Susan Collins Maine

The Issue Of “Age” In Upcoming Midterm Elections In 2026

Ronald 21 Comments

The US Congress, in both chambers, is the oldest in age of any period of American history, and the issue of whether it is time for members in their 70s, 80s, and beyond to move on, and allow a younger generation better able to relate to the future, to be replacing them.

David Hogg of Florida, who was a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, caused controversy in promoting such change, and he was pushed out, and is working with others to challenge many older, longer serving members in upcoming primaries for the 2026 Congressional Elections.

And the issue has come to the forefront, particularly, in the state of Maine, where Democratic Governor Janet Mills, age 77, is challenging sitting Republican Senator Susan Collins, who will have served for 30 years in the upper chamber, and is presently 72 years old.

So Graham Plattner, age 41, an oyster famer and Marine Corp veteran, is challenging Janet Mills, with the issue of age being a crucial one.

And Maine already has Senator Angus King, who just won reelection at age 80 in 2024, and Vermont has Bernie Sanders, who won reelection in 2024 at age 83.

But there are other such cases, as with Democratic Senator Ed Markey of Massacusetts, age 80, who has served a half century combined in the House of Representatives until 2013, and since then in the Senate. Congressman Seth Moulton, age 47, is arguing that while Markey has been an excellent leader for Massachusetts, it is time for change.

Other Democratic Senators of advanced age are retiring, including Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, and New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Also Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is retiring in 2026.

But there are others who are over 70 and choosing to run for reelection, or planning to when the next elecion for their seat takes place, including Ron Wyden of Oregon and Chuck Schumer of New York in 2028.

Also, in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi of California, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, and Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, the fist three past leaders in the chamber, are running again in 2026, despite their being in their 80s. And Republican Senator and President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley also could run for reelection in 2028, although at present, he is 92 years old!

It would seem legitimate that these older political leaders would finally give up their positions, and allow for the future generation to take over Congress.

Republican Senate Critics Of Trump “Big, Beautiful” House Bill!

Ronald 32 Comments

Now that the “Big, Beautiful” Donald Trump House bill has passed by the bare margin of 215-214, it is up to the US Senate and Republican majority to have its role in the process.

This bill is so horrendous, that it is hoped that the Republican Senate will balk at it, but hard to imagine that it can be stopped.

Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and Josh Hawley of Missouri all have registered problems with the bill, for different reasons.

To count on these four objectionable legislators to, somehow, save the day, and prevent the horrors of this proposed legislation, causes a sense of despair.

If all four, along with Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine, and were to ally together, it could possibly occur, assuming no Democrat would join the majority.

But that is even assuming that Murkowski and Collins would not disappoint which is no certainty!

In Two Days, Trump Has Destroyed Tens Of Millions’ Economic Security!

Ronald 11 Comments

In just two days, Donald Trump has destroyed tens of millions’s economic security, with his Tariff Wars on the entire world, except, interestingly, for such authoritarian governments as the Russian Federation, Cuba, North Korea, and Belarus!

People’s retirement accounts and economic well being, regarding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and so much else, are being systematically destroyed by the extremist right wing assault headed by Elon Musk, with Donald Trump’s endorsement.

THe nation and the world are in the grips of a maniacal, dangerous tyrant, who seems to have no concern for the damage he has wrought!

One of his unnamed White House aides used the F word, to say Donald Trump did not give a F—-about anyone who opposed what is doing, and that he is not going to change course.

This is a massive domestic and worldwide crisis that undermines everything decent that the United States has promoted and believed in!

Democrats, including Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Elizabeth Warren, Chris Murphy,—and Republicans, including Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, Thom Tillis, Chuck Grassley, Don Bacon—are sounding the alarm, and Congress must unite with Democrats and a handful of Republicans to stop the dangerous, destructive tariff wars that are undermining the American economy and well being of its citizens, as well as the world at large!

Trump Tariffs Cause Biggest Stock Market Decline In Five Years!

Ronald 8 Comments

Donald Trump’s lunatic tariffs have caused the biggest Stock Market decline since March 2020, in the early days of the COVID 19 Pandemic!

Stocks declined about 4 percent, and the effects of Trump tariffs are reverberating all over the globe.

But a few Republicans are starting to revolt against them, including Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and even President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

A movement is starting to take away the President’s assertiveness to control tariffs, when historically, it was Congress that determined tariffs.

The question is, though, will House Republicans revolt in enough number with Democrats to join the Democrats and the few recalcitrant Republicans mentioned above in the Senate, to bring action?

If not, America is on the road to a potential Second Great Depression, and total disarray in international affairs, as Trump makes NATO nations, Asian allies, and China, Mexico, and Canada victims of his maniacal behavior!

It is time for joint action to restrict and limit Donald Trump, and prevent him from becoming a totally authoritarian dictator!

Gutless Wonders, And NOT Profiles In Courage: Republican Senators Who Allow Themselves To Be Controlled!

Ronald 8 Comments

A very disturbing development is the reality that several Republican Senators, who have expressed concern and doubts about various Donald Trump Cabinet Appointments and other nominees who require Senate approval, have shown they are NOT “Profiles in Courage”, but instead “Gutless Wonders”!

The threat of Elon Musk promoting opponents in upcoming Senate primaries has led to these Senators bowing to pressure, and making themselves look unprincipled, and without any morals, ethics, or scruples.

The need for these Senators, all of whom have great financial assets and earlier careers where they did well financially, to cave in to pressure is astounding.

Even if they lost their seats in the Senate, or chose not to run for reelection, they would not be in any kind of financial straits that would pressure them to be cowards, but they are precisely that!

