A pivotal moment unfolded on the Senate floor as Vice President Vance cast the tie-breaking vote on what President Trump calls his "big, beautiful bill." This watershed legislation extends the Trump tax cuts, strengthens border security, and eliminates taxes on tips and overtime - but comes at a staggering cost that will reshape American society for years to come.
At the heart of this drama stands Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, who secured the bill's passage after negotiating special carve-outs for her state. Unlike John McCain's historic 2017 vote that saved the Affordable Care Act, Murkowski aligned with her party despite acknowledging the legislation's profound flaws. The consequences are severe: approximately 17 million Americans will lose healthcare access, 3 million will lose food assistance, and 18 million children will lose access to school meals - all while adding nearly $4 trillion to the national debt and providing substantial tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans.
The political fallout extends beyond Capitol Hill to a fascinating power struggle between President Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk. Once close allies with Musk serving as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), their relationship has dramatically deteriorated over this legislation. Musk condemned the bill as "utterly insane" and "political suicide for the GOP," vowing to fund primary challengers against supporting Republicans. Trump responded by threatening to review government contracts with Musk's companies and even making cryptic comments about the South African-born CEO's immigration status.
This episode provides crucial context for understanding how corporate America is retreating from political activism after years of embracing causes like Pride Month and DEI initiatives. We explore the cold calculation behind business political stances and why nearly 40% of companies have scaled back their social advocacy as consumer sentiments shift.
Join us for this deep dive into American politics where power, money, and principles collide - revealing who really benefits when legislation redistributes wealth and resources in ways that will affect generations to come.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The dramatic moment of Vice President Vance breaking
a tie vote.
The Vice President votes in theaffirmative.
The bill as amended is passedIn a major win for President
Trump, the Senate narrowlypassing what he calls his big,
beautiful bill, which extendsthe Trump tax cuts, increases
border security and eliminatestaxes on tips in overtime.
As President Trump would say,promises made, promises kept,
but three Republicans and everyDemocrat voting no Republicans
passed the biggest tax breaksfor billionaires ever seen.
(00:22):
Ultimately, it came down toAlaska Republican Lisa Murkowski
, who negotiated a specialcarve-out for Alaska to soften
the blow of the changes toMedicaid drawing the ire of
Kentucky's Rand Paul, who votedno.
They chose to add more pork andsubsidies for Alaska.
To secure that, we pressedMurkowski.
Senator Paul said that yourvote was a bailout for Alaska at
the expense of the rest of thecountry.
(00:42):
That's what Senator Paul said.
Senator, senator Paulson.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
My response is I have an obligation to the people of
the state of Alaska and I liveup to that every single day.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Now the bill goes back to the House.
President Trump optimisticActually I think it will be
easier in the House than it wasin the Senate and responding to
new criticism of the bill fromElon Musk, who says it's full of
quote insane spending, thepresident posting without
subsidies.
Elon would probably have toclose up shop and head back home
to South Africa.
Doge is going to look at Muskand if Doge looks at Musk, we're
going to save a fortune, whileSpeaker Johnson insisting he can
get the bill through the Houseagain despite a razor-thin
(01:14):
Republican majority.
A lot of work ahead, but that'sthe job, so we'll get done.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Welcome to the Derral McLean Jerome McClain
independent media that won'tlead to tribalism.
We have one planet, nobody isleaving, and let us reason
together.
We have the amazing opportunityto be discussing with each
other this caving of LisaMurkowski, where she has
cemented her legacy.
(01:38):
We'll be doing this gladly.
Let's get into it.
So the moderate Republicanbemoaned her hard decision, but
when you really get into theanalysis, she took the easy way
out.
After voting in favor of thesingle most inhumane piece of
(01:59):
legislation in modern Americanhistory a budget that is
reported to strip away healthcare for 17 million Americans.
A bill that takes foodassistance away from 3 million
Americans, eliminates schoolmeals access for more than 18
million kids and adds nearly $4trillion to the national debts,
(02:21):
sends electricity costs surgingand sustainability, raises
health care premiums for olderadults.
On the Affordable Care Act Allthe fun the tax cuts for the
wealthiest Americans SenatorMurkowski released a statement
that read in part let's not kidourselves, this has been an
awful process, a frantic rush tomeet an artificial deadline
(02:44):
that has tested every limit ofan institution.
While we worked to improve thepresent bill for Alaska, it is
not good enough for the rest ofour nation, and we all know it.
My sincere hope is that this isnot the final project.
This bill needs more workacross chambers and it is not
ready for the president to desk.
We need to work together to getthis right.
(03:06):
As for Murkowski's hope, thisis not the final product he's
concerned.
Perhaps she was unaware, butthis was the vote.
This wasn't a committee markuphearing.
She voted on the final passageof the bill and she voted in
favor.
Is there a chance that theHouse makes changes and the bill
comes back to the Senate?
(03:27):
Sure, but as far as she'sconcerned, she gave her final
stamp of approval to this billin its current form and I'm not
sure whether she's pretendingthat this was some preliminary
vote out of ignorance ordeception.
But she doesn't get to lamentthe passage of a bill that she
literally voted to pass.
(03:47):
If she didn't like it and Ihope you're sitting down for
this if she didn't like it, sheshouldn't have voted for it.
But she did, and sherationalizes her decision by
offering a few examples of howshe improved the present bill
for Alaska.
Examples of how she improvedthe present bill for Alaska.
(04:09):
It's true that she was able tosecure some tribal exemptions on
cuts to food assistance, a taxbreak for the fishing industry
and $50 billion to offsethospital closures, which,
frankly, do nothing, in the faceof over a trillion dollars in
health care cuts containedwithin the same bill.
How will those crumbs justifytrading away Americans' health
(04:35):
care, food assistance, energycosts and a deficit is beyond me
.
But I suppose she delivers somepride, knowing that she gets to
pretend that she delivered tothe state of Alaska, that she
delivered to the state of Alaska.
Something tells me that shecould comfort the 40,000
Alaskans who will lose theirhealth care as a result of this
bill's package.
Now let's flash back to July2017.
