The first big rift within MAGA under Trump 2.0 occurred with the passing of the Big Beautiful Bill, which extended the expiring 2017 Trump tax cuts, the largest middle class tax cut in history. Some criticized the bill for raising the debt ceiling and increasing spending, while others said it was far better than what the Democrats would have proposed had they been in control of Congress, since it ironically included some of the biggest spending cuts in years.
The problem is no matter how much of an improvement the bill is compared to spending packages in previous years, the country is running out of money. Rep. David Schweikert is known for his speeches on the House floor laying out the dire situation. For every dollar that comes in, the federal government is spending $1.39. The Medicare trust fund runs out of money in 2033, and there will be a 23% cut to Social Security and an 11% cut to hospital coverage. But no one will co-sponsor bills with Schweikert making reforms, because they are terrified of the fake news spin that it will hurt seniors.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill could add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over a decade. The legislation increased the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, which was more than the $4 trillion initially proposed in the House-passed version. Elon Musk called it the biggest debt increase in history, said he would primary Republicans who voted for it, and then announced he was forming a new political party. He was especially incensed at the pork. At least $500 billion in pork barrel spending was added in exchange for votes, including subsidies for agriculture, fossil fuel industries and regional infrastructure projects.
House Speaker Mike Johnson argued that these provisions are not pork but necessary investments to stimulate economic growth and secure bipartisan support. Regardless, if $500 billion in pork spending — about 10% of the total spending in the bill — was necessary to buy votes to cut $1.6 trillion, maybe it was worth it?
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill cuts nearly $1 trillion for Medicaid and $295 billion for SNAP over 10 years, representing the largest reductions to these programs in modern U.S. history. The Medicaid cuts, which include work requirements and restrictions on provider taxes, are projected to strip coverage from 8-17 million people, while SNAP cuts, with new state cost-sharing mandates, could reduce benefits for millions more. Designed to offset $3.3 trillion in tax cuts, the cuts were deeper than any prior debt ceiling-related cuts since at least the 1990s.
So while it’s frustrating that the debt ceiling was increased, because it was the Republicans doing it, they were able to make deep cuts at the same time. This is not a surprise. The 2023 Republican spending bill also raised the debt ceiling, but similarly achieved some of the largest spending cuts in years, also cutting Medicaid and SNAP.
Approximately 45% of federal spending goes to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. “Social Security and Medicare and net interest account for 80 percent of the spending growth,” Schweikert said. He points out that 90 percent of the spending hikes between 2008 and 2031 are due to Social Security, health entitlements and interest.
Since 31 percent of Medicare spending is related to diabetes, with 47 percent of healthcare costs associated with obesity, the focus should be on getting Americans healthier. Why not have insurance, Medicare and Medicaid cover Ozempic? Social Security can be fixed by adjustments such as limiting payments for wealthier people, Schweikert said.
The Democrats issue sky is falling talking points every time someone tries to reform Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, in order to scare seniors. The powerful healthcare industry helpfully presents dire predictions. Their comrades in the MSM dutifully report the scare tactics as if they’re facts, without critical analysis. So the reforms don’t happen, and the population keeps aging with fewer young, able-bodied adults available to pay for older generations’ Social Security and Medicare. The situation has become so bad that eventually we’re going to run out of people’s savings to borrow from through bonds and other ways.
The bill did accomplish much of Trump’s agenda that he’d promised. It eliminates most taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security benefits for seniors. It prohibits illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid and Medicare, with the exception of emergency medical services. It restricts Medicaid funds for abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. The bill allocates $46.5 billion to continue the wall on the border with Mexico. Another $25 billion creates Trump’s “Golden Dome” missile defense system.
So how could Republicans have made more cuts? RINO Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski would not allow deeper cuts. This is why the new RINO Removal Project is so invaluable. It is specifically targeting several of the worst RINOs in Congress. Due to the inability of a third party to make traction in U.S. politics, many fear that Musk’s approach will merely repeat the lesson learned from Ross Perot, the third party presidential candidate who ran in 1992 who could only garner 18.9% of the vote. He took away more votes from Republicans than Democrats, allowing Democrat Bill Clinton to defeat incumbent President George H.W. Bush.
Regardless, the focus now needs to be on fixing Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. If Musk could use his megaphone to denounce the fake scare tactics that are stopping this reform, Congress could focus on bills to reform them. He’s already using his platform to encourage people to have children, which is half the battle. With fewer people entering the work force now, there aren’t enough workers to pay for the older generations. Illegal immigrants aren’t making up for it, since they make so little money that many of them take more in benefits than they pay in taxes. Schweikert is arguably the smartest member of Congress, why aren’t more people listening to him?
Reprinted from Townhall