John Oliver has expressed deep concerns about Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” calling it dangerous and potentially deadly for many Americans.
On Last Week Tonight, the host joked that it sounded like a “lumberjack with an OnlyFans page” as it moves through Congress with only the “narrowest of margins”.
It passed by just a single vote and is now being rushed through the next round by Republicans eager to see it pass even though many have admitted that they haven’t even read all of it.
He said while it was lengthy and its contents unknown by many, the “broad contours are clear”, saying it demanded a “massive redistribution of wealth” which requires “cutting critical programs for the most vulnerable”.
The bill will lead to 60% of tax cuts going to the top 20% of households and will add trillions to the national debt.
One major area affected is healthcare, with estimates suggesting 4.2 million people will become uninsured by the changes.
Trump has claimed that Medicaid will be safe, saying “none of that stuff is gonna be touched” in an interview. Oliver noted that “following through on the promise not to touch something has never exactly been of one of Trump’s strong suits”.
He said “the math just doesn’t support those claims”, with new work requirements making it harder for many of those who would use it. Nearly two in three people who already have it do work and most of the rest have a disability or they are attending school or caring for family members.
The TV host turned Trump loyalist Dr Oz has said that you need to “prove that you matter” by proving you work. “So a person only means something if they work?” Oliver said. “That is not true at all.”
He added that people not on Medicaid will be affected too given that this is also a major source of funding for hospitals and studies have projected that there will be 16 million more uninsured people in 2034 than would otherwise be the case. “It’s not like people haven’t tried to warn Republicans of the consequences here,” he added.
Another key concern is food stamps (Snap) which right now provide assistance to 41 million people. There will be a significant expansion of work requirements, insisted, again, Dr Oz, “a real piece of shit” who will help oversee a plan that would put 5 million people at risk of losing at least some of their food assistance.
Studies show work requirements do not increase work and merely add to the administrative burdens for people who are then deterred by paperwork involved, including time-consuming applications. “Basically this bill is taking all that bureaucratic bullshit and somehow making it worse,” he said.
A program in Georgia has been used as the model, often quoted by Republicans, but there have been significant administration problems, with steep qualifications and technical issues, enough to make you want to “throw your fucking computer out of the window”.
The issues led to it costing $86m with just 6,500 participants. “If that’s what’s coming on a national scale then that is fucking terrifying,” he said, saying it was “death by a thousand cuts” for many.
Oliver said Republicans are more alarmed by paperwork and red tape for business but “this is medicine for the sick and food for the hungry”.
He added that “if it becomes law, we’re gonna be looking back on it decades from now” and that “everyone who votes for this should be held accountable”.
