Why Donald Trump’s 'big, beautiful bill' is a test for our democracy

The 'big, beautiful bill' divides America with 64% opposing it, as Republicans promise prosperity while Democrats warn of cuts amid a deepening crisis of trust in government.

Lee Hartley Carter is president of Maslansky + Partners, a language strategist, researcher and author of "Persuasion: Convincing Others When Facts Don't Seem to Matter" (TarcherPerigee, September 3, 2019). Follow her on X on @lh_carter.

Forget the legislative horse race for a moment. The real story is the crisis of trust that’s threatening to tear the country apart. Americans aren’t just divided over the "big beautiful bill" —they’re losing faith in the very institutions meant to serve them. The bill has become a lightning rod for a deeper, more dangerous problem: a sense that no one in Washington is telling the truth, and that ordinary people are being left behind.

This isn’t just about policy. It’s about legitimacy. It’s about whether Americans believe their government is working for them—or against them. The "big, beautiful bill"  is so sprawling, so complex, and so politicized that it’s almost impossible for anyone to know what’s real. In a moment when the country is desperate for clarity and leadership, all they’re getting is confusion, spin, and division.