More Walls, A “Golden” Dome, More Weapons, Higher Deficits, Make this a Petty Ugly Bill
The “Big Beautiful Bill” passed recently by the House is petty and ugly. A sham. A reverse Robin Hood. It cuts SNAP benefits (food stamps) to the poor. It cuts Medicaid. Because who needs food and medical care, amirite? Meanwhile, it cuts taxes for the richest Americans and funds various weapons follies (a foolish and wasteful missile shield known as “Golden Dome,” more nuclear weapons, yet more billions for the wall on America’s border with Mexico). And it adds significantly to the national debt.
Remember when Republicans were once known as fiscal conservatives? Remember calls for a balanced budget? Those days are long gone. The “Big Beautiful Bill” is a fever dream, or a night terror if you prefer, of wanton and wasteful spending that rewards the already well-heeled and hurts the most vulnerable of Americans.
Trump, who is truly an expert at the craft of the con, concocts the most outrageous names to sell his BS. Thus a missile shield that may end up wasting $500 billion is a “golden dome.” Heck, the whole bill, which is contempuous toward the poor and punishing to workers organizing for higher wages, is sold as “big” and “beautiful.”
When Trump describes things as “golden” and “big” and “beautiful,” you should know to hold tightly to your wallets and purses, America, because you’re about to get scammed.
At his site, Stephen Semler has a superb chart that breaks down the petty ugly bill the House just passed. Here’s an excerpt. Read it and weep, America.
The bottom line: More money for the already affluent and for the Pentagon; less money and benefits for the poor. The rich get richer, the poor poorer, as America reinforces its turn to weapons, walls, police, domes, and warriors.
Bracing Views 
“The ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is a fever dream, or a night terror if you prefer, of wanton and wasteful spending that rewards the already well-heeled and hurts the most vulnerable of Americans.”
The greed, and the delight in knowing that others are suffering (after all, it’s good for the soul) of the 1% continue unabated. Five years ago a RAND paper laid out “The Top 1% of Americans Have Taken $50 Trillion From the Bottom 90%—And That’s Made the U.S. Less Secure” [https://time.com/5888024/50-trillion-income-inequality-america/ and downloadable here https://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WRA516-1.html]. That Clint Eastwood movie title “For a Few Dollars More” comes to mind, ‘cept this is “For a Lotta Dollars More.” However much (little) that remains, they’re determined to get it (“ Liberals feel unworthy of their possessions. Conservatives feel they deserve everything they’ve stolen.” -Mort Sahl).
“Remember when Republicans were once known as fiscal conservatives? Remember calls for a balanced budget? Those days are long gone.”
Can’t recall where I recently saw it, but the national debt has never been taken seriously by either party; as corollary calls for a balanced budget have only been political posturing. “As of March 2025, the U.S. national debt is approximately $36.22 trillion, with projections indicating it could exceed its record high of 118% of GDP by 2035 due to ongoing budget deficits. The federal budget deficit for fiscal year 2025 is estimated at $1.9 trillion.” -Congressional Budget Office
While some economists aren’t (overly) worried (yet) as the debt-to-GDP ratio is manageable, the GAO is less sanguine, “The federal government is on an unsustainable fiscal path that poses serious economic, security, and social challenges” [https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-107714].
Indeed, how long can this go on? I’ve come to realize this is actually the exploitive, parasitical private equity mindset now ruining the economy reaching its apotheosis (Hyman Roth wheezes the obscene truth to young Don Michael Corleone, “Michael, we’re bigger than US Steel”) as the game plan involves taking over a public business (accomplished in the last elections with all three branches of government), running it into the ground (“The Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work, and then they get elected and prove it.” -P. J. O’Rourke), and then profit (grift) further by selling off what pieces remain. Anyone interested in some pristine public lands? Vacant lab space at HHS and the CDC?
“The bottom line: More money for the already affluent and for the Pentagon; less money and benefits for the poor. The rich get richer, the poor poorer, as America reinforces its turn to weapons, walls, police, domes, and warriors.”
As we’re not (yet) at the point of manning the barricades, I’m deriving some solace from the arts, literature, and music. Notably Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child” figures in [https://www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/god-bless-the-child-unpacking-the-timeless-anthem-of-independence-and-resilience/#h1] (to my surprise, first recorded in 1941).
LikeLike
Addendum: “The bottom line: More money for the already affluent and for the Pentagon; less money and benefits for the poor. The rich get richer, the poor poorer, as America reinforces its turn to weapons, walls, police, domes, and warriors.”
