Free Republic

On Monday, Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine seemingly surrendered to President Obama on the contraception mandate, before the fight had begun. “It appears that changes have been made that provide women’s health services without compelling Catholic organizations in particular to violate the beliefs and tenets of their faith,” Snowe said. Collins made a similar statement: “While I will carefully review the details of the president’s revised proposal, it appears to be a step in the right direction.” But there may be more fight in them yet. Although the senators support forcing insurance companies to cover contraception, they...

The move by President Obama on Friday to alter his rule requiring birth-control coverage, shifting the mandate from some religious-based employers directly to insurance plans, hasn’t satisfied the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and some other critics. But Obama’s revised rule appears to have won over Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine. Both had called for changes to the original rule despite their support in the past for a bill with a similar objective.

Wedding bells will soon be ringing for Sen. Susan Collins. The Maine Republican is engaged to Thomas Daffron, 73, the chief operating officer for the D.C.-based Jefferson Consulting Group. According to the consulting group’s website, Daffron served as chief of staff to former Sens. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and William Cohen (R-Maine). He was also a speechwriter for the late Sen. Charles Percy (R-Ill.), a campaign manager for former GOP presidential candidate Elizabeth Dole, and a consultant during all three of Collins’ Senate campaigns. Collins, 59, has never been married.

Senate GOP leaders may be trying to cast the president’s latest jobs proposal as another “failed” stimulus measure, but not all Senate Republicans agree that the 2009 government spending spree was such a political disaster. Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe are sticking by their votes in favor of the original Obama stimulus from two years ago, and both Republicans said last week that the law created jobs, though it could have been more effective. “I don’t think [the stimulus] failed. Virtually every study I have seen has given the stimulus credit for the creation of between 1.3 million...

A leaked U.S. diplomatic cable shows that Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain promised to help Libyan dictator Muammar Qadhafi obtain U.S. military hardware in 2009. The cable, released by the open information group WikiLeaks, reveals the pledge came at meeting that was attended by other prominent members of Congress, including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.).In the meeting, Muatassim Qadhafi, the Libyan leader’s fifth son and national security adviser, requested U.S. assistance in obtaining military supplies, both lethal and non-lethal. The cable indicates that McCain was the dominant voice among the congressional delegation in a...

“The Imperial Presidency” was written in 1973 out of Arthur Schlesinger’s concern that the U.S. presidency had exceeded its constitutional limitations. If Schlesinger were merely concerned in 1973, he’d be downright terrified today. According to Trevor Loudon’s blog, New Zeal, an American Caesar has emerged on the political landscape in the form of our current commander-in-chief. New Zeal bases its premise on the Presidential Appointment and Streamlining Act (S. 279), which is stampeding through the Senate with Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., clutching at its reins. Since its introduction, seven Republicans jumped on board in support.The stated purpose of the bill is...

That big fat zero is not a typo.Not a single U.S. senator voted in favor of President Obama's budget proposal. Meanwhile, five members of GOP caucus voted against Ryan budget: moderates Scott Brown (Mass.), Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, independent Lisa Murkowski (Ak.), and staunch libertarian Rand Paul (Ky.). So all of the swing state Republican senators sided with Ryan.Apparently, the Senate Democrats think if they don't support anything they can't be demagogued in the same way they're demagoguing Ryan's plan. Harry Reid has dropped the phrasing that Republicans would end Medicare "as we know it," in favor of a...

The U.S. Senate today overcame a Republican filibuster and approved a former Planned Parenthood abortion business director, John McConnell, as a federal judge in Rhode Island. Senators voted 63-33 to surpass the 60-vote threshold necessary to stop the filibuster and approve the nomination of McConnell’s nomination to the District Court for the District of Rhode Island. his nomination previously cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee recently on a party-line 11-7 vote. Senate Republicans joining all Democrats to end debate included Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Susan Collins of Maine, Lyndsey Graham of South Carolina, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Mark Kirk of Illinois,...

In becoming the first GOP senator to reject Paul Ryan’s House-passed budget blueprint, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has confirmed the obvious: Either she couldn’t be bothered to understand the balanced budget amendment she put her name to, or else she saw it as a far-fetched idea — but a good photo op. In fielding a Maine interviewer’s question about Ryan’s plan to “privatize Medicare, make major cuts in Medicaid,” Collins simply said: “I don’t happen to support” his prescriptions.

