Saturday, May 24, 2025

How Trump's megabill transfers wealth in the USNew Foto - How Trump's megabill transfers wealth in the US

A version of this story appeared in CNN's What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for freehere. It took intense lobbying from President Donald Trump, an all-nighter, and a vote on a bill for which many people did not yet have a clear grasp of the final changes, but House Republicans got it done this week. They passed their version of the "one big, beautiful bill," a behemoth that pairs tax cuts with new provisions that will push people off Medicaid and food assistance. Low-income Americans will feel the effect of changes to aid programs, while the wealthy will see most of the windfall from tax cuts, according to multiple assessments. Democrats argue the tradeoff is cruel, but Republicans say it's necessary to deliver on Trump's economic agenda and to root out waste and fraud, protecting the programs for those who need them. What the House passed is an opening bid as the process now shifts to the US Senate, which must pass its own version of a tax and spending bill. Senators will be gauging the public reaction to the House bill and what critics have said is a reverse transfer of wealth, much of which will be put on the nation's credit card in the form of deficit spending. Here's a look at how the "one big, beautiful bill" takes benefits from lower-income Americans in order to cut taxes, primarily for the wealthy. How much does the bill cut in taxes? How much does it cut in spending? The House'stax and spending cuts packageis certainly a "big" bill in terms of its impact. We don't have all the final figures yet because the Congressional Budget Office is still working on the analysis of the final version of the bill, which contained some significant last-minute changes. ButCBO's initial estimatesfound that the package's tax measures would increase the deficit by $3.8 trillion over a decade, while other provisions would cut nearly $1 trillion in federal support forMedicaid and food stampsover that period. Medicaid, which provides health insurance to low-income Americans, would face the largest cuts in the package, with CBO projecting a nearly $700 billion reduction in federal spending. Meanwhile, food stamps, formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, would face a $267 billion cut in federal support. The bill would also increase spending for defense, immigration enforcement and homeland security, while pulling back on federal spending in some other areas. The national debt is more than $37 trillion. How much would this bill add to that incredible figure? Overall, the bill would add $3.1 trillion to the nation's debt, including interest, over the next decade, according to anearly independent analysisfrom the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. We are still waiting for the final word from CBO. Long-term budget projections are notoriously difficult, and House Republicans were altering the provisions up until just before they passed the bill. Plus, things could change when senators start working on their version. Most of the tax cuts in the bill aren't exactly cuts, but rather extensions of tax cuts from Trump's first term. Will most Americans see their tax bill go down if something like this bill becomes law? Currently, if Congress doesn't act, most Americans would see their taxes increase because the individual income tax cuts from the 2017 bill are set to expire at the end of this year. The House package would make permanent essentially all of those provisions. However, many people may not notice that aspect of the legislation since "all it's going to do is extend the tax system that they've come to know and hate," said Howard Gleckman, senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center. But here's the impact the bill would have compared with Congress doing nothing: On average, the majority of Americans would see a tax cut next year — more than 80%, in fact, according tothe center's analysisof the tax provisions. The average household would see their federal taxes drop by about $2,900. However, that doesn't include the impact of the spending cuts, which we'll get to in a minute. What do we know about how much goes to wealthier taxpayers and how much goes to middle-class and lower-wage taxpayers? Higher-income taxpayers would come out ahead, with 60% of the tax cuts going to the top 20%, who have incomes of at least $217,000, next year and more than a third going to the top 5%, or those who earn $460,000 or more, according to the center. The following numbers show how the rich would get the biggest boost in their after-tax income compared to others. Those in the top 20% would see an average tax cut of $12,660 next year, increasing their after-tax income by 3.4%. But again, that's compared with current law, in which Trump's first-term tax cuts are expiring. Middle-income earners, those making between about $67,000 and $119,000, would get a tax break of $1,840, bumping up their after-tax income by 2.4%, while those in the lowest bracket, who earn less than about $35,000, would get a tax cut of $160, nudging up their after-tax income by 0.8%. Individual circumstances will also play a major role, since the tax package provides targeted breaks for certain groups. For instance, because of the temporary elimination of taxes on tips and overtime, those who receive those types of compensation could see more tax relief than other workers making the same income. There's an important reason Trump's 2017 tax cuts now need to be extended. In 2017, lawmakers were able to make it appear like the tax cuts would have