The specifics of President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Building” (BBB) aren’t as crucial as the fact that he successfully got it through Congress.
This indicates that Trump has political momentum, realizing further accomplishments in the early months of his term. Unlike many past second-term presidents, he isn’t regarded as a lame duck, but as a leader gaining traction.
Think back to 2017, during Trump’s initial term. He aimed to make good on his promise to repeal and replace Obamacare, but even the Republicans who had campaigned on this for years couldn’t reach consensus on a plan.
By late July 2017, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) infamously cast the deciding vote against Trump’s agenda, much to the delight of Democrats and the media.
The subsequent weeks were particularly rough for Trump, culminating in the events in Charlottesville. While Trump didn’t call neo-Nazis “very fine people,” saying they should be “completely condemned,” public reaction was muddled, and Democrats managed to capitalize on this.
Of course, he did manage to sign the Tax Cuts and Employment Act in December, but that took the entire year for Congress to accomplish.
In 2018, Trump sought to focus on border security, proposing a deal to the Democrats: he’d trade funding for his border wall in exchange for a “path to citizenship” for the so-called “dreamers.” But they viewed him as lacking political leverage.
He attempted to force a government shutdown, yet couldn’t secure the necessary funding for the wall.
From that point on, especially after Nancy Pelosi regained her role as Speaker, Trump often found himself on the defensive.
While he achieved some foreign policy successes, appointed a Supreme Court Justice, and thwarted various attempts against him, he was no longer fully in control. He failed to unite his party as he had in his earlier days in Congress, which limited his ability to implement his agenda fully.
Trump seems to have learned from those past missteps. Sure, those “big and beautiful bills” involve substantial spending, and some aspects may look, well, less than beautiful, but by reworking the underlying structures, he can divert resources effectively.
Over time, Trump’s policies may help push illegal immigrants off Medicaid, tightening the welfare state while redirecting focus toward the government’s core functions.
Political momentum might be an abstract concept, but it’s valid. There’s also a branding element. Interestingly, “BBB” was originally a Biden initiative via his “Build Back Better” plan, which never made it through.
Some of Biden’s proposals did slip through as part of what’s known as “inflation reduction laws,” which many have viewed as a reinterpretation of the “Green New Deal.” However, Biden’s BBB ultimately flopped, handing him a defeat as president.
Trump, conversely, has reframed “BBB” into what appears to be a substantial legislative win.
The “big and beautiful bill” isn’t without its faults. Indeed, some critics argue it could be considered quite ugly in parts. Yet, these imperfections could be addressed in future legislation, and Trump now possesses enough political capital to enforce those changes.
With the BBB now a law, Trump can take a moment to celebrate six months of success along with 250 years of American independence.
