Latest news with #HR1
The Wire
2 days ago
- Business
- The Wire
Trump's Big, Brutal Bill Entrenches US Empire
Inderjeet Parmar 3 minutes ago Presented as a 'beautiful' fix for growth and security, HR 1 actually funnels wealth to America's richest, arms a $1 trillion war machine and thickens domestic repression, all with the aim of propping up a waning imperial hegemony. The 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' (H.R. 1), heralded as a transformative economic and security package for the United States, is less an economic stimulus than a manifesto for American supremacy. It weds two imperatives of the US ruling class: an upward transfer of wealth and a vast expansion of militarised power, thereby entrenching its domestic and global dominance. Cloaked in rhetoric about jobs, growth and border security, the Bill arrives at a moment when Washington's hegemony is fraying thanks to rising multipolarity, domestic inequality is at an all time high fast – the top 1% hold 32% of wealth – and popular discontent is increasing. Ruling elites secure dominance not merely through coercion but by manufacturing consent via ideological control over civil society—media, politics, and cultural institutions. The Big Brutal Bill, framed as a 'beautiful' solution to economic and security challenges, exemplifies this process. Its proponents, including Republican leaders and sections of the corporate media, have deployed neoliberal and nationalist narratives to mask the legislation's true aims: redistributing wealth upward, strengthening coercive state mechanisms and escalating militarism to sustain US global primacy. This demands the US power elites discipline both domestic and global populations. The bill's economic provisions constitute a brazen transfer of wealth from the working and middle classes to the ultra-rich. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the bill reduces household resources for the poorest 10% by 4% ($940 annually) while boosting incomes for the richest 0.1% by $389,000 for those earning over $4.3 million. Extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which directed two-thirds of benefits to the top 20%, the bill amplifies a historical trend: since 1975, the top 1% have sapped $79 trillion from the bottom 90%. Cuts to Medicaid ($930 billion) and SNAP (affecting 4.5 million people) further impoverish the working class, with 15–16 million potentially losing healthcare. This wealth transfer is not merely economic but ideological. Ruling elites, through Fox News and various well funded corporate think tanks, frame the bill as a universal economic boon, echoing neoliberal myths of 'trickle-down' prosperity. Yet, the bill's regressive tax structure and social cuts weaken the economic base of the working and middle classes, limiting their capacity for resistance. Such policies fragment the potential for a radical 'historic bloc' – a unified working-class alliance capable of challenging capitalist dominance. The bill's economic impact aligns with America's global imperial strategies. By prioritising corporate tax breaks, it mirrors US strategies in the Global South, where austerity and privatisation entrench elite power. This domestic imperialism treats the US working class as a colonised population, extracting wealth while offering ideological platitudes about 'growth.' Militarism and War: Coercive Pillars of Hegemony The bill's $1 trillion military budget, the largest in US history, is a cornerstone of its aggressive imperial agenda, escalating war risks while consolidating ruling-class power. Allocating $400 billion for nuclear warheads, hypersonic missiles, and 200 new bombers, the budget aims to counter multipolar rivals like China and Russia. Yet, this spending dwarfs the military budgets of the next ten states across the world. What this bill shows is the degree to which the US empire relies on military dominance and violence to maintain its increasingly precarious global hegemony. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute notes that such military modernisation lowers conflict thresholds, with arms races historically preceding wars 70% of the time. This leads to escalating fears of military miscalculation in regions like the South China Sea. The budget has a dual role: coercion abroad and control at home. Abroad, it reinforces U.S. primacy by projecting power against adversaries, a response to the declining legitimacy of the US-led liberal imperial-international order. Domestically, $50 billion for militarised police and National Guard equipment, alongside $8 billion for 10,000 new ICE agents and private prisons, equips the state to suppress dissent. The bill's provision barring courts from holding officials in contempt further enables authoritarianism, echoing post-9/11 trends where domestic repression accompanied foreign wars (e.g., Iraq). Imperialism is not solely an external phenomenon; it disciplines domestic populations to ensure compliance with elite agendas. The military-industrial complex benefits immensely, with $250 billion in contracts to firms like Boeing and Raytheon. Since 2001, some arms firm stocks have outperformed the Standard & Poor 500 by 600%, and contractor CEOs earn $20–$30 million annually. This economic-militaristic nexus incentivises instability, geopolitical tensions, and war, as historical examples like Iraq ($39 billion to Halliburton) demonstrate. Ruling elites