One big ugly bill?

Editor's note: Anthony Moretti, a special commentator for CGTN, is an associate professor at the Department of Communication and Organizational Leadership at Robert Morris University in the U.S. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of either CGTN or Robert Morris University.

U.S. President Donald Trump relishes any chance he gets to refer to something as bold, awesome, amazing and the like. So, it came as no surprise when he attached the words "one big, beautiful bill" (OBBB) to the legislation he wants the current Congress to approve.

The Senate did just that on July 1; but it took a tie-breaking vote by Vice President JD Vance in order for it to happen. The multi-purpose bill is filled with Republican Party favorites, including tax cuts, spending cuts, increased funding for national defense and a broadened commitment to immigration enforcement. Republicans either do not care about the obvious risks associated with the OBBB, or they know but are not willing to stand up to the president.

No Democratic senators supported the legislation, which will face plenty of scrutiny in the House of Representatives. Democrats appear to be on solid ground when they contend that the wealthiest Americans will be the only beneficiaries of the tax cuts and the poorest of Americans will be hurt most by the spending cuts. As just one example, because almost 12 million Americans could lose their insurance benefits over the next 10 years, there should be ample concern among the less fortunate as to how they will get the medical care they need and especially when they need it most.

The Tax Foundation is just one organization issuing warning signs about the legislation. It notes that "political gimmicks and carveouts" can be found everywhere and the provisions contained in the bill "further complicate the tax code in several ways."

Put it all together and Trump's penchant for "huge" guarantees that too many Americans will be impacted and not in good ways. But people all across the world are likely to be hurt as well.

Granted, the U.S. has not been perfect on the global stage. And the OBBB casts a dark shadow over whether that will continue. That is because of an unsettling question associated with the legislation: What will it do to America's commitment to global development?

The White House appears comfortable answering that question with a "who cares?" response. The administration has already proven it is eager to blow large holes in the country's longstanding commitments to advancing scientific research and public health through draconian cuts to agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.  

Remember, one University of Georgia scholar has noted that every dollar invested in research and development yields anywhere between $1.40 and $2.10 in economic output. The president, who insists he understands business and finance, appears unmoved by such data.

Nor does he seem worried about something else: Even though these program-cutting maneuvers continue to face legal scrutiny, the perception that the most complex research is no longer welcomed in the United States is solidifying in the minds of many scholars. The U.S. becomes a less smart and less safe country each time a prominent researcher opts to go to another nation. Can anyone explain how that would keep America great?

There is another factor in global development that cannot be ignored. Bundles of money for making war leaves lots less money to assist in times of peace. If the legislation passes and the U.S. does increase national defense spending to over $1 trillion annually, a figure never reached before, then an estimated 63 percent of discretionary spending will be earmarked for the military. Think about that.

It is not a stretch to say that as more and more money goes toward the tools to drop bombs, fire missiles and deploy men and women all over the world (and too often for dubious reasons), less and less money goes toward improving the nation and the globe.  

Everything from education to poverty reduction, pandemic preparation to diplomacy, which should be the bread and butter of every respectable nation, will see fewer resources. And that means fewer people, fewer programs and fewer success stories. America suffers and so does the world if the U.S. withdraws from its responsibilities to help people at home and abroad.

The world also becomes a safer place when countries commit to fighting climate change. Trump has already pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement that commits nations to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, among other responsibilities. The OBBB throws another grenade on preserving the climate because it would eliminate tax cuts for companies that were developing clean energy technologies.

This is what the U.S. is telling the global community at the moment: We are always ready to drop bombs. We do not care if you have a tougher time becoming smarter or healthier. And we think climate change is a bunch of baloney.

That message means the White House has no interest in global development or the safety of millions of Americans and billions of people anywhere else in the world. That is one big, horrible mistake.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com. Follow @thouse_opinions on X, formerly Twitter, to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)