What This Means for Us; And Why 2026 Will Be Our Reckoning

On July 4th, 2025; our country’s birthday; President Donald Trump signed into law what he proudly calls the “Big Beautiful Bill.” But don’t let the name fool you, there’s nothing beautiful about it. Behind the showmanship, the military flyovers, and the orchestrated applause from his Republican colleagues, lies a sweeping, dangerous piece of legislation that threatens the fabric of everyday American life. This bill is not a celebration of American strength; it’s a calculated dismantling of the protections, programs, and policies that working families rely on.

Here’s the truth: this bill slashes Medicaid by up to 18%, and a move that could leave nearly 12 million Americans uninsured by 2034. That’s nearly the population of Ohio. It guts food assistance programs like SNAP by 20%, hurting low-income families already living paycheck to paycheck. And it doesn’t stop there. The bill reintroduces harsh work requirements; forcing people to work 80 hours a month just to keep their Medicaid or food benefits; and imposes new copays ($35 per visit), stricter eligibility checks, and surveillance for the poor while doing nothing to rein in corporate fraud or billionaire tax shelters.

And speaking of billionaires; the wealthy are the biggest winners here. The bill extends Trump-era tax cuts indefinitely, delivering up to $290,000 annually in savings to America’s top earners, while raising the SALT deduction cap to $40,000, benefiting high-income households in blue states. All of this will cost an additional $3.5 trillion in national debt over the next ten years. That’s money our generation will be stuck paying off, with higher interest rates, weaker social security programs, and reduced government investment in things that matter; like infrastructure, education, and healthcare.

Meanwhile, the bill allocated a staggering $170 billion to ICE and border enforcement, more than the combined budgets of the FBI, DEA, and Bureau of Prisons. That money will fund more detention centers, more militarized raids, more surveillance; and more fear. It’s a clear message: this administration would rather invest in cruelty and control than compassion or care.

This is authoritarianism dressed up as patriotism.

The Republicans who supported this bill; from the Senate to the House; did not act in interest of the American people. They acted in loyalty to Trump, and in service to corporate greed and right-wing ideology. They didn’t vote for working families; they voted to criminalize poverty, gut healthcare, reward the rich, and militarize our borders. They need to be held accountable.

That’s where we come in.

The fight is far from over. In 2026, we have the power to flip the Senate, unseat these reckless lawmakers, and start the long process of undoing this disaster. Every single GOP senator who backed this needs to face consequences at the ballot box. We must organize, register, speak out, and show up. This is our moment to reclaim this promise of America; not the twisted version being forced on us by Trump and his enablers, but the one that values, freedom, equality, dignity, and democracy.

So don’t give up. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. And don’t stay silent. Because what just happened on July 4 wasn’t a legislative action; it was a wake-up call.

We will fix this. We will fight. And in 2026, we will win.