As a New Englander, I've watched Collins' act for a long time. You nailed it. She only votes "her conscience" when she knows it won't derail the outcome that the Republicans, and now especially Trump, want. She could have just as easily played the Murkowski role, with the latter switching places with her. It's a tired, but predictable dance that these two play.
Given the large number of "50 in favor" recent votes, I think it's clear the Republican's in the Senate (and House) are playing a vote counting game, whereby one or two Senators are given a pass to abstain or vote against, while the other 50 are told to stay in line. Probably based on sharing out the passes for those in vulnerable seats.
Collins may get a pass more than most people, but don't be in any doubt that this is only permitted if it won't affect the final vote. She is not deciding her vote based on conscience.
Related to this, Thom Tillis has been voting almost entirely "yes" despite his recent theoretical independence -- apparently he's still fully on Team R and prioritizing giving passes to members who are vulnerable and facing reelection.
Susan Collins has no conscience and never has had. She’s a chameleon like Lyndsay Graham. Graham had a thimbleful of integrity while John McCain was alive, but no more.
As for Thom Tillis he recognized that the NC voters are mad about the ugly billionaire bill. He knew his Senate days were numbered. Hooray!!! He was Speaker of the NC House and supported the ratf*cked gerrymandering that skews NC’s elections and attacks on public education and refusal to expand Medicaid. He is not a fan of the ordinary people who live from paycheck to paycheck. One vote does not mean a change of heart. He and other MAGATS still support a 79 year old pedophile dumbass who shits in his pants, is incontinent who thinks he is a king.
I have lived in Maine for three years now and noticed how local news outlets prop up her “moderate” image. I have noticed a bit of a shift in local media about her.
There are but they are in the governor’s race on the Dem side so far. Maine is a very unique place. It’s very opposed to outsiders coming in (even if you live here for 20 years, you are considered an outsider, for example)
You have to win some votes in ME-2. which is very MAGA. Maine is a purple state and anyone who runs here has to actually be from here, I find. It’s not enough to win in ME-1. I think people want Janet Mills to challenge her. So far Mills hasn’t jumped in the race. Most of the well known Dems who might have challenged Collins are in the Governor race.
Collins seems to triangulate with Murkowski. They figure out which of them is going to vote yes and which gets to vote no so whatever it is passes and one of them gets a turn doing the 'independent' thing without actually tanking the party's agenda.
I live in WA state and am more than familiar with Joe Kent even though I don't live in the district he ran for. He's much, much worse than many of Trump's nominees - if you wanted someone to manufacture a fake terrorism threat and take advantage of it to install an authoritarian government, he's the guy you'd pick for this job.
Totally agree. I suspect that the reason they both voted for him was that his nomination was not getting sustained national media attention and they calculated that vote would likely fly under the radar and thus not damage their "moderate" image.
My sense is both Murkowski and Collins vote their conscience when they know it won’t actually change the outcome, but they vote party line whenever their votes might actually matter. I am not impressed. In many ways they bother me more than Trump. He’s a psychopath doing what psychopaths do. They’re normal people knowingly choosing to sacrifice the wellbeing of the nation for their own selfish gain.
Have to disagree with you about Murkowski. In Trump 1.0, he tried messing with her several times. Murkowski owned him every time (don't recall the specifics, just made a mental note). He backed way off, the only R Senator that Trump seemingly is afraid of. Trump 2.0 is only 6 months in so far and the jury is still out on Murkowski this time around.
Susan Collins is no weathervane, she's a phony. She only votes against the Republicans when the leadership knows they've got enough votes to pass.
The only really significant vote she's done that blocked the Republicans was her vote to not end Obamacare. But I believe Moscow Mitch thought the fix was in. Mitch was sure he had the votes to sink the ACA, so he gave Collins and Murkowski permission to vote against. But then John McCain came in and fouled up Mitch's plan and McCain stopped the scam. I bet Mitch never saw it coming. Neither did Murkowski or Collins, or I'm sure they'd have changed one of their votes to get rid of the ACA.
Collins votes with her party when it counts and only votes against her party when it doesn't count, to pretend to keep up some "moderate" cred. There's only one exception I can think of, and that's the failed attempt to repeal the ACA in the first round of Trump. And McCain's thumbs down was a surprise to everyone - I think she might have changed her vote if she'd known what McCain was going to do.
We can’t know how she would have voted if her nay would have tanked the entire enterprise.”