less of a long-term effect on the deficit and national debt by making them temporary. They bet, correctly, that this year's Congress would prioritize either extending the tax cuts or making them permanent. Are there any similar accounting tricks in this bill? There certainly are! House Republicans included many of Trump's campaign promises in the bill but made them temporary to reduce their cost. The elimination of taxes on tips and overtime would be in effect from 2025 through 2028, as would be the $4,000 boost in the standard deduction for senior citizens, which aims to fulfill Trump's promise to end taxes on Social Security benefits. Plus, the deduction of up to $10,000 in interest on certain car loans also expires after 2028. Several of the package's business tax measures — which are factored into the tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans — are also temporary. That's one reason why the bill is not as advantageous to the super-rich in later years. Separately — and this is not a matter of accounting, but rather of politics — new work requirements for Medicaid, which are expected to push millions of people out of the program and likely leave them uninsured, wouldn't kick in until the end of 2026, which is notably after the midterm election. However, states would have the option of implementing the mandate earlier in the year. Making all the temporary individual and business tax provisions permanent would add $5.1 trillion to the nation's debt, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget's early analysis. The bill partially offsets tax cuts by slashing Medicaid coverage and food stamps. How does that factor into the impact the bill will have on the country? This is key to understanding the bill's overall effect on Americans' wallets, particularly on those who are lower on the income ladder. The deep spending cuts to Medicaid and food stamps will result in millions of people losing access to their health insurance and food assistance, leaving them far worse off financially. The measures, particularly introducing work requirements to Medicaid and expanding them in the food stamps program, will not only be felt by the low-income adults that the Republicans are targeting, but also children, senior citizens, people with disabilities and others, experts say. ThePenn Wharton Budget Modelcrunched the numbers, taking into consideration both the tax cuts and spending reductions on Medicaid and food stamps, as well as the changes to the federal student loan program, which aim to limit the federal role in student borrowing. It found that the lowest-income Americans, making up to about $17,000, would see their incomes fall by $820, on average, next year – after taking into account taxes and certain government benefits. That's a drop of 14.6%, on average. The next group, with incomes between $17,000 and $51,000, would lose $430 in income, or 1.1%, on average. Middle-income households would fare better, receiving a tax break of $840, or a 1.1% gain in income, on average. These taxpayers have incomes between $51,000 and $93,000. But the highest earners, those making more than $174,000, would enjoy bigger income boosts, of just over $12,000, or 2.6%, on average. "For lower income people, what they are losing in Medicaid, Affordable Care Act premium support and food stamps more than dominates any type of benefits from taxes on tips and other tax cuts," said Kent Smetters, faculty director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model. "And they're not going to make it back through economic growth." This bill is probably unlikely to pass the Senate in its current form. What do we know, if anything, about how Senate Republicans might change it? Changes seem like a certainty. This bill is being passed under a budget reconciliation process that allows Republicans a way around filibuster rules. That means they can make their megabill law with only Republican votes in the Senate, although they only have three votes to spare with Vice President JD Vance's tie-breaking vote. Some GOP senators wantmore spending cuts. Others are worried about the Medicaid changes. One wants a more generous tax credit for children. Plus, non-budget-related items could be stripped by the Senate parliamentarian. Assuming something ultimately passes the Senate, it would then have to go back to the House. Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have shown an ability to get things over the finish line. But this will be a major legislative test for new Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Despite the cuts, the bill still adds to the national debt. Is there any active talk across party lines about how to deal with Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security spending, which the government says are unsustainable? The short answer is no. The bill we're talking about right now has more tax cuts than spending cuts, which is why it adds to the deficit. The things driving deficit spending are the growth in Medicare and Social Security as baby boomers age. Bothprograms' trust fundscould run out of the money they need to pay full benefits in a decade or so. Yet neither party is making reform of those programs a top priority, in large part because touching them is politically toxic. Solutions would probably have to be bipartisan. There are plenty of known solutions — things like incremental changes to the retirement age or payroll tax hikes on higher wage earners — but those are not currently being seriously debated. On Medicaid, the GOP answer is the cuts in the bill, but it's paired with much larger tax cuts. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

