The Great American Grift: How the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Funnels Wealth Upward

What does the One Big Beautiful Bill Mean for the Economy?

THE G.R.I.F.T. MACHINE Scene description: A giant slot machine in a government building labeled “THE G.R.I.F.T. 9000,” operated by a beaming politician while lobbyists shovel in public infrastructure and Medicare cards. Ngarra-guyup-guyup the penguin remarks: “In this casino, the house always wins – and you paid for the lights.”

Introduction: The Myth of Middle-Class Benefits

In 2017, Donald Trump hailed the GOP tax reform package as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB), promising prosperity and tax relief for everyday Americans. The reality, however, was starkly different. Rather than a rising tide lifting all boats, the OBBB ushered in an era of wealth consolidation, austerity for the poor, and performative populism.

Inspired by the viral economic analysis in this video by Mark Blyth, this article breaks down the economic and social impact of OBBB over time and across class lines, using satire, hard numbers, and political cartoonery to reveal the bill’s true beneficiaries.

What is the OBBB Really?

We’ve creatively rebranded OBBB through various acronyms that reflect its true purpose:

• Oligarchs’ Bonanza for Billionaires and Bootlickers
• Official Bill for Brutal Backsliding
• Overt Billionaire Boondoggle Bonanza
• Oppression, Bias, Bullying & Bullsh*t
• Ongoing Bloodsucking by Billionaires

Each variation exposes a new layer of the economic grift.

OFFICIAL BILL FOR BRUTAL BACKSLIDING Scene description: A MAGA assembly line reversing a conveyor belt labeled “PROGRESS,” dumping healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights, voting booths, and environmental protections into flames. Penguin quips: “Backsliding is easy when you never believed in the climb.”

Repackaging the Grift: The PRANGA Doctrine

Another rebrand of the OBBB is PRANGA: Patriot Restoration And National Greatness Act – a title that evokes glory but hides a pathway to authoritarian kleptocracy.

PRANGA Scene description: A MAGA dad crying with pride as a monstrous patriotic statue is unveiled, stomping on a globe and holding a “FREEDOM™” shopping bag. Penguin remarks: “Less a bill, more a national prank with casualties.”

CHAOS as a Feature, Not a Bug

The C.H.A.O.S. doctrine – Constitutional Hierarchy And Order System – is a symbolic way to describe the deliberate destabilisation embedded in policies like OBBB. The resulting chaos enables the suppression of dissent and increases dependency on authoritarian rule.

C.H.A.O.S. Scene description: A bold yellow sign reading “Create Havoc And Obstruct Stability Act (CHAOS)” surrounded by storm clouds, zaps, and bureaucrats with flamethrowers labeled “Order.”

R.E.I.G.N.: Who Rules Now?

R.E.I.G.N. stands for Rampant Embezzlement Intensifying Greed Nationwide. It depicts the gilded economic reality where billionaires wear crowns and the public pays for the throne.

REIGN Scene description: A rotund king labeled “Big Oil” and “Pharma Inc.” sits atop crushed workers’ rights documents, Penguin in jester hat mutters: “Good to be king… if you wrote the tax laws.”

International Fallout: Could It Affect Australia?

While Australia is geographically distant from the U.S., it’s economically and politically entangled.

Risks:

• U.S. tariffs affect global trade
• De-globalisation could hit Australian exports
• Social movements in Australia risk mirroring U.S.-style disinformation and austerity

Safeguards Australia Should Consider:

• Reinvest in public institutions and education
• Maintain independent media regulation
• Tax transparency and anti-lobbying reforms
• Strong protections for the ABC, voting rights, and climate policies

BILLIONAIRE BOONDOGGLE BONANZA Scene description: A carnival booth run by Koch bros and a smiling televangelist spinning the “Wheel of Taxpayer Loot”. Penguin mutters: “Rigged game, but the rich keep winning.”

Conclusion: The Penguin Was Right All Along

The OBBB and its global imitators represent not just policy failure, but a philosophical attack on equality, democracy, and truth. As the U.S. doubles down on performative cruelty and corporate worship, Australia must reject imported cynicism and invest in the kind of boring, functional government that actually works.

References:

• Mark Blyth: One Big Beautiful Bill
• Kiplinger: Tax Cuts by Income Group
• CBS: Impact of GOP Tax Bill
• Washington Post: Budget Consequences
• The Nightly: Albanese on Tariffs

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