How Racism Fueled Trump's Big Ugly Bill

Republican voters continue to vote against their self interest — as long as it hurts Black and brown people.

House Republicans have just passed Trump‘s big, ugly, and wildly unpopular budget bill, and let me tell you why.

Look at this 13-second video of Hakeem Jefferies, the House Democratic leader, arguing against the bill.

Now look at this 12-second video of House Speaker Mike Johnson, the Republican leader, defending the bill.

Look at the people surrounding the two leaders. See the difference?

The Republican Party in America has become the official White Party, and Speaker Johnson is the unofficial chair of the Congressional White Caucus.

As long as Trump and Republicans continue to defend whiteness and promote anti-Blackness, then Republican voters will continue to support the party, even as it decimates programs that help Trump’s own people.

The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” cuts Medicaid, rips away health insurance from 12 million people, and takes food off the table of 40 million recipients — all to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.

Even Republicans know the bill is bad. Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski admitted that the bill would hurt people all across the country — but she voted for it anyway.

Being hurt by Trump’s policies is a sacrifice far too many of his voters are willing to make to protect white supremacy. They may lose their health insurance, but at least they won’t be Black.

Here’s the dirty little secret they don’t want you to know. Americans aren’t against government. They love Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans benefits, unemployment benefits, FEMA relief, and other government programs. They just don’t want Black and brown people getting those things. So they vote against their self interest.

Until we deal with the problem of racism in America, we’re just gonna find ourselves in this situation over and over again. This is why we can’t have nice things.