This past week was a perfect example of how the "Internet kill switch" is rapidly becoming one of the favorite new tools of tyrannical governments all over the globe. Once upon a time, the Internet was a bastion of liberty and freedom, but now nation after nation is cracking down on it. In fact, legislation has been introduced once again in Congress that would give the president of the United States an "Internet kill switch" that he would be able to use in the event of war or emergency. Of course there would be a whole lot of wiggle...

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The parents of a Yelm soldier killed in Afghanistan earlier this month have received cards from friends and strangers expressing condolences, and they’re grateful for the support. “As a father of someone killed, it is overwhelming,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Collins (Ret.). His son, Sgt. Sean Collins, was buried Wednesday at the Tahoma National Cemetery. Among that outpouring of empathy, two politicians inadvertently stung the family. One slight came in a letter of condolences the family received from the office of Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. “Again, please accept my warmest condolences. May your memories of Bryn and the knowledge that...

What can I say about Maine’s Senators that you don’t already know? Yes, they voted to ratify the dangerous New START Treaty and they failed to research Russia’s alliance with countries like Iran, China, North Korea and Venezuela. To ensure Senator Collins’ vote in support of the treaty, it appears she received a letter according to the Washington Post: “For example, concern was ignited across Europe recently when stories appeared about Russia moving tactical nuclear weapons near the border of NATO countries. During last week's Senate treaty debate, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates...

It's that time of the year when numerous organizations and news outlets publish or announce their "Best of..." or "Worst of..." or "Most important of..." or "Most popular of..." lists. Not to be outdone by the so-called elite media, below is a list from an industrious public-interest group whose sole mission is to investigate and prosecute government corruption wherever it is discovered. On Thursday, Judicial Watch released its 2010 list of Washington's “Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians.” While there may be some surprises, readers will note that neither political party has a monopoly on political corruption. Special thanks to Judicial...

A second Battle of the Alamo is raging in Texas and Rick Perry, the lone star state's governor, has called in an unlikely peacemaker: Phil Collins, the British rock drummer. At home Collins, 59, has been mocked as the purveyor of middle-of-the-road hits such as In the Air Tonight. But in south Texas he is respected as a wealthy collector of Alamo memorabilia qualified to mediate between rival conservationists and historians. He admits he is obsessed with the former mission in San Antonio.

U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, says she's willing to support the repeal of the military's ban on openly gay service members. In a prepared statement, Snowe said that she will vote for a new stand-alone bill co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, that would eliminate the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The policy, enacted in 1993, keeps gay and lesbian servicemen and servicewomen from serving openly in the military. (snip) U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., who co-sponsored the repeal with Collins, indicated that Snowe's support would give the bill the 60 votes it needs to pass to avoid a...

Next week will be crucial for gay rights advocates and congressional supporters of repealing the “Don't ask, don't tell” law. Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are working to garner support for a standalone bill to repeal the Clinton-era ban on openly gay people serving in the military. Lieberman and Collins formally introduced that bill on Friday. The Senate this week dealt a severe blow to repeal when it fell short of the 60 votes necessary to start considering the defense authorization bill, which contains the repeal provision. At this point the standalone repeal bill is a last-ditch...

Maine Sen. Susan Collins is upset by yesterday's Senate defeat of the Defense Authoritzation bill containing the "don't ask, don't tell" repeal provision. Collins, who supports repealing the anti-gay policy, says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refused to allow Republicans enough time for debate and amendments. Collins indicated that she was surprised when Reid decided yesterday to bring the measure to a vote. "And it seems evident to me that, unfortunately, the majority leader is not pursuing the path that we discussed, or at least that's my interpretation of what he's saying," Collins said. "I think that's so unfortunate. I...

In other news water is wet, fire is hot A week ago the Senate Republican caucus sent a letter to Harry Reid telling him that they would not support acting on any legislation until the Congress vital business had been taken care of: For that reason, we write to inform you that we will not agree to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers. With little time left in this Congressional session, legislative...

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 --...

