Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe have been taking a beating from those critical of their support for changes to the federal stimulus bill, reducing the money that will be available for school construction and state aid.

Despite this, they seem to be among just a few senators who are rising above what is becoming an increasingly partisan debate at a time when the country needs Republicans and Democrats to work together.

The Senate approved the economic stimulus bill Tuesday, 61-37, along largely party lines. Collins, Snowe and Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania were the only three Republicans to break ranks and vote in favor of it.

The Republican votes came in part as the result of a compromise that reduced the stimulus package by more than $80 billion. The final bill that passed the Senate Tuesday was some $828 billion that will be spent on tax cuts, housing, education programs, aid to states, and transportation and energy infrastructure.

Collins and Snow are getting criticized harshly, both nationally and locally, for their support of a compromise that allowed the stimulus bill to pass the Senate.

“What do you call someone who eliminates hundreds of thousands of American jobs, deprives millions of adequate health care and nutrition, undermines schools, but offers $15,000 bonus to affluent people who flip their houses?” asked the liberal New York Times columnist Paul Krugman.

His answer: “A proud centrist.”

Biddeford Mayor Joanne Twomey, whose city is eyeing some of the federal money for renovations to Biddeford High School, was equally critical of Collins. “I have a lot of respect for Sen. Collins, but on this point she needs to re-think her position, and fast,” she said. “Not only would the stimulus package help Maine, which relies heavily and disproportionately on the construction industry for its job base, but it would also support the education of our children.”

The critics of the compromise need to step back and maintain some perspective. Even at $828 billion, the plan that passed the Senate Tuesday is still the largest spending bill ever approved – in history.

The so-called proud centrists sought only to reduce – not eliminate – some of the spending in the bill, giving it a better chance of passing in the Senate and House. They also managed to rise above increasingly partisan rhetoric. Less than a month into his presidency, Barack Obama seemed as though he’d already grown cynical of efforts to reach bipartisan consensus in his first prime time press conference Monday.

Regardless of whether that sentiment is justified, it’s a shame, because the country needs, now more than ever, the best minds of both parties to come together to pass a stimulus package that most economists agree is necessary.

However, if the hard liners are too entrenched in their own ideals to work together, then we’ll have to turn once again to the few “proud centrists” willing to compromise to get something done.

Brendan Moran, editor