The sad human negligence of Susan Collins

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We have become sadly familiar with that in the last weeks. Susan Collins’ vote might have prevented a Supreme Court nominee whose judicial temperament and history of sexual assault earned a No vote from millions watching his hearing. She voted yes instead. Her sad display of human negligence might be called her Moment of Conscience Deprivation. By her side, as she made her announcement was Mary Mayhew, Maine’s recently failed gubernatorial candidate and cost-cutting DHHS head. Mayhew’s administration co-occurred with more child death at the hands of caretakers and foster parents than any in many years.

Sen. Collins’ human negligence came in her own fumbled announcement of what she had no legal, ethical or political right to say. She did not believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s assaulter was nominee Judge Kavanaugh. Collins, whose primary focus is playing “Yes, I will; No, I won’t” phone tag with Congressional power brokers is ill-schooled in the grueling, excruciating pain assault victims experience twice: first, during the assault; second, in deciding to tell. Yes, we expect government to play a role in assuaging or preventing the pain of abuse. With Mary Mayhew at her side, Collins merely confirmed she holds herself above accountability to survivors. In her negligence, Collins’ vote elevated to the Supreme Court someone who is no equal to its other members.

Empowerment of sexual assault survivors is a pot-holed and treacherous road. Typically, they have no power at all. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Instead of lending a human hand to empower abuse survivors, with Mary Mayhew, a master at discrediting reports of abuse and disempowering the abused, by her side, Collins opted instead to puff a little more on her absolute power pipe. The smoke did nothing to conceal how corrupt her own power has become.

Susan Cook,

Bath

King guided by a conscience that values the least secure

The only reason I can imagine that anyone would want to replace Maine’s Senator Angus King at this time in the state’s history would be if s/he wanted to reduce access to affordable health care, deny citizens affordable prescription drugs, deny affordable internet service, reduce emission standards to have more pollution, reduce taxes on the wealthiest only to increase the deficit our children and grandchildren will pay, ignore the cyber-attacks by Russia on our election process and infrastructure, and risk destroying Maine’s fishing grounds by allowing offshore drilling. Our independent senator, Angus King, supports strengthening Medicare for seniors against misguided attempts to reduce it to inferior vouchers. Angus King is guided by a conscience that values the welfare of the least secure among us over the profit of a few. With the mean-spirited, self-serving policies belching out of many in Washington, the incisive and humane voice of Angus King is needed now more than ever.

Steve Romanoff,

Falmouth

Vote Lebida

Keep Maine strong on Nov. 6 by saying no to special interests and party loyalty by voting for Guy Lebida for state representative of District 55. Guy will push for smaller government, tax reform, more effective education system, and a continued strong job market / economy. Guy is a man of principles and strong family values that believes in a day’s pay for a day’s work. Guy is ready on day one to build a better Maine where everyone has a job and poverty is a thing of the past. Unlike his opponent, Guy rejects out-of-state money and interests influencing our Maine way of life. Higher taxes and bigger government are not on Guy’s to do list. Join me in keeping Maine strong! Vote Guy Lebida to represent Bowdoin, Bowdoinham and Richmond on Nov. 6.

Brian D. Hobart,

Bowdoinham