Diving in at the deep end Cameron Stewart, Associate editor WITH the government planning to spend $36bn building 12 new submarines, debate is raging about the wisdom of the project. THE Gillard government's plan to build 12 new-generation submarines in Australia carries with it enormous political, strategic and financial risks. It will be easily the largest and most complex defence project attempted in this country. If it goes right it will give the navy its most deadly weapon while also safeguarding the future of the naval shipbuilding industry. If it goes wrong, it could jeopardise national security and trigger the...

“I think it’s virtually impossible anymore to be a moderate in the Republican Party and survive politically,” says Tom Jensen, of Raleigh, N.C.–based Public Policy Polling, which conducted a poll last month finding that Maine Republicans would favor an unnamed conservative challenger to Snowe by a 63–29 margin. “If Snowe and Collins are committed to being elected as Republicans, it is in their interests to move to the right.”

Push to axe Collins subs now, buy European Cameron Stewart From: The Australian October 07, 2010 12:00AM A RADICAL plan is being pushed by a group of senior Australian submariners. It is to retire two Collins-class submarines immediately and fast-track the purchase of four ready-made submarines from Europe. The proposal, which has been sent to both the federal government and the opposition, reflects growing concern among some former senior naval officers that the government's plan to build 12 of the world's most sophisticated conventional submarines is flawed and unrealistic. The proposal comes after Treasury last week urged the federal government...

Two years ago, Barack Obama and congressional Democrats rode a wave of voter disenchantment into power. Many Republicans, even in some traditional strongholds, were swept aside. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, was an exception. She didn’t defeat Democrat Tom Allen. She trounced him, 61-39 percent of the vote, a landslide victory political analysts attributed to Collins’ popularity with moderates, a standing shared by her Maine colleague, U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, also a Republican. Two years later, the same moderate image that protected Collins from the blue wave could make Snowe vulnerable to the red one advanced by the tea party....

(CNSNews.com) – Two Republican members of Congress are calling on the Justice Department to state in writing whether it will initiate a criminal investigation into an organization, formerly known as the ACORN Housing Corporation, after an investigation found the group engaged in poor accounting measures involving federal grant money.The organization, formerly affiliated with the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, or ACORN, is currently called the Affordable Housing Centers of America (AHCOA).The AHCOA used grant money designated for counseling to potential homebuyers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to pay the salaries of terminated employees...

I just talked to Tyler Collins, who politely declined to comment as he adjusts to life as the subject of a multi-tier campaign of citizen journalism investigating his life as a Democratic activist. You know Collins. He was the guy who dressed up as a slack-jawed "Rand Paul fan," wearing a tinfoil hat and holding a sign that echoed/parodied conservative fears about illegal immigration.Why is Collins lying low? Because he has a long picture and paper trail as a Democratic activist.

List of Republicans who voted for the Stimulus House of Representatives No Republicans voted for the bill Senate Collins (R-ME) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) *

Senate passes bill to save teacher, police jobs – WASHINGTON (AP) — Legislation to provide billions to save the jobs of teachers and other public workers is on track to pass the Senate, helped along by the votes of a couple of GOP moderates. Democrats cracked a GOP filibuster on Wednesday, and the House was being called back from its summer break for an expected final vote next week to help cash-strapped states and school districts. The $26 billion measure would help states ease their severe budget problems and, advocates said, stop the layoffs of perhaps 300,000 teachers, firefighters, police...

The more it looks like the Senate will confirm Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court, the more gun owners should worry. Yesterday, Sen. Olympia J. Snowe of Maine became the fourth Republican to stand behind President Obama's nominee on the phony basis that Ms. Kagan supports gun rights. Mrs. Snowe explained in a press release that, "as a longtime, ardent supporter of Second Amendment rights, it was critical that [Solicitor] General Kagan stated during her testimony that the precedents set by the Supreme Court in the Heller and McDonald cases - which upheld a personal right to possess a firearm...

WASHINGTON—The Senate approved a wide-ranging overhaul of the nation's financial regulations Thursday, handing President Barack Obama his second major domestic-policy victory of the year. The legislation passed, 60-39, largely along party lines. Republicans Sens. Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both of Maine, joined Democrats in supporting the bill. Sen. Russ Feingold (D., Wisc.) was the only Democrat to vote against the measure.

