Why Trump’s 'One Big Beautiful Bill' Is Winning — Even If No One Likes It

The Unloved Giant

It’s late at night in Washington. The air hums with tension — not from debate, but from dread. A bill is coming through: big, messy, and deeply unpopular. But here’s the twist: it doesn’t need to be liked.

I’ve been tracking how legislation becomes law since my days analyzing cognitive biases in AI-driven decision-making at MIT. This time feels different — not because of its content, but because of its momentum.

The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ isn’t just about taxes or healthcare cuts; it’s about power dynamics disguised as policy.

When Power Overrules Policy

You don’t need to love a law to pass it — you only need to fear losing control.

Republican lawmakers are split: some oppose cutting Medicaid, others hate the fiscal recklessness. But when Trump calls them? He listens… then changes course.

This isn’t leadership — it’s psychological leverage. A phone call can flip a vote overnight by activating tribal loyalty over principle.

It reminds me of what I studied: confirmation bias under pressure isn’t about facts — it’s about identity protection.

In this case, staying loyal to Trump isn’t political strategy; it’s emotional survival.

The Budget Trick That Made It Seem Legal

Here’s where things get really strange:

The bill claims to cost nothing because Republicans redefined temporary tax cuts as permanent fixtures in their budget model.

Imagine you rent a luxury car for three months thinking you’ll return to your old sedan afterward… then decide to keep renting because ‘you always wanted this.’ Suddenly, no extra cost.

That’s exactly what they’re doing with 2017 tax cuts — treating them as permanent even though they were meant to expire.

This trick lets them claim compliance with budget rules while actually increasing deficits by trillions.

I call this fiscal illusion — like adding sugar water instead of real nutrition and calling it healthy.

cognitive dissonance runs high when you lie to yourself about numbers that matter more than votes do right now.