Free Republic

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...