President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts are central to what he describes as his “big and beautiful” spending bill, which was recently passed by House Republicans in a single vote.
As this bill moves to the Senate, the slim Republican majority should carefully consider its implications before deciding to support it. While Trump’s policies may seem grand, they could have significant downsides—possibly targeting the wrong individuals, cutting essential programs, and negatively affecting more Americans than they assist.
To begin with, these tax reductions are known to benefit the wealthy disproportionately, while simultaneously pushing the budget deeper into the red. Stricter work requirements for programs like Medicaid and SNAP (formerly known as food stamps) are presented as measures to eliminate welfare fraud, though they appear superficial.
Research, including my own assessments, indicates that most Americans involved in work, caregiving, or facing disabilities are already meeting existing job requirements for federal and state aid. Notably, an independent budget office report has suggested that these work requirements are not effectively boosting employment.
A substantial number of Americans depend on Medicaid and SNAP for critical support. By 2023, nearly 83 million—around 24% of the U.S. population—were enrolled in Medicaid. This program plays a vital role in providing healthcare throughout individuals’ lives and is the primary funding source for long-term care services needed by millions.
In the same timeframe, SNAP aided about 42 million Americans each month. Nearly half of all children in the U.S. participate in SNAP before turning 20, and around 4 million senior citizens over 60 also rely on its benefits.
The Congressional Budget Office projects that if the Senate proceeds with the bill as it stands, nearly 15 million people could lose their health insurance by 2034 due to the proposed work requirements and funding cuts.
This bill proposes the largest cuts to SNAP in history, potentially stripping food assistance from more than 3 million adults and close to 1 million children each month.
Yet Republicans continue to depict those benefiting from these programs as lazy individuals who need to get back to work. It seems they have misjudged the situation for quite some time.
Instances in Arkansas and Georgia, where work requirements were enforced for Medicaid, showed that these measures led to many losing coverage without having a positive impact on employment levels or reducing fraud. In fact, Arkansas rescinded the requirements after a year.
The work requirements outlined in the House Republican bills not only fail to move people into low-income jobs; they also increase healthcare debt among Americans and place undue strain on both the economy and healthcare systems.
If Republicans genuinely believe that limiting paperwork and implementing work mandates will reduce fraud, they’re mistaken. Most Medicaid fraud is committed by providers, not beneficiaries, and even that is quite rare.
Moreover, these requirements create unnecessary barriers for people in need, costing millions in administrative burdens. Rather, it might be more effective to focus on tackling sophisticated tax evasion tactics used by the wealthiest, which often go unnoticed but cost the country significantly.
If there’s a genuine desire to promote employment, investing in public kindergarten and childcare services would be much more effective and cost-efficient.
It’s somewhat ironic that an administration known for cutting federal regulations would simultaneously tighten restrictions on everyday Americans. The Trump administration seems to want to lift barriers for the wealthy while building new ones for everyone else.