Yes we can know how Collins would have voted. She voted yes on the “big beautiful bill” on the key procedural vote to proceed to the bill. Then she had the cover of voting no on final passage.
That way, when she campaigns next year, she can say that she tried to stop the bill because she knew how it would affect Maine’s seniors, and how sorry she is that they are losing Medicaid coverage. If they buy it, she’s re-elected.
"Nebraska’s first congressional district, which Flood won handily in 2024, is not the kind of place the party wants to be getting that kind of heat as it starts to look ahead to next year’s midterms."
I was not there, nor was I able (nor willing) to try to listen to it, either live or otherwise. From what I had read, and that includes from a friend who lives in Lincoln but also did not attend, many people who knew that Flood was planning on showing up in person, expressed surprise that he did not show up in a bullet-proof vest. He gets points for guts, but simutaneously reminds me of a saying that was making the rounds about Goldwater in response to the slogan about him, "In your heart, you know he is right" (no, not the the response, "extremely") but "In your guts, you know he's nuts".
In light of his waffling and coming out for the disclosure of the Epstein Files, he may have, contrary to his plans, just bought himself a more MAGA primary opponent backed by the Felon.
As was mentioned in the article as a reason why it "is not the kind of place the party wants to be getting that kind of heat as it starts to look ahead to next year’s midterms."
If the POT has to spend time, resources, money and effort there, that amounts to time, resources, etc. that they do not have elsewhere. And, if his waffling, etc., causes the irrational head of the POT to decide he is not "strong" enough or loyal (to him, of course) enough, then, as I said, there could be a more MAGA primary opponent, all of which will take time, resources, etc., away from other areas.
I agree. If the Republicans are forced to defend safe seats, it makes them use more resources other than competitive races and that makes them more vulnerable. Chipping away at the edges over time gets you to the heart of the beast.
Maine here. People have been slowly disappearing their trump signs around here.my town is 50/50. Now idea where they stand now. Prior to the election all the Harris signs would be stolen. They found piles around her in the woods. All I can say when I moved back here there was a display with a guillotine, trump flags signs. They have been dismantled and the trump signs are fading. Here’s hoping some are waking up.
Fingers crossed! Same here on Long Island. And all the Anons I know who were obsessed with Epstein have gone completely silent. I'm hoping that many of them will go back into the political coma they were in before DJT came along and stop voting.
Collins and Murkowski - whom I used to semi-respect - are so obviously playing a game in which they calibrate which gets to be good maga and which gets to be bad maga so they never have to really take any heat. It's particularly deplorable because they both seem to recognize the danger Trump poses but a combination of fear and craven politics seems more important than that. Collins running again - my god, Maine, aren't you sick of this act by now?
It seems clear that if Trump didn’t actually participate in ruining the lives of young girls he is protecting the people who did. Is pedophilia finally a bridge too far for some MAGA voters?
Guerra has it spot-on, Collins has NEVER voted against a republican nominee or bill if it meant blocking passage. And she and Murkowski have been longstanding teammates in this little game, alternating who gets to look like they have an ounce of spine. Neither does, neither ever has. That's why Murkowski was so unhappy with her vote for the Big Beautiful Bill, it was her turn to play supplicant and a really bad bill to have to prostrate herself for. But at least she knew that next time, it's Collins who has to prostrate herself. Just watch.
As a New Englander, I've watched Collins' act for a long time. You nailed it. She only votes "her conscience" when she knows it won't derail the outcome that the Republicans, and now especially Trump, want. She could have just as easily played the Murkowski role, with the latter switching places with her. It's a tired, but predictable dance that these two play.
Given the large number of "50 in favor" recent votes, I think it's clear the Republican's in the Senate (and House) are playing a vote counting game, whereby one or two Senators are given a pass to abstain or vote against, while the other 50 are told to stay in line. Probably based on sharing out the passes for those in vulnerable seats.
Collins may get a pass more than most people, but don't be in any doubt that this is only permitted if it won't affect the final vote. She is not deciding her vote based on conscience.
Related to this, Thom Tillis has been voting almost entirely "yes" despite his recent theoretical independence -- apparently he's still fully on Team R and prioritizing giving passes to members who are vulnerable and facing reelection.
Susan Collins has no conscience and never has had. She’s a chameleon like Lyndsay Graham. Graham had a thimbleful of integrity while John McCain was alive, but no more.
