Plurality of Americans hate the Republican ‘Big Beautiful bill' – but Congress is working to approve it anyway

Independent

5 hours ago

A plurality of Americans oppose President Donald Trump's spending legislation, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to a poll conducted by The Washington Post and Ipsos.
The survey found that Americans have mixed feelings about specific provisions in the bill, which proposes changes in tax, spending, and Medicaid policies, and are concerned about its impact on the national debt. This comes as Senate Republicans rush to pass the legislation.
Forty-two percent of Americans oppose legislation. The bill passed the House last month in a close vote. Only 23 percent of Americans back the bill, and 34 percent say they have no opinion.
Among Republicans, 49 percent support the legislation and 13 percent oppose it. Thirty-eight percent say they have no opinion.
About three-quarters of Democrats are against the bill, while 40 percent of independents oppose it and 17 percent are supportive. About four in 10 independents say they have no opinion.
Senate Republicans have attempted to push what they claim are the economic benefits of the bill and to pass it before Trump's July 4 deadline.
However, most people haven't heard much about the legislation, and among those who are aware of it, it's disliked. Among those who have learned a great deal or a good amount about the bill, 64 percent oppose and 33 percent support it. Almost half strongly oppose it.
Opinions on particular issues included in the legislation vary widely. The bill includes tax cuts, a boost in border security spending, and cuts to social safety net programs, including Medicaid. It also rolls back spending on efforts to fight the climate crisis.
Seventy-two percent of Americans back upping the child tax credit from 2,000 to 2,500, while 65 percent support removing taxes on tips. However, 66 percent of Americans reject cutting federal spending on food assistance to low-income households, while 23 percent support the measure. Sixty-one percent oppose spending $45 billion on detention centers for migrants, while 24 percent back it.
As many as 51 percent reject the idea of ending tax breaks for producing solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Thirty-one percent support the measure.
Meanwhile, 52 percent oppose spending about $50 billion to finish a wall on the southern border. Thirty-six percent back the effort.
The proposed cuts to social safety net programs in the package passed by the House are among the most divisive issues raised by the bill. The Republican package outlines major cuts to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and other initiatives.
Fifty-two percent support requiring low-income adults without families to prove they're either working or are disabled to get health insurance via Medicaid. Thirty-three percent oppose the measure.
At the same time, 44 percent say it's unacceptable for roughly eight million people to lose health insurance because of the requirements, in addition to recurring eligibility verifications and restrictions at the state level. Thirty-two percent said it was acceptable for people to go without insurance. Without the specification of new requirements, 63 percent say it's unacceptable for 8 million people to lose insurance.
Seventy-one percent support the idea of extending tax cuts for those making less than $100,000, while 53 percent say the same for those making between $100,000 and $200,000. However, only 29 percent support extending the cuts for those making more than $400,000, and 30 percent say the same about corporations.
Almost seven in 10 Americans support the idea of raising taxes on individuals earning more than $2.5 million. The idea was raised by Trump last month, but House Republicans chose not to include it in the legislation.
The legislation is set to add $3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Sixty-three percent of Americans believe such an increase is unacceptable, according to the poll.