Over the weekend, Maine Sen. Susan Collins made news by adding her name as the 50th Senate supporter of the SAVE America Act — a massive voter suppression bill being pushed by Donald Trump.
MAGA conservatives cheered her addition for two reasons. First, it means that if the bill comes to the Senate floor, Vice President JD Vance is positioned to cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of passage. Equally important, they hoped her support signaled that the bill was moderate or reasonable.
I have never understood how Collins has managed to cultivate a reputation as a moderate. Whenever I hear her described as such, I think of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous letter from a Birmingham Jail, in which he admitted to having been "gravely disappointed with the white moderate." As he explained, "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will."
According to a recent scorecard, Collins has voted with Trump...
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