The president gushes over its size and beauty.
The tax reduction and spending cut plan that Trump’s Republican congressional partners enacted on Thursday is seen by many Democratic leaders as the crucial component to the Democratic Party’s comeback.
Democrats were already planning massive demonstrations, voter registration drives, attack ads, bus tours, and a vigil for multiple days before the final vote. Their goal was to draw attention to the most contentious parts of Trump’s “big beautiful” bill—the severe cuts to the nation’s safety net that would result in millions of people losing food assistance and nearly 12 million more people losing health coverage—according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
Democrats have started to wield the measure as a weapon against Republicans in key states like California, Alaska, and Iowa. Every big contest from now until the elections in the autumn will be defined by the Republican president’s domestic policy accomplishments to date, according to Democrats.
According to Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, Republicans are clearly responsible for this catastrophe and it’s weighing them down as they approach the midterms, as per AP. Voters’ distaste for this bill grows as they gain more information about it; it is the most unpopular piece of legislation in contemporary times. The Democrats have a crystal-clear mandate: “We will ensure that every voter is aware of who is accountable.”
Democrats are hoping that the law would be a political victory, but even with early public sentiment on their side, it is far from clear.
Some members of the Democratic base are dissatisfied and considering leaving the party due to its fragmented message, lack of a clear leader, and the continued low approval ratings of the Democratic brand. The whole impact of the measure may not be realized by voters in 2026 since some of its provisions will not be implemented until after the election. There is also no telling how many voters are following the discussion in Washington.
Democrats need to put in more effort if they want their message to be heard, according to the super PAC Priorities USA, which is based in the Democratic Party.
It would be a mistake to think that the voters we should be talking to are also furious just because we are. “We have an enormous challenge ahead of us, and everyone needs to step up and recognize it,” stated executive director Danielle Butterfield. “We have never been closer to a solid foundation.”
If Congress had not intervened, the tax cuts of $4.5 trillion that Trump had instituted during his first term would have expired. Tips and overtime can now be subtracted from workers’ paychecks thanks to new breaks. Investments in renewable energy have been drastically scaled down, while Medicaid and food stamps have taken a $1.2 trillion hit. Over the course of the next decade, the impartial Congressional Budget Office predicts that the package will increase the deficit by $3.3 trillion.
The Democratic Party’s Obstacle
On the eve of a holiday weekend, when fewer people would be paying attention, Republicans were savvy, several Democrats privately admitted.
While some Democrats in Washington were predicting a nationwide political reaction, Thursday’s Democratic gathering in Iowa, which was held just 10 miles from the State Fairgrounds—the venue for Trump’s evening rally—received a very subdued response.
Local Democrats spoke out strongly against the bill and urged voters to remove Republican Representative Zach Nunn from office because he supported it before an audience of around 100 people.
Claiming that the Iowa Democrats had left him a note regarding the event, 69-year-old Michael Rieck found “nothing” when he searched online for further information.
His response was, “I didn’t see any advertisement.” He wrote back to confirm. “That was gradually fixed. What they did to promote this event still hasn’t pleased me.
According to Rieck, he would want to see the various party sections work together more effectively on messaging.
As part of Fair Share America’s 29-stop “stop the billionaire giveaway” tour, progressive campaigners were making their way across Minnesota aboard a large green bus. Their primary target is congressional districts held by Republicans, when representatives seldom meet with their people in person for town hall meetings.
“We know we’re fighting upstream,” stated Kristen Crowell, executive director of Fair Share. “However, individuals are strongly against this measure once they learn its specific contents.”
What the surveys reveal
Although certain elements are popular, polling done throughout the month of June indicates that the measure as a whole is unfavorable.
For instance, according to a Washington Post/Ipsos survey, most American citizens are in favor of raising the yearly child tax credit and doing away with taxes on tip earnings. Additionally, nearly half of all individuals are in favor of requiring certain Medicaid recipients to work.
Contrarily, most people are against allocating over $45 billion to construct and operate migrant detention centers and cutting federal funds for food aid to low-income families.
Perhaps the cost will be an issue. The predicted $3 trillion growth in the U.S. national debt over the next decade, which is now over $36 trillion, was deemed “unacceptable” by about 60% of American citizens polled.
However, surveys show that the majority of Americans are also ignoring the bill’s finer points.
In a survey conducted by the Washington Post and Ipsos, it was shown that only around one-third of American people have been exposed to the topic to varying degrees.
During the summer, Democrats want to organize
Town hall meetings, training sessions, and voter registration campaigns are all part of the “organizing summer” agenda for at least 35 competitive congressional districts, which the Democratic National Committee and its supporters are planning. There will be a strong emphasis on Trump’s measure in the address.
Democratic Governors Association head and Kansas governor Laura Kelly has remarked that her party has to make sure that the bill’s provisions are a hot topic in the next elections and presidential election in 2028 by keeping them in the public eye.
The only thing we can do is keep an eye out for it, she added.
A “Families First” day of action is being planned by progressive groups for July 26 throughout all 50 states. They plan to stage a 60-hour vigil at the U.S. Capitol, drawing attention to those impacted by the latest Medicaid cuts.
“When we are in a jam, we will be able to rely on the safety net that we have promised to future generations and to ourselves. And this is the thing that is being stolen. “And people will not stand for it,” stated Ai-jen Poo, head of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and an activist with Families First.