Despite all the years that Susan Collins has been in Washington I can’t think of a single thing that she’s accomplished in representing Maine in the national arena, except for heroically remaining an exemplary model of moderate bi-partisanship and being able to say that she’s never missed a vote. No notable legislation by her sponsorship stands out. No signature cause readily comes to mind. Her self-bestowed description of being “Our Senator” is such a marvel of political branding that few seem to question that nothing follows that assertion in the way of an elaboration. It’s as if her staff couldn’t come up with a sufficiently risk-free adjective.

Her enviable approval rating has always rested on her reputation for being able to get along when so many others in Congress refuse to entertain a differing viewpoint. As politics as usual has become increasingly divisive our senior senator from Maine has become only more conspicuous as a centrist. In many respects she displays more independence than Maine’s officially Independent junior senator.

Angus King has distinguished himself similarly in becoming a political figure whose whole is far more impressive than the sum of its parts. Somehow he manages to consistently walk and talk like a Democrat while maintaining the perception of being the only other Independent in the Senate besides the truly autonomous Bernie Sanders.

As with Collins, King has the ability of being an astute listener who’s then able to position himself above the fray. Both always come across as willing to hear all sides of an argument before making up their own mind. Neither ever present themselves as overtly partisan even though they pretty much vote on one side of the aisle. The difficulty with such civility is that it’s sometimes hard to tell when either is attempting to straddle a fence rather than just sitting on one. Despite their political differences, each serves their constituents well by portraying Maine as having a reasonable electorate that values character in a politician above all else. Unfortunately, Paul LePage has distinguish himself as the exception that proves that rule. Twice.

For most voters the overall impression of a politician is of far more concern than how that politician actually votes. That generalization is now being hard-pressed by a growing element of the electorate that suddenly wants to kick the tires and look under the hood. Suddenly, voters have begun paying attention to politics as never before and actually expect some accountability.

The tumultuous outcome of the recent presidential election has turned politics as usual on its head. The status quo is now challenged by a populist uprising that wants politicians to heed its activist demands and won’t take no for an answer. Civility has even less currency in today’s new take no prisoners resistance politics that wants its way now, at whatever cost to tomorrow.

The political counsel of Maine’s two diverse senators is enjoying increasing national attention in large part because of their refusal to abandon civility. Though familiar faces, both have suddenly become major media darlings. They’ve become the current go-to guys to bring some sanity to bear on whatever congressional deliberations are at issue.

A couple of Sundays past both were on NBC’s Meet the Press, sitting side by side as they were jointly interviewed by a transparently approving Chuck Todd. The whole point of the interview was to profile how they were able to get along so well despite being on opposite sides of most legislation. Todd thought it somehow even more remarkable because they were from the same state. My first thought was that they get along so well because they are indeed from Maine. My second thought was that Collins is the state’s senior senator because King beat her in a bid for Maine’s governorship. My third thought tried to imagine Paul LePage filling Angus King’s shoes as a senator with one tenth the amount of intelligent congeniality exhibited by Collins and King.

The big takeaway from Collins and King was that a dearth of political comity now makes any progress dependent on compromise nearly impossible regarding major issues of the day. Extreme divisiveness has poisoned the traditional mechanism of political give and take. No surprise there. What has changed is that, though most people still want a government that can work together to get things done, those who have become resistance zealots are pressuring even the vestiges of moderate politics to abandon compromise altogether. Every political position taken must be free of any concessions to the other side. Collins and King both alluded to the increasingly punitive position they now find themselves faced with threatened by such unyielding activist pressure.

I once had an epiphany while standing in the hallway to the senate chamber of Maine’s statehouse, part of an elbow-to-elbow gauntlet demanding that each legislator heading towards decision-making bend to our political will. Those like-minded smiled broadly. Those immovably opposed glowered in passing. Seeing others with their heads down, eyes averted, it occurred to me that those straddling the fence might have been far better persuaded if not confronted by such self-satisfying dictatorial provocation.

Gary Anderson lives in Bath