If Sen. Collins, in her prepared statement and the letters to the editor from her supporters Amy Volk ((July 15) and Stephanie Anderson (July 17)  were trying to confuse readers about S. 1 – “For the People Act of 2021,” my guess is that they succeeded.

The voting rights bill  is not “an unprecedented federal take-over of state” election laws as they proclaim.

Taxpayers would not be funding campaigns. Candidates who opt in the “Freedom from Influence Fund” program would be financed by federal fines, penalties and settlements for certain tax crimes and corporate malfeasance. This kind of public funding ensures that all voices are heard, not just those of wealthy donors and corporations.

They continue to mislead by not calling out the Big Lie and working to counter the dangerous voter suppression actions motivated by it. Most alarming of the current round of restrictive voting laws are the ones that enable election subversion. Partisan legislators could overturn election results by suspending county election officials, stripping secretaries of state of their authority over election boards and removing members of election boards. This is happening in Georgia, a state that President Biden won after three legal recounts!

Please put on your own critical thinking hats and call on Sen. Collins to reassess her opposition to S. 1 – the For the People Act.

Beth Schultz
Westbrook

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