As an educator in and a resident of Androscoggin County, I believe that every person in Maine should recognize the importance of Sen. Susan Collins in the process of nomination and endorsement for our next Supreme Court justice.

President Trump, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and their wealthy and powerful allies envision an America where workers and education professionals are silenced in advocating for themselves and their students, and where opportunity for students is stolen as public education funding is taken away and given to private, religious and for-profit schools. These are the Trump administration’s core ideologies, and Americans overwhelmingly have rejected them.

Americans deserve a fair-minded constitutionalist on the Supreme Court, someone who is honest, open-minded, appreciates how the law affects all Americans and shares our belief in equality and justice for all. Judge Brett Kavanaugh is not such a nominee. We should oppose this nomination and urge all senators to do the same, especially Sen. Collins.

Historically Sen. Collins has upheld many rights of women, children and families, sometimes in a nonpartisan way. The next Supreme Court justice will make decisions about every aspect of our lives – our health care, our voting rights, our public schools, our pay and benefits and our right to stand together as working people in unions. There has never been so much at stake, and it has never been more important to have a justice who will uphold the rights of all Americans – not just the wealthy and the powerful.

Sen. Collins’ vote on SCOTUS will affect all our lives well into the next 50 years. I encourage Sen. Collins to stand by her word for support of the rights of all Mainers as she considers if Judge Brett Kavanaugh is suited to be the next justice.

Lois Kilby-Chesley

Durham

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Letter to the editor: Loon death story crying out for accuracy

Next »

Letter to the editor: Question 1 will help elderly age at home