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Susan Collins on Principles & Values

Republican Jr Senator (ME)

 


Nine is good number for seats on Supreme Court

Collins said she is opposed to increasing the number of justices on the Supreme Court while Gideon said the Senate should not hold a confirmation vote on nominee Amy Coney Barrett until January. "Nine is a good number," said Collins. "It's the number we've had since 1869. It would make the court a political organization, which the framers of the Constitution never intended, if we were to expand the size." Collins also pointed out that the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said 9 is a good number.
Source: WMTW Portland ABC-8 on 2020 Maine Senate debate , Sep 29, 2020

Partisanship is a pendulum; parties will move back to center

During the Harvard University Institute of Politics' John F. Kennedy Forum, Senator Collins spoke about her views on the current political climate and how the parties have evolved over time. Senator Collins characterized partisanship as a pendulum, expressing optimism that the parties will move back to the political center. She offered a few ideas on ways to accelerate this process: "Our country is becoming more and more polarized, and Congress reflects that polarization," said Senator Collins. "I would say to all of the young people who are here tonight that it's incumbent upon you to help us rebuild that sense of community that has been a traditional American value since the founding of our country. I believe that bringing people together makes a big difference. The women of the Senate [of both parties] get together about once a month for dinner. These dinners have allowed us to have a comfort zone to share experiences and collaborate on issues to find common ground."
Source: Harvard Kennedy School/Institute of Politics press release , Oct 13, 2016

OpEd: Steely determination to do what's right

I was in my seat on the senate floor when Senator Collins began to speak. It was a privilege to be on hand to witness this historic event. Senator Collins wound up giving one of the greatest speeches in the annals of the senate. She discussed in dispassionate terms, the issues of the senate on the issues regarding the Kavanagh vote. In the end she concluded that he deserved to be confirmed. Through her speech and her vote, Senator Collins displayed to her Nation the same traits that her colleagues in the Senate and the citizens of Maine have long known, she possesses a steely determination to do what she thinks is right. This was not an easy position for her because she hails from a liberal state, and she and her staff were subjected to numerous intimidation tactics from the left. Coming on the heels of her speech, Kavanaugh was confirmed the next day.
Source: The Long Game, by Mitch McConnell, p.275 , May 31, 2016

Focuses on seniority & forging bipartisan solutions

Two-term incumbent Senator Collins touted her experience and seniority in the Senate and her efforts to forge bipartisan solutions to the country’s problems by co-sponsoring legislation with Democrats. Six-term Rep. Allen took aim at the Bush administration by saying it has failed middle-class Americans and put the nation deep into debt.
Source: 2008 Maine Senate debate reported in Kennebec Journal , Sep 21, 2008

1994: Lost race as first woman to run for Maine governor

In 1994, Susan became the first woman in Maine to be nominated as a major party’s candidate for Governor. She lost the race that fall, but immediately resumed her service to the people of Maine in December, as she became the founding executive director of the Center for Family Business at Husson College in Bangor. In 1996, Susan Collins ran for the US Senate seat vacated by Senator Cohen. She won the seat in a four-way election that fall.
Source: 2008 Senate campaign website, www.susancollins.com, “About” , Mar 2, 2008

1980s: served on staff of Maine Sen. Bill Cohen for 11 years

Susan Collins began her career in public service right after graduation from St. Lawrence University, joining the staff of Maine Senator Bill Cohen. She served on Sen. Cohen’s staff for more than 11 years, where she learned both the intricacies of Washington politics and the importance of staying true to her Maine values and heritage. During her tenure with Sen. Cohen, she also served as staff director of the Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on the Oversight of Government Management from 1981-198
Source: 2008 Senate campaign website, www.susancollins.com, “About” , Mar 2, 2008

Voted with Republican Party 66.9% of 326 votes.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), was scored by the Washington Post on the percentage of votes on which a lawmaker agrees with the position taken by a majority of his or her party members. The scores do not include missed votes. Their summary:
Voted with Republican Party 66.9% of 326 votes.
Overall, Democrats voted with their party 88.4% of the time, and Republicans voted with their party 81.7% of the time (votes Jan. 8 through Sept. 8, 2007).
Source: Washington Post, "Congress Votes Database" on 2008 election , Sep 8, 2007

#4 on Human Events’ list of Top Ten RINOs

Collins ranks #4 on the list Top 10 RINOs, ranked by the editors of Human Events (a conservative publication).
Voted with liberals on the 1999 tax cut, campaign finance reform and the partial-birth abortion ban. Also advocated “pay-as-you-go” tax cuts with spending increases in 2004, leading to a budget never agreed upon between the House and Senate.
What’s a RINO? Wikipedia.com explains:
RINO stands for Republican In Name Only, a disparaging term for a member of the Republican Party who is thought to be too fiscally or socially moderate or even liberal. It has replaced the older term Rockefeller Republican. The term is used by conservatives to delegitimize moderate Republican office holders. Those labeled RINOs counter that the conservatives who call them RINOs are too far right and too politically naive. They point out that they can and do win in moderate and liberal areas and without their votes the Republicans would lose control of Congress.
Source: HumanEventsOnline.com, end-of-year issue , Dec 27, 2005

1994: Ran for governor (won primary) as first elected office

Someone once asked me, "Whatever possessed you to run for governor as your first elected office?" It was a valid question. But by the time I ran I had been working in government for 18 years, in a variety of policy and management roles. I'd been in Gov. McKernan's cabinet for 5 years. I had run a state department with 200 people, been in charge of financial regulation & licensing boards, and tackled some very tough issues, like workers' compensation & health care. So I knew state government very well, and had worked closely with the legislature. In addition, my executive experience had been strengthened by my time as the New England chief of the Small Business Administration.