There has been much talk recently about whether Republicans and Democrats in Washington can produce a bipartisan clean-energy and jobs bill. The answer is: We already have. We are leading a bipartisan effort to put a lid on carbon pollution and in so doing unleash a massive investment in clean-energy technology. If we can tackle this issue in a predictable, transparent and free-market way, we can create millions of high-paying jobs while limiting the worst effects of climate change and reducing both our dependence on foreign oil and the risk of another oil spill. We have authored a bill that...

Bill would give DHS emergency cyber powers June 3, 2010 We're learning more about the cybersecurity package forming in the Senate. Wired.com reports Sen. Joe Lieberman, (I-Conn.) wants to give the federal government the power to take over civilian networks' security, if there's an "imminent cyber threat." It's part of a draft bill, co-sponsored by Senators Lieberman and Susan Collins, that provides DHS with the authority to ensure that critical infrastructure stays up and running in the face of a looming hack attack. The Senate version of the fiscal 2011 Defense authorization bill scheduled to be released later this week...

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Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) will back a repeal of the military's "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. The Associated Press said Collins will support the legislation crafted in a deal announced last night that would abolish the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian servicemembers. Collins's announcement gives key Republican backing to the measure, spearheaded by Democrats. Other top Republicans have expressed skittishness toward the repeal at this point. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, lamented an effort to move the issue too quickly, while Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) said it is "premature" to...

Senate Passes Massive Financial Regulation Bill In its broad sweep, the massive bill would touch Wall Street CEOs and first-time homebuyers, high-flying traders and small town lenders. WASHINGTON -- Prodded by national anger at Wall Street, the Senate on Thursday passed the most far-reaching restraints on big banks since the Great Depression. In its broad sweep, the massive bill would touch Wall Street CEOs and first-time homebuyers, high-flying traders and small town lenders. The 59-39 vote represents an important achievement for President Barack Obama, and comes just two months after his health care overhaul became law. The bill must now...

WASHINGTON BUREAU -- Members of the Senate kept viewers in suspense Wednesday as they voted on limiting debate on a substitute version of S. 3217, the Restoring American Financial Stability Act bill. The initial cloture motion vote -- on a motion to invoke cloture on S.A. 3739, a "manager's amendment" to S. 3217 -- failed by a 57-42 vote, according to Senate Democrats. S.A.3739 was developed by Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, and by other senators, such as Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., the highest ranking Republican on the Banking Committee. S.A....

Maine Republican Susan Collins said Thursday she does not foresee a Republican filibuster of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan, but she’s withholding judgment on her own vote until after the summer hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee. And in a statement that may further bolster the prospects for Kagan’s confirmation, Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.), a potential swing vote, said he was comfortable with Kagan’s explanation of Havard’s ban on military recruiters at the Law School.

Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan received critical cover from moderate Republicans on Thursday on two issues likely to dominate her upcoming confirmation hearings: gays in the military and judicial experience. Kagan has been strongly criticized by GOP leaders for her efforts to block military recruiters from Harvard University during her time as the school's law school dean because of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The policy, opposed by President Obama, prevents gays and lesbians from serving openly in the armed forces. Top Republicans have also highlighted the fact that Kagan has never served as a federal judge, something...

All 41 Republican senators have signed a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid saying they are opposed to the financial regulation bill put forward by Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd .... The letter calls for further negotiations, but it does not go as far as to say all 41 senators would support a filibuster of the legislation. *snip* The GOP's contention that the reforms amount to a "bailout bill" seem to follow the advice of a GOP pollster and focused on a provision in the legislation to create a $50 billion bank liquidation fund. The charge was sharply rebuked by...

Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, say they will issue subpoenas next week to the Pentagon and the Justice Department unless both departments end what they call “foot-dragging” in cooperating with the Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee’s probe of the Fort Hood shootings. At a Capitol Hill news conference today, both senators said they’d been patient with the administration in the five months since the probe began, but don’t buy the administration’s concern that providing access to records and individuals to the committee might compromise the prosecution of alleged shooter, Army Major Nidal Hasan. Lieberman said...

