Jon Stewart is ripping President Trump’s sweeping budget package, saying the “big, beautiful bill” is a prime example of “general Washington bulls‑‑‑tery.”
“This bill is the most f‑‑‑ed up performance review our country could ever deliver,” Stewart said as he hosted Monday’s “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central.
Trump signed the massive reconciliation package into law Friday. The legislation will extend his 2017 tax cuts and boost defense and border wall funding, which will be offset in part by deep cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, student loans and clean energy programs.
“It’s the government sitting us all down and telling us where we’ve been irresponsible with the spending,” Stewart said of Trump’s legislative victory, before imagining himself giving a performance review to “wealthy” Americans.
“It’s been a tough year, but as always, wealthy, you’re killing it,” the comedian deadpanned. “And so, once again, for the I’m going to say 80th year in a row, you’re getting a raise.”
“What if I gave you a tax deduction for taking a private jet to your private jet?” he added.
Stewart’s demeanor changed and his grin disappeared as he began the fictional performance review for everyone else: “You freeloading motherf‑‑‑ers. It has come to my attention that some of you are having breakfast, and lunch!”
“Maybe you haven’t heard our deficit’s out of control. We need that lunch money for more important things,” he cracked.
The “central truth” of the bill, Stewart told viewers, is the “bulls‑‑‑ gospel of austerity.”
“The gospel they preach anytime the country’s finances are in shambles and out of control: Our problem isn’t excess at the top, it’s the sloth at the bottom,” Stewart said, as he cued up a series of recent TV news interviews with GOP lawmakers.
“If somebody’s able-bodied, and they can go get a job, and they’re living in their mom’s basement playing video games — I’m sorry, you gotta go get a job,” Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) said in a CNBC interview.
“Get off the couch. Stop eating the Cheetos. Stop buying the medical marijuana and watching television,” Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) said in a separate clip.
“It is such a f‑‑‑ing lazy and wrong trope,” Stewart responded.
“The problem in our country isn’t the sliver of able-bodied people that are somehow coasting on the unearned medical coverage they may or may not use,” Stewart exclaimed, “but the millions and millions of people in this country who work f‑‑‑ing full-time jobs and still need food and medical assistance.”
“That’s the system that’s broken,” he said to applause.
“Fix that system.”
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