Hey, good morning.

Last week was an undeniably important week for Donald Trump.

Republicans in Congress managed to push through the one big, beautiful bill act just in time for Trump's entirely made up July 4th deadline,

which allowed the president and his allies

to hold a celebratory signing ceremony at the White House on Independence Day, which is exactly

the kind of extravagant photo op that Donald Trump loves. While congressional leaders like

Speaker Mike Johnson and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham attended the event, were happy about

the bill's passage, few others are pleased with it.

The bill passed by the narrowest of margins in Congress, with some GOP members voting for it reluctantly.

A number of recent polls have also shown that many Americans disapprove of the bill,

including a Kwynopeak poll from late June that found 55% of people said they opposed the one big beautiful bill act

compared to just 29% who said they support it. The bill has been unpopular throughout its entire

process, and that's why Republicans had to employ some sneaky and creative math to make it more

palatable and get it over the finish line. Let me explain.

The GOP mega bill will extend Donald Trump's first term tax cuts that were made in 2017. It includes

provisions for some of his campaign promises, including a huge increase in funds to mobilize the largest

mass deportation operation in American history. And all of this will largely be done at the expense

of the poorest and most vulnerable Americans, some of whom will lose access to social safety

benefits like Medicaid and SNAP, programs that are being gutted in order to extend tax

cuts that will mostly benefit corporations and the rich. In short, this bill is not cheap, and it breaks with

Republican orthodoxy in increasing the deficit dramatically. Or does it? As with any piece of

major legislation involving spending, various economists and economic policy groups across the

...