The Illusion of Moderation: Susan Collins and the Corrosive Nature of Trump-Era Republicanism

Dangerous Appointments, Predictable Confirmation

The Senate recently confirmed two highly controversial figures to Trump's cabinet: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known purveyor of vaccine misinformation and dangerous conspiracy theories, to head the Department of Health and Human Services; and Tulsi Gabbard, a staunch Russia supporter with questionable allegiances, as director of national intelligence. These appointments, alarming in their potential for harm, were met not with outrage and resistance, but with predictable acquiescence from the Republican party.

The Collins Conundrum: Hope vs. Reality

Once again, the hope flickered amongst some that "moderate" Republicans, like Senator Susan Collins, would stand against the tide and reject these dangerous nominees. Collins, often portrayed as a potential savior against Trumpian extremism, has cultivated an image of reason and moderation for decades. Yet, time and again, this hope has been dashed against the rocks of political reality.

Collins, along with every other Republican senator except Mitch McConnell, voted to confirm both Kennedy and Gabbard. This should come as no surprise. Collins’s track record reveals a consistent pattern of enabling Trump's agenda, from confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court despite credible accusations of sexual assault to downplaying Trump’s abuses of power during his first impeachment.

A Pattern of Complicity

Collins's occasional votes against her party, often on highly unpopular bills, serve as carefully placed fig leaves, designed to maintain the illusion of independence while never truly challenging the destructive trajectory of the Republican party. Her vote against Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination, for instance, was cast only after Barrett's confirmation was assured. These are calculated moves, not acts of genuine resistance.

The Erosion of Center-Right Politics

The "moderate Republican" has become an endangered species in the Trump era. Collins's continued support for Trump's agenda, even in the face of blatant disregard for democratic norms and the appointment of demonstrably unqualified individuals, reveals the hollowness of the "moderate" label. The MAGA movement has so thoroughly reshaped the Republican party that the very existence of a center-right voter is now debatable.

The Republican Rot Runs Deep

Collins's complicity is not an anomaly; it is a symptom of a deeper rot within the Republican party. Blind loyalty to Trump and his destructive agenda has become the defining characteristic of today's GOP. This unquestioning obedience has allowed Trump to usurp the powers of the legislative branch and fill key government positions with individuals who pose a clear and present danger to the country.

The time has come to abandon the fantasy of Susan Collins as a bulwark against Trumpism. She is, and always has been, a Republican first and foremost. To be a Republican in today's political climate is to endorse an assault on liberal democracy, empower conspiracy theorists and Christian nationalists, and enable the dismantling of the federal government.