How Trump’s megabill transfers wealth in the US

How Trump's megabill transfers wealth in the US A version of this story appeared in CNN's What Matters newsletter. To get it in your...
Cannes film festival impacted as major power cut hits southern FranceNew Foto - Cannes film festival impacted as major power cut hits southern France

A major power cut across southern France left around 160,000 homes without electricity on Saturday and impacted the town of Cannes, which is currently hosting itsannual international film festival. The power outage began at around 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET), France's electricity transmission network RTE said in apost on X, adding that teams are working to restore power as quickly as possible. Saturday is the last day of this year's Cannes Film Festival, which has been held in the town for 78 years, with the closing ceremony scheduled to take place in the evening. The festival is using generators to ensure that screenings are still able to go ahead, French public broadcaster FranceInfo reported. A total of three generators will be used for the closing ceremony, FranceInfo said, citing a journalist from France Inter, another of the country's public broadcasters. Organizers of the festival told CNN affiliate BFMTV that there are "no worries" that the power outage will affect the closing ceremony, which will see the winners of the festival's top prizes announced. The outage affected two screenings on Saturday morning for about five minutes, then they resumed, the organizers said, according to BFMTV. This is a developing story and will be updated. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

Cannes film festival impacted as major power cut hits southern France

Cannes film festival impacted as major power cut hits southern France A major power cut across southern France left around 160,000 homes wit...
Pluto's 'extreme cousin' is a dwarf planet found at the far reaches of our solar systemNew Foto - Pluto's 'extreme cousin' is a dwarf planet found at the far reaches of our solar system

Earth has a newly-discovered neighbor in thesolar system. But the heavenly body – possibly a dwarf planet à la Pluto – isn't a frequent visitor. Located beyondNeptune, its extreme orbit circumnavigates the sun once every 25,000 years, taking it beyond our solar system. The new object, named 2017 OF201, was discovered by researchers in an astronomical image database while searching for trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and possible new planets in the outer solar system. Sihao Cheng, an astrophysicist at the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Natural Sciences, led the team that discovered the object, which he described as an "extreme 'cousin' of Pluto," in a comment onhis personal website. 2017 OF201 is about one-third the size ofPluto, which was reclassified as a dwarf planet in August 2006, and "is likely large enough to qualify as a dwarf planet, and its orbit is extremely wide," Cheng said. Jupiter:Our solar system's biggest planet used to be twice as large: Study "The object's aphelion – the farthest point on the orbit from the Sun – is more than 1600 times that of the Earth's orbit," Cheng said in a synopsis of the findings posted May 22 onthe Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) website. "Meanwhile, its perihelion – the closest point on its orbit to the Sun – is 44.5 times that of the Earth's orbit, similar to Pluto's orbit." The researchers identified 2017 OF201 using 19 different astronomical database exposures, captured over seven years. The International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center officially announced the new object's discovery on May 21, the IAS said. 2017 OF201's extreme orbit makes it detectable about 1% of the time, the researchers said. Spotting 2017 OF201 beyondthe Kuiper Belt, a donut-shaped section of space past the orbit of Neptune filled with icy debris, suggests the region may not be as empty as previously thought. "The presence of this single object suggests that there could be another hundred or so other objects with similar orbit and size; they are just too far away to be detectable now," Cheng said in the synopsis. "Even though advances in telescopes have enabled us to explore distant parts of the universe, there is still a great deal to discover about our own solar system." The extreme orbit of 2017 OF201 also suggests the object "must have experienced close encounters with a giant planet, causing it to be ejected to a wide orbit," said Eritas Yang, a Princeton University graduate student who assisted in the research, in the study synopsis. More than one galactic event could have created 2017 OF201's orbit, Cheng added. "It's possible that this object was first ejected to the Oort cloud, the most distant region in our solar system, which is home to many comets, and then sent back," he said. The new object could also challenge the hypothesis that there's a "Planet X" or "Planet Nine" beyond Pluto, with gravity affecting dwarf planets and other objects in the Kuiper Belt. That's because 2017 OF201's orbit is "well outside the clustering observed in extreme (TNOs), which has been proposed as dynamical evidence for a distant, undetected planet," the researchers write in adraft version of their submitted research. "The existence of 2017 OF201 might suggest that Planet 9 or X doesn't exist," said Jiaxuan Li, another Princeton University astrophysical sciences grad student who collaborated on the research, onhis personal website. But research will continue. "I hope Planet 9 still exists, because that'll be more interesting," Cheng toldthe New Scientist. Contributing: Doyle Rice and Elizabeth Weise. Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him atmikegsnider&@mikegsnider.bsky.social&@mikesnider& msnider@usatoday.com What's everyone talking about?Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Space oddity: New 'dwarf planet' found beyond Neptune

