I will never forget that 43 minute, serpentine speech Susan Collins delivered to justify her reasons she would not be voting for Kavanaugh. There were over 100 of us standing on a downtown Portland, Maine street near her office listening together as the loudspeaker droned on with her rambling justifications. Prior to that, so many of us visited her office frequently and wrote letters begging her to not vote for confirmation. She simply does not show up to discuss issues or listen to her constituents unless she can benefit politically. Sadly, when our esteemed Republican Senator Olympia Snowe resigned in 2013, Susan Collins totally shed any semblance of character, and showed her true colors. Mike Brock, you nailed it with this description. Susan Collins is no Margaret Chase Smith (nor Olympia Snowe).
So shame on those who voted for her. Neither of the two possible reasons aren't flattering. In a rich man's house where us there to spit but in his face. Diogebes.
Thanks for reading. While the piece may seem to hammer one point, Collins herself was less my focus than what she represents—a systemic problem where moral performance has replaced moral action in our politics. Each section wasn't restating the same idea but examining different aspects of this phenomenon: how procedural deference masks abdication, how media reporting normalizes empty rhetoric, how precise calculation of "concern" serves political preservation, and ultimately how this theater undermines accountability itself.
When language becomes a substitute for action rather than its precursor, we need to analyze not just that it happens, but how it happens and why it matters. Sometimes what seems like repetition is actually excavation - digging deeper into something that appears obvious on the surface but contains complex machinery underneath.
Collins isn't just a politician who says one thing and does another—she's a case study in how our political system has institutionalized the performance of principles while hollowing out their substance. That required more than a one-liner.
Exactly. A case study in how America has been so deeply damaged by the style-over-substance of the Personality Ethic. Where once our leaders aspired to serve the public weal with the substance-over-style ethos of the Character Ethic, their occasional flashes of “character” are now mostly performative cosplays. It’s too much to unpack here in a Comments section, but would love to see your thoughts on how the virtues of good character have been trumped (or krasnoved) by the Dale Carnegiezation of America…
Yes. Your analysis of Collins helps me to understand what is actually happening with politicians who are co-opted by the system. Your analysis deserves reading several times. I love your perspective on what we all are living through now.
This is my first time reading Mike Brock. I thought the piece would have been more effective at half the length. I only read to the end in hopes he'd have some comment on Collins reaction (if any) to Trump's vicious attack on the State of Maine after Mills said "I'll see you in court."
I haven’t seen a response by Collins to Krasnov’s attempts to extort Gov Mills into groveling, genuflecting, self-flagellating, and issuing a sincere personal apology to assuage his narcissistic wound. (All under the guise of a Title 9 review of Maine U.) Maybe Collins furrowed her brow more deeply than usual, wrung her hands into a white-knuckled knot, expressed some sort of “grave concern”? But not nearly grave enough to hold a town hall meeting - because, for more than 25 yrs, Collins hasn’t believed there have been matters of sufficient gravitas to convene a town hall meeting with her constituents. Maybe there’ll be sufficient gravitas when Maine’s seniors lose their SS and Medicare and storm her state offices with pitchforks and torches …
Although not often mentioned publicly, Southern states have long participated in an informal competition to see which one could elect the Stupidest Senator in the Nation. That title was long held by Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma (“I know what the internet is - it’s a bunch of tubes!”), but the current champ is undoubtedly Sen. Tuberville of Alabama. Georgia almost pulled it off with the nomination of Herschel Walker, but Walker simply couldn’t put the ball in the end zone.
But perhaps this line of thinking has been all wrong. Consider the dark horse candidacy of Sen. Collins. Like a challenged child, she keeps repeating the same mantra over and over to excuse her idiotic votes: “I’m concerned, but Trump has learned his lesson.” Of course coming from Maine, she doesn’t have the folksy “Aw, shucks” manner we’ve come to expect from the title holder of Stupidest Senator in the Nation, but based on a moneyball type analysis, she does get on base a shockingly high number of times.
Thank you for this. My limitless rage against this woman always leaves me speechless. You have put words to the rage. To honor my deceased Maine parents, I will never stop trying to “Stop Collins.”
