By Deb Sayer
Sen. Angus King: 鈥淭his bill is a farce. Imagine a bunch of guys sitting around a table, saying, 鈥業鈥檝e got a great idea. Let鈥檚 give $32,000 worth of tax breaks to a millionaire and we鈥檒l pay for it by taking health insurance away from lower-income and middle-income people. And to top it off, how about we cut food stamps, we cut SNAP, we cut food aid to people?鈥欌 I鈥檝e been in this business of public policy now for 20 years, eight years as governor, 12 years in the United States Senate. I have never seen a bill this bad. I have never seen a bill that is this irresponsible, regressive and downright cruel.鈥
My thanks to Sen. King for standing up for Mainers.
Sen. Susan Collins鈥 鈥淵es鈥 vote, allowing the bill to be opened for debate, was the enabling vote for the passage of this terrible bill. This was the moment at which her 鈥淣o鈥 vote would have killed the bill, but instead Collins voted 鈥淵es.鈥 She subsequently voted the party line against numerous amendments designed to lesson the damage done by this bill. Her final 鈥淣o鈥 vote against the bill was not made until it became clear it would have no effect on the outcome.
This is not standing up for Mainers.
Nigel Calder