(04:58):
John McCain was in very muchthe same position as Liseka
Murkowski found herself today.
He would have been decidingvote to repeal the Affordable
Care Act, a decision that wouldhave then kicked 30 million
Americans off of their healthcare, no dissimilar to how
nearly 20 million will loseMedicaid coverage as a result of
(05:19):
the current bill.
The current president was thepresident then, and President
Trump pressured McCain,republicans pressured McCain,
and when it came time to thevote, we all remember what
happened.
Mccain was capable of puttingcountry over party in that
moment.
I don't think Mitch McConnell'sRepublican Senate conference
(05:48):
was, on any planet less partisanthan the country is today, than
the Senate's conference is.
And yet, even then, mccain wasable to consider the impacts on
millions upon millions ofAmericans.
This is not to lionize JohnMcCain, but I can certainly
acknowledge that he showedheroism in that moment.
And yet, when Lisa Murkowski hadthe opportunity to do the same
thing, to cement her place inthe history books as someone who
could preserve health care fortens of millions and make sure
(06:10):
that millions of children don'tgo to bed hungry, she allowed
herself to be bought out with afew comical carve-outs.
A wailing captain taps thededuction In a party that's
already hurting for heroes.
This represents a new low forthe Grand Ole Party.
Lincoln's party once fought tofree the slaves, now reduced to
(06:32):
screwing over the nation'spoorest and the most vulnerable.
In order to heap a tax cut onsome of the wealthiest people
who have ever walked the face ofthe earth.
Who have ever walked the faceof the earth, lisa Murkowski's
cast the deciding vote toquantify the largest transfer of
wealth from the poor to therich in American history.
Just to give you the number,this will save the top 1%
(06:57):
$40,000 a year, as if it's notalready obvious.
No, I'm not sympathetic to LisaMurkowski's plight.
I don't emphasize when shelaments the difficulty of her
vote.
What she did was not difficult.
What she did was easy.
Caving to the president of yourown party is easy.
(07:18):
Caving to Trump isn'tcourageous.
It's not hard.
You don't get credit for doingthe hard thing when you didn't
actually do the hard thing.
If Murkowski wants sympathy,she should try to do something
to actually earn it.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Representative Don Bacon, republican from Nebraska,
officially announced on Mondaythat he would not seek
re-election in 2026, opening upwhat will likely be a
competitive race for Nebraska'ssecond congressional district.
After consultation with myfamily and much prayer, I have
decided not to seek re-electionin 2026 and will fulfill my term
(07:56):
in the 119th Congress throughJanuary 2nd 2027, bacon said in
a statement.
After three decades in the AirForce and now going on one
decade in Congress, I lookforward to coming home in the
evenings and being with my wifeand seeing more of our adult
children and eight grandchildren, who all live near my home.
(08:17):
I have been married for 41years and I would like to
dedicate more time to my family,my church and the Omaha
community.
He continued.
I also want to continueadvocating for a strong national
security strategy and a strongalliance system with countries
that share our love of democracy, free markets and the rule of
(08:39):
law.
The announcement comes daysafter a source familiar
confirmed to the Hill that Baconwould not seek re-election next
year.
Bacon's decision to retirecreates an open seat in one of
the most competitivecongressional districts in the
country.
Nebraska's second congressionaldistrict, which includes Omaha,
(08:59):
was won by former VicePresident Harris in the 2024
election and presents anopportunity for Democrats to
pick up the blue dot DistrictBacon has held since 2016.
The writing has been on the wallfor months.
Nebraskans are tired of thefalse promises that Republicans
are trying to sell and they wantreal results, said Madison
(09:21):
Andrus, a spokesperson for theDemocratic Congressional
Campaign Committee.
Don Bacon's decision to notseek re-election in 2026 is the
latest vote of no confidence forHouse Republicans and their
electoral prospects.
Next November, nebraskans aregoing to elect a Democrat who
will actually deliver for them,the House Republican campaign
(09:44):
arm emphasized.
They continue to feel confidentthat they will maintain their
hold on Bacon's seat.
Don Bacon has served ourcountry with honor after nearly
30 years in uniform and nearly adecade in Congress.
Thanks to his steadfastcommitment to duty and
principled leadership, bothNebraska and our nation are
(10:05):
stronger today, said Zach Bannon, a spokesperson at the National
Republican CongressionalCommittee.
As we look ahead, Republicansare confident in keeping
Nebraska's second district redas we maintain and expand our
(10:39):
majority in the House.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
He added.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
The public and messy feud between President Trump and
tech billionaire Elon Musk wasreunited this week over the
president's big, beautiful bill.
As Congress works to get themassive package to Trump's desk
by July the 4th July, the 4thMusk on Monday said he would
(11:18):
back primary challenges againstany Republican who supports
Trump's mega bill and promisedto donate to lawmakers who have
drowned the administration's ire, like Rep Thomas Massey, the
Republican from Kentucky.
Trump then threatened to cutthe government contract for
Musk's companies and left openthe possibility of actually
deporting the South African CEO.
Trump and Musk both hadsignaled that they were ready to
move on from their bitter fightnearly a month ago, but the
president's mega bill that Muskhas called a political suicide
(11:41):
for the Republican Party hasbrought the two men back to
sniping.
I think Washington is confusedby the on and off again
relationship between Trump andMusk.
It looked like they had patchedthings up around a month ago,
said Republican strategist RonBojean, adding that the tech
billionaire's posts on thesocial media platform X, which
(12:01):
Musk owns, came out of nowhere.
For most people out there, itseemed like he was looking to
bury the hatchet in recent weeks.
Trump on Tuesday shrugged offconcerns that the GOP could be
swayed by Musk's mega billscriticism, but he doubled down
on his suggestions that thefederal government take a look
at contracts Musk companies have.
Musk and his businesses havereceived at least $38 billion in
(12:24):
government contract loans,subsidies and tax credits over
the years, according to aFebruary Washington Post
analysis.
No, I don't think so.
I think what's going to happenis Doge is going to look at Musk
, and if Doge looks at Musk,we're going to save a fortune,
trump said during a visit to amigrant detention facility in
Florida, referring to theDepartment of Government
(12:46):
Efficiency.
I don't think he should beplaying that game with me.
Government efficiency, I don'tthink he should be playing that
game with me.
It's a sharp change in tonefrom the president, who had
previously said he thinks hecould make amends with Musk
after a nasty disagreement lastmonth.
Asked on Tuesday what happenedto Musk, trump replied nothing.
He's upset that he's losing hisEV mandates and he's upset he's
(13:08):
very upset about things, but hecould lose a lot more than that
.
I can tell you right now Eloncan lose a lot more than that,
he said, arguing that Musk'scriticism of the bill was over a
key provision that takes awaytax credits for electric
vehicles that benefited hiscompany.
The president also signaled hewould consider deporting the
South African born US citizenwhom he had elevated to the lead
(13:32):
, the cost-cutting Doge, untillate May.
I don't know.
I think we'll have to look.
We might have to put Doge onElon.
You know what Doge is?
It's the monster that mighthave to go back and eat Elon.
Wouldn't that be terrible?
Trump said the president hadpraised the massive cuts and
sweeping changes, the federalgovernment under Doge, despite
(13:53):
pushback over the job losses andseveral disruptions, and he
gifted Musk a gold key to theWhite House and made his
recognition of the billionaire'swork.
But now Musk is arguing thatTrump's ambitions tax spending
bill and spending packageundermines Doge's efforts to
rein in spending.
As senators squabbled over thebill past week, musk blasted
(14:15):
spending packages as utterlyinsane and political suicide for
the GOP One.
On a Monday he renewed hiscalls for a new political party
and he lamented estimates forhow much the bill would raise in
the debt ceiling.
Musk in his unique is that hehas enough money to probably
(14:39):
actually impact a two-partysystem, said a former Trump
campaign official.
Now Republicans obviously facechallenges in their ability to
govern, and so do Democrats, butright now, all Trump wants is a
bill with his name on it andthat he thinks is a good bill.
A lot of Republicans inCongress know this isn't a good
bill, but fever and fear is amotivator.
(15:01):
The former campaign officialsaid we're a two-party country,
pure and simple.
Musk is probably the onlyperson that could change that,
given his money, but he'd haveto find unique, credible
candidates to attractdisillusioned voters.
Who thus far has leaned Trump.
Now, of course, we alreadyreported the Senate version of
(15:23):
the bill nearly passed earlierTuesday, and it will increase
the deficit by nearly $3.3trillion between 2025 and 2034,
roughly $1 trillion more thanthe House passed version,
according to the nonpartisanCongressional Budget Office.
Every member of Congress whocampaigned on reducing
government spending and thenimmediately voted for the
(15:45):
biggest debt increase in historyshould hang their head in shame
, must run on eggs and they willlose their primary next year.
If it's the last thing I do onthis earth, the promise to back
primary challengers againstRepublicans who support the mega
bill comes after Musk, therural's richest man, with a
staggering $397 billion in networth, according to Forbes
(16:07):
single plans to step back frompolitical spending after
injecting hundreds of millionsinto a 2024 election, he could
absolutely become a thorn in theside of the Republican Party by
funding primary challengers.
That would cause some headaches, no questions about it, bojean
said.
But Trump hosed most of thecards, bojean said, pointing at
(16:28):
Trump's comments on thepossibility of deportation and
his authority over contractsthat Musk and his companies
touch.
I don't think any candidatewants to have the world's
richest man opened up his warchest against him, but I think
most members of Congress wouldrather have Trump's endorsement
than Musk's millions, said theGLP strategist Alex Connett,
(16:53):
said the GOP strategist AlexConnett.
One source who worked in theTrump's first administration
describes the situation withMusk as not overly concerning,
given the support the presidenthas from GOP lawmakers.
The White House doesn't lovethe renewed back and forth, but
no one sees this as a majorpolitical threat.
It looks more like a flare-upthan a serious inflection point.
(17:14):
The source said this is Trump'sparty.
The idea that a rank-and-fileRepublican would suddenly
abandon him because of a feudwith Elon doesn't hold water.
Of course, musk spent at least$250 million through the
American PAC on Trump's election.
During his tenure with Doge hekept an office at the White
House complex, slept over in theLincoln bedroom and touted that
(17:37):
he and Trump were good friends.
Trump also consistentlydefended Musk while he faced
backlash over work to make cutson federal spending and Tesla's
were vandalized around thecountry.
But when asked about the reignof the few, the White House
argued the president is savingmoney for taxpayers with his
(17:57):
policies.
Many presidents have promisedbut none other than President
Trump has delivered to actuallymake government more efficient
and rot out waste, fraud andabuse in Washington, and that
mission is moving full steamahead.
White House spokesman HarrisonFields said in an email
statement Under the president'sleadership, every agency and
department is executing thismission seamlessly and, as a
(18:19):
result, has yielded more than$170 billion in savings for the
American people.
The public nature of Trump andMusk spent last month and
renewed this week is one of themost remarkable parts of their
friends turned foes saga.
These are not two men whoquietly settle their differences
in the background.
(18:39):
Their content is to ball rollout in public, said Conant.
Musk wouldn't be the firstfigure in Trump's orbit.
Figure in Trump's orbit heelevated to a position of power,
only to fire and then fightwith the content noted, pointing
to Trump's free relationshipwith his first term vice
president, mike Pence.
(19:01):
Anybody who's paid attention toTrump over the last 10 years
should not be surprised thathe's not going to be backing
down from a fight with Elon Musk.
Years ago, companies practicallytripped all over each other to
show support for Pride Month,black Lives Matter and other
political clauses.
Now businesses increasinglywant something different.
(19:22):
They actually want nothing todo with politics.
Elon Musk left the governmentafter his company's fortunes
plummeted.
Target, meta and other reversedthe DEI policies.
Nearly 40% of companies havescaled back support for Pride
Month, according to Axios.
What do companies get involvedin politics have to do?
(19:43):
Why do companies get involvedin politics have to do?
Why do companies get involvedin politics to begin with?
In most cases, people who runthem believe it's better for
their bottom line.
Only rarely do they do itsolely because they believe in
the cause.
(20:16):
Three forces that shape thedecisions to take political
stances are first, companiesoften follow other institutions.
In 2015, the Supreme Courtlegalized same-sex marriage
nationwide and the president atthat time backed the ruling.
These events signaled tobusinesses that gay rights
causes had become mainstream andmany responded by supporting
Pride Month.
Second, companies face internalpressure.
In 2022, workers at Disneywalked out over legislation that
(20:38):
Florida that restricteddiscussions of gender and
sexuality in schools.
Disney subsequently fought formonths with the state's
government, particularlyGovernor Ron DeSantis, over
LGBTQ rights.
Third and last, businesseschase consumer sentiment.
Most Americans oppose theSupreme Court's decision to
overturn Roe v Wade, and so manycompanies, including Apple and
(21:01):
Starbucks, responded by voicingtheir support for abortion
rights.
This is actually a balancing act.
Every political stancealienates some people and
pleases others.
The risk of alienation isusually bigger than the
potential benefit studies havefound, which is why companies
typically choose silence overactivism.
(21:22):
But sometimes there's a clearupside.
If all that sounds cold andcalculating, that's because it
is.
Businesses look at activismalmost in the same way that the
activists do Almost the same waythey set a price.
Now that is coming from NoshimWarren, a market expert at the
(21:43):
University of Arizona.
He said they want to find anequilibrium that will gain them
the most profits and lose themthe least.
Situations can suddenly changeas well.
In 2020, all three forcespushed companies to take racial
justice issues seriously, with agenuine bipartisan agreement in
America that the killing ofGeorge Floyd was wrong.
(22:05):
Many businesses embraced BlackLives Matter and DEI initiatives
.
Over the past few years, thesituation has become more
complicated.
President Trump opposes DEI, sosurveys allow us to show that
the initiatives aren't broadlypopular and that half, or even
most, of Americans don't wantcompanies involved in politics.
(22:27):
Now businesses have torebalance the costs and benefits
of pleasing Trump versus theirdivided customer, versus their
split employees.
In this complex situation, morecompanies have opted out to
avoid looking themselves closelyto any particular cause at all.
As of about 14 days ago or so,I started creating a sub stack
(22:52):
that I've been bidding veryactive writing on there.
Here's a sample of a piece thatI wrote manufacturing conflict
how Israel, iran and the USprofit from endless wars a
calculated catastrophe, israel,iran, gaza and the manufacture
of permanent conflict.
We are witnessing yet anothergrim chapter in a long history
(23:14):
of calculated violence in theMiddle East, violence that is
not accidental but functional,serving deeply entrenched
interests both within the regionand far beyond.
At the center of this currentescalation is Israel's ongoing
siege of Gaza, a policy that hasamounted to a collective
punishment on a civilianpopulation of over 2 million
people for decades now.
(23:35):
The latest military operation,marked by indiscriminate
bombings, destruction of vitalinfrastructure and the mass
displacement of families, followa predictable pattern.
Each so-called operation isframed as a necessary act of
self-defense against Hamasrockets fire, but a broader
context, namely the illegaloccupation and the systemic
(23:55):
strangulation of Palestinianlife, is rarely mentioned in the
mainstream Western discourse.
Meanwhile, iran's involvementmaterial, rhetorical and
ideological is held up as aconvenient specter, a
justification for Israel'sincreasingly brutal attacks and
for Washington's unwaveringfinancial and military support.
Iran, a theocratic regime withhis own oppressive record,
(24:19):
certainly seeks regionalinfluence, but it is a fantasy
to imagine that Tehran is thepuppet master of Palestinian
resistance.
Rather, resistance arisesorganically from conditions of
unlivable oppressions.
When we hear talk of precisionstrikes and surgical operations,
we should be reminded of thelanguage of empire, everywhere
(24:40):
the carefully manufacturedeuphemisms used to sanitize mass
murder and maintain publicconsent.
Gaza has been described byIsraeli officials themselves as
a laboratory for testing newweapon systems.
This grotesque experiment iscarried out with tact and often
explicit support from the UnitedStates, who arm shipments and
(25:04):
diplomatic cover to make theatrocities not even possible,
but routine.
On the other side, iran'sleadership benefits from this
conflict as well as perpetualconfrontation with Israel, as it
serves as a rallying domesticsupport, distract from domestic
repression and maintain aposture of defiant resistance to
the West.
The ruling clerics in Tehranneed Israel as a convenient
(25:28):
enemy as much as the leadershipneeds Iran.
This symbiotic enmity fuels thearms trade, sustains
nationalistic fervor and keepsdemocratic aspirations
suppressed.
The victims, as always, areordinary people Palestinian
families in Gaza, israelicivilians living in fear,
iranian dissidents languishingin prison, israeli civilians
(25:50):
living in fear, iraniandissidents languishing in prison
.
These human costs are invisibleto polymaths in Washington and
Tel Aviv, whose strategiccalculations revolve around
power projection andgeopolitical dominance, rather
than justice or peace.
If we are to understand thesituation honestly, we must
(26:15):
strip away the propaganda andrecognize the structures of
domination at play.
The United States, though avastly military-industrial
complex and a bipartisan supportfor Israeli militarism, plays a
certain role in perpetuatingthe conflict Rather than
promoting genuine security ordemocracy.
Us policy has consistentlyprioritized consistently
prioritize regional homogeny,resources access and arms sales.
Calls for a two-state solutioncontinue to echo diplomatic
(26:36):
corridors, but they ringincreasingly hollow as
settlement expansion devoursPalestinian land and Gaza
remains effectivelyuninhabitable.
The real question is whetherthere is a political will among
global civil society to forcechange, because change will not
come from those in power whoseinterests are bound up in
endless wars.
(26:56):
In the meantime, the people ofGaza will continue to suffer
under blockade and bombardment,israeli society will drift
further toward authoritarianism,ethonationalism, and Iran will
exploit the chaos to tighten itsown repressive grip.
There are not accidents ofhistory.
They are choices made by statesdriven by power and profit.
(27:18):
Only an informed, mobilizedpublic, here and everywhere, can
dismantle these structures ofviolence and imagine a future
where all people in the regioncan live with dignity and
security.
Violence and imagine a futurewhere all people in the region
can live with dignity andsecurity.
But as long as we remainenthralled to official
narratives and imperialillusions, the bloodshed will
continue and the architects ofthis human catastrophe will
(27:41):
continue to congratulatethemselves for their restraint
again made a subsect a few daysago.
And the title of this particularpiece is Manufacturing Conflict
how Israel, iran and the USProfit from Endless War.
Subtitle A CalculatedCatastrophe Israel, iran and
Gaza in the Manufacture ofPermanent Conflict.
The dramatic moment of Vice President Vance breaking
a tie vote.
The Vice President votes in theaffirmative.
The bill as amended is passedIn a major win for President
Trump, the Senate narrowlypassing what he calls his big,
beautiful bill, which extendsthe Trump tax cuts, increases
border security and eliminatestaxes on tips in overtime.
As President Trump would say,promises made, promises kept,
but three Republicans and everyDemocrat voting no Republicans
passed the biggest tax breaksfor billionaires ever seen.
(00:22):
Ultimately, it came down toAlaska Republican Lisa Murkowski
, who negotiated a specialcarve-out for Alaska to soften
the blow of the changes toMedicaid drawing the ire of
Kentucky's Rand Paul, who votedno.
They chose to add more pork andsubsidies for Alaska.
To secure that, we pressedMurkowski.
Senator Paul said that yourvote was a bailout for Alaska at
the expense of the rest of thecountry.
(00:42):
That's what Senator Paul said.
Senator, senator Paulson.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
My response is I have an obligation to the people of
the state of Alaska and I liveup to that every single day.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Now the bill goes back to the House.
President Trump optimisticActually I think it will be
easier in the House than it wasin the Senate and responding to
new criticism of the bill fromElon Musk, who says it's full of
quote insane spending, thepresident posting without
subsidies.
Elon would probably have toclose up shop and head back home
to South Africa.
Doge is going to look at Muskand if Doge looks at Musk, we're
going to save a fortune, whileSpeaker Johnson insisting he can
get the bill through the Houseagain despite a razor-thin
(01:14):
Republican majority.
A lot of work ahead, but that'sthe job, so we'll get done.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Welcome to the Derral McLean Jerome McClain
independent media that won'tlead to tribalism.
We have one planet, nobody isleaving, and let us reason
together.
We have the amazing opportunityto be discussing with each
other this caving of LisaMurkowski, where she has
cemented her legacy.
(01:38):
We'll be doing this gladly.
Let's get into it.
So the moderate Republicanbemoaned her hard decision, but
when you really get into theanalysis, she took the easy way
out.
After voting in favor of thesingle most inhumane piece of
(01:59):
legislation in modern Americanhistory a budget that is
reported to strip away healthcare for 17 million Americans.
A bill that takes foodassistance away from 3 million
Americans, eliminates schoolmeals access for more than 18
million kids and adds nearly $4trillion to the national debts,
(02:21):
sends electricity costs surgingand sustainability, raises
health care premiums for olderadults.
On the Affordable Care Act Allthe fun the tax cuts for the
wealthiest Americans SenatorMurkowski released a statement
that read in part let's not kidourselves, this has been an
awful process, a frantic rush tomeet an artificial deadline
(02:44):
that has tested every limit ofan institution.
While we worked to improve thepresent bill for Alaska, it is
not good enough for the rest ofour nation, and we all know it.
My sincere hope is that this isnot the final project.
This bill needs more workacross chambers and it is not
ready for the president to desk.
We need to work together to getthis right.
(03:06):
As for Murkowski's hope, thisis not the final product he's
concerned.
Perhaps she was unaware, butthis was the vote.
This wasn't a committee markuphearing.
She voted on the final passageof the bill and she voted in
favor.
Is there a chance that theHouse makes changes and the bill
comes back to the Senate?
(03:27):
Sure, but as far as she'sconcerned, she gave her final
stamp of approval to this billin its current form and I'm not
sure whether she's pretendingthat this was some preliminary
vote out of ignorance ordeception.
But she doesn't get to lamentthe passage of a bill that she
literally voted to pass.
(03:47):
If she didn't like it and Ihope you're sitting down for
this if she didn't like it, sheshouldn't have voted for it.
But she did, and sherationalizes her decision by
offering a few examples of howshe improved the present bill
for Alaska.
Examples of how she improvedthe present bill for Alaska.
(04:09):
It's true that she was able tosecure some tribal exemptions on
cuts to food assistance, a taxbreak for the fishing industry
and $50 billion to offsethospital closures, which,
frankly, do nothing, in the faceof over a trillion dollars in
health care cuts containedwithin the same bill.
How will those crumbs justifytrading away Americans' health
(04:35):
care, food assistance, energycosts and a deficit is beyond me
.
But I suppose she delivers somepride, knowing that she gets to
pretend that she delivered tothe state of Alaska, that she
delivered to the state of Alaska.
Something tells me that shecould comfort the 40,000
Alaskans who will lose theirhealth care as a result of this
bill's package.
Now let's flash back to July2017.
(04:58):
John McCain was in very muchthe same position as Liseka
Murkowski found herself today.
He would have been decidingvote to repeal the Affordable
Care Act, a decision that wouldhave then kicked 30 million
Americans off of their healthcare, no dissimilar to how
nearly 20 million will loseMedicaid coverage as a result of
(05:19):
the current bill.
The current president was thepresident then, and President
Trump pressured McCain,republicans pressured McCain,
and when it came time to thevote, we all remember what
happened.
Mccain was capable of puttingcountry over party in that
moment.
I don't think Mitch McConnell'sRepublican Senate conference
(05:48):
was, on any planet less partisanthan the country is today, than
the Senate's conference is.
And yet, even then, mccain wasable to consider the impacts on
millions upon millions ofAmericans.
This is not to lionize JohnMcCain, but I can certainly
acknowledge that he showedheroism in that moment.
And yet, when Lisa Murkowski hadthe opportunity to do the same
thing, to cement her place inthe history books as someone who
could preserve health care fortens of millions and make sure
(06:10):
that millions of children don'tgo to bed hungry, she allowed
herself to be bought out with afew comical carve-outs.
A wailing captain taps thededuction In a party that's
already hurting for heroes.
This represents a new low forthe Grand Ole Party.
Lincoln's party once fought tofree the slaves, now reduced to
(06:32):
screwing over the nation'spoorest and the most vulnerable.
In order to heap a tax cut onsome of the wealthiest people
who have ever walked the face ofthe earth.
Who have ever walked the faceof the earth, lisa Murkowski's
cast the deciding vote toquantify the largest transfer of
wealth from the poor to therich in American history.
Just to give you the number,this will save the top 1%
(06:57):
$40,000 a year, as if it's notalready obvious.
No, I'm not sympathetic to LisaMurkowski's plight.
I don't emphasize when shelaments the difficulty of her
vote.
What she did was not difficult.
What she did was easy.
Caving to the president of yourown party is easy.
(07:18):
Caving to Trump isn'tcourageous.
It's not hard.
You don't get credit for doingthe hard thing when you didn't
actually do the hard thing.
If Murkowski wants sympathy,she should try to do something
to actually earn it.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Representative Don Bacon, republican from Nebraska,
officially announced on Mondaythat he would not seek
re-election in 2026, opening upwhat will likely be a
competitive race for Nebraska'ssecond congressional district.
After consultation with myfamily and much prayer, I have
decided not to seek re-electionin 2026 and will fulfill my term
(07:56):
in the 119th Congress throughJanuary 2nd 2027, bacon said in
a statement.
After three decades in the AirForce and now going on one
decade in Congress, I lookforward to coming home in the
evenings and being with my wifeand seeing more of our adult
children and eight grandchildren, who all live near my home.
(08:17):
I have been married for 41years and I would like to
dedicate more time to my family,my church and the Omaha
community.
He continued.
I also want to continueadvocating for a strong national
security strategy and a strongalliance system with countries
that share our love of democracy, free markets and the rule of
(08:39):
law.
The announcement comes daysafter a source familiar
confirmed to the Hill that Baconwould not seek re-election next
year.
Bacon's decision to retirecreates an open seat in one of
the most competitivecongressional districts in the
country.
Nebraska's second congressionaldistrict, which includes Omaha,
(08:59):
was won by former VicePresident Harris in the 2024
election and presents anopportunity for Democrats to
pick up the blue dot DistrictBacon has held since 2016.
The writing has been on the wallfor months.
Nebraskans are tired of thefalse promises that Republicans
are trying to sell and they wantreal results, said Madison
(09:21):
Andrus, a spokesperson for theDemocratic Congressional
Campaign Committee.
Don Bacon's decision to notseek re-election in 2026 is the
latest vote of no confidence forHouse Republicans and their
electoral prospects.
Next November, nebraskans aregoing to elect a Democrat who
will actually deliver for them,the House Republican campaign
(09:44):
arm emphasized.
They continue to feel confidentthat they will maintain their
hold on Bacon's seat.
Don Bacon has served ourcountry with honor after nearly
30 years in uniform and nearly adecade in Congress.
Thanks to his steadfastcommitment to duty and
principled leadership, bothNebraska and our nation are
(10:05):
stronger today, said Zach Bannon, a spokesperson at the National
Republican CongressionalCommittee.
As we look ahead, Republicansare confident in keeping
Nebraska's second district redas we maintain and expand our
(10:39):
majority in the House.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
He added.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
The public and messy feud between President Trump and
tech billionaire Elon Musk wasreunited this week over the
president's big, beautiful bill.
As Congress works to get themassive package to Trump's desk
by July the 4th July, the 4thMusk on Monday said he would
(11:18):
back primary challenges againstany Republican who supports
Trump's mega bill and promisedto donate to lawmakers who have
drowned the administration's ire, like Rep Thomas Massey, the
Republican from Kentucky.
Trump then threatened to cutthe government contract for
Musk's companies and left openthe possibility of actually
deporting the South African CEO.
Trump and Musk both hadsignaled that they were ready to
move on from their bitter fightnearly a month ago, but the
president's mega bill that Muskhas called a political suicide
(11:41):
for the Republican Party hasbrought the two men back to
sniping.
I think Washington is confusedby the on and off again
relationship between Trump andMusk.
It looked like they had patchedthings up around a month ago,
said Republican strategist RonBojean, adding that the tech
billionaire's posts on thesocial media platform X, which
(12:01):
Musk owns, came out of nowhere.
For most people out there, itseemed like he was looking to
bury the hatchet in recent weeks.
Trump on Tuesday shrugged offconcerns that the GOP could be
swayed by Musk's mega billscriticism, but he doubled down
on his suggestions that thefederal government take a look
at contracts Musk companies have.
Musk and his businesses havereceived at least $38 billion in
(12:24):
government contract loans,subsidies and tax credits over
the years, according to aFebruary Washington Post
analysis.
No, I don't think so.
I think what's going to happenis Doge is going to look at Musk
, and if Doge looks at Musk,we're going to save a fortune,
trump said during a visit to amigrant detention facility in
Florida, referring to theDepartment of Government
(12:46):
Efficiency.
I don't think he should beplaying that game with me.
Government efficiency, I don'tthink he should be playing that
game with me.
It's a sharp change in tonefrom the president, who had
previously said he thinks hecould make amends with Musk
after a nasty disagreement lastmonth.
Asked on Tuesday what happenedto Musk, trump replied nothing.
He's upset that he's losing hisEV mandates and he's upset he's
(13:08):
very upset about things, but hecould lose a lot more than that
.
I can tell you right now Eloncan lose a lot more than that,
he said, arguing that Musk'scriticism of the bill was over a
key provision that takes awaytax credits for electric
vehicles that benefited hiscompany.
