Projected to cost around $4.5 trillion over 10 years, President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” was rushed through Congress using what some have dubbed a “budget gimmick,” and now that it’s been signed into law, it’s putting some GOP lawmakers in a tough spot.
Republicans employed what Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) described to Politico on Tuesday as a “budget gimmick” to sell the tax cut extensions included in the megabill as being budget neutral.
Where the “gimmick” comes into play, Merkley explained, was that Republicans measured the bill’s impact on the budget under the assumption that the tax cuts implemented during Trump’s first term – the very tax cuts the megabill was designed to make permanent – would continue in perpetuity, calling it a ruse to “claim that their massive tax giveaway to billionaires cost next to nothing.”
And now, some Republicans find themselves in a tough spot, having to defend those tax cuts as the election season approaches.
“That’s a great discussion for economists – that’s not necessarily a great discussion for a politician on the campaign trail,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), speaking with Politico.
Other Republican lawmakers said that they’ve had to resort to reframing their defense of the megabill in terms of it having halted the expiration of tax cuts, instead of pointing to an exact dollar figure, even if the majority of benefits are enjoyed by the wealthiest of Americans.
“I always talk about how we stopped the largest tax increase in American history – I think that’s a pretty compelling argument,” said Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), speaking with Politico.
Under what Merkley dubbed the “budget gimmick,” Republicans projected that the costs of the tax cuts would be $715 billion over 10 years, a drop in the bucket compared to the nation’s $37.2 trillion debt. As Democrats go on the offense in pointing out the bill’s true costs, however, reframing appears to be a common tactic for Republicans hoping to survive the upcoming midterm elections.
“I can’t control what other people say,” said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) regarding criticisms of the costs of the megabill, telling Politico he instead tells voters of the tax increase the bill halted.