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A president known for his legislative misadventures returns to the White House, buoyed by his party’s control of Congress, and boldly urges his party to consolidate its myriad legislative ambitions into a single, sprawling bill.
What could possibly go awry?
As it turns out, quite a bit.
The so-called Big Beautiful Bill is shaping up to be abig beautiful quagmire, and it appears increasingly likely that the legislation will collapse under its own ambitious weight.
With a House vote looming, the GOP’s grand tax and spending proposal faces significant opposition from enough lawmakers to potentially doom it, alongside critiques from senators eager to amend it.
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To avert disaster, House Speaker Mike Johnson requires near-universal backing from his party members for a bill that addresses everything from tax cuts to the debt ceiling, border security, and healthcare. As of now, that support is lacking—and the outcome remains uncertain should he fail to secure it.
“I’m optimistic we can meet this timeline—but if not, I’m genuinely worried about what the backup plan is, because I haven’t been informed of one,” remarked Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla.
Unfortunately, there’s no contingency plan in sight. Meanwhile, House Democrats are poised to introduce a bipartisan version of the bill, one that strips away the cuts to healthcare and food assistance while eliminating tax cuts for the wealthy, should the Republican effort falter.
The hitch? Republicans have shown little willingness to collaborate with Democrats on a bipartisan tax initiative, raising the question: what transpires if this Big Beautiful Bill flops?
Chances are this debacle will linger until year’s end. The proposed program cuts will likely be abandoned, and the only two aspects that Republicans may manage to pass—the extension of Trump-era tax cuts and immigration funding—will be tackled as separate, smaller measures.
The remainder of this legislative mess will likely be discarded, as Republicans are unlikely to pursue program cuts in an election year, meaning they have one shot at this bill—and it appears to be slipping away.
Even if the House does manage to pass their version, the Senate is poised to overhaul the entire proposal. House Republicans are already signaling that they won’t support the Senate’s revision, which means that even if Trump steps in and Speaker Mike Johnson manages to squeak this bill through, the silver lining for American citizens is that the long-term viability of this legislation is bleak.
What are your thoughts on the potential downfall of the Big Beautiful Bill? We invite you to share your insights in the comments below.
