On The Other Hand

Where does Sen. Susan Collins stand on the government shut down and debt ceiling crisis? A guide for the perplexed:

Bangor Daily News, September 20:

"I think it is a huge mistake to link the defunding of Obamacare to a government shutdown," Collins said. "We have an obligation to govern in Washington, and it would create chaos if government were to shut down," she added, citing the government shutdowns of the mid-1990s...

"Shutting down does not get us any closer to a fiscal plan to deal with that debt."

Press Herald, September 22:

Friday's House vote to keep government offices open while defunding Obamacare was another move in a high-stakes political chess match that could end with a government shutdown...An email blast late Friday afternoon targeting Maine Sen. Susan Collins illustrates the pressure being applied on Senate Republicans by some conservative groups ahead of the vote.

WGME, September 27:

Maine's U.S. senators were split on a measure to keep government operating past Tuesday.

Republican Susan Collins opposed the measure which, if approved in the House, will avoid a threatened government shutdown.

The Hill, September 30:

"What is abundantly clear is that the American people do not want dysfunction in Washington to lead to another government shutdown," Collins said. "A shutdown will only further damage our struggling economy and reverse an already slow climb out of recession."

Portland Press Herald columnist Bill Nemitz, October 2:

Along with every other Republican senator, Collins voted against stripping the Obamacare provisions out of the bill.

Later Monday evening, with the government shutdown only hours away, the House sent the resolution back with a new set of Obamacare conditions attached.

Same result: Collins, who was already on record calling it flawed strategy that endangered the entire U.S. economy, fell in line and once again voted to keep those conditions intact.

Headline of Sen. Collins Youtube upload of her floor speech, October 5:

Senator Susan Collins: "It is time for this shutdown to end."

NPR, October 9:

I certainly don't want to see the United States default on its obligations and not pay its bills on time. On the other hand...

Mother Jones, October 9:

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), generally viewed as a moderate, said the October 17 deadline was subject to change because the Treasury "plays games."

Press Herald headline, October 11:

Sen. Collins skeptical of debt-ceiling deadline