By Clay N. Middleton EDITO
As fireworks lit the skies on this Independence Day, President Trump signed into law what he proudly called “The One Big Beautiful Bill. Supporters cheered it as a victory for taxpayers, families, and businesses. But when the smoke cleared, it became clear that this law may be beautiful for billionaires, but it comes with a very real, very painful
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$ 900 billion in cuts to Medicaid, which will result in 17 million 17 million
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$ 200 billion in cuts to SNAP, which will result in nearly 5 million people losing rly 5 million people losing some or all of their benefits, including 49,000 people i n SC
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$975 billion in tax cuts to the richest 1 % over ten years rs
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$3.4 trillion added to the national deficit
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Five rural hospitals in SC are at risk of closing
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22,000 SC manufacturing and energy jobs will be eliminated due to cuts to clean ninated due to cuts to clean energy incentives that the state promoted under Presid ent Biden
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$ 900 yearly average increase in South Carolinians’ e nergy bills
- 70,074 students in SC could have their Pell Grant cut or elimina ted
And for what? A one-time increase in the standard deduction? That’s not reform. That’s rationing relief while gutting the lifeline.
While this new law doesn’t completely eliminate Medicare, it reverses significant reforms from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which a Democratic-controlled Congress passed under President Biden, enabling Medicare to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for the first time.
It’s obvious what’s coming next: pressure to deeply cut entitlement programs. When future lawmakers seek ways to bridge the gap, Medicare will be a primary target.
There are no immediate cuts to Social Security in this law. However, the same deficit threatening Medicare also speeds up Social Security’s financial problems. With the trust fund expected to run out of money by 2033–2035, this President and this Congress have just made the issue more difficult to resolve. It’s reckless
to promote tax cuts today when tomorrow’s retirees—working people who paid into the system their entire lives—are the ones who will pay the price.
Cities will face the consequences as emergency rooms fill up, public hospitals lose funding, and Medicaid patients become uninsured. Local budgets will strain under the burden of reduced federal aid and increased service demands. State governments will be forced to choose between cutting services or raising taxes. Families and seniors on a fixed income will struggle to afford care, and will rely on overburdened nonprofits and city programs to fill the gaps left by federal neglect.
This isn’t about being fiscally responsible — it’s about fiscal neglect.
We, the people, deserve a government that fights for families, not just the very wealthy. We, the people, deserve laws that uplift individuals, not ones that ask them to do more with less. We, the people, deserve
in line, stayed disciplined, and focused on good politics.
This new law is a sweeping package that favors tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of the health and dignity of working families, seniors, veterans, and children. This is evident in the severe cuts to healthcare, food assistance, education, manufacturing, and clean energy jobs.
Some of the hidden costs include:
better than a law that claims to be “beautiful” while removing food from tables, closing hospitals, and making seniors pay more for medicine.
It’s easy to write legislation with a campaign slogan in mind. It’s more challenging to govern with integrity, compassion, and a long-term vision. Every day, citizens must hold lawmakers accountable. We cannot afford to sit back while short-term politics threaten long-term stability.
I hope I am wrong. My love for the country surpasses my love for my preferred political party. From where I stand, The One Big Beautiful Bill is not just about tax cuts—it’s about values. And right now, it values wealth over workers, corporations over communities, and temporary applause over long-term security.
We can—and must—do better. Because no American should have to choose between food, housing, and health care just so billionaires can get another tax break.