Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are often knocked around by
conservatives for their liberal voting records, but this morning,
both of them voted against health care legislation. They come
from a state that President Obama carried by 18 points, and if
anything, the risk of voting against the bill was higher than the
risk of voting for it. By holding their ground, they made it more
difficult for Senate Majority Harry Reid to put together 60
votes, and helped make it necessary for him to sacrifice the
public option. Politically, it denies President Obama the ability
to claim any bipartisan support, and in the coming elections, it
means that Republicans can run against every Democrat in the
Senate as the 60th and deciding vote.
As conservatives continue the ongoing debate about when it makes
sense to support conservative insurgent candidates, the
experience of Snowe and Collins is worth keeping in mind. Both of
them have liberal voting records on a number of issues and
wouldn't be the ideal choice of any conservatives. But at the
same time, any true conservative would get demolished in a
general election in a state like Maine. If Reid had two
additional liberal Democrats in the Senate instead of Snowe and
Collins, this could have ended up even worse.
I've always felt that Snowe and Collins were very different from
sleazy opportunists like Specter or Charlie Crist. It's the
opportunist RINOs we have to read out of the party; the genuine
principled moderates like Snowe and Collins serve a useful
purpose in attracting swing voters and should be protected, not
demonised
Hector| 12.21.09 @ 11:31AM
Given their records, I truly believe the only reason either voted
against the bill was that they knew it already had 60 votes, and
this was an opportunity to lull the GOP into thinking them loyal.
Give them time; they'll show their true colors yet again.
Timothy L. Pennell| 12.21.09 @ 9:03AM
Don't give'em too much credit. Even a broken clock gets it right
sometimes.
LouBear| 12.21.09 @ 9:08AM
I agree with Martin 100%, but he put it much better than I could,
and I consider myself a Palin conservative.
John| 12.21.09 @ 9:24AM
Reagan put into place policies that would put people back to work
and would create wealth and opportunities. Liberals increasing
taxes and spending obscenely will not lead to a recovery that
creates wealth and opportunities......and there is no health care
crisis (the crisis is the end result to FDR's entitlement scheme
where more are taking out than putting in......)
JP| 12.21.09 @ 9:39AM
Snowe and Collins come from a state dominated by liberals. I'd
never expect the likes of a B-1 Bob Dornan or a Jessie Helms
being elected there. It is good to see these 2 Senators see what
is going on and not caving to the MSM.
Mike from Florida| 12.21.09 @ 10:10AM
The Maine senators didn't need to sellout the country and the
American people, because there were plenty of Democrats willing
to do it for them.
sagman888| 12.21.09 @ 10:11AM
I always have the sense that Snowe and Collins are doing what
they think is right, even if I want to run screaming from the
room when I hear how they vote. Can you imagine either one being
offered--let alone taking--a Nelson/Landrieu bribe?
Quin| 12.21.09 @ 10:33AM
Phil, is absolutely right, as are sagman888 and martin, which is
exactly why I wrote this a few weeks back:
http://spectator.org/archives/.....pled-moder
.
Now, the REAL target of conservative ire should be the Senate
leadership, which again has found a way to nobly (supposedly)
lose a hard fought (supposedly) battle. I will write more on this
if we have time, but I repeat the the Senate leadership has the
tactical and strategic sense of George Custer.
Deborah D| 12.21.09 @ 11:02AM
The target of conservative ire should be the Senate
leadership....couldn't agree with you more, Quin. They need to
fight before not when it's a done deal!
Why didn't they fight back when the Socialist Sanders pulled his
bill and Reid forced the reading of his amendment to stop? This
is supposed to need a unanimous consent of the Senate to stop a
reading of a bill or amendment. Don't these long-serving Senators
know the rules? I think they do, so why did they allow the Dems
to break them?
Something's wrong here. Do they just want to get home for
Christmas? Or is there something else working here?
sagman888| 12.21.09 @ 11:04AM
Quin--I missed that column from a few weeks back. Thanks for the
link. Agree completely.
You know who's really disappointed me? Webb. Smart guy,
independent thinker, policy wonk, no ideologue. I can't believe
he doesn't see this bill for the train wreck it is. Maybe he'll
vote "nay" when they only need 51 votes to get it to Obama's
desk, and Webb can say to Virginians, well, I voted no.
james wilson| 12.21.09 @ 12:23PM
That is exactly the kind of thinking that has us where we are,
and Maine where it is. Stuck on stupid.
Seek| 12.21.09 @ 2:52PM
I agree with the above poster about Sen. Webb, from my home state
of Virginia. He's been a real disappointment. Trumpeted as a
prime example of a "new breed" of Democrat -- former Navy
Secretary, fiercely independent and pragmatic -- he's voted
consistently liberal. What happened to that "Born Fighting"
spirit of the Scots-Irish of whom he is a part and eloquently
wrote a few years ago? Get in touch with your family DNA, Jim.
Stop Obamacare.
Thom| 12.21.09 @ 5:28PM
Phil/Quin,
In all due respect, Snowe voted to let this beast out of
committee where 60 Democrat votes were waiting and the 787
billion slush fund that is being used to buy off the Judas in the
Democrat Party. She and her twin up in Maine own this lock, stock
and barrel no differently than old Benny out in the Corn Belt.
