Posted on 11/22/2010 1:48:00 PM PST by FTJM
The Portland (Maine) Press-Herald reports that both of Maine's senators -- Republicans Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins -- are signing on to a friend-of-the-court brief in support of a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new health-care law.
The brief was initiated by U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and boasts the signatures of 30 Senate Republicans. The lawsuit was brought by the attorneys general for several states and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, a small-business trade organization.
At issue is a requirement that U.S. citizens purchase health insurance beginning in 2014 or face a fine -- known as the "individual mandate."
As the lone Republican on the Senate Finance Committee who voted to move the bill -- which at the time included an individual mandate (though Snowe made clear then that she didn't support that provision) -- to the full Senate last year, Snowe was the only Republican senator who supported the bill at any stage. She did not vote for final passage of the bill in March. Snowe and Collins are widely viewed as two of a dwindling number of GOP moderates remaining in Congress.
Snowe is up for reelection in 2012, and Maine tea party groups have already pledged to mount a primary challenge. Snowe is no doubt taking the threat seriously, considering the Maine GOP adopted a tea party-backed platform this year and Paul LePage, a combative conservative candidate who promised to tell President Obama to "go to hell," won the state's gubernatorial race in November. Collins faces reelection in 2014.
UPDATE: In an interview last year with Karen Tumulty -- then of TIME and now of The Post -- Snowe voiced opposition to the individual mandate on affordability grounds, but didn't say anything about the provision's constitutionality.
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
Not that “blue” anymore. We now have a Republican Gov.
Even a blind pig (in this case two pigs) finds a truffle once in awhile.
Olympia Snowe is getting a challenger - and soon
And Repubicans won both the state legislature and the governor's office this time around.
Maybe, just maybe...
A court decision would be the quickest way to stop Obamacare.
"As the lone Republican on the Senate Finance Committee who voted to move the bill -- which at the time included an individual mandate (though Snowe made clear then that she didn't support that provision) -- to the full Senate last year, Snowe was the only Republican senator who supported the bill at any stage. She did not vote for final passage of the bill in March. Snowe and Collins are widely viewed as two of a dwindling number of GOP moderates remaining in Congress."
You also have two Republican Senators.
That means quantity, but not quality
Snowe voted for it, didn’t she?
What a Snowe Job.
Too Late! You ugly Hags!
You can slap lipstick on a pig....
But they're not Dem lite.
They are liberal Republicans, yes, but they are not communists - and their replacements will be.
OLYMPIA SNOWE IS PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HEALTH CARE FIASCO. SHE VOTED TO MOVE IT OUT OF COMMITTEE KNOWING IT WOULD PASS IF IT HIT THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE. SHE GAVE BEN NELSON POLITICAL COVER SINCE HE IS A RAT IN A RED STATE.
SNOWE AND COLLINS MUST BE PURGED!!!!!!!!!
stay focused folks. we are winning.
Unfortunately you’re right, but it’s a step in the right direction, and at least the dem governor was finally sent packing.
Yep.
Instead, she got it out of committee knowing full well it would pass with the Dems and she could take false cover by voting against it!!!
Shes a “Stealth Democrat”...always has been
“In that case, more power to those Democrats. Between Dem and Dem Lite, why bother with Dem Lite?”
Easy, they both voted to put Roberts and Alito on the bench. I have difficulty thinking of how we’d be better off with Dems in those seats.
Snowe is responsible for this health care bill getting out of the Senate. It’s too dang late to flip flop now, Rinopig traitor.
Nothing like a big win by conservatives to shove a re-bar up the spine of a RINO!
this might bode well for them holding firm against DREAM act
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