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Liberal Republican Senator Writes Op-ed on Why She Can’t Support Donald Trump
The New American ^ | 09 August 2016 | Warren Mass

Posted on 08/09/2016 2:32:15 PM PDT by VitacoreVision

Liberal Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who scored just 30 percent on The New American’s latest Freedom Index, wrote an op-ed piece for the Washington Post explaining why she will not support for Donald Trump for president.

In her brief article, Collins, who has a record of being anti-Second Amendment, pro-abortion (despite identifying as a Catholic), and in favor of giving an Obama Supreme Court nominee a hearing, did not mention a single issue upon which she bases her opposition to a Trump presidency. He entire argument against her party’s nominee boils down to her dissatisfaction with comments that Trump has made that are not nice. 

After acknowledging that Trump “was connecting with many Americans who felt that their voices were not being heard in Washington and who were tired of political correctness,” Collins charges: “But rejecting the conventions of political correctness is different from showing complete disregard for common decency.”

Collins continued, "Mr. Trump did not stop with shedding the stilted campaign dialogue that often frustrates voters. Instead, he opted for a constant stream of denigrating comments, including demeaning Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) heroic military service and repeatedly insulting Fox News host Megyn Kelly."

Looking at Trump’s feud with Kelly, which was conducted before Trump secured the nomination and when Kelly was the moderator of several Fox News-hosted presidential debates, there is little doubt that Trump’s choice of names directed at Kelly were at times intemperate, at best. It can also be said, however, that as moderator, Kelly seemed to bait the candidate by asking him questions that were not about any substantive issue but about derogatory remarks she said Trump had made about women. Considering that both Kelly and Trump were likely to benefit from the attention and improved ratings any “feud” between them would generate, it is quite possible that the entire “feud” was as fake as professional wrestling and amounted to little more than a publicity stunt willingly engaged in by both of them.

Trump said his reaction to Kelly after the first debate might have been partly responsible for his success, indicating that he might have regarded the “feud” as simply part of his campaign strategy. Trump talked about this in an interview conducted by Kelly on Fox News in May, during which the two smiled and seemed at peace with each other. Trump told Kelly: “I could have done certain things differently. I could have maybe used different language in a couple of instances, but overall I have to be very happy with the outcome.”

“If I would not have fought back the way I fought back, I don’t think I would have been successful,” Trump said.

Regarding Trump’s statements about McCain, the controversy started over a year ago, during the candidate’s appearance at the Family Leadership Summit in Iowa, and it was definitely not Trump’s best moment. After moderator Frank Luntz questioned Trump’s criticism of McCain, suggesting it was inappropriate to criticize a “war hero” (McCain spent over five years as a POW in North Vietnam) Trump momentarily took exception to the description. But after the two argued over what constitute a “war hero,” Trump gave ground, saying, "He’s a war hero, because he was captured, okay? I believe, perhaps, he’s a war hero. But right now he said some very bad things about a lot of people."

When asked about the exchange afterwards, Trump said, “Four times, I said [McCain] is a hero but you know … people choose selective pieces.”

In fairness to McCain, it must be said that while becoming a POW is not, in and of itself, an act of heroism, he did exhibit heroic behavior by refusing the North Vietnamese offer to be released before others who had been POWs longer than he was, an offer that was made because his father was a Navy admiral. In refusing their offer, McCain told his captors, “The prisoners must be sent home in the order in which they were captured.”

What is odd, however, is that while Collins has offered Trump’s alleged shabby treatment of McCain as a key reason for withholding her endorsement of the GOP nominee, McCain has apparently not been as upset by the year-old statement as Collins is.

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union in May, McCain said he would stick to his promise to back the Republican Party’s presidential nominee and urged other GOP party leaders to get on board.

“You have to listen to people who have chosen the nominee of our Republican party,” said the Arizona senator. “I think it would be foolish to ignore them.”

Indicating that any rift between them was not important enough to preclude support of each other’s candidacies, Trump endorsed McCain on August 5, stating, “I hold in the highest esteem Sen. John McCain for his service to our country in uniform and in public office, and I fully support and endorse his re-election.”

Collins offered nothing of substance in her op-ed piece, and even the two people she named as being victims of Trump’s “demeaning” and “insulting” words have largely mended fences with him. 

As for why Collins cannot also let bygones be bygones and patch things up for the sake of a Republican victory in November, one explanation is that she is very liberal for a Republican. As noted above, she scored and anemic 30 percent on The New American’s latest Freedom Index. He record on social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage would not put her out of sync with the party if she changed her affiliation from Republican to Democrat. On October 21, 2003, she joined Senate Democrats, and was one of the three Republican Senators to oppose the Partial-Birth Abortion Act.

On December 18, 2010, she voted in favor of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 (to allow gays, lesbians, and bisexuals to serve openly in the U.S. armed forces) and was the primary Republican sponsor of the repeal effort.

When she won reelection in 2014, Collins became the first Republican senator to be reelected while supporting same-sex marriage.

Collins has demonstrated little regard for the Second Amendment and voted for the Manchin-Toomey amendment to expand background checks for gun purchases.

In June, Collins unveiled what she proposed as a ”bipartisan” gun control bill that would have denied the right to purchase a gun to anyone appearing on the government’s “no fly” list. As was noted in an article in The New American in June, Collins’ bill infringed on rights protected not only by the Second Amendment, but also by the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. Among those cosponsoring Collins’ bill was Hillary Clinton’s running mate, Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.)

In her article, Collins did not say who she was voting for in November, but she might as well endorse the Clinton-Kaine ticket, and change her party affiliation to Democrat while she's at it — and get the charade over with.