As for Thom Tillis he recognized that the NC voters are mad about the ugly billionaire bill. He knew his Senate days were numbered. Hooray!!! He was Speaker of the NC House and supported the ratf*cked gerrymandering that skews NC’s elections and attacks on public education and refusal to expand Medicaid. He is not a fan of the ordinary people who live from paycheck to paycheck. One vote does not mean a change of heart. He and other MAGATS still support a 79 year old pedophile dumbass who shits in his pants, is incontinent who thinks he is a king.
Remember that "gifts" and sinecures obtained after public office are now perfectly legal.
Voting against something only counts if you actually want something not to pass.
I have lived in Maine for three years now and noticed how local news outlets prop up her “moderate” image. I have noticed a bit of a shift in local media about her.
We need a good candidate to run against her but so far, we only have someone nobody knows.
Thank you for informing me.
Isn’t there someone younger, Alina?
There are but they are in the governor’s race on the Dem side so far. Maine is a very unique place. It’s very opposed to outsiders coming in (even if you live here for 20 years, you are considered an outsider, for example)
There may be so much outrage about Trump in Maine that it may not matter much who runs against Collins. He did not do well up there.
You have to win some votes in ME-2. which is very MAGA. Maine is a purple state and anyone who runs here has to actually be from here, I find. It’s not enough to win in ME-1. I think people want Janet Mills to challenge her. So far Mills hasn’t jumped in the race. Most of the well known Dems who might have challenged Collins are in the Governor race.
So true and I can't wait to vote her out!
Yes as someone from maine i have said this so many times. Ughhh I hate her.
Collins seems to triangulate with Murkowski. They figure out which of them is going to vote yes and which gets to vote no so whatever it is passes and one of them gets a turn doing the 'independent' thing without actually tanking the party's agenda.
IMHO, both their masks have completely fallen off after their vote to confirm Joe Kent as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center.
I live in WA state and am more than familiar with Joe Kent even though I don't live in the district he ran for. He's much, much worse than many of Trump's nominees - if you wanted someone to manufacture a fake terrorism threat and take advantage of it to install an authoritarian government, he's the guy you'd pick for this job.
Totally agree. I suspect that the reason they both voted for him was that his nomination was not getting sustained national media attention and they calculated that vote would likely fly under the radar and thus not damage their "moderate" image.
Exactly
As Rep. Barney Frank quipped of Collin’s, “She’s always there when you don’t need her. “
She is always “ concerned “
She says, as she clutches her pearls. (Are they as fake as she is?)
My sense is both Murkowski and Collins vote their conscience when they know it won’t actually change the outcome, but they vote party line whenever their votes might actually matter. I am not impressed. In many ways they bother me more than Trump. He’s a psychopath doing what psychopaths do. They’re normal people knowingly choosing to sacrifice the wellbeing of the nation for their own selfish gain.
BothbMurkowski and Colkins are worse than Trump. Thry know these nominees weren't fit for the positions they now hold.
Neither Murkowski nor Collins want rp deal with a petty, angry man who demands complete, abject loyalty.
Have to disagree with you about Murkowski. In Trump 1.0, he tried messing with her several times. Murkowski owned him every time (don't recall the specifics, just made a mental note). He backed way off, the only R Senator that Trump seemingly is afraid of. Trump 2.0 is only 6 months in so far and the jury is still out on Murkowski this time around.
I used to feel that way, but she could have single-handedly derailed the Big Bill and chose not too.
Thanks for the additional info on Murkowski
Susan Collins is no weathervane, she's a phony. She only votes against the Republicans when the leadership knows they've got enough votes to pass.
The only really significant vote she's done that blocked the Republicans was her vote to not end Obamacare. But I believe Moscow Mitch thought the fix was in. Mitch was sure he had the votes to sink the ACA, so he gave Collins and Murkowski permission to vote against. But then John McCain came in and fouled up Mitch's plan and McCain stopped the scam. I bet Mitch never saw it coming. Neither did Murkowski or Collins, or I'm sure they'd have changed one of their votes to get rid of the ACA.
I just posted pretty much the same thing before I saw this!
Great minds think alike 🤓
“Weathervane” is about the most generous description of Susan Collins that I can imagine.
Wouldn't invertebrate be more apt?
Weathervane and anemometer
But her first two initials are not JD.... Doesn't he have a monopoly on that as his last name, at least the second half?
The term "imposter" comes to mind when thinking about Collins.
