Sen.Collins’ shameless hypocrisy re Planned Parenthood

Should anyone be surprised that “Our Senator” at once spoke about the mistake of defunding Planned Parenthood and then voted with most of her fellow Republican Senators to do exactly that? As usual, she had a convenient rationale: she wanted to amend the bill had it passed, as if an investigation into Planned Parenthood couldn’t have been opened by her and other Republicans without trying to defund that organization. But that would have prevented her from retaining her basic alliance with other right-wing Republicans.

As always, Maine newspapers gave Collins a free pass. They downplayed Collins’ vote and highlighted her supposed basic support of Planned Parenthood. Few politicians get the kind of cheerleading that Collins routinely receives. Is it an accident that the U.Maine System, currently chaired by her brother Sam, also gets similar cheerleading by one local Maine newspaper?

Let us recall when, in the late 1990’s, with Congress then also controlled by Republicans, Collins chaired a Senate committee that might have investigated the mounting number of injuries and deaths of American troops in Humvees in Iraq. Pleas by victims and their families fell on Collins’ deaf ears. As a strong supporter of the Iraq War, and as a great admirer of the war’s architect, President George W. Bush, she refused to hold any hearings. But now she insists on hearings for Planned Parenthood.

Of course Sen. Collins recently endorsed Jeb Bush for President. Another one of her heroes. But not mine.