Pork barrel, or simply pork, is a metaphor for allocating government spending to localized projects in the representative’s district or for securing direct expenditures primarily serving the sole interests of the representative.
~Wikipedia
This afternoon, a revised Senate version of the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB)” was approved on a vote of 51-50, with Vice-president J. D. Vance casting the deciding vote. The 50 nays included three GOP Senators–Rand Paul (KY), Tom Tillis (NC) and Susan Collins (ME). The 50th aye vote was cast by Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski, who, according to the New York Times, “made no secret of her problems with her party’s bill and the harm she believes it could bring to her state.”
Why then would Murkowski, an independent candidate who, the last time she ran for re-election, beat her Trump-endorsed GOP/MAGA opponent in the general election? She had already proven her constituents would support her despite Trump’s animosity. Times Washington reporters Catie Edmondson and Margot Sanger-Katz provided the answer. In a June 28 article, “Republicans Lavish Alaska With Benefits in Policy Bill, Grasping for a Key Vote,” they wrote that the latest version of the bill included:
…a new tax exemption to fishers from villages in western Alaska. There is now an exemption from new work requirements for food assistance. And several provisions have been added that would funnel federal dollars to Alaskan health care providers.
There is even a provision that would allow certain Alaskan whaling captains to deduct more of their expenses. Right now, people recognized by the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission as captains can write off $10,000 in whaling-related expenses, like buying explosive projectiles, as a charitable contribution. The Senate bill would allow them to deduct $50,000 of their costs this way.
My first reaction was disgust that a U.S. senator would turn her back on the now estimated 13 million Americans who will lose there health insurance and the millions of children in low-income households who will no longer have access to food through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Immediately after casting her vote, she told reporters it was an “agonizing” decision. Senator, why so? Because you screwed millions of low-income Americans and will be responsible for the death of millions in underdeveloped countries which relied on USAID health and nutrition assistance? Or, because as you added during your post-vote press conference, “Did I get everything I wanted? Absolutely not!” Of course, the irony of her actions are lost on her, especially when, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee in 2019, Murkowski swore she would, “…continue to honor the earmark moratorium enacted on February 1, 2011.” I guess that only applied until she wanted one.
As crass and amoral as her support for this rob from the poor and give to the rich scheme might be, if you are going to make a Faust-like deal, at least she got something in return. The same cannot be said of MAGA House members, my own congressman Aaron Bean included, who have marched lock-step behind Trump with literally nothing to show for it.
So Aaron, if you’re going to demean yourself, at least get something in return. For example, the City of Fernandina Beach commission is considering a resolution to issue tax-exempt bonds to finance waterfront improvements including the demolition of Brett’s restaurant and some city-owned facilities. Why should the City increase its debt when you could pull a Murkowski, hold your support for the OBBB, and promise to vote aye if the waterfront flooding-mitigation project is added to the final version of the bill?
If you’re not going to keep “kosher,” bringing home some pork is the next best thing to do.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP