Rahul Sharma's AP Govt Blog 2.5

The Senate tax plan may come down to Lisa Murkowski. But what does she want?

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine are eyed as potential pitfalls to passing the bill. Lisa Murkowski supports a stabilization measure. She told Roll Call she would consider voting for the bill if the Senate also passed a bipartisan Obamacare stabilization bill. In response, Republicans added a provision that could allow oil drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Natural Refuge to try to win over Murkowski. It has been a long-held dream of Alaska politicians for the revenue it would bring to the state. Murkowski would support the bill with this position because it would be a major victory for her.
Murkowski supports Obamacare because Obamacare has worked in her state. Alaska, the state with the most expensive health care, has seen its uninsured rate fall from 18.9 percent to 11.7 percent under the health care law. 
Drilling in that part of Alaska has been banned for decades now. Since 1980, environmentalists have managed to successfully persuade Democrats (and some Republicans) to defend it. From the resources in the state (oil), each Alaskan who has been in the state longer than one year gets a check for around $2,200, a dividend from the state’s $61 billion Permanent Fund. The money for the Permanent Fund comes from oil and gas production in the state. 
As a delegate, Murkowski would act in the interests of the constituents and consider their wants and needs. She would do this because doing what's popular will improve her public image and get her votes.
As a trustee, Murkowski would act by serving her constituents using her best judgment. She would do this because, if she wants to be re-elected, she'll do things that'll help her constituents. 
As a partisan, Murkowski would make decisions in line with their party’s policies. This will form better relations with other members of her party, and they'll work together to help one another.


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