STILL WINNING: Senate Passes Big, Beautiful Bill, PLUS Supreme Court Sides With Trump!

Senate Passes the Big Beautiful Bill

The episode opens with a detailed analysis of the Senate’s narrow passage of the “big beautiful bill,” a major legislative package aimed at preserving President Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, funding border security including the construction of the border wall, and adjusting subsidies related to Medicaid and other social programs. The bill passed with a close vote of 51-49, overcoming opposition from GOP senators like Rand Paul and Tom Tillis, who objected primarily to Medicaid spending cuts.

Shapiro explains the intense behind-the-scenes negotiations, highlighting President Trump’s personal lobbying efforts and the involvement of Vice President JD Vance in securing votes from holdouts such as Senators Lisa Murkowski and Josh Hawley. The bill represents a compromise between fiscal hawks and moderates, with concessions made to various factions, including raising the state and local tax deduction cap to $40,000 through 2029—a provision Shapiro criticizes as unfair to taxpayers in states like Florida who do not pay state income tax.

While the bill does not solve America’s massive deficit or debt problems, Shapiro frames it as a choice between “high taxes and high spending” or “less high taxes and slightly lower spending.” He notes that the bill notably reduces support for green energy initiatives, which drew sharp criticism from figures like Elon Musk, who condemned the bill for favoring outdated industries like coal while undermining future-oriented sectors such as electric vehicles and renewable energy.

The legislative process is ongoing, with the House having passed its own version of the bill. A reconciliation committee will work to merge the two versions, and Shapiro warns that failure to pass the bill could precipitate an economic downturn amid already weakening economic indicators. Despite market volatility earlier in the year, the Dow Jones has recently hit all-time highs, and business confidence remains cautiously optimistic, partly due to Trump’s scaling back of aggressive tariff threats.

Supreme Court Delivers Major Victories for Trump and Conservatives

Shapiro then turns to the Supreme Court’s recent rulings, which he characterizes as significant wins for conservatives and the Trump administration. The most prominent case discussed is Trump v. AASA, Inc., which addressed the legality of nationwide injunctions issued by district courts. The Trump administration challenged an executive order related to birthright citizenship, arguing that children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants should not automatically receive citizenship.

While the Court did not rule on the substance of birthright citizenship itself, it decisively struck down the practice of district courts issuing nationwide injunctions that block federal policies across the entire country. Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored the majority opinion, emphasizing that such sweeping injunctions lack historical precedent and exceed judicial authority. The opinion also delivered a scathing critique of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dissent, calling her arguments legally unsound and rhetorically inappropriate.

This ruling effectively allows the Trump administration to proceed with its executive orders until higher courts rule on their legality, marking a procedural victory that limits judicial overreach. Shapiro highlights the political implications, noting that this decision curtails the power of liberal district courts that had frequently issued nationwide injunctions against Trump’s policies.

Two other Supreme Court decisions are also covered. In Mahmood v. Taylor, the Court ruled that parents have the constitutional right to opt their children out of public school instruction that conflicts with their religious beliefs, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ content. The Court found that forcing children to receive such instruction without parental consent violates the First Amendment’s free exercise clause. Shapiro praises this ruling as a defense of parental rights against ideological indoctrination in schools.

The third case, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, upheld Texas’s authority to impose age verification requirements on websites to prevent minors from accessing obscene material. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the opinion, affirming that states have the power to regulate obscene content and protect children without violating free speech rights. Shapiro notes that these rulings would likely have gone the opposite way had Hillary Clinton won the presidency in 2016, underscoring the importance of Trump’s electoral victory for conservative jurisprudence.

The Radical Left’s Rise and the Threat to Western Civilization

Shapiro shifts focus to the growing radicalism on the left, both in the U.S. and abroad, highlighting the candidacy of New York City mayoral hopeful Zoran Mandani. Mandani, a progressive Muslim immigrant, openly rejects capitalism and embraces democratic socialism, advocating for wealth redistribution and policies that Shapiro describes as racially divisive and anti-white. Mandani’s background includes associations with radical left-wing activists and groups hostile to Israel, and he has made inflammatory statements minimizing violence and promoting anti-Israel rhetoric.

Shapiro warns that Mandani’s potential election represents a dangerous trend in major American cities, where left-wing radicals gain power by appealing to identity politics and anti-capitalist sentiments. He draws parallels to historical figures like Carl Luger, the anti-Semitic mayor of Vienna in the late 19th century, whose populist and divisive politics helped pave the way for Adolf Hitler. This analogy serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of political instability fueled by scapegoating and hatred.

The episode also covers disturbing events at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, where openly anti-Western and anti-Semitic chants were broadcast live on the BBC. A performer named Bob Vylan called for the death of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers and denounced Western civilization, reflecting a broader cultural hostility toward the West and Israel among certain left-wing factions. Shapiro interprets this as evidence of a “fifth column” within Western societies that undermines their own values and security.

Reflections on Independence Day and American History

With Independence Day approaching, Shapiro addresses the persistent myth that America was founded on slavery and that the Revolutionary War was fought to preserve it. He refutes this narrative by citing the founders’ opposition to slavery, the gradual abolition efforts by northern states during and after the Revolution, and constitutional provisions aimed at phasing out the slave trade.

Shapiro emphasizes that while slavery was a tragic and undeniable part of American history, it was not the foundation of the nation. Instead, the United States was built on principles of liberty and human freedom, ideals that have inspired progress and reform. He contrasts this with the ongoing practice of slavery in many parts of the world today, including regions opposed to Israel, underscoring the unique role of the West in advancing human rights.