I am referring to those Senators I had written about that might be barriers to Trump’s nominees, including:

Joni Ernst of Iowa
Thom Tillis of North Carolina
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
James Lankford of Oklahoma
John Curtis of Utah

Additionally, a newer Republican Senator, Todd Young of Indiana, after having doubts about Tulsi Gabbard, bent to the pressure from Vice President JD Vance to back her for Director Of National Intelligence!

With upcoming confirmation votes next week, it looks quite hopeless that any nominee will be stopped by four Republican votes against such nominee.

Subject to change, it seems as if only Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky might vote NO, beyond Pete Hegseth, and who can be sure that even those two Senators will be consistent.

This is all very exasperating and disillusioning, as we are on the road to the worst ever Presidential Cabinet of advisers in American History, people in many cases outrageously horrible to be in their positions and guaranteed to conduct themselves in illegal, unethical, and immoral ways!

Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins And? Will Trump Nominees Be Stopped?

Ronald 12 Comments

Two Republican women Senators, considered the most “moderate” in the party caucus, have come out in committee against the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense.

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have made clear that they are unhappy with Hegseth’s statements in the past against women in the military, although he has backed off on that idea recently.

Murkowski does not face an election until 2028, and already in the past, had kept her seat as an Independent in one election race. And Susan Collins has hinted she may not run for reelection in 2026, but even if she does, she is in a strong position in a state that is more “Blue”, but her ability to keep her seat has been strong in the past. She has served 28 years and is the longest serving female Republican Senator in American history.

The question is whether there are two more Republicans who will have the guts and courage to join Murkowski and Collins. Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, former Majority and Minority Leader, is a “free spirit” in his last two years in the upper chamber, who disagrees with Donald Trump on foreign and defense policy, so might rebel against Hegseth.

Joni Ernst of Iowa seemed a possible negative vote, but was pressured in her home state to support Hegseth, and therefore looks likely to vote for him despite some qualms.

As stated by this author and blogger in an earlier post on January 12, there are a few other Republican Senators who might, hopefully, join in opposition, particularly the new Utah Senator John Curtis, seen as similar in moderation as was Mitt Romney, plus Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina!

If not voting against Hegseth, there is greater possibility that some of this group will vote against other objectionable nominees, including Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, and Kash Patel.

Lack Of Principle And Guts Of So Many Republicans Disillusioning!

Ronald 59 Comments

This author and blogger is so disillusioned at the lack of principle and guts of so many Republican Senators, as it seems more likely by the day that there will be little, if any, opposition to any of the most controversial Donald Trump Cabinet nominees.

By all reasonable judgment, the nominations of:

Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense
Kash Patel, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services

should be rejected for a multitude of reasons.

And this does not include another objectionable nominee, Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security.

But at least four Senators would have to be willing to gamble their future and vote against, and that seems now highly unlikely.

Those most considered possible to oppose some, if not all, of these nominees, would include:

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Susan Collins of Maine
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
John Curtis of Utah (newly elected to succeed Mitt Romney)

Some other Republican Senators are also seen as possible holdouts, but not as likely as these four.

And even among these four, the truth is that Susan Collins is unreliable, and Mitch McConnell, despite his plans to retire, and his contempt for Donald Trump, cannot be considered in any way likely to vote against any of these nominees, when push comes to shove.

Murkowski and Curtis seem more likely, but the pressure on them and other Republicans is intense. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who first seemed likely to oppose Pete Hegseth, is now receiving blowback with her reelection race coming up in 2026, and Collins also faces reelection two years from now.

So the odds are that Trump will get all of his controversial Cabinet appointments confirmed, and the nation will face a Presidential cabinet with a number of ill qualified, and in some cases, totally terrifying, and reprehensible individuals who will undermine America and its population for the next four years at a minimum.

So this blogger and author is taking a break, escaping from the morass we are in, and will be back near the end of the year!

Republican Senators Who Are Likely To Oppose Some Trump Cabinet Nominees

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Signs that a substantial number of Republican Senators are seen as likely to oppose some Donald Trump Cabinet nominees, particularly Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense; Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence; and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Among those Senators who have issues with Trump appointees are the following:

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Thom Tillis of North Carolina
Todd Young of Indiana
Jonie Ernst of Iowa
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
James Lankford of Oklahoma
Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma
John Cornyn of Texas
John Curtis of Utah (Senator Elect)
Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia

If four or more of this group vote against any of the above appointees or any others, such individual would not be able to be part of the Cabinet or other advisers.

However, the concept of a “recess” appointment could become a controversial action taken by Donald Trump, which would likely become a legal issue, and be seen as a grab for power.

Two Women Republican Senators Likely To Resist Trump Appointments, But Can They Gain Two Other Republican Senators As Supporters?

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Two women Republican Senators who have often disagreed with and voted against Donald Trump—Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine—are seen as likely to resist many of Trump’s controversial Cabinet nominees.

Both women voted to convict Trump on impeachment charges in his second trial. Both are seen as moderates, and have shown courage and conviction in their careers in the Senate, with Collins in the Senate since 1997 and Murkowski since 2002.

The question is whether they can gain at least two Republican colleagues to join them in fighting to reject Trump’s outrageous Cabinet nominees, including:

Matt Gaetz, Attorney General
Pete Hegseth, Defense
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Health and Human Services
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence

It seems clear other Republican Senators are very unhappy with some, or all of these choices, but will they be willing to challenge Trump is the unknown matter.

And sadly, future Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, not Trump’s “favorite”, has to deal with the likelihood of Trump deciding to call for the Senate to go into recess.

This would be an abdicating of their responsibility as a co-equal branch of government, and allowing two year “recess” appointments, which might be challenged in the courts, but with no clear answer as to what the resolution on the matter would be!