The evening newscasts carried a bit of Trump speaking at the West Point commencement. Quite respectful of his place at the occasion, he wore his red MAGA baseball cap, and spoke at his customary 4th-grade level, part campaign speech, part threat to the world, even outdoing Kamala Harris’ “most lethal fighting force” braggadocio, no advice, words of wisdom and such to graduates for at least the next four years of their lives.
No closeups on reactions from the graduating cadets, but it can safely be assumed that at least some of them were asking themselves the questions, “And this guy is our commander-in-chief…? He could give us the order…?”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to say I was a bit disappointed when I saw the Headline in your latest commentary.
Robs the poor and rewards the Rich — this isn’t your usual language – it’s more like the more extreme Leftists who you aren’t, or haven’t been previously.
I’ve always enjoyed your writings, notably for their lack of histrionics and for their more sobering analysis.
LikeLike
I think it’s my reaction to the hyperbole of Trump. If we’re going to be sold on “a big beautiful bill” and a “golden dome,” perhaps we need to be blunt, even hyperbolic, in countering it.
Trump reminds me of Scrooge before his conversion. Always grasping for money even as he cuts the wages of workers and asks for more prisons and workhouses.
LikeLike
How About our BIG BEAUTIFUL DEFICIT; which currently stands at approx, 100% of GDP and projected to soon reach the stratosphere? And let’s us poke the eye of those countries who have been foolish enough to let us borrow to such insane levels. You can quickly find those countries on our “enemy’s list”. Does anyone think our arrogance and unsustainable idiocy should be rewarded? SURPRISE! Interest rates for new loans to cover our national debt will soon go to the moon – that is if anyone is dumb enough to lend cash to be repaid in worthless dollars.
If our balance of payments problems weren’t bad enough; the BRICS nations are well poised to soon take over as the worlds currency in international trading. This will further slam the worth of the dollar. Thinking we should again begin printing thousand dollar bills; because hundreds wont be enough at the grocery store.
Congress has totally abdicated their duties and responsibilities – likely too busy counting their PAC money (AKA BRIBES). Our “DEATH” industry is thriving AND pays very well; most especially if you are a congressman (or woman).
Our foreign policy appears to be totally controlled by the radical leader of a foreign country.
I did not enlist and serve 3 years in the military to see my country actively support genocide and pervert the freedoms and rights supposedly guaranteed by our (now extinct) Constitution and Bill of Rights.
We are on a rapidly sinking ship while everyone is cheering and waving the (your choice of words) flag.
Jerry King
LikeLike
“How About our BIG BEAUTIFUL DEFICIT; which currently stands at approx, 100% of GDP and projected to soon reach the stratosphere?”
I think it currently stands at 118%, which only further underscores your spot-on points.
“I did not enlist and serve 3 years in the military to see my country actively support genocide and pervert the freedoms and rights supposedly guaranteed by our (now extinct) Constitution and Bill of Rights.”
Is it fair to say you were duped? Then so the active (and at times “subversive”) support of genocide holds true. Lately I’ve been watching reruns of “The Vietnam War” on a PBS station (soon to be eliminated under Trump, fittingly enough), just one of this country’s “defense of democracy” exercises. Of course Dumbya’s excellent adventure in Iraq another shining example.
LikeLike
BIG BEAUTIFUL DECEIT is a more accurate slogan. XK said with understated sarcasm that when DT spoke at West Point he was: “quite respectful of his place at the occasion, he wore his red MAGA baseball cap, and spoke at his customary 4th-grade level…no advice, [no] words of wisdom and such to graduates…”. I like the phrase “customary 4th grade level” which is in tune with the level of understanding of many of his voters, but I think that West Point graduates would see DT as buffoonish and a moral caricature of what a President should be…
LikeLike
“I like the phrase ‘customary 4th grade level…'”
Wish I could say it was original to me, but it comes from an actual analysis of presidential speeches reported on in Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/trump-fire-and-fury-smart-genius-obama-774169. Which is even more disturbing, in that it’s not just the flippant remark of some wag, it’s actually based on science (which ironically, or maybe not so ironically, is under assault by Trump and his MAGA revisionists).
Take cover.
Sarcastic…? Me…? Just because I adore Dorothy Parker doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get me.
LikeLike
A rapid pivot from the usual Manifesto 101 coursework. Let’s just forget about that!
LikeLike