with less money in their pocket, will stealing healthcare and assistance from those below them.
This bill flies in the face of everything Donald Trump said he would do, and I hope voters remember that come the 2026 midterms.