Adam Pontius

Susan Collins is one of the Great Women of American history. It is no exaggeration to say that she is the soul of the Senate. All republics require such a forum where the elder statesmen can assemble in crisis to hash out a compromise that satisfies no one but preserves the state. Losing someone of her character and caliber, on top of the attrition of similarly civic-minded institutionalists of the previous generation — your Moynihans, Liebermans, Hatches, and Byrds, for all their many shortcomings — is a severe blow to the republic and its ability to function. Now we have a senate of El-Sayeds and Fettermans, unworthy men too anti-American to be trusted with power or too self-important to wear a necktie. Too many have pledged to nuke the filibuster to pack the court and make DC a state. Dark and degrading times lie ahead. For her part, Senator Collins never missed a roll call vote in 30 years. She surpassed her idol Margaret Chase Smith in longevity. And like Smith, she left a trail of worthy adversaries’ corpses in her wake only to finally succumb to an utter mediocrity. Maine, and certainly America, will be very poorly served by Troy Jackson compared to Susan Collins. He cannot and will not take a leading role in getting the hard, unglamorous work of governing done to preserve our Republican institutions. And Chuck Schumer’s boundless cynicism has brought the constitutional order to the brink. I hope it was worth it for the all the credit he will surely receive from his party’s base that loves him so much.