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First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Trump's tax cuts vs. healthcare fallout: Will the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' backfire in 2026 midterms?
Donald Trump's signature tax legislation, dubbed the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill,' faces political scrutiny ahead of the 2026 midterms. While Republicans tout its economic benefits, critics argue it favours the wealthy and endangers healthcare for the poor, raising questions about its long-term electoral consequences. read more Barack Obama had the Affordable Care Act. Joe Biden pushed through the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, Donald Trump is staking his legacy on sweeping tax cuts. Like his predecessors' landmark policies, Trump's 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' is both a signature legislative achievement and a potential electoral liability. While initially celebrated within Republican circles, the bill is under growing scrutiny for provisions that critics say could strip health coverage from low-income Americans and unravel years of climate and energy policy progress. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump secured passage of the multitrillion-dollar legislation by rallying Republican lawmakers through a blend of persuasion and pressure tactics. True to his brand-driven approach, he named the bill with characteristic flair and made it a partisan milestone, pushing it through Congress without a single Democratic vote. But its political durability faces a crucial test in the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats are preparing to center their campaign narrative around a stark accusation: that Trump has prioritised tax breaks for the wealthy at the cost of health care for the poor. While Trump and Republican allies insist that vulnerable groups will retain access to health coverage, independent analysts forecast a sharp rise in the uninsured population. At the same time, GOP promises that the bill will deliver an economic boost are being questioned amid economic instability and global trade tensions. To address criticism that the bill primarily benefits the rich, Trump has highlighted tax relief measures for tipped workers and those earning overtime pay—groups that, while politically symbolic, make up only a fraction of the workforce. Still, whether these offsets will be enough to change public perception remains to be seen as both parties brace for an intense electoral showdown. Extending the tax cuts from Trump's first term that were set to expire if Congress failed to act meant he could also argue that millions of people would avoid a tax increase. To enact that and other expensive priorities, Republicans made steep cuts to Medicaid that ultimately belied Trump's promise that those on government entitlement programs 'won't be affected.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The biggest thing is, he's answering the call of the forgotten people. That's why his No. 1 request was the no tax on tips, the no tax on overtime, tax relief for seniors,' said Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. 'I think that's going to be the big impact.' Presidents have seen their signature legislative accomplishments unraveled by their successors or become a significant political liability for their party in subsequent elections. A central case for Biden's reelection was that the public would reward the Democrat for his legislative accomplishments. That never bore fruit as he struggled to improve his poll numbers driven down by concerns about his age and stubborn inflation. Since taking office in January, Trump has acted to gut tax breaks meant to boost clean energy initiatives that were part of Biden's landmark health care-and-climate bill. Obama's health overhaul, which the Democrat signed into law in March 2010, led to a political bloodbath in the midterms that fall. Its popularity only became potent when Republicans tried to repeal it in 2017. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Whatever political boost Trump may have gotten from his first-term tax cuts in 2017 did not help him in the 2018 midterms, when Democrats regained control of the House, or in 2020 when he lost to Biden. 'I don't think there's much if any evidence from recent or even not-so-recent history of the president's party passing a big one-party bill and getting rewarded for it,' said Kyle Kondik, an elections analyst with the nonpartisan University of Virginia's Center for Politics. Democrats hope they can translate their policy losses into political gains. During an Oval Office appearance in January, Trump pledged he would 'love and cherish Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.' 'We're not going to do anything with that, other than if we can find some abuse or waste, we'll do something,' Trump said. 'But the people won't be affected. It will only be more effective and better.' That promise is far removed from what Trump and the Republican Party ultimately chose to do, paring back not only Medicaid but also food assistance for the poor to make the math work on their sweeping bill. It would force 11.8 million more people to become uninsured by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office, whose estimates the GOP has dismissed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'In Trump's first term, Democrats in Congress prevented bad outcomes. They didn't repeal the (Affordable Care Act), and we did COVID relief together. This time is different,' said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. 'Hospitals will close, people will die, the cost of electricity will go up, and people will go without food.' Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., repeatedly argued the legislation would lead to drastic coverage losses in his home state and others, leaving them vulnerable to political attacks similar to what Democrats faced after they enacted 'Obamacare.' With his warnings unheeded, Tillis announced he would not run for reelection, after he opposed advancing the bill and enduring Trump's criticism. 'If there is a political dimension to this, it is the extraordinary impact that you're going to have in states like California, blue states with red districts,' Tillis said. 'The narrative is going to be overwhelmingly negative in states like California, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who eventually became the decisive vote in the Senate that ensured the bill's passage, said the legislation needed more work and she urged the House to revise it. Lawmakers there did not. Early polling suggests that Trump's bill is deeply unpopular, including among independents and a healthy share of Republicans. White House officials said their own research does not reflect that. So far, it's only Republicans celebrating the victory. That seems OK with the president. In a speech in Iowa after the bill passed, he said Democrats only opposed it because they 'hated Trump.' That didn't bother him, he said, 'because I hate them, too.' With inputs from agencies
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Alligator Alcatraz sparks backlash, nearly half of Americans disapprove of controversial facility
A new migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, called " Alligator Alcatraz ," is making people all over the country very angry. Some conservatives like how it protects wildlife by keeping people away from it, but critics say it is cruel and dystopian. The ICE detention center in Florida, which some call "Alligator Alcatraz," is getting a lot of negative press. Almost half of Americans are against it because of the harsh conditions and the fact that it is in a remote area protected by wildlife. Recently, US President Donald Trump executed one of his most outrageous immigration tactics. He has established an alligator-guarded migrant detention facility in Florida's Everglades that is unlike any other, as per a report by The Independent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search ads Search Now Undo Why is 'Alligator Alcatraz' controversial? "Alligator Alcatraz," a controversial migrant detention center in Florida's Everglades that is protected by native swamp predators, was unveiled by President Trump. Live Events The project, which Trump defends as a powerful border deterrent, has angered human rights and environmental organizations. The new Everglades detention facility was endorsed by only one-third of survey participants. ALSO READ: Trump underwater in every key swing state, and now he's slipping in Texas too What do Americans really think about the facility? A new poll shows that people aren't as excited. The YouGov survey, which was completed by 2,983 people on Thursday, found that 48 percent of respondents were against the facility, while only 33 percent were in favor of it and another 18 percent were not sure. Despite the fact that Republicans and Democrats were mainly divided along party lines, only 26% of respondents who considered themselves independent voters supported the plan, compared to 53% who opposed it, as per a report by The Independent. Another significant conclusion from the YouGov survey was that, according to 47 percent of Americans, ICE is treating detainees too brutally, while 23 percent indicated that they are receiving acceptable treatment, 10 percent stated that they are not receiving harsh enough treatment, and the remaining respondents are undecided, as per a report by The Independent. The facility was announced last month by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who said that because of its remote location, which is home to dangerous wildlife like pythons and alligators, it would require little extra security. In a social media post on Monday, far-right activist Laura Loomer criticized the facility, writing: "Alligator lives matter." The good news is that if we start now, at least 65 million meals for alligators are assured. Commentators on X were incensed by the figure, which seemed to be a reference to the total number of Latinos in the US and matched data from the U.S. Census for the group. Donald Trump himself expressed that he wouldn't want to run through the Everglades for an extended period of time, seemingly impressed by the danger the local wildlife posed. During the trip, he also suggested deporting criminals in the United States, implied that the "Alligator Alcatraz" might be the first of many more detention facilities, and threatened to arrest a few people. Who has supported "Alligator Alcatraz"? Conservatives on Fox News have also embraced the detention center; in a recent interview, Laura Ingraham told DeSantis that she "loved" the idea, and panelists on the network's Gutfeld! chat show who discussed it said they also enjoyed the idea. Particularly excited was comedian Joe Devito, who proposed that the government go one step further and equip it with grizzly bears and an "evil squid" to use its tentacles to frisk prisoners. FAQs Why are they calling it "Alligator Alcatraz"? The facility is situated in the Everglades, surrounded by dangerous wildlife such as gators and pythons. Officials claim it requires minimal security because no one can escape. Do people support or reject the plan? A YouGov poll found that 48% of Americans oppose the facility, 33% support it, and the majority of independents reject the idea entirely.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Trump branded, browbeat, prevailed, but his big bill may come at political cost
