Susan Collins: Maine's Other Centrist Republican Senator

The Washington Post:

BANGOR, MAINE -- A week ago, all eyes were on the senior senator from Maine, Republican Olympia J. Snowe, as she pondered the prospect of defying her party in support of a proposal to remake the nation's health-care system.

But after she voted with Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee, the what-will-Olympia-do buzz subsided, and now the junior senator from Maine is the fence-sitting Republican in President Obama's sights.

Read the whole story: The Washington Post

Comments

[codycap]

The so-called open tent and moving to the middle has went terribly wrong and has moved us way to far to the right.

It would be much more valuable to beat Snowe and Collins in Maine, Lieberman in Connecticut, and Judd Greg in New Hampshire, than it is to gain seats in, say, North Dakota, Oklahoma, or Montana, because in blue states we can get strong reliable Democrats.

Democrats should focus more resources on winning seats in blue states.

NEXT --CAMPAIGN REFORM

http://www.publicampaign.org/node/40024

Fair Elections Now Act (FENA) SIGN the petition

We MUST have campaign reform. It must be done or we are irrelevant in our own government

[Okieborn]

Why in the He** are the Democrats courting Collins and Snowe !!
They are Rethugs. from the word go !!!
Think Democratic votes !!
If f President Obama doesn't quit appeasing the Republicans they will place him exactly where they want him in the LOSERS section come 2012 !!!

[AMTHEONE0999]

Stop courting Snowe and Collins! We don't need them and, in the end, they will most likely vote with their friends in the GOP! Now the world has to revolve around Maine! Where's this anyways? Is that part of the USA? LOL

[SagesseBleu]

Someone find out what the family business offers for benefits. I bet not squat

http://www.swcollins.com/employment.cfm

[jws2346]

Oh boy, I can just see it now, I wonder who's offering their first born to get this Senators vote?

[moongal6]

No one.
http://pnhp.org

[Doofus]

Collins was just re-elected last year (by the traditional wide margin;
Maine loves it's moderate, maverick GOP Senators), so she's
not going to be too persuadable. Olympia Snow is up in 2012,
is a bit more vulnerable, though she won last time by an even
wider margin than Collins.

[Chris]

Maine voters seldomly vote out an incumbent. I can not remember, in my life time, an incumbent losing.

[Chris]

For those who did not bother to read the article:

Unlike most states, Maine has a government-sponsored insurance option, which Collins calls a disappointment. The program, named Dirigo, has limited enrollment to 10,000 people because of high costs. Rather than reducing the uninsured rate, it has drawn many out of private plans.

BTW Dirigo is the pet project of Momma Baldacci's son, the D governor.

[Trueheart]

Well, she's right Dirigo wasn't very well thought out, and doesn't serve very many people.
Poor people in Maine are in wretched health and use the emergency room for primary care.

[ron ray]

I've had enough of this courting and cajoling. the issues is that one in five americans, and millions of kids, can't go to the doctor when they're sick. do we do something about it or not.

if republicans do not, let them vote no, and we take that to the voters in the next election.

[Gigi36]

Good luck trying to influence Susan Collins as I live in Maine and she surely does not listen to her constituents.

[Trueheart]

I agree with my fellow Mainer, Gigi, on this.

[dragonmaster]

Senator Collins has to make a choice; vote for the desires of the people of Maine- or become a Neo-fascist -which is basically what the republican party has become.

[nick1936]

Why aren't we going after the Senator ferom Ohio who dammed the southern's in his party??????

[Yaxchibonam]

I hope the twisted antics of our representatives (small r intended) in congress will at least serve to remind all of us to be more careful at the polls when we consider which clown deserves our vote. The main question seems to be "how can you guarantee us that you will vote our interests, and not the lobbyist who is stuffing your pockets?"

We need a new generation in congress. Then we can start calling it Congress again.

[plooger]

Obama's telling Democrats they need to unite. But how about Obama uniting with the Democrats, and fight for a strong public option?

[wdw505]

no thanks

[iceage7]

Focus on Lieberman. This is the guy who will topedo the bill...watch..Lieb is 2 faced.

[Greg Petty]

They should bounce that two faced train wreck.Do you know why they do not make a Lieberman stamp????????

people don't know which side to spit on

[Fireslayer]

Collins will betray her voters who fell for her "moderate" image if she falls into party lock-step on health care.