Related articles:

Senator Collins’ Anti-gun Bill Likely to Be DOA

Senators Ask For Immediate Vote on Abortion Bill

Some Republicans Open to Giving an Obama SCOTUS Nominee a Hearing

Greens Target Pro-Life Evangelicals with EPA Propaganda Blitz


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Maine
KEYWORDS: maine; susancollins; trump; uniparty
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To: VitacoreVision

At least she could not weasel out.

Say it, Susan, “I’m Voting for Hillary!”


21 posted on 08/09/2016 2:41:40 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: VitacoreVision

I’ve only had one opportunity so far to cast a ballot where Collins was up for reelection. I couldn’t vote for her. Next time I’ll vote for her opponent. I don’t care who it is.


22 posted on 08/09/2016 2:41:58 PM PDT by NewHampshireDuo
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To: dfwgator

You would be a fool to go out with this whore. How about an op-ed on why you are voting for Hildabeast Collins? Are you up to that? Put that in your bong and smoke it fool Collins.


23 posted on 08/09/2016 2:43:26 PM PDT by Fungi (Make America America again.)
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To: VitacoreVision

So you’re pretty well scr@wed, aren’t you, Susie - If Trump wins, you’re not going to be very welcome in the White House or have much support from the president for anything you want to get accomplished - and if he loses your Republican party is dead - they won’t win another election ever with half their members feeling betrayed by the likes of you and taking a hike.....


24 posted on 08/09/2016 2:44:57 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
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To: VitacoreVision

"I'M VOTING FOR HILLARY!...SAY IT.......SAY IT!!!!!"

25 posted on 08/09/2016 2:45:10 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Who was her sort-of-doppleganger-also-rino-republican-senator that looked liked Miss Manners...pearls and all?

She quit the Senate, stating it was too uncivilized.

If ya’ can’t take the heat.....there ya’ go, don’t let the door hit you on the way out


26 posted on 08/09/2016 2:45:35 PM PDT by Be Careful
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To: VitacoreVision

27 posted on 08/09/2016 2:45:49 PM PDT by moovova
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To: ColdOne

Let’s see...

In Maine, we have a Republican senator that votes like a Democrat and one that is named after a cow, In New Hampshire we have a Republican and a Democrat that vote like Democrats and in Vermont we have a Socialist that votes like a Democrat.

I think I’ll move to Texas before she secedes.


28 posted on 08/09/2016 2:46:12 PM PDT by turfmann
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To: turfmann

There is only one viable “anti-Hillary” out there, and that is The Donald.

If you are not on The Donald’s side, then, by elimination, you must be on the side of Herself.

“There can be only one.” - Duncan MacLeod, “The Highlander”

Wasn’t The Donald’s mother’s maiden name MacLeod?


29 posted on 08/09/2016 2:49:51 PM PDT by alloysteel (Of course you will live in interesting times, Nobody has a choice, now.)
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To: VitacoreVision

Losing Susan Collins is like losing Mark Kirk: Good riddance. Neither has a conservative bone in their body.


30 posted on 08/09/2016 2:51:17 PM PDT by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: alloysteel

Yes, it was. :)


31 posted on 08/09/2016 2:52:51 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: VitacoreVision

Up to the folks in Maine to dump this turd.


32 posted on 08/09/2016 2:53:22 PM PDT by Mouton (The insurrection laws maintain the status quo now.)
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To: VitacoreVision

Up to the folks in Maine to dump this turd.


33 posted on 08/09/2016 2:53:42 PM PDT by Mouton (The insurrection laws maintain the status quo now.)
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To: VitacoreVision

I for one don’t need to read this to know that. Collins has never done anything for the conservative movement, she’s just always stood in the way of it.

Hell with her, we don’t need her.


34 posted on 08/09/2016 2:54:06 PM PDT by Bullish (That establishment heads from both sides are exploding over Trump is the very best part.)
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To: dfwgator

“...because if the GOPe takes Trump down, that’s the end of the GOP.”

That’s a fact. In that event, I will drop my GOP registration and register as an Independent, until such time a genuine conservative party emerges from the ashes.


35 posted on 08/09/2016 2:54:11 PM PDT by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: VitacoreVision

Bless her heart, she is dumb as a rock, and arrogant.


36 posted on 08/09/2016 2:55:11 PM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Dr.Deth
>Rinse Prewash needs to cut off this dilettante R-when-I-feel-like-it.

I call him Rinse Prepuce because he's such a d*ckhead.

37 posted on 08/09/2016 2:55:46 PM PDT by Lovely-Day-For-A-Guinness (Eenie meanie, chili beanie, the spirits are about to speak....)
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To: VitacoreVision

There is no such thing as a liberal Republican, only democrats who have managed to fool Republican voters into believing they support Republican values then vote with Democrats to give away the nations treasury for paltry pieces of silver.

Susan Collins is the poster child of that tragic policy that robs from the middle class to buy votes to pay for her fine living on lobster and clam chowder.


38 posted on 08/09/2016 2:56:26 PM PDT by Randy Larsen (Trump, or no more republicans)
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To: Randy Larsen
There is no such thing as a liberal Republican, only democrats who have managed to fool Republican voters into believing they support Republican values then vote with Democrats to give away the nations treasury for paltry pieces of silver.

They are there to maintain the illusion that we have a choice.

39 posted on 08/09/2016 2:57:10 PM PDT by dfwgator
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To: VitacoreVision
These career politicians seem to think they have stellar reputations as thoughtful and serious minded statesmen.

Trump has peeled back the curtain, revealing that they are basically all a bunch of liars and scoundrels.

Just goes to show you that they really don't care about the policies that affect the average citizen; they just care about their reputations, and access to the money printing press.

40 posted on 08/09/2016 2:57:33 PM PDT by Repealthe17thAmendment
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