are leveraging coercion to secure economic power, with war profits reinforcing their hegemony. Ideological Consent: Nationalism and Distraction The bill's militaristic and economic aims are cloaked in nationalist ideology, a classic tactic to secure consent. Its $10 billion for 'countering foreign disinformation' doubles as domestic propaganda, while border wall and ICE funding ($8 billion) symbolise 'defending America.' These measures rally nationalist sentiment, particularly among the 55% of Republicans who support the budget for 'security'. Such symbols unify subordinate classes under ruling-class leadership, diverting attention from wealth transfers and social cuts. Put crudely, American elite nationalism is little more than an instrument to mask class conflict. By demonising immigrants and foreign adversaries, the bill aligns segments of the working class with elite interests, dampening class consciousness. SIPRI data suggests nationalist surges increase war risks by 15–20% within five years, as publics tolerate aggression. The bill's narrative of 'preventing a recession' and 'securing borders' obscures its role in impoverishing millions, a hegemonic sleight of hand. Crisis of Hegemony and Resistance It is not a coincidence that the bill has emerged in a moment of hegemonic crisis. Rising inequality, multipolarity and public opposition signal eroding consent. Yet, the ruling elite counters this through intensified coercion (military, police) and ideological manipulation (nationalism, neoliberalism). Crises of hegemony require constant renewal, explaining this aggressive consolidation. However, cracks exist: there are widespread denunciations of the bill as a 'wealth transfer' and 'war machine'. Without a unified and organised counter-hegemonic movement, however, this resistance remains fragmented. The Big Brutal Bill is a masterclass in imperial hegemony, blending wealth transfers, militarism, and nationalism to entrench the power of the American Establishment. Its $1 trillion military budget escalates war risks by fuelling arms races and domestic repression, while its economic provisions siphon wealth from the working and middle classes to the ultra-rich. The bill is an example of what Gramsci would call a 'war of position' – fortifying US capitalism amid crisis, reflecting the American state's dual nature: coercive abroad, exploitative at home. Resistance requires exposing these truths and building a historic bloc to challenge the ruling class's grip. Inderjeet Parmar is a professor of international politics and associate dean of research in the School of Policy and Global Affairs at City St George's, University of London, a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, and a columnist at The Wire. He is an International Fellow at the ROADS Initiative think tank, Islamabad, and author of several books including Foundations of the American Century. He is currently writing a book on the history, politics, and powers of the US foreign policy establishment. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Malaysian Reserve
6 days ago
- Health
- Malaysian Reserve
Statement from the American Nurses Association on Passing of H.R.1 in the Senate
Patients, Nurses, Hospitals and Our Health System Count on Medicaid SILVER SPRING, Md., July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As Congress considers proposals that would significantly reduce federal support for Medicaid, the American Nurses Association is urging lawmakers to reflect not only on the policy implications but also on the real-world consequences for patients, providers, and communities across the country. 'Today, the Senate passed HR1, which, if it becomes law, will have devastating consequences for patients, nurses, and healthcare overall, particularly for those in rural and medically underserved areas. Patients and nurses deserve better,' said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the ANA. 'Medicaid is not just a budget line item—it is the backbone of care for millions of Americans, including seniors in nursing homes, children with complex medical needs, and working families in rural and underserved areas. It is also a critical pillar of the nursing workforce. Cuts to Medicaid would result in hospital and clinic closures, especially in rural areas, and would force nurses to shoulder even heavier workloads, leading to burnout, attrition, and ultimately, worse patient outcomes.' These are not abstract warnings. Nurses across the country are already reporting the strain: higher patient ratios, reduced resources, and the moral injury of being unable to provide the care their patients deserve. Medicaid accounts for 19% of hospital revenues nationwide. Reductions in funding will ripple through the entire health care system, threatening both access and quality of care. Elected members of Congress should consider the political lessons of the past. In 2018, more than 20 Republican House members who voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act lost their seats. While many factors contributed to those outcomes, the public's concern over health care access—particularly Medicaid—was a decisive issue in many districts. This is an important reminder that voters care deeply about health care, and they are paying attention. Constituents, especially nurses in the communities and their patients, are relying on our elected officials to do the right thing and to protect Medicaid. About the American Nurses Association As the oldest organization representing more than 5 million registered nurses, the American Nurses Association stands at the forefront of advancing nursing excellence. The association harnesses The Power of Nurses™ to champion the profession and drive transformation in healthcare. Through legislative and political advocacy, comprehensive educational services, and the profession's leading Code of Ethics and Scope and Standards, the association empowers nurses across every specialty and practice setting. The association is committed to ensuring healthy work environments, shaping pioneering policies, and cultivating partnerships that enhance both the nursing profession and the broader healthcare experience. MEDIA CONTACT: newsroom@
