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The Republican Party is racing to rebrand Donald Trump’s proposed tax overhaul—once marketed as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—as a lifeline for working families. But behind the patriotic packaging and populist slogans lies a brutal truth: this bill isn’t built for the middle class. It’s engineered for millionaires.

Trump now calls it the “Working Family Tax Cut,” claiming it delivers “massive relief” to everyday Americans. GOP lawmakers echo the rebrand in town halls and press hits, hoping repetition will overwrite reality. But the numbers don’t lie—and they’re damning.

Households earning $50K–$100K—the backbone of the American economy—would see an average tax cut of just $800 to $1,200, according to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). That’s barely enough to cover a month of groceries or a single insurance premium. Meanwhile, the bill guts nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid, threatening coverage for millions of families who rely on it for children, aging parents, and emergency care (Congressional Budget Office, 2025). The “cut” comes with a bill—and it’s steep.

At the top, it’s a different story. Households earning over $1.15 million will pocket an average $75,410, while those making $5.18 million or more score a staggering $286,440 (Tax Policy Center, 2025). That’s not relief. That’s a reward. And it’s funded by stripping public health, education, and infrastructure to the bone. Even foreign investors will receive more in net tax cuts than the bottom 60% of Americans combined, according to analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. That’s not just inequality—it’s institutionalized extraction.

For households earning under $34,000, the average tax cut is a paltry $150—and many will actually pay more in taxes than under current law. The poorest 20% face a net tax increase of $140, while losing access to affordable healthcare and child tax credits (JCT, 2025). Families with mixed immigration status or children without Social Security numbers are excluded from full benefits.

The bill’s tip and overtime deductions—touted as proof of working-class support—are a textbook case of symbolic legislation: temporary, narrow, and insufficient. These provisions expire within a few years, apply to a sliver of workers, and exclude many in gig, contract, or undocumented labor. The average benefit amounts to less than $100 annually for most eligible workers—barely a tank of gas (Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, 2025). It’s a political fig leaf, not a financial lifeline. A gesture designed for headlines, not households.

The bill also raises the estate and gift tax exemption to $15 million per person, allowing dynastic wealth to pass down tax-free, while middle-class families continue to pay property and income taxes without mercy (IRS Policy Brief, 2025). It’s a generational wealth shield for the elite—paid for by everyone else.

The bottom line: $117 billion in tax cuts to the top 1% in 2026 alone (JCT), $14 billion more to the richest 1% than to the bottom 80% combined (Tax Policy Center), $4.5 trillion in lost revenue over a decade (CBO), and $4.1 trillion added to the national debt (Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget). This isn’t reform. It’s redistribution—upward. It’s not a tax cut. It’s a Trojan horse.

Despite the rebrand, polling shows widespread skepticism. Surveys from the Pew Research Center and CNN reveal that most Americans view the bill as a giveaway to the rich, with growing concern over its long-term impact on healthcare, education, and economic mobility.

If Republicans want to sell this as a gift to working Americans, they’ll need more than a name change. They’ll need a mirror.

Don’t mistake the olive branch for equity—it’s camouflage. This bill isn’t reaching down to lift working families up; it’s reaching up to reward the elite.