Is Senator Collins still our “Perfect Senator, as Sen. Angus King has called her?

Many admirers of Sen. Susan Collins were surprised and dismayed by her vote early Saturday morning to pass the much revised Senate tax return bill, with its devastating cuts to ObamaCare and its burdensome taxation of graduate student stipends throughout American higher education–among other controversial components.

I was not surprised. I have never been persuaded that Sen. Collins is at heart a moderate Republican, which in fact is a contradiction in terms. True, she has voted for progressive legislation in environmental and energy and women’s abortion rights issues. Her supporters routinely publish letters in the Bangor Daily News and likely elsewhere in Maine for various stands that separate her from most of her Republican colleagues. Indeed, there are full-page ads every so often praising various votes.

But, beginning with her first term/first year crusade to eliminate the inheritance tax, Sen. Collins has usually worked above all for the wealthiest Mainers. Two or three years ago, for example, she invited Bangor School Superintendent Betsy Webb to testify at a Congressional hearing to oppose proposed hefty increases in minimum wages, lest small businesses–and big ones too– suffer as well.

It will be interesting to see Sen, Collins’ defense of whatever Senate/House tax reform bill is passed and signed into law by President Trump. Maybe the wealthy Mainers who will benefit from her votes could leave some cheap food and drink at Maine’s homeless shelters just before Christmas Day. AND BE SURE TO GET A TAX DEDUCTION FORM TO LOWER YOUR TAXES FURTHER.