Moderation

The Hill:

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) last night estimated that the latest version of the Democrats' plan to extend emergency Medicaid benefits will reduce the federal deficit by almost $1.4 billion over the next decade.

The $16.1 billion Medicaid provision [is] part of a $26.1 billion package that also provides education funding to prevent teacher layoffs...

Maine Sen. Susan Collins...thinks the Medicaid funding extension "is necessary," her office told The Hill recently. But a spokesman also warned that her support would come only if "the enhanced FMAP rate is largely offset and would not contribute to our country’s fiscal problems."

So essentially, Collins won't sign off on Medicaid funding if it increases the deficit. And so the bill was rewritten to fit that requirement.

But this is all happening at the same time, remember, that the junior senator is supporting the passage of a new law to extend billions (trillions?) of dollars in unpaid-for, deficit-ballooning tax cuts for millionaires.

Holding both of those positions doesn't make Collins a hypocrite. But it does mean she's a pretty doctrinaire conservative.