Re: “Senate embarks on long day of votes on Trump’s big bill,” Chicago Tribune, July 1, 2025
I never thought I would agree with Elon Musk after he single-handedly demolished most of the infrastructure of the federal government, crippling American progress for decades. But the bloated funding bill the GOP is ramming down the throats of unsuspecting Americans is a travesty beyond all comprehension. Their “fiscal responsibility” pretense for slashing myriad programs that benefit all Americans (especially those who are not billionaires), is belied by the addition of $3.3 trillion to the deficit (1). This bill will put every American household in debt by $25,000, all to provide tax cuts for billionaires. If you imagine that your family will receive $25,000 in tax cuts, you are dreaming.
The goals of this monstrosity are viciously anti-American. Twelve million Americans will lose their health insurance. It cuts support for green energy (incentives for installing efficient heat pumps or electric cars), but subsidizes the failing coal and petroleum industries. As Musk points out, instead of investing in high-paying jobs in booming new industries, it impedes progress and pushes us into the past. Would you invest in coal mines or the energy sources of the future, like wind, solar, hydrogen, etc.? China will cheer as we remove ourselves from global competition in technological progress. Cutting the NIH budget by 40% sabotages American health science research. Do Americans prefer their doctors to study actual medicine, or rely on voodoo healing by witch doctors like Bobby Kennedy?
Are the Republicans voting for this horror really so ignorant that they believe mortgaging the future to give trillions to billionaires will improve this country? Do they think we want them to destroy our health-care system, pave over our National Parks, pollute the air and water, let poor, old, or handicapped Americans die in the gutter, cut Medicare and Medicaid, allow poisons in our food, take away our hard-earned Social Security benefits, and give our money to the richest people on the planet?
A few of them really are that stupid. But the vast majority are cynical and greedy and scared of losing their jobs. They do not believe the vulgar lies plastered over this monstrosity, but they think enough Americans are stupid enough that they can get away with it.
After all, look at all the imbeciles who keep voting for Republicans!
1) Congressional Budget Office (nonpartisan)
Tom DeCoursey
Oak Park