The Disaster That Just Passed the Senate

Ezra Klein interviews Matt Yglesias about the Republican's "big, beautiful" bill, which includes trillions of dollars in tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthy, offset by cuts to Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and clean energy programs. They discuss the unpopularity of the bill, particularly the Medicaid cuts and work requirements, and how these cuts disproportionately affect Republican voters and states. They delve into the details of the tax cuts, including making the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent, and the surprising dynamic scoring that increased the bill's cost due to rising interest rates. The conversation also covers the energy provisions, which eliminate tax credits for clean energy, and the broader implications for the economy, healthcare, and political dynamics within both the Republican and Democratic parties, including the lack of attention the bill is receiving and potential messaging strategies.