Please stop dressing up political theater or painting a smiley
face on the Titanic just before it slides under the waves. The
Snow birds are reliable Democrat votes just as Lieberman
is.
They are what they are and none of them will ever suffer under
this Bill.
scott| 12.22.09 @ 10:19AM
OK, I'll credit the good folks from Maine for breathing
apocalyptic fire at the wonderful, open-minded, spineless
senators from Maine. Way to put the fear of God into them people.
Martin| 12.21.09 @ 8:15AM
I've always felt that Snowe and Collins were very different from sleazy opportunists like Specter or Charlie Crist. It's the opportunist RINOs we have to read out of the party; the genuine principled moderates like Snowe and Collins serve a useful purpose in attracting swing voters and should be protected, not demonised
Hector| 12.21.09 @ 11:31AM
Given their records, I truly believe the only reason either voted against the bill was that they knew it already had 60 votes, and this was an opportunity to lull the GOP into thinking them loyal. Give them time; they'll show their true colors yet again.
Timothy L. Pennell| 12.21.09 @ 9:03AM
Don't give'em too much credit. Even a broken clock gets it right sometimes.
LouBear| 12.21.09 @ 9:08AM
I agree with Martin 100%, but he put it much better than I could, and I consider myself a Palin conservative.
John| 12.21.09 @ 9:24AM
Reagan put into place policies that would put people back to work and would create wealth and opportunities. Liberals increasing taxes and spending obscenely will not lead to a recovery that creates wealth and opportunities......and there is no health care crisis (the crisis is the end result to FDR's entitlement scheme where more are taking out than putting in......)
JP| 12.21.09 @ 9:39AM
Snowe and Collins come from a state dominated by liberals. I'd never expect the likes of a B-1 Bob Dornan or a Jessie Helms being elected there. It is good to see these 2 Senators see what is going on and not caving to the MSM.
Mike from Florida| 12.21.09 @ 10:10AM
The Maine senators didn't need to sellout the country and the American people, because there were plenty of Democrats willing to do it for them.
sagman888| 12.21.09 @ 10:11AM
I always have the sense that Snowe and Collins are doing what they think is right, even if I want to run screaming from the room when I hear how they vote. Can you imagine either one being offered--let alone taking--a Nelson/Landrieu bribe?
Quin| 12.21.09 @ 10:33AM
Phil, is absolutely right, as are sagman888 and martin, which is exactly why I wrote this a few weeks back: http://spectator.org/archives/.....pled-moder .
Now, the REAL target of conservative ire should be the Senate leadership, which again has found a way to nobly (supposedly) lose a hard fought (supposedly) battle. I will write more on this if we have time, but I repeat the the Senate leadership has the tactical and strategic sense of George Custer.
Deborah D| 12.21.09 @ 11:02AM
The target of conservative ire should be the Senate leadership....couldn't agree with you more, Quin. They need to fight before not when it's a done deal!
Why didn't they fight back when the Socialist Sanders pulled his bill and Reid forced the reading of his amendment to stop? This is supposed to need a unanimous consent of the Senate to stop a reading of a bill or amendment. Don't these long-serving Senators know the rules? I think they do, so why did they allow the Dems to break them?
Something's wrong here. Do they just want to get home for Christmas? Or is there something else working here?
sagman888| 12.21.09 @ 11:04AM
Quin--I missed that column from a few weeks back. Thanks for the link. Agree completely.
You know who's really disappointed me? Webb. Smart guy, independent thinker, policy wonk, no ideologue. I can't believe he doesn't see this bill for the train wreck it is. Maybe he'll vote "nay" when they only need 51 votes to get it to Obama's desk, and Webb can say to Virginians, well, I voted no.
james wilson| 12.21.09 @ 12:23PM
That is exactly the kind of thinking that has us where we are, and Maine where it is. Stuck on stupid.
Seek| 12.21.09 @ 2:52PM
I agree with the above poster about Sen. Webb, from my home state of Virginia. He's been a real disappointment. Trumpeted as a prime example of a "new breed" of Democrat -- former Navy Secretary, fiercely independent and pragmatic -- he's voted consistently liberal. What happened to that "Born Fighting" spirit of the Scots-Irish of whom he is a part and eloquently wrote a few years ago? Get in touch with your family DNA, Jim. Stop Obamacare.
Thom| 12.21.09 @ 5:28PM
Phil/Quin,
In all due respect, Snowe voted to let this beast out of committee where 60 Democrat votes were waiting and the 787 billion slush fund that is being used to buy off the Judas in the Democrat Party. She and her twin up in Maine own this lock, stock and barrel no differently than old Benny out in the Corn Belt. Please stop dressing up political theater or painting a smiley face on the Titanic just before it slides under the waves. The Snow birds are reliable Democrat votes just as Lieberman is.
They are what they are and none of them will ever suffer under this Bill.
scott| 12.22.09 @ 10:19AM
OK, I'll credit the good folks from Maine for breathing apocalyptic fire at the wonderful, open-minded, spineless senators from Maine. Way to put the fear of God into them people.
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