President Trump's tax cuts, passed with Republican support, face scrutiny over potential impacts on healthcare and energy policy. Democrats plan to campaign on the bill's perceived favoritism towards the wealthy, while Republicans argue it will boost the economy and provide tax relief for millions. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Barack Obama had the Affordable Care Act Joe Biden had the Inflation Reduction Act President Donald Trump will have the tax were hailed in the moment and became ripe political targets in campaigns that followed. In Trump's case, the tax cuts may almost become lost in the debates over other parts of the multitrillion-dollar bill that Democrats say will force poor Americans off their health care and overturn a decade or more of energy persuasion and browbeating, Trump forced nearly all congressional Republicans to line up behind his marquee legislation despite some of its unpalatable followed the playbook that had marked his life in business before politics. He focused on branding - labelling the legislation the "One Big, Beautiful Bill" - then relentlessly pushed to strong-arm it through Congress, solely on the votes of Trump's victory will soon be tested during the 2026 midterm elections where Democrats plan to run on a durable theme: that the Republican president favours the rich on tax cuts over poorer people who will lose their health and Republicans argue that those who deserve coverage will retain it. Nonpartisan analysts, however, project significant increases to the number of uninsured. Meanwhile, the GOP 's promise that the bill will turbocharge the economy will be tested at a time of uncertainty and trade has tried to counter the notion of favouring the rich with provisions that would reduce the taxes for people paid in tips and receiving overtime pay, two kinds of earners who represent a small share of the the tax cuts from Trump's first term that were set to expire if Congress failed to act meant he could also argue that millions of people would avoid a tax increase. To enact that and other expensive priorities, Republicans made steep cuts to Medicaid that ultimately belied Trump's promise that those on government entitlement programs "won't be affected.""The biggest thing is, he's answering the call of the forgotten people. That's why his No. 1 request was the no tax on tips, the no tax on overtime, tax relief for seniors," said Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee. "I think that's going to be the big impact."Hard to reap the rewardsPresidents have seen their signature legislative accomplishments unravelled by their successors or become a significant political liability for their party in subsequent elections.A central case for Biden's reelection was that the public would reward the Democrat for his legislative accomplishments. That never bore fruit as he struggled to improve his poll numbers driven down by concerns about his age and stubborn taking office in January, Trump has acted to gut tax breaks meant to boost clean energy initiatives that were part of Biden's landmark health care-and-climate health overhaul, which the Democrat signed into law in March 2010, led to a political bloodbath in the midterms that fall. Its popularity only became potent when Republicans tried to repeal it in political boost Trump may have gotten from his first-term tax cuts in 2017 did not help him in the 2018 midterms, when Democrats regained control of the House, or in 2020 when he lost to Biden."I don't think there's much if any evidence from recent or even not-so-recent history of the president's party passing a big one-party bill and getting rewarded for it," said Kyle Kondik, an elections analyst with the nonpartisan University of Virginia's Center for net setbacksDemocrats hope they can translate their policy losses into political an Oval Office appearance in January, Trump pledged he would "love and cherish Social Security, Medicare , Medicaid.""We're not going to do anything with that, other than if we can find some abuse or waste, we'll do something," Trump said. "But the people won't be affected. It will only be more effective and better."That promise is far removed from what Trump and the Republican Party ultimately chose to do, paring back not only Medicaid but also food assistance for the poor to make the math work on their sweeping bill. It would force 11.8 million more people to become uninsured by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office, whose estimates the GOP has dismissed."In Trump's first term, Democrats in Congress prevented bad outcomes. They didn't repeal the (Affordable Care Act), and we did COVID relief together. This time is different," said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. "Hospitals will close, people will die, the cost of electricity will go up, and people will go without food."Some unhappy RepublicansSen Thom Tillis , R-N.C., repeatedly argued the legislation would lead to drastic coverage losses in his home state and others, leaving them vulnerable to political attacks similar to what Democrats faced after they enacted "Obamacare." With his warnings unheeded, Tillis announced he would not run for reelection, after he opposed advancing the bill and enduring Trump's criticism."If there is a political dimension to this, it is the extraordinary impact that you're going to have in states like California, blue states with red districts," Tillis said. "The narrative is going to be overwhelmingly negative in states like California, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey."Even Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who eventually became the decisive vote in the Senate that ensured the bill's passage, said the legislation needed more work and she urged the House to revise it. Lawmakers there did polling suggests that Trump's bill is deeply unpopular, including among independents and a healthy share of Republicans. White House officials said their own research does not reflect far, it's only Republicans celebrating the victory. That seems OK with the a speech in Iowa after the bill passed, he said Democrats only opposed it because they "hated Trump." That didn't bother him, he said, "because I hate them, too."