Miami Herald
25-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Huge solar equipment manufacturer files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
The U.S. solar energy industry has faced many of the same economic issues that other retail and manufacturing industries have dealt with, including rising labor and product costs driven by inflation, higher interest rates on debt obligations, and extreme competition from across the world. Some economic factors unique to the solar industry, however, threaten to put some companies out of business. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter The solar industry may face a potential revenue disaster if Congress follows through with proposals to phase out or eliminate tax credits for developers of renewable energy products and manufacturers of renewable energy technology. Related: Popular children's retailer files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 implemented the Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit in IRC Section 45X, which provides lucrative tax credits for eligible components produced or sold between Jan. 1, 2023, and Dec. 31, 2032. The tax credits will provide billions of dollars of tax benefits for developers and manufacturers of solar equipment if fully implemented. Congress, however, might snuff out that lucrative tax benefit for solar equipment manufacturers if new legislation is signed into law. The U.S. House of Representatives on May 22, 2025, passed its version of the budget reconciliation bill, HR 1, President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes proposed revisions to the existing law that would phase out or eliminate the IRC Section 45X tax credits. The tax credits are still in limbo as the U.S. Senate is still deliberating on HR 1, trying to reconcile its version with the House version. Eliminating the Section 45X tax credits may force several solar equipment companies out of business, putting thousands more workers in the unemployment line. One company has been pushed over the edge by just the threat of tax credits disappearing. Major solar energy equipment manufacturer Meyer Burger Holding Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, seeking a sale of its assets and to halt a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act lawsuit after abruptly closing its Arizona plant. Related: Another national retail chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy The Goodyear, Ariz.-based debtor, which is a subsidiary of parent company Meyer Burger AG of Switzerland, filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on June 25, listing $100 million to $500 million in assets and about $560 million in debts. The debtor owes about $89 million from a secured bridge loan, about $370 million in unsecured intercompany loans, and about $100 million in unsecured trade payables and other unsecured debts. More bankruptcy: Iconic auto repair chain franchise files Chapter 11 bankruptcyPopular beer brand closes down and files Chapter 7 bankruptcyPopular vodka and gin brand files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy The debtor will seek debtor-in-possession financing, which includes a roll-up of preparation secured debt, and a bidding procedures motion with a stalking-horse bidder offer to purchase the company in a Section 363 sale, according to court papers. The debtor said financial and operational setbacks from an inundation of the global solar market with low-priced Chinese products and debilitating trade restrictions affected the European market and prompted the debtor to expand into the U.S. solar market with the opening of an Arizona solar module plant. The debtor faced financial issues related to its Arizona solar module manufacturing facility, as the plant's production line design didn't meet the intended solar module design, requiring a six-month delay and redesign of the production lines. The Arizona facility cost $60 million and 12 months to complete and was expected to produce 10,000 solar modules a day and employ 600 workers. The facility, however, consists of two partially installed production lines that never reached full production capacity, and a third line installation was delayed because of a shifting business plan and deteriorating financial condition. A planned Colorado Springs, Colo., solar cell manufacturing facility was discontinued due to the company's inability to obtain necessary financing. Meyer Burger was unable to secure adequate financing to complete construction of the Arizona module plant and the Colorado cell facility, and its affiliates in Switzerland