'Shatter the illusion': Analyst reveals how to expose Republicans' 'phony populism'

Journalist and political commentator E.J. Dionne Jr. said in a New Republic article published Friday that Democrats need to "expose the damage" that President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" does "to millions of Trump’s voters to benefit his Mar-a-Lago and crypto-wealthy friends."

"On the phony populism side, Democrats in the House did a generally good job of highlighting the costs of provisions in the bill that hurt so many of Trump’s voters, particularly the cuts in Medicaid and nutrition assistance, or SNAP," he said.

"But it’s also an occasion to shatter the illusion that Trump is some sort of brilliant policy innovator. Extremism and authoritarianism are not new ideas, and his legislative program would be familiar to Calvin Coolidge," Dionne Jr. added.

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He continued: "For example: The right wingers who demanded more cuts in programs for low-income people are regularly described as 'deficit hawks.' But even if they had gotten all the changes they sought, the bill would have massively increased the deficit. And most of them voted for a final product that will add close to $4 trillion to the nation’s indebtedness."

"If these guys are hawks, I don’t know what a dove looks like," the journalist said.

The author argued that Trump and his supporters continue to portray themselves as champions of a new working-class Republican coalition. But the striking reality of this bill is not just its generous tax breaks for the wealthy — it’s that it also strips resources from Americans earning under $51,000 a year.

He pointed to cuts in Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, SNAP, and student loan programs as evidence that low- and middle-income Americans would bear the cost. While Republicans often denounce “income redistribution,” Dionne Jr., noted, this legislation engages in it quite aggressively — redirecting money to those who are already financially well-off.

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The article also cited findings from the Penn Wharton Budget Model, which analyzed a nearly final version of the bill. According to that analysis, Americans earning less than $17,000 annually would lose an average of $1,035, while those earning between $17,000 and $50,999 would see a $705 loss.

Meanwhile, the very wealthiest — those making more than $4.3 million a year — would benefit significantly, gaining about $389,280 annually.

"Please explain to me again why this is a 'populist' Republican Party," the author asserted.

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