Pluto's 'extreme cousin' is a dwarf planet found at the far reaches of our solar system

Pluto's 'extreme cousin' is a dwarf planet found at the far reaches of our solar system Earth has a newly-discovered neighbor in...
Haitians with HIV defy stigma as they publicly denounce USAID cuts and dwindling medicationNew Foto - Haitians with HIV defy stigma as they publicly denounce USAID cuts and dwindling medication

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A video showing dozens of people marching toward the office of Haiti's prime minister elicited gasps from some viewers as it circulated recently on social media. The protesters, who wereHIV positive, did not conceal their faces — a rare occurrence in a country where the virus is still heavily stigmatized. "Call the minister of health! We are dying!" the group chanted. The protesters risked being shunned by society to warn thatHaiti is running out of HIV medicationjust months after the administration of U.S.President Donald Trumpslashed more than 90% of USAID's foreign aid contractsand $60 billion in overall aid across the globe. At a hospital near the northern city ofCap-Haitien, Dr. Eugene Maklin said he struggles to share that reality with his more than 550 HIV patients. "It's hard to explain to them, to tell them that they're not going to find medication," he said. "It's like a suicide." 'We can't stay silent' More than 150,000 people in Haiti have HIV or AIDS, according to official estimates, although nonprofits believe the number is much higher. David Jeune, a 46-year-old hospital community worker, is among them. He became infected 19 years ago after having unprotected sex. "I was scared to let people know because they would point their finger at you, saying you are infecting others with AIDS," he said. His fear was so great that he didn't tell anyone, not even his mother. But that fear dissipated with the support Jeune said he received from nonprofits. His confidence grew to the point where he participated in Monday's protest. "I hope Trump will change his mind," he said, noting that his medication will run out in November. "Let the poor people get the medication they need." Patrick Jean Noël, a representative of Haiti's Federation of Associations of HIV, said that at least five clinics, including one that served 2,500 patients, were forced to close after the USAID funding cuts. "We can't stay silent," he said. "More people need to come out." But most people with HIV in Haiti are reluctant to do so, said Dr. Sabine Lustin, executive director of the Haiti-based nonprofit Promoters of Zero AIDS Goal. The stigma is so strong that many patients are reluctant to pick up their medication in person. Instead, it is sent via packages wrapped as gifts to not arouse suspicion, Lustin said. Lustin's organization, which helps some 2,000 people across Haiti, receives funding from theU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While their funding hasn't been cut, she said that shortly after Trump was sworn in, the agency banned prevention activities because they targeted a group that is not a priority. By that, Lustin said she understood they were referring to gay men. That means the organization can no longer distribute up to 200,000 free condoms a year or educate people about the disease. "You risk an increase in infections," she said. "You have a young population who is sexually active who can't receive the prevention message and don't have access to condoms." 'We only have medication until July' On a recent sunny morning, a chorus of voices drowned out the din of traffic in Haiti's capital, growing louder as protesters with HIV marched defiantly toward the office of Haiti's prime minister. "We are here to tell the government that we exist, and we are people like any other person," one woman told reporters. Another marching alongside her said, "Without medication, we are dying. This needs to change." Three days after Monday's protest, the leader of Haiti's transitional presidential council, Louis Gérald Gilles, announced that he had met with activists and would try to secure funding. Meanwhile, nonprofit organizations across Haiti are fretting. "I don't know what we're going to do," said Marie Denis-Luque, founder and executive director of CHOAIDS, a nonprofit that cares for Haitian orphans with HIV/AIDS. "We only have medication until July." Her voice broke as she described her frantic search for donations for the orphans, who are cared for by HIV-positive women in Cap-Haitien aftergang violenceforced them to leave Port-au-Prince. Denis-Luque said she has long advocated for the orphans' visibility. "We can't keep hiding these children. They are part of society," she said, adding that she smiled when she saw the video of Monday's protest. "I was like, whoa, things have changed tremendously. The stigma is real, but I think what I saw … was very encouraging to me. They can't be silenced." A dangerous combination Experts say Haiti could see a rise in HIV infections because medications are dwindling at a time that gang violence andpovertyare surging. Dr. Alain Casseus, infectious disease division chief at Zamni Lasante, the largest non-governmental healthcare provider in Haiti, said they expected to see a surge in patients given the funding cuts, but that hasn't happened because traveling by land in Haiti is dangerous sinceviolent gangs control main roadsand randomly open fire on vehicles. He warned that abruptly stopping medication is dangerous, especially because many Haitians do not have access or cannot afford nutritious food to strengthen their immune system. "It wouldn't take long, especially given the situation in Haiti, to enter a very bad phase," he said of HIV infections. And even if some funding becomes available, a lapse in medication could cause resistance to it, he said. Casseus said gang violence also could accelerate the rates of infection via rapes or physical violence as medication runs out. At the New Hope Hospital run by Maklin in Haiti's northern region, shelves are running empty. He used to receive more than $165,000 a year to help HIV/AIDS patients. But that funding has dried up. "Those people are going to die," he said. "We don't know how or where we're going to get more medication." The medication controls the infection and allows many to have an average life expectancy. Without it, the virus attacks a person's immune system, and they develop AIDS, the late stage of an HIV infection. Reaction is swift when Dr. Maklin tells his patients that in two months, the hospital won't have any HIV medication left. "They say, 'No, no, no, no!'" he said. "They want to keep living." ___ Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Haitians with HIV defy stigma as they publicly denounce USAID cuts and dwindling medication

