What does the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ mean for America?

On July 4th, President Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into law. The bill cuts trillions of dollars in taxes, and allocates hundreds of billions in new spending. To offset all of this, it calls for over a trillion dollars in cuts to a range of domestic programs. 

On this episode, Dan Richards spoke with two experts from the Watson School about the bill: How it will shape American society, what its passage says about the Republican Party, and the role it might play in the 2026 midterms and beyond. 

Guests on this episode: 

• Eric Patashnik is a professor of public policy and political science and author, most recently, of “Countermobilization: Policy Feedback and Backlash in a Polarized Age.”
• Margaret Weir is a political scientist, professor of international and public affairs and political science, and co-editor, most recently, of the 2021 book “Who Gets What? The New Politics of Insecurity.”