House Republicans worked through the night to advance a massive piece of legislation that might, if enacted, carry out the largest upward transfer of wealth in American history.

That is not a side effect of the legislation, but its central purpose. The “big, beautiful bill” would pair huge cuts to food assistance and health insurance for low-income Americans with even larger tax cuts for affluent ones.

Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, warned that the bill’s passage, by a 215–214 margin, would mark the moment the Republicans ensured the loss of their majority in the midterm elections. That may be so. But the Republicans have not pursued this bill for political reasons. They are employing a majority that they suspect is temporary to enact deep changes to the social compact.
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https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/05/big-beautiful-transfer-of-wealth/682885/

What to know on Day 39 of the government shutdown:

Separately the Supreme Court stepped in late Friday and temporarily froze a court order requiring the Trump administration to provide full food benefits for the month of November, rather than the partial payments that the administration plans on sending.

Senate Democrats offered on Friday to end the government shutdown in exchange for a one-year extension of health care tax credits and a plan to continue broader talks, a proposal that was swiftly rejected by Republicans, who grew increasingly frustrated with their colleagues over the course of the day.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer laid out the Democratic proposal on the Senate floor in the afternoon. He said Democrats would back a bill to quickly reopen the government if it included the one-year extension of tax credits to bring down the cost of health insurance premiums.

GOP senators rejected the offer out of hand. Majority Leader John Thune told CBS News it was a “nonstarter” that “doesn’t even get close.” Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called it “terrible” and “political terrorism.”

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By Kaia Hubbard, Stefan Becket
Updated on: November 8, 2025 / 9:48 AM EST / CBS News
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