By John Q. Hosedrinker 
After intense negotiations, the Senate narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with the final version totaling 887 pages. Senator Murkowski secured key provisions, including waivers for SNAP cost-sharing that favored Alaska and tax breaks for Alaskan fishing interests, despite failed attempts to include Medicaid provisions. The bill’s passage involved a “wraparound” amendment, which eliminated certain taxes and also doubled the rural hospital fund to $50 billion, while also phasing out solar and wind tax credits. The bill faces challenges in the House, where concerns exist among both conservative and moderate members regarding its financial implications.
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Senate Passes Megabill as Murkowski Stays Bought, the headlines scream, and the reality echoes. The passage of this legislative behemoth, the so-called megabill, leaves a bitter taste, particularly when you consider the actions of certain senators. In this case, it’s impossible to ignore the role of Senator Lisa Murkowski.
Murkowski and her colleague, Susan Collins, often get branded as the “concerned caucus.” This description, though, feels less like a badge of honor and more like a carefully crafted image. Their history suggests a pattern: voting in ways that seem to be against party lines, allowing Republicans to appear as if they have a heart, and then ultimately falling in line with the party. This time, it was no different.
The fact is, Murkowski is a Republican and a member of the Republican majority. While many hoped for a different outcome, the vote doesn’t surprise. The millions of Americans potentially impacted by the megabill may face significant hardship, and it’s hard to reconcile that with the political theater that often plays out in the Senate. The idea that she wasn’t already bought and paid for is pure naivete. The GOP plays their game, and she has never been against the party line when it truly mattered.
Remember the alleged attempt to carve out Alaska Medicaid exemptions? Then, consider the news of $50,000 tax deductions for whalers’ harpoons, an idea she supported? The details paint a picture of an elected official prioritizing specific interests over the broader well-being of the nation. The evidence points to a senator whose priorities are far from the voters’ best interests.
The fact that Murkowski ultimately voted for the bill, despite the potential negative consequences for millions of Americans, solidifies the perception that her actions are, at the very least, calculated. Her behavior seems to have a sycophantic nature, yet it’s also as if she and her colleagues are operating in a post-Trump world, and acting like they’ll be in power forever. The depressing reality is that these actions serve a political agenda, and it’s a sad game to watch.
Some believe that Trump may have threatened/blackmailed her, it is a theory that rings true to those who have been closely watching her moves. They play games, pretending to disagree. Her cowardice is what will be remembered. And of course, she seems to be encouraging the House to reject the revised bill.
The narrative is clear. Murkowski’s words and actions don’t align. It’s a pattern of doublespeak, a clear indicator of the true influences at play. Her political career is built on appearances, not substance, and that has become clear.
It’s a harsh truth, but there’s a sense of inevitability to all of this. She knows who she is, and the path has been the same since her father and his teachings. At the end, she simply bent over and took it. A majority of Americans voted for this, or did not vote at all, in an act of apathy that has led us here.
And so the megabill passes, and the focus remains on the senators who may or may not have been swayed by outside influence. It is a story of power, money, and political theater. The citizens are left to wonder: who is really in control, and what will happen next?