During a recent Cabinet meeting, our president suggested rebranding his 900-page One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB).

A familiar movie from the 1960s, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” might be a suitable title: good for some, bad for others. For example, the bill makes permanent a provision known as the 100% bonus depreciation.

This provision allows corporations to purchase corporate jets, yachts, and machinery and write off the full cost in the year of purchase. Initially part of Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and set to expire soon, it would now become permanent. A corporation with a tax liability could purchase a jet for the same amount as the business tax liability and receive a 100% tax deduction in the same year.

Although there are restrictions on use, this is an effective way for corporations to reduce or avoid taxes and later transfer the purchase to private use. Fly USA, a private aviation company, recently reported that business is excellent.

No tax on tips, another tax deduction, and supported by both parties, is targeted toward the estimated 2.5% (4 million) employees who are in occupations that “customarily and regularly” receive tips as part of their compensation. It is temporary until 2028. Since this is a federal tax deduction, tipped workers who file will owe federal payroll taxes (FICA and Medicare) on their tip income, which is currently 15.3% split evenly between the employee and the employer. Depending on state residency, state taxes may be due.

Although beneficial to some tipped workers, a friend employed in another sector may pay more in taxes than the tipped worker. For example, a tipped worker who earns $50,000 with $5,000 in tips and has a friend who works in an office, assuming all else is equal, the friend will pay about $600 more. (Bipartisan Policy Center)

The uglier impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill will be on healthcare costs in 2026 and after the midterms. The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF.org) forecasts that small businesses providing Affordable Care Act-compliant insurance to employees will see increases of between 11% to 18% in 2026.

The failure to include premium tax credit enhancements in the OBBB will affect another 23 million people who purchase their insurance on the marketplace. Using the calculator available at KFF.org, a family of four and an income of $100,000 will pay approximately $350 more each month for a silver plan without the current tax credit. Next year and in the future, when $1.5 trillion is cut from Medicare and Medicaid, we will live in a country — the wealthiest in the world–where jet purchases reduce the taxes of the rich.

At the same time, millions of American citizens lack access to affordable healthcare. Be alarmed. This shutdown is not about the lie repeated too many times that illegals in the country without legal status receive government health insurance. They do not.

Michaela Golya is a Fredonia resident.