Collins is among the lonely voices in Washington pushing back against the dangerous partisanship that undermines our constitutional order.
Stephen Diamond is a retiree who lives in Topsham.
If Sen. Susan Collins is politically vulnerable, it is not because she has changed, but because the country has.
We live in a time when what divides us greatly overshadows what unites us. What used to be legitimate policy differences now degenerate into ugly personal attacks, and rather than push back against this development, some in public office seem happy to fan the flames of discord.
This change in our political climate has even led to calls to fundamentally transform the nature of our country, ranging from those advocating a white supremacist Christian theocracy to those arguing for a transition to socialism. Our struggle to make our religion-neutral, free-market democracy work has emboldened the advocates of extreme solutions.
Maine, along with the rest of New England, was once the ideological center of the country with little to separate Democrats from Republicans, but now Sen. Collins, as the only Republican member of Congress from this region, remains the sole heir to this tradition. Should she be voted out of office, it will be the final nail in the coffin of New England pluralism.
As someone who has known Sen. Collins for many years and who served on her staff (but
who voted for the Democrat in every presidential election since 1968), I think that in addition to her legendary work ethic, her approach to governing can be summarized in three words: civility, compromise and compassion. Her civility reflects her manner of working with others, even unpleasant colleagues holding dramatically different views.
Without civility, compromise becomes impossible, and without compromise, progress becomes impossible, with our government either experiencing paralysis or vacillating between conflicting policies. Her consistent ranking as the least partisan member of the Senate and her effectiveness as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee attest to the senator’s understanding that compromise is essential to effective governing.
A less recognized feature of Sen. Collins’ approach to governing is her compassion for
persons facing difficult challenges, as manifested in the importance she attaches to helping constituents dealing with personal setbacks as well as in her support for programs designed to assist those genuinely in need. A government insensitive to the suffering of persons facing hard times is not a government worth having.
What arguably most distinguishes Sen. Collins from others holding elected office is that she is a frequent target of both the extreme left and the extreme right. Ironically, nothing
demonstrates more convincingly the importance of her voice.
When Rep. Jared Golden, with his impressive military record, expresses concern for the safety of his family, the problem in Washington has gone beyond mere incivility. It may be that Sen. Collins is of the old school, with an approach to governing reminiscent of that practiced by Sens. Muskie and Cohen, but we have much to learn from a past when political opponents treated each other with respect, the result of which was a functioning government.
Whether Sen. Collins is reelected has serious consequences not only for Maine but for the
country. Hers is among the lonely voices in Washington pushing back against the dangerous partisanship that undermines our constitutional order. Simply put, a vote against Sen. Collins is a vote to perpetuate our national polarization while a vote for her is a vote for a healthy, civil and effective democracy.
Read the Letter: Portland Press Herald