Inside the Republican infighting over Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill." Can the party unite to pass his landmark legislation? #GOPFracture #TrumpAgenda #PoliticalChess
00:00The one big, beautiful bill championed by President Donald Trump is not just about tax cuts and border security.
00:08It's also a testament to the shifting political landscape within the Republican Party and the weak challenges of governing with a razor-thin majority.
00:16Representative Keith Self of Texas highlighted the deep divisions within the GOP,
00:22publicly criticizing the power move to rush the bill through the House.
00:25He underscored critical broken promises, including the failure to match every dollar of tax cuts with spending cuts,
00:33terminate the Green New Scam, and prohibit taxpayer-funded gender transition procedures,
00:38while these levies on health care institutions have been a long-standing and federally-approved mechanism for states to fund their share of Medicaid.
00:46Some Beltway Republicans label them as money laundering.
00:49The Senate bill's proposed limits on these taxes could cost states and their hospitals billions.
00:56This is a significant concern for states like West Virginia,
01:00whose Senator Jim Justice, a Republican, voted for the bill despite having previously warned in 2017 that Medicaid cuts would destroy families.
01:09His current stance reflects a calculated shift, prioritizing the broader bill's objectives while claiming to balance protection for the vulnerable with efficiency.
01:21The inclusion of a 1% remittance tax on international cash transfers.
01:26A seemingly small detail could generate billions in revenue and serves as another strategic tool in the administration's immigration policy.
01:33Self-impassioned plea for leadership to honor commitments resonates with grassroots activists and fiscal conservatives who feel betrayed by the bill's current form.
01:46The tension within the Republican ranks is palpable.
01:49Such a narrow House majority.
01:52The GOP can only afford a handful of defections if all Democrats oppose the bill, which is widely expected.
01:58The high stakes are evident in the public statements from top Republican figures.
02:03President Trump himself took to truth social, urging the House Republican majority to unite for the biggest tax cuts in history and massive growth.
02:13House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed this, emphasizing the bill's role in securing the border.
02:18Vice President J.D. Vance explicitly stated the bill would empower the president to undo the Biden border invasion.
02:25These statements underscore the administration's determination to pass this legislation, which is central to Trump's second-term agenda.
02:35The bill's broader scope beyond health care, incorporating tax cuts, increased spending on border security, and military initiatives makes it a complex political puzzle.
02:47As Larry Kahn, president of the Federation of American Hospitals, noted, it's like playing multidimensional chess.
02:53This complexity also provides political cover for some Republican governors who might otherwise oppose specific cuts, such as those to Medicaid.
03:03The pressure from the administration is immense, with a clear warning against public dissent.
03:09Senator Tom Tillis of North Carolina, who voted against the bill, announced he wouldn't seek re-election after voicing concerns and facing a primary challenger threat from the president.
03:19His situation serves as a potent reminder of the political peril for Republicans who challenged Trump among the most impactful provisions are the Medicaid cuts, particularly the restrictions on provider taxes.
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