The president also signaled hewould consider deporting the
South African born US citizenwhom he had elevated to the lead
(13:32):
, the cost-cutting Doge, untillate May.
I don't know.
I think we'll have to look.
We might have to put Doge onElon.
You know what Doge is?
It's the monster that mighthave to go back and eat Elon.
Wouldn't that be terrible?
Trump said the president hadpraised the massive cuts and
sweeping changes, the federalgovernment under Doge, despite
(13:53):
pushback over the job losses andseveral disruptions, and he
gifted Musk a gold key to theWhite House and made his
recognition of the billionaire'swork.
But now Musk is arguing thatTrump's ambitions tax spending
bill and spending packageundermines Doge's efforts to
rein in spending.
As senators squabbled over thebill past week, musk blasted
(14:15):
spending packages as utterlyinsane and political suicide for
the GOP One.
On a Monday he renewed hiscalls for a new political party
and he lamented estimates forhow much the bill would raise in
the debt ceiling.
Musk in his unique is that hehas enough money to probably
(14:39):
actually impact a two-partysystem, said a former Trump
campaign official.
Now Republicans obviously facechallenges in their ability to
govern, and so do Democrats, butright now, all Trump wants is a
bill with his name on it andthat he thinks is a good bill.
A lot of Republicans inCongress know this isn't a good
bill, but fever and fear is amotivator.
(15:01):
The former campaign officialsaid we're a two-party country,
pure and simple.
Musk is probably the onlyperson that could change that,
given his money, but he'd haveto find unique, credible
candidates to attractdisillusioned voters.
Who thus far has leaned Trump.
Now, of course, we alreadyreported the Senate version of
(15:23):
the bill nearly passed earlierTuesday, and it will increase
the deficit by nearly $3.3trillion between 2025 and 2034,
roughly $1 trillion more thanthe House passed version,
according to the nonpartisanCongressional Budget Office.
Every member of Congress whocampaigned on reducing
government spending and thenimmediately voted for the
(15:45):
biggest debt increase in historyshould hang their head in shame
, must run on eggs and they willlose their primary next year.
If it's the last thing I do onthis earth, the promise to back
primary challengers againstRepublicans who support the mega
bill comes after Musk, therural's richest man, with a
staggering $397 billion in networth, according to Forbes
(16:07):
single plans to step back frompolitical spending after
injecting hundreds of millionsinto a 2024 election, he could
absolutely become a thorn in theside of the Republican Party by
funding primary challengers.
That would cause some headaches, no questions about it, bojean
said.
But Trump hosed most of thecards, bojean said, pointing at
(16:28):
Trump's comments on thepossibility of deportation and
his authority over contractsthat Musk and his companies
touch.
I don't think any candidatewants to have the world's
richest man opened up his warchest against him, but I think
most members of Congress wouldrather have Trump's endorsement
than Musk's millions, said theGLP strategist Alex Connett,
(16:53):
said the GOP strategist AlexConnett.
One source who worked in theTrump's first administration
describes the situation withMusk as not overly concerning,
given the support the presidenthas from GOP lawmakers.
The White House doesn't lovethe renewed back and forth, but
no one sees this as a majorpolitical threat.
It looks more like a flare-upthan a serious inflection point.
(17:14):
The source said this is Trump'sparty.
The idea that a rank-and-fileRepublican would suddenly
abandon him because of a feudwith Elon doesn't hold water.
Of course, musk spent at least$250 million through the
American PAC on Trump's election.
During his tenure with Doge hekept an office at the White
House complex, slept over in theLincoln bedroom and touted that
(17:37):
he and Trump were good friends.
Trump also consistentlydefended Musk while he faced
backlash over work to make cutson federal spending and Tesla's
were vandalized around thecountry.
But when asked about the reignof the few, the White House
argued the president is savingmoney for taxpayers with his
(17:57):
policies.
Many presidents have promisedbut none other than President
Trump has delivered to actuallymake government more efficient
and rot out waste, fraud andabuse in Washington, and that
mission is moving full steamahead.
White House spokesman HarrisonFields said in an email
statement Under the president'sleadership, every agency and
department is executing thismission seamlessly and, as a
(18:19):
result, has yielded more than$170 billion in savings for the
American people.
The public nature of Trump andMusk spent last month and
renewed this week is one of themost remarkable parts of their
friends turned foes saga.
These are not two men whoquietly settle their differences
in the background.
(18:39):
Their content is to ball rollout in public, said Conant.
Musk wouldn't be the firstfigure in Trump's orbit.
Figure in Trump's orbit heelevated to a position of power,
only to fire and then fightwith the content noted, pointing
to Trump's free relationshipwith his first term vice
president, mike Pence.
(19:01):
Anybody who's paid attention toTrump over the last 10 years
should not be surprised thathe's not going to be backing
down from a fight with Elon Musk.
Years ago, companies practicallytripped all over each other to
show support for Pride Month,black Lives Matter and other
political clauses.
Now businesses increasinglywant something different.
(19:22):
They actually want nothing todo with politics.
Elon Musk left the governmentafter his company's fortunes
plummeted.
Target, meta and other reversedthe DEI policies.
Nearly 40% of companies havescaled back support for Pride
Month, according to Axios.
What do companies get involvedin politics have to do?
(19:43):
Why do companies get involvedin politics have to do?
Why do companies get involvedin politics to begin with?
In most cases, people who runthem believe it's better for
their bottom line.
Only rarely do they do itsolely because they believe in
the cause.
(20:16):
Three forces that shape thedecisions to take political
stances are first, companiesoften follow other institutions.
In 2015, the Supreme Courtlegalized same-sex marriage
nationwide and the president atthat time backed the ruling.
These events signaled tobusinesses that gay rights
causes had become mainstream andmany responded by supporting
Pride Month.
Second, companies face internalpressure.
In 2022, workers at Disneywalked out over legislation that
(20:38):
Florida that restricteddiscussions of gender and
sexuality in schools.
Disney subsequently fought formonths with the state's
government, particularlyGovernor Ron DeSantis, over
LGBTQ rights.
Third and last, businesseschase consumer sentiment.
