Opinion by Mathew Carr

May 23, 2025 — The US Senate should resist bullying by President Donald Trump and insist that more progressive taxes be included in the omnibus budget bill over the next few days.

The Trump administration is doing what Republicans told the Dems not to do and what Trump said he would never do again.

A big beautiful bill including tax cuts for the wealthy might be brilliant for billionaires….but it won’t bring more of the common people along to side with the Trump agenda.

Instead, ordinary folks will feel Mr Trump has done a con job on them.

He promised to look after them.

Now, once in office, he’s mainly showing love for his hedge-fund and real-estate mates, while promising token measures for the people and distracting Independence Day parties.

There simply can’t be proper political debate when so much is shoved into one document.

In 2018, Trump said he’d never sign an omnibus bill “like this” again.

The hard-pressed voters, Democrats and Trump supporters alike, are already financially crushed by inflation and brutal wars.

The screws

Trump is screwing the people three times more with his misnamed giant piece of legislation:

1: He’s failing to give time for debate during the long weekend and beyond, and proper politics is what Americans want after years of bad-faith government: Proper democracy not theatre, deception and mockery. Trump, like Britain’s Starmer, promised change yet have not brought it.

2: He’s failing to tax billionaires and corporations properly….indeed he is doing the opposite and loosening the leash on them. This example will embolden bad leaders across the globe, as they lose out on investment greedily being grabbed by Trump and his long-time friends.

3. He’s screwing the whole world yet again, riding for free on others’ climate efforts while producing more oil than anyone at a time when global temperature is at record levels.

This means the US has thwarted already-feeble UN climate negotiations about nine times the last 35 years…probably many more.

Shame on you, Senate, if you pass this.

Bad for climate example by ChatGPT

Yes—eliminating tax credits for electric vehicles (EVs), including used EVs, is broadly considered a setback for climate policy.

Here’s why:

🌍 1. EV tax credits help reduce emissions

Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. EVs—especially when charged from clean electricity—produce far fewer emissions than gasoline vehicles over their lifetime. Tax credits help make EVs more affordable, accelerating their adoption and displacing fossil fuel use.

🔁 2. Used EV credits help lower-income buyers

The now-repealed $4,000 Used Clean Vehicle Credit made EVs accessible to a broader portion of the population. Cutting this disproportionately affects lower- and middle-income buyers, who are more likely to purchase used cars.

🏭 3. Slower EV adoption = slower industrial transition

Removing credits may slow demand, affecting domestic EV manufacturing, battery plants, and related clean tech investments. That undermines climate goals and weakens U.S. leadership in the global energy transition.

📉 4. The signal matters

Repealing climate-focused incentives sends a strong message that clean energy is no longer a federal priority. This can reduce investor confidence and state-level momentum for decarbonization efforts.

⚖️ What’s replacing it?

While the omnibus bill adds a tax deduction for auto loan interest (only on U.S.-assembled vehicles), it applies regardless of fuel type—so it also benefits gas-powered cars, weakening its climate impact.

In summary: yes, most climate experts and clean transportation advocates see this move as a significant step backward for U.S. climate efforts.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/05/what-they-are-saying-one-big-beautiful-bill-clears-house

It’s unclear how long the senate debate will take.

NYT

To be sure from earlier in May

US debt levels are set to soar even higher, and the US is taking another leaf from EU policy — cowardly kicking the “can of worms” down the road …leaving the big problems for future generations to solve.

CarrZee win v Bloomberg

https://apple.news/AmmuRGIgWStqqHX3YqhBqpA