Haitians with HIV defy stigma as they publicly denounce USAID cuts and dwindling medication PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A video showing doz...
UN envoy for Cyprus pushes for trust-building measures ahead of talksNew Foto - UN envoy for Cyprus pushes for trust-building measures ahead of talks

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A newly appointed U.N. envoy for Cyprus said Saturday she'll work hard to ensure concrete progress in measures to build trust between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in hopes of reviving moribund talks to heal the island nation's half-century ethnic division. Maria Angela Holguin said her weeklong stay in Cyprus aims to generate tangible results ahead of a July meeting in Geneva that will bring together U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, along with top diplomats from Greece, Turkey and the U.K. Negotiations have been stalled since 2017. Trust-building measuresinclude talks on opening new crossing points along a180-kilometer (120-mile) U.N. control buffer zonethat divides a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north from a Greek Cypriot south, where the internationally-recognized government is seated. Other measures that Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar agreed toimplement in front of Guterresduring a March meeting in Geneva included work on a photovoltaic park inside the buffer zone, demining and restoration work on cemeteries on either side of the divide. Cyprus was split in 1974, when Turkey invaded following a coup by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and maintains more than 35,000 troops in the island's northern third. Holguin said Guterres "continues to push" for a resumption of Cyprus peace talks. But that prospect faces a difficult hurdle in the form of Turkish and Turkish Cypriot insistence on a peace deal based on two equal states, instead of a federation composed of Greek and Turkish speaking zones that formed the basis of decades of U.N.-mediated negotiations. While Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots say the federation idea is now bankrupt, Greek Cypriots say they won't assent to any accord that formally partitions the island, allows for a permanent Turkish troop presence, gives Turkey rights to militarily intervene and offers the minority Turkish Cypriots a veto right on all government decisions. Cyprus government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said despite any hurdles, the fact of Holguin's appointment indicates that the U.N. consider the resumption of peace talks "completely feasible."

UN envoy for Cyprus pushes for trust-building measures ahead of talks

UN envoy for Cyprus pushes for trust-building measures ahead of talks NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A newly appointed U.N. envoy for Cyprus said Sa...

 

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