Newsom Takes on Fox "News" 6.30.25 Ally Sammarco Jul 1 Happy Monday (just kidding) and welcome back to today’s edition of Common Sense with Ally Sammarco—your source for the daily news and chaos in politics and entertainment. Let’s break it down. Senate advances Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” in tight 51–49 vote…Donald Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” cleared its first major hurdle in the Senate by a razor-thin 51–49 vote. The massive spending package—branded as a fix-all for infrastructure, immigration enforcement, and rural revitalization—looks more like a MAGA wish list duct-taped to a budget proposal. It includes billions for private detention centers, fossil fuel subsidies, and adds at least $4 trillion to the national debt. GOP senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski expressed more “concerns” (of course) over the lack of oversight and ballooning costs. But in the end, all it took was a closed-door phone call with Trump and a few empty promises to get it across the line. Common Sense takeaway: This is what happens when “big and beautiful” is a branding strategy, not a policy plan. You get an ugly bill that pretends to solve everything while doing nothing well—and somehow, it still gets a standing ovation from the people who once called themselves fiscal conservatives. MAINE: SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS BETRAYED HER CONSTITUENTS! IT'S TIME TO REPLACE HER & THERE ARE CANDIDATES.... Democrat launches campaign to challenge Susan Collins for Senate seat WMTW-TV Jordan Wood of Bristol says Sen. Susan Collins is part of the system and he is outlining specific promises for change. Gavin Newsom sues Fox News for $787 million over defamation…California Governor Gavin Newsom is suing Fox News for a Dominion-sized $787 million, accusing the network of knowingly airing a deceptively edited clip of Donald Trump to make it look like Newsom lied about a phone call. Specifically, Jesse Watters cut out the part where Trump said he talked to Newsom “a day ago,” then went on-air with a chyron that basically said “Gavin Lied!” Newsom’s legal team says this wasn’t just bad journalism—it was calculated defamation designed to smear him during a national crisis. Fox, naturally, called the lawsuit “a publicity stunt.” Common Sense takeaway: Newsom wants accountability. Fox wants ratings. Good for Newsom. Common Sense with Ally Sammarco is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Coeur d’Alene firefighters ambushed; 2 dead…In what police are calling a targeted ambush, two firefighters were killed and one injured while responding to a blaze in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The house fire appeared routine until gunfire erupted as the team approached the property. Authorities believe the fire was set deliberately to lure first responders into a trap. The shooter, who is in custody, was reportedly active in online conspiracy forums and had posted anti-government messages just days before the attack. This wasn’t random—it was planned. And it’s the kind of violence that turns every firefighter, EMT, and paramedic into a potential target just for doing their job. Common Sense takeaway: When the people running into the fire are the ones getting ambushed, you know something’s really wrong. This isn’t just tragic—it’s dystopian. Donald launches new fragrance...President of the United States Donald Trump took time today to push his new fragrance on social media. I’m not sure if it smells like farts or tacos, but I know one thing: it’s a grift. Common Sense takeaway: Don’t buy the damn fragrance. And in the entertainment world: Jeff Bezos Gets Married on a $500M Superyacht Because Of Course He Did…Jeff Bezos officially married Lauren Sanchez this weekend in a ceremony so subtle, it took place on his half-a-billion-dollar mega-yacht off the coast of Italy, surrounded by celebrities, billionaires, and yeah that’s it. Guests included everyone from Katy Perry to Kim Kardashian, because apparently the vibe was “if you’ve ruined the world or just watched it burn, you’re invited.” Sources say the ceremony was “intimate,” which we assume means only 200 people and one live orchestra per champagne fountain. The yacht itself is powered by an engine big enough to encompass a small country’s carbon budget. Common Sense takeaway: Nothing says “true love” like pledging your forever on a floating monument to obscene wealth while the rest of the planet struggles to buy groceries. Congrats to the happy couple I guess. That’s all for today. Thanks for reading. Check back tomorrow for the next edition of Common Sense.