Susan Collins is very surprised
Republican moderates in the Senate such as Susan Collins of Maine have gotten used to augmenting their own power by being the great compromisers and go-betweens, part of this or that “gang.” But this time the Democrats don’t seem as interested, and Collins seems surprised:
Sen. Susan Collins, who offered a potential compromise to end the government shutdown and raise the nation’s debt ceiling, said Sunday that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was too quick to dismiss it when lawmakers are still struggling to break a fiscal stalemate on Capitol Hill.
“I was very surprised that Sen. Reid said that,” Collins said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I don’t think it was very constructive.”
Reid pats her on the head and throws her a fish that indicates he may ultimately play ball with her if she’s patient and good enough:
Susan Collins is one of my favorite senators, Democrat or Republican,” Reid told reporters. “I appreciate her efforts ”” as always ”” to find a consensus. But the plan that I’ve seen in writing is not going to go any place at this stage.”
Reid knows the value to him of Republicans such as Collins. And before you start screaming “Primary her!!”, there’s virtually no question that if she leaves the political scene, she will be replaced by a liberal Democrat. Faced with this prospect, you might say, “better a real Democrat than a Republican Democrat,” but I disagree because RINOs like Collins at least give Republicans a shot at changing the leadership of the Senate and getting rid of Reid. A real Democrat would not.
Chuck Schumer knows how to turn a phrase:
“We are not overplaying our hand,” Schumer told reporters. “We are open to discussion in every way, and I think our Republican colleagues are moving in our direction.”
Open to discussion “in every way”—as long as all the important compromise is on the Republican side. And no, he doesn’t think the Democrats have overplayed their hand, because he’s convinced the hand they’re holding is a royal flush.
And if it isn’t a royal flush, they’ll produce the necessary cards to make it one.
That Senator “Susan Collins is very surprised” speaks volumes — none of it good.
She (and so many others) underestimate the determination and fixedness on the ultimate goal of the enemy. But I gather Ms. Collins never saw them as the enemy (and still doesn’t), but as good-hearted colleagues with slightly different ideas. Part ‘n’ parcel of the overall challenge.
She thinks that negotiation will always work, since she is the negotiator for everyone. Like an arms merchant selling to both sides, no matter what happens she thinks she will win.
If only she knew… but then, it might not make much difference at this point.
The strategy of the Democrats is (and has been for a while) to demoralize the opposition’s leaders. People like McConnell, Boehner, McCain and Collins are easy pickings for them.
That’s why they HATE Cruz, Lee and other “new blood,” because they are much harder to demoralize or trick.
Whatever the party leadership may think, the Republican base is not in a forgiving mood. If the leadership steps out of line, they will be challenged.
I agree with Neo that blue-state Republicans are better than Democrats. With the right leadership, they will fall into line.
Matt_SE, I agree except that I would not call Collins a leader. A follower is more apt. I also would not call her a moderate Republican. I would call her an establishment Republican. Same goes for McConnell, Boehner, McCain, Romney, Bush, etc. They may be better than dems, but they are like mid-level managers. They have no business being at the top.
Steve:
Collins is an establishment Republican but also a moderate Republican and a RINO. All of the above. But she’s popular in Maine, and she is still better than the alternative would be.
Yeah…I suppose I should’ve used “scare quotes” around opposition leaders.
Agree. They aren’t leaders in any conventional sense. But they might make adequate followers.
Tools, not so much followers. Leave them to their own devices and they will do evil because bad people will use them. So make sure nobody else can use them.