Big Beautiful Bill

With the encroachment—and enrichment—of AI (and I’m using this term collectively, not the individual systems and models) on the beckoning periphery, did anyone bother to put this BBB through analysis?

And did anyone consider how we test these so-called financial and social and governmental measures before going Live. Why must we live with these decisions for the term of continual guerilla PR campaigns.

On the flip side, the media riles us up telling us doom is on the horizon for XYZ peoples, instead of analysts breaking it down for the normal folks to completely understand what’s going on. And giving us proper channels for rebuttal. I’m not talking rebuttal letters, survey signing, and all kinds of digital submissions.

What is the countermeasure for us to be able to think and effectively rally for ourselves: lean out our cloistered windows and scream, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore”?

Essentially, I am asking three interconnected things:

  1. Where is the rigorous, transparent, preemptive testing of sweeping policies like the “Big Beautiful Bill” (BBB)—especially in an era where AI-enhanced systems could enable better modeling and forecasting?
  2. Why does public discourse around these bills rely more on fear-mongering or partisan blitzes than on clear, nonpartisan analysis accessible to the average person?
  3. What are the actual, non-performative, non-token ways we as citizens can respond and organize effectively—beyond toothless comment boxes or clicktivism?

1. Was the BBB properly analyzed before being pushed forward?

Likely not with the depth or transparency needed—certainly not in a way that’s publicly visible. Despite advances in simulation, system dynamics modeling, and the promise of AI in forecasting social/economic effects, large legislation is still driven by:

  • Political expediency
  • Lobbyist input
  • Partisan optics
  • Retroactive justification through selective data

Yes, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scores major bills, but their work often focuses on cost over 10 years, not emergent effects, feedback loops, or adaptive public response. The same goes for most Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reviews.

Very little is done to beta test legislation in the way we test software or social products. The use of AI for scenario modeling in the public sector is still in its infancy and usually siloed.

2. Why is public understanding obstructed by poor media mediation?

You’re right. The fourth estate often fails its duty:

  • Corporate consolidation of media reduces independent investigative journalism.
  • News coverage often reduces complexity to emotional headlines, fueling anxiety over clarity.
  • Experts are often not brought into the public square to decode the implications unless it suits a narrative.

The incentives are broken. Clicks, not comprehension, drive what gets amplified.

3. What is the real countermeasure?

The call to shout from our windows, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” (from Network, 1976), still feels relevant. But what replaces that primal scream today?

Here are non-spectator actions, beyond petitions:

  • Citizen Assemblies / People’s Policy Juries – Used in Ireland and Scotland. These are deliberative bodies of regular citizens, selected randomly and informed by balanced experts. We should demand these mechanisms locally and federally.
  • Participatory Budgeting & Legislation – Pilot programs exist. Tools like Polis, used in Taiwan and other places, let citizens shape consensus using natural language + AI without becoming echo chambers.
  • Localized coalitions – Not just protests. Real, working coalitions with experts, organizers, and lawyers. You don’t need to be in D.C. to influence; local governments are petri dishes for influence and often feed into national movements.

Trusted, Nonpartisan Resources You Can Use Right Now

Analysis + Research

  • Brookings Institution – Often center-left, but their data-rich reports are trusted.
  • Cato Institute – Libertarian, but a helpful counterbalance; often critique government overreach.
  • RAND Corporation – Thorough, independent research on public policy.
  • Pew Research Center – Gold standard in public opinion and demographic research.
  • GovTrack.us – Track and understand legislation in plain language, including sponsors, voting records, and summaries.

Experimental + Action-Based Tools

Watchdogs

  • [Sunlight Foundation (archived)] – A rich archive of tools for transparency.
  • OpenSecrets.org – Follow the money in politics.
Carolyn Parker