Collins votes with her party when it counts and only votes against her party when it doesn't count, to pretend to keep up some "moderate" cred. There's only one exception I can think of, and that's the failed attempt to repeal the ACA in the first round of Trump. And McCain's thumbs down was a surprise to everyone - I think she might have changed her vote if she'd known what McCain was going to do.
I will never forgive her for Kavanaugh.
We can’t know how she would have voted if her nay would have tanked the entire enterprise.”
Yes we can know how Collins would have voted. She voted yes on the “big beautiful bill” on the key procedural vote to proceed to the bill. Then she had the cover of voting no on final passage.
The most frustrating part! She only had to vote no and it never would have made it out of committee!
That way, when she campaigns next year, she can say that she tried to stop the bill because she knew how it would affect Maine’s seniors, and how sorry she is that they are losing Medicaid coverage. If they buy it, she’s re-elected.
I subscribe to what I like to call "The Longwell Axiom"™: What is the point of having moderates if they vote the same way as the MAGA faithful?
Hopefully, the anti-blue(hair) wave pushed her out with the other elder members.
Susan Collins is definitely a RINO with no principles, or is that a repetitive repetition?
Squish
"Nebraska’s first congressional district, which Flood won handily in 2024, is not the kind of place the party wants to be getting that kind of heat as it starts to look ahead to next year’s midterms."
I was not there, nor was I able (nor willing) to try to listen to it, either live or otherwise. From what I had read, and that includes from a friend who lives in Lincoln but also did not attend, many people who knew that Flood was planning on showing up in person, expressed surprise that he did not show up in a bullet-proof vest. He gets points for guts, but simutaneously reminds me of a saying that was making the rounds about Goldwater in response to the slogan about him, "In your heart, you know he is right" (no, not the the response, "extremely") but "In your guts, you know he's nuts".
In light of his waffling and coming out for the disclosure of the Epstein Files, he may have, contrary to his plans, just bought himself a more MAGA primary opponent backed by the Felon.
Flood won by over 20 points in 2024. He's safe no matter what terrible things he does to the Nebraska voters.
As was mentioned in the article as a reason why it "is not the kind of place the party wants to be getting that kind of heat as it starts to look ahead to next year’s midterms."
If the POT has to spend time, resources, money and effort there, that amounts to time, resources, etc. that they do not have elsewhere. And, if his waffling, etc., causes the irrational head of the POT to decide he is not "strong" enough or loyal (to him, of course) enough, then, as I said, there could be a more MAGA primary opponent, all of which will take time, resources, etc., away from other areas.
Every little bit helps; From little acorns.....
I agree. If the Republicans are forced to defend safe seats, it makes them use more resources other than competitive races and that makes them more vulnerable. Chipping away at the edges over time gets you to the heart of the beast.
Susie C. and Lisa M. get together and decide to take turns voting no when it is safe to do so. Do the people of Maine and Alaska still fall for this?
Maine here. People have been slowly disappearing their trump signs around here.my town is 50/50. Now idea where they stand now. Prior to the election all the Harris signs would be stolen. They found piles around her in the woods. All I can say when I moved back here there was a display with a guillotine, trump flags signs. They have been dismantled and the trump signs are fading. Here’s hoping some are waking up.
Fingers crossed! Same here on Long Island. And all the Anons I know who were obsessed with Epstein have gone completely silent. I'm hoping that many of them will go back into the political coma they were in before DJT came along and stop voting.
Andy Biggs's wishes: "Oh to live on Sugar mountain, with the barkers and the colored balloons". *Neil Young
Collins and Murkowski - whom I used to semi-respect - are so obviously playing a game in which they calibrate which gets to be good maga and which gets to be bad maga so they never have to really take any heat. It's particularly deplorable because they both seem to recognize the danger Trump poses but a combination of fear and craven politics seems more important than that. Collins running again - my god, Maine, aren't you sick of this act by now?
It seems clear that if Trump didn’t actually participate in ruining the lives of young girls he is protecting the people who did. Is pedophilia finally a bridge too far for some MAGA voters?
Guerra has it spot-on, Collins has NEVER voted against a republican nominee or bill if it meant blocking passage. And she and Murkowski have been longstanding teammates in this little game, alternating who gets to look like they have an ounce of spine. Neither does, neither ever has. That's why Murkowski was so unhappy with her vote for the Big Beautiful Bill, it was her turn to play supplicant and a really bad bill to have to prostrate herself for. But at least she knew that next time, it's Collins who has to prostrate herself. Just watch.