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Bob Neal
Few U.S. senators have had more political power in recent years than Susan Collins, Republican of Maine. Arguably, no one has made less use of her power than Collins.
She often calls herself a moderate and has identified herself with Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, also a Republican from Maine. Smith, though, used her power to go after Sen. Joseph McCarthy, a demagogue who said the State Department had been taken over by Communists. He had no more proof than Donald Trump has of voter fraud.
Smith was a hero who lost committee assignments after her “declaration of conscience” speech against McCarthy. And she was ostracized by her Republican colleagues. Collins has never risked her power by using it. Unused power is the same as no power. Here is an opportunity to use her power to help move us toward having a functioning government.