Most Americans oppose theSupreme Court's decision to
overturn Roe v Wade, and so manycompanies, including Apple and
(21:01):
Starbucks, responded by voicingtheir support for abortion
rights.
This is actually a balancing act.
Every political stancealienates some people and
pleases others.
The risk of alienation isusually bigger than the
potential benefit studies havefound, which is why companies
typically choose silence overactivism.
(21:22):
But sometimes there's a clearupside.
If all that sounds cold andcalculating, that's because it
is.
Businesses look at activismalmost in the same way that the
activists do Almost the same waythey set a price.
Now that is coming from NoshimWarren, a market expert at the
(21:43):
University of Arizona.
He said they want to find anequilibrium that will gain them
the most profits and lose themthe least.
Situations can suddenly changeas well.
In 2020, all three forcespushed companies to take racial
justice issues seriously, with agenuine bipartisan agreement in
America that the killing ofGeorge Floyd was wrong.
(22:05):
Many businesses embraced BlackLives Matter and DEI initiatives
.
Over the past few years, thesituation has become more
complicated.
President Trump opposes DEI, sosurveys allow us to show that
the initiatives aren't broadlypopular and that half, or even
most, of Americans don't wantcompanies involved in politics.
(22:27):
Now businesses have torebalance the costs and benefits
of pleasing Trump versus theirdivided customer, versus their
split employees.
In this complex situation, morecompanies have opted out to
avoid looking themselves closelyto any particular cause at all.
As of about 14 days ago or so,I started creating a sub stack
(22:52):
that I've been bidding veryactive writing on there.
Here's a sample of a piece thatI wrote manufacturing conflict
how Israel, iran and the USprofit from endless wars a
calculated catastrophe, israel,iran, gaza and the manufacture
of permanent conflict.
We are witnessing yet anothergrim chapter in a long history
(23:14):
of calculated violence in theMiddle East, violence that is
not accidental but functional,serving deeply entrenched
interests both within the regionand far beyond.
At the center of this currentescalation is Israel's ongoing
siege of Gaza, a policy that hasamounted to a collective
punishment on a civilianpopulation of over 2 million
people for decades now.
(23:35):
The latest military operation,marked by indiscriminate
bombings, destruction of vitalinfrastructure and the mass
displacement of families, followa predictable pattern.
Each so-called operation isframed as a necessary act of
self-defense against Hamasrockets fire, but a broader
context, namely the illegaloccupation and the systemic
(23:55):
strangulation of Palestinianlife, is rarely mentioned in the
mainstream Western discourse.
Meanwhile, iran's involvementmaterial, rhetorical and
ideological is held up as aconvenient specter, a
justification for Israel'sincreasingly brutal attacks and
for Washington's unwaveringfinancial and military support.
Iran, a theocratic regime withhis own oppressive record,
(24:19):
certainly seeks regionalinfluence, but it is a fantasy
to imagine that Tehran is thepuppet master of Palestinian
resistance.
Rather, resistance arisesorganically from conditions of
unlivable oppressions.
When we hear talk of precisionstrikes and surgical operations,
we should be reminded of thelanguage of empire, everywhere
(24:40):
the carefully manufacturedeuphemisms used to sanitize mass
murder and maintain publicconsent.
Gaza has been described byIsraeli officials themselves as
a laboratory for testing newweapon systems.
This grotesque experiment iscarried out with tact and often
explicit support from the UnitedStates, who arm shipments and
(25:04):
diplomatic cover to make theatrocities not even possible,
but routine.
On the other side, iran'sleadership benefits from this
conflict as well as perpetualconfrontation with Israel, as it
serves as a rallying domesticsupport, distract from domestic
repression and maintain aposture of defiant resistance to
the West.
The ruling clerics in Tehranneed Israel as a convenient
(25:28):
enemy as much as the leadershipneeds Iran.
This symbiotic enmity fuels thearms trade, sustains
nationalistic fervor and keepsdemocratic aspirations
suppressed.
The victims, as always, areordinary people Palestinian
families in Gaza, israelicivilians living in fear,
iranian dissidents languishingin prison, israeli civilians
(25:50):
living in fear, iraniandissidents languishing in prison
.
These human costs are invisibleto polymaths in Washington and
Tel Aviv, whose strategiccalculations revolve around
power projection andgeopolitical dominance, rather
than justice or peace.
If we are to understand thesituation honestly, we must
(26:15):
strip away the propaganda andrecognize the structures of
domination at play.
The United States, though avastly military-industrial
complex and a bipartisan supportfor Israeli militarism, plays a
certain role in perpetuatingthe conflict Rather than
promoting genuine security ordemocracy.
Us policy has consistentlyprioritized consistently
prioritize regional homogeny,resources access and arms sales.
Calls for a two-state solutioncontinue to echo diplomatic
(26:36):
corridors, but they ringincreasingly hollow as
settlement expansion devoursPalestinian land and Gaza
remains effectivelyuninhabitable.
The real question is whetherthere is a political will among
global civil society to forcechange, because change will not
come from those in power whoseinterests are bound up in
endless wars.
(26:56):
In the meantime, the people ofGaza will continue to suffer
under blockade and bombardment,israeli society will drift
further toward authoritarianism,ethonationalism, and Iran will
exploit the chaos to tighten itsown repressive grip.
There are not accidents ofhistory.
They are choices made by statesdriven by power and profit.
(27:18):
Only an informed, mobilizedpublic, here and everywhere, can
dismantle these structures ofviolence and imagine a future
where all people in the regioncan live with dignity and
security.
Violence and imagine a futurewhere all people in the region
can live with dignity andsecurity.
But as long as we remainenthralled to official
narratives and imperialillusions, the bloodshed will
continue and the architects ofthis human catastrophe will
(27:41):
continue to congratulatethemselves for their restraint
again made a subsect a few daysago.
And the title of this particularpiece is Manufacturing Conflict
how Israel, iran and the USProfit from Endless War.
Subtitle A CalculatedCatastrophe Israel, iran and
Gaza in the Manufacture ofPermanent Conflict.
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