and Germany were forced into insolvency proceedings. The company also faced economic issues from global supply chain disruption. At full capacity, the company expected to generate almost $1.3 billion in tax credits through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, but production setbacks significantly reduced the company's benefit. Congressional plans to phase out or eliminate the tax credits caused uncertainty with lenders and investors, which impacted the company's out-of-court restructuring and recapitalization plans. After an investor terminated a restructuring and recapitalization deal at the beginning of May 2025, manufacturing challenges and macroeconomic headwinds forced the debtor to lay off all 400 employees at the Arizona plant and shut down production by May 31, 2025. The shutdown prompted former employees to file a class-action lawsuit alleging the company violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The debtor's Chapter 11 filing placed an automatic stay on all litigation while the bankruptcy case proceeds. Related: Popular bar and grill chain files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
New York Post
04-06-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Our ‘big, beautiful bill' will provide New Yorkers tax relief they desperately need
Whether it's a constituent contacting my office, shaking my hand along a parade route, coming up to me at Sunday mass or sitting next to me at the barbershop, the one issue I hear more than any other is how damn hard it is for people to make ends meet in the Hudson Valley. The affordability crisis is real, and it's severe. Well, here's some good news: The House just took a significant step toward doing something about it. The passage of HR 1, a k a 'the Big, Beautiful Bill,' quadrupled the SALT cap to $40,000 and is poised to deliver significant tax relief to nearly every home and business owner in the Hudson Valley (and beyond). It was a hard-fought victory for middle-class and working families, already drowning under the tax-and-spend policies in Albany that have made New York the highest-taxed state in the nation. Quadrupling the SALT cap will be a lifeline for the teachers, nurses, small-business owners and first responders who keep our communities strong, and for all of the working-class families and retirees on fixed incomes across the Hudson Valley. That's why I took on House leadership and members of my party to secure this win, and to block efforts to cut the federal share of Medicaid funding to the state. These changes would have resulted in a massive tax increase. For those who falsely claim lifting the SALT cap was only a tax cut for the rich, that's a bunch of bull. Over 93% of Hudson Valley home and business owners will see a tax cut if this bill is signed into law. Those are the facts. Better still, we achieved more than just increasing the SALT cap to help ease the affordability crisis for local families and seniors. The bill eliminates federal taxes on tips and taxes on overtime pay, directly helping restaurant workers, firefighters and other hourly employees who rely on these earnings. It prevents a looming middle-class tax hike by preserving key provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, like the $2,500 Child Tax Credit for nearly 88,000 families in NY-17 and the Small Business Deduction for over 78,000 businesses in our district. Without this legislation, families earning our district's median income would have faced a tax increase of nearly $4,000 starting next year. We also made health care more affordable by preventing harmful cuts to safety-net hospitals, boosting physician reimbursements and cracking down on pharmacy benefit managers to lower prescription-drug costs. Sadly, instead of working with us to deliver much-needed tax relief for New Yorkers, hyperpartisan politicians like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries continue to sit on the sidelines and launch bogus, class-warfare attacks that have no basis in fact or truth. Frankly, to hear them criticizing an increase in the SALT cap is truly astonishing. When they had complete and total power to raise or scrap the cap, they sat on their hands and chose to let it stay in place, once again being held hostage by radical leftists like AOC and Bernie Sanders. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters And this bill doesn't stop at tax relief. We expanded Pell Grants to include workforce training and eased access to out-of-state pediatric care for kids on Medicaid and CHIP. Plus, despite the lies being told, we protected Medicaid for those who genuinely need it, like seniors, single parents and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The so-called 'cuts' you hear about were actually common-sense reforms that require able-bodied adults without dependent children to work, volunteer or go to school 20 hours a week. They were enhanced eligibility checks to cut waste, fraud and abuse, so people can no longer scam the system, including registering in two different states. And they were citizenship verifications that prevent illegal immigrants from siphoning benefits from this critical program. These are practical and popular solutions that reflect the values of the Hudson Valley. Anyone who tells you differently is lying. Plain and simple. As an independent voice in Washington, I've never been afraid to challenge my own party or work across the aisle to get results. This bill is a historic step forward — a tax cut that rewards hard work, supports families and levels the playing field. I'll always keep fighting for NY-17. Now let's just hope the Senate passes the bill soon. Mike Lawler represents New York's Hudson Valley area in the House of Representatives.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Medicaid cuts could drive Michigan hospitals closer to insolvency
The critical access hospital in Ontonagon, just 50 miles from my hometown in the Upper Peninsula, closed last year. The nearest emergency room is now a 45-mile drive away — nearly an hour in good weather. In a February snowstorm, that delay can mean the difference between life and death. Most people hope never to visit an emergency room. But US. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that nearly 140 million Americans annually utilize ER care — often during the most vulnerable moments of their lives. It's often taken for granted that emergency rooms will always be there for us, but that assumption is increasingly at risk. I'm an emergency room doctor, and I can tell you firsthand that ERs are the backbone of our country's health care safety net. If HR 1 becomes law, based on a report from the Congressional Budget Office, we can expect millions to lose their Medicaid coverage. This will add to the rolls of the uninsured, placing a larger burden on already stressed hospitals and emergency departments. This means that more hospitals will likely close. Six hospitals in Michigan are at imminent risk of closure, a recent study by the Centers for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform found, while 14 more are at risk of closure over time. That's before any impact of these proposed cuts which the passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a single vote, largely along party lines. Hospitals already operate on razor-thin margins, and anything that disrupts the funding makes those margins even tighter. Losing billions in Medicaid funding could push many hospitals over the edge. In Michigan, the numbers are stark: one in five adult residents rely on Medicaid for health care. Among children, that number increases to two out of every five. Medicaid also covers 38% of all births in the state. Medicaid isn't a fringe benefit for the few — it's a critical lifeline for millions. And it's a key part of the financial foundation for hospitals that serve our most at-risk communities. But that foundation is crumbling. A recent report by the RAND Corporation confirms what frontline physicians already know: America's emergency care system is in crisis, and emergency rooms throughout the country are strained to, or even beyond, their breaking point. Declining Medicare reimbursements, shrinking insurance payments and threats to Medicaid funding are converging to further endanger access to emergency care. Currently, 20% of the care provided by emergency rooms in the U.S. is uncompensated, comprising an annual price tag of over $5 billion. This is unsustainable. With further cuts to Medicaid, it is possible that 22 Michigan communities could soon be left without a hospital — and without the lifesaving emergency care we all depend on. And it's not just patients on Medicaid who stand to lose. When hospitals close, everyone suffers — whether they're covered by private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. The collapse of emergency infrastructure in any region puts pressure on surrounding hospitals, increases wait times and reduces the overall capacity of our system to respond in times of crisis. Emergency physicians like myself are proud to care for anyone who walks through our doors — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We are required by federal law to treat all comers, regardless of their ability to pay. More: Habeas corpus is line between democracy and tyranny. Trump is blurring that line | Opinion But we cannot do it alone. We rely on functioning hospitals, adequate funding and a health care system that values access for all. If we continue to underfund Medicaid — or treat it as expendable — we risk eroding the structure that holds our emergency care system together. This isn't just a policy debate. It's a matter of access to health care. It can become a matter of life and death. Now is the time to ensure the viability of the emergency medical system in our state. We should take steps to protect and strengthen the programs that support emergency care — not dismantle them. When your life is on the line, you shouldn't have to wonder whether help will be there when you need it. Tell your members of Congress not to cut Medicaid, so we can protect the health care safety net in our state, for our friends and neighbors, for our hospitals and for the safety net that protects all of our residents. Brad J. Uren is an emergency room doctor, a past president of the Michigan College of Emergency Physicians and vice chair of the board of directors of the Michigan State Medical Society. Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online and in print. Like what you're reading? Please consider supporting local journalism and getting unlimited digital access with a Detroit Free Press subscription. We depend on readers like you. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trump Medicaid cuts could close 20 Michigan rural hospitals | Opinion