Both Maine Senators declined the White House's invitation to attend President Obama's event in their home state today, according to White House spokesman Bill Burton. Burton said the Maine Republicans decided not to attend Obama's healthcare speech in Portland, Maine. A spokeswoman for Snowe said the senator "had a full day of events already planned today long before we learned of the President's trip to Maine last Friday." Meanwhile, Collins is overseas visiting U.S. Central Command in Qatar, and her office says it's not clear she was invited in the first place. Of course, both Snowe and Collins opposed the...

WASHINGTON — The effort to end a Senate standoff over unemployment benefits and health coverage for the jobless escalated on Tuesday morning as Senator Susan Collins, the moderate Republican from Maine, became the latest lawmaker, and the first Republican, to try to override the objection of Senator Jim Bunning, Republican of Kentucky.

When Obamacare sailed into rough waters near Christmas, most Republicans jumped ship. But two GOP senators, Maine’s Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, clung to the battered vessel right until Ben Nelson cut the rope. This week, the Maine ladies redeemed themselves with their handling of the Republican riposte to President Obama’s foundering anti-terror policy. It was a welcome surprise. As northeast moderates, Snowe and Collins could have easily continued to glide through Senate life, secure in their belief that the GOP is lucky to have them on its side. Yet, refreshingly, in both tone and substance, they snapped this week...

"This administration cannot see a foreign terrorist even when he stands right in front of them." Yes my friends, that came from the mouth of MS Maine, our Northeastern RHINO, Susan Collins. She continued, “President Obama recently used the phrase that ‘we are at war’ with terrorists. But unfortunately his rhetoric does not match the actions of his administration. The Obama administration appears to have a blind spot when it comes to the War on Terrorism. And, because of that blindness, this administration cannot see a foreign terrorist even when he stands right in front of them, fresh from an...

In the Republicans weekly address.Conservatives often give Sen. Susan Collins grief for her willingness to compromise with Democrats (but note that she joined all 39 other GOP Senators and voted AGAINST the Dem health bill and the increase in debt). Here, she comes out swinging hard on the sheer idiocy of the Obama Administration's handling of the Christmas Bomber. Let's give her a vote of thanks for getting this issue right! [VIDEO AT SITE] Valuable intelligence which might prevent the next attack has been lost. The next attack may be a direct result of the Obama Administration's decision to treat...

Centrist Democratic senators have circumvented party leadership to approach Maine GOP Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins about reviving healthcare talks. Democrats such as Sens. Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Bill Nelson (Fla.) and Max Baucus (Mont.) have approached Snowe within the past week to discuss her potential support for various healthcare proposals. “I know there have been efforts to contact her and find out what her concerns are,” said Sen. Mark Begich, a centrist Democrat from Alaska. Snowe said Baucus, the chairman of the Senate Finance panel, approached her in the past week to get her general thinking on reviving healthcare...

Two key senators yesterday handed President Obama a chance to prove he's serious about prosecuting the War on Terror as a war, not a crime. But don't expect him to take up the offer. In a scathing letter, Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) blast Obama & Co. for their handling of Christmas Day bomber wannabe Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. They urge officials to declare him an "enemy belligerent" and move him to a military facility. It's now clear that the Justice Department goofed royally in offering Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian, rights meant for US criminal suspects, not foreign terrorists.

December 20, 2009 Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) released the following statement today on the status of the health reform legislation currently pending before the United States Senate: “Having been fully immersed in this issue for this entire year and as the only Republican to vote for health reform in the Finance Committee, I deeply regret that I cannot support the pending Senate legislation as it currently stands, given my continued concerns with the measure and an artificial and arbitrary deadline of completing the bill before Christmas that is shortchanging the process on this monumental and...

RINOs Hutchison, Collins and Snowe voted with the Dems to cut off debate on the Military Defense Bill which was being filibustered by Repubs to slow down the health care bill. Hutchison is vying with Perry for Texas governor. I saw both their names on an older list of CFR members. Are they still members?

Let us contemplate the badness of Joe Lieberman. Who would have thought that this holiday season we’d be obsessed with the senator from Connecticut? Really, I was hoping it would be more about shopping for mittens on the Internet. Lieberman’s apparently successful attempt to hijack health care reform and hold it hostage until it had been amended into something that liberals couldn’t stomach has mesmerized the nation’s political class. This was, after all, a guy who has been a liberal on domestic issues since he was a college student campaigning for John F. Kennedy. A guy who was in favor...