Still, I had never run for elective office before, and governor was a pretty big leap. It was grueling, but Collins went on to win the 8 way Republican primary. Collins lost the general election in the fall, coming in 3rd, behind the self-financed Independent candidate, Angus King. "I got clobbered," Collins says laughing.

Source: Nine and Counting, by Catherine Whitney, p. 74-77 , Jul 25, 2000

Voted YES on confirming of Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court.

Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee kicked off the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor. In her opening statement, Judge Sotomayor pledged a "fidelity to the law:"
"In the past month, many Senators have asked me about my judicial philosophy. It is simple: fidelity to the law. The task of a judge is not to make the law--it is to apply the law. And it is clear, I believe, that my record in two courts reflects my rigorous commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to its terms; interpreting statutes according to their terms and Congress's intent; and hewing faithfully to precedents established by the Supreme Court and my Circuit Court. In each case I have heard, I have applied the law to the facts at hand."
Reference: Supreme Court Nomination; Bill PN506 ; vote number 2009-S262 on Aug 6, 2009

Voted YES on confirming Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice.

Vote on the Nomination -- a YES vote would to confirm Samuel A. Alito, Jr., of New Jersey, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Reference: Alito Nomination; Bill PN 1059 ; vote number 2006-002 on Jan 31, 2006

Voted YES on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Vote on the Nomination (Confirmation John G. Roberts, Jr., of Maryland, to be Chief Justice of the United States )
Reference: Supreme Court Nomination of John Roberts; Bill PN 801 ; vote number 2005-245 on Sep 27, 2005

Religious affiliation: Catholic.

Collins : religious affiliation:

The Adherents.com website is an independent project and is not supported by or affiliated with any organization (academic, religious, or otherwise).

What’s an adherent?

The most common definition used in broad compilations of statistical data is somebody who claims to belong to or worship in a religion. This is the self-identification method of determining who is an adherent of what religion, and it is the method used in most national surveys and polls.

Such factors as religious service attendance, belief, practice, familiarity with doctrine, belief in certain creeds, etc., may be important to sociologists, religious leaders, and others. But these are measures of religiosity and are usually not used academically to define a person’s membership in a particular religion. It is important to recognize there are various levels of adherence, or membership within religious traditions or religious bodies. There’s no single definition, and sources of adherent statistics do not always make it clear what definition they are using.

Source: Adherents.com web site 00-ADH11 on Nov 7, 2000

Member of the Republican Leadership Council.

Collins is a member the Republican Leadership Council:

Dedicated to building a stronger Republican majority by promoting the fundamental conservative ideals of lower taxes, less government and more personal freedom....

The Republican Leadership Council was formed in 1997 by leading Republicans throughout the country concerned that the Republican Party is being increasingly defined by the actions of an intolerant vocal minority that divides the GOP.

The Republican Party is at a crossroads. We now face a situation similar to that of the Democrats of the 1980`s who were dominated by a vocal minority from the far-left liberal wing of their Party. Our challenge now is to unite all Republicans behind a common agenda that helps us expand our majority.

The RLC believes that we must articulate a vision, and a message, based upon the Reagan legacy of limited government and expanded personal freedom. The GOP must unite around the core Republican principles of less government, lower taxes, substantive education reform, anti-crime initiatives and a strong national defense.

The RLC seeks to promote these core issues that unite Republicans, and as Ronald Reagan successfully accomplished, attract conservative Democrats and Independents to forge a winning electoral coalition in congressional and presidential elections. This is the RLC`s vision for the 21st century.

The Republican Leadership Council is committed to playing a key role in electing common-sense conservatives and promoting the core issues of the Republican Party.

Source: RLC web site 01-RLC0 on Jan 1, 2001

Member of the Republican Main Street Partnership .

Collins is a member the Republican Main Street Partnership:

The Republican Main Street Partnership was founded in 1998 to promote thoughtful leadership in the Republican Party, to serve as a voice for centrist Republicans and to partner with individuals, organizations and institutions that share centrist values.

The Partnership pursues public policies that reflect a limited, but responsible role for government and that are designed to achieve fiscal responsibility, economic growth, improvements in the human condition and a nation that is globally competitive and secure. Partnership members include individuals who are interested in moderate Republican policies, focusing on governance and on finding common sense solutions to national problems.

The Republican Main Street Partnership is an organization of party members and public officials committed to building America's principled but pragmatic center within the Republican Party and throughout the nation. The Partnership contributes to the nation's governance through developing and promoting creative public policies for implementation at appropriate levels of government.
Source: RMSP web site 01-RMSP0 on Jan 1, 2001

Certify 2020 Presidential election as fully & fairly counted.

Collins voted NAY blocking certification of the Electoral vote

Explanation of 1/6/21 Electoral Certification, by Emily Brooks, Washington Examiner:Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Paul Gosar led an objection to counting Electoral College votes from the state of Arizona, the first formal objection to state results in a series of moves that will delay the certification of Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election over President Trump. Cruz is advocating for an `emergency 10-day audit` of election returns in disputed states. The usually ceremonial joint session of Congress that convenes to count and accept Electoral College votes will be put on hold as the House and Senate separately debate the objection.