This was phenomenal. I can’t believe Collins, our Chuck Grassley wannabe “senator-for-life” can keep up this pose much longer. Six terms in office when long ago she promised to serve two? It will take a heavyweight puncher to put her on the mat, and I hope as a Maine voter that Gov. Mills puts on the gloves. Enough!
The political circumstances under which we exist can cause some of us to question our perception of reality. Your words in this piece reassure me of my own sanity. Your description of Senator Collins, her demeanor and gaslighting actually help so much. An internal peacefulness when perception and validation worded just perfectly align. I thank you for your work and sharing your gift and talent here. Today you made a big difference for me.
Brilliant piece. As one reporter was overheard to say "They all want to be John McCain, they end up as Thom Tillis." This could be equally, if not better said of Susan Collins. It is just that, unlike Tillis, she carries the concerned act off with more practice.
Not just an incisive reaction to Collins and the numerous other politicians with a similarly vacuous approach but also the most creative use of a Milan Kundera reference I've seen. There are indeed twenty-four hours in a day and now there is only one day in a year. I have to say I'm uncomfortable with that.
I will never forget that 43 minute, serpentine speech Susan Collins delivered to justify her reasons she would not be voting for Kavanaugh. There were over 100 of us standing on a downtown Portland, Maine street near her office listening together as the loudspeaker droned on with her rambling justifications. Prior to that, so many of us visited her office frequently and wrote letters begging her to not vote for confirmation. She simply does not show up to discuss issues or listen to her constituents unless she can benefit politically. Sadly, when our esteemed Republican Senator Olympia Snowe resigned in 2013, Susan Collins totally shed any semblance of character, and showed her true colors. Mike Brock, you nailed it with this description. Susan Collins is no Margaret Chase Smith (nor Olympia Snowe).
Maybe it’s time to retire. How about term limits?
Wow! You dissected the eternal senator from Maine with incisive precision and a verbal tour de force!
Susan Collins CALLED IN SICK for today’s (3/25/25/) Senate Select Intelligence Committee meeting. That pretty much says it all.
Reading you is a true pleasure. Even if the topics you must discuss are horrific. As soon as I'm back in the USA I will subscribe as promised.
Susan Collins must have a lucky charm..she seems absolutely delusional and quite useless for years.
She is a disgrace to the honor and toughness of Maine. A waste of oxygen.
Not to completely disagree, but her actions seem more like Kabuki and a strategy to be reelected.
So shame on those who voted for her. Neither of the two possible reasons aren't flattering. In a rich man's house where us there to spit but in his face. Diogebes.
Maine deserves more Janet Mills and fewer Susan Collins.
I’m a fan of Mike’s, but in this instance he’s “restated the obvious” in every conceivable way. We get it. Clever twist on the title, though.
Thanks for reading. While the piece may seem to hammer one point, Collins herself was less my focus than what she represents—a systemic problem where moral performance has replaced moral action in our politics. Each section wasn't restating the same idea but examining different aspects of this phenomenon: how procedural deference masks abdication, how media reporting normalizes empty rhetoric, how precise calculation of "concern" serves political preservation, and ultimately how this theater undermines accountability itself.
When language becomes a substitute for action rather than its precursor, we need to analyze not just that it happens, but how it happens and why it matters. Sometimes what seems like repetition is actually excavation - digging deeper into something that appears obvious on the surface but contains complex machinery underneath.
Collins isn't just a politician who says one thing and does another—she's a case study in how our political system has institutionalized the performance of principles while hollowing out their substance. That required more than a one-liner.
Exactly. A case study in how America has been so deeply damaged by the style-over-substance of the Personality Ethic. Where once our leaders aspired to serve the public weal with the substance-over-style ethos of the Character Ethic, their occasional flashes of “character” are now mostly performative cosplays. It’s too much to unpack here in a Comments section, but would love to see your thoughts on how the virtues of good character have been trumped (or krasnoved) by the Dale Carnegiezation of America…
Yes. Your analysis of Collins helps me to understand what is actually happening with politicians who are co-opted by the system. Your analysis deserves reading several times. I love your perspective on what we all are living through now.
This is my first time reading Mike Brock. I thought the piece would have been more effective at half the length. I only read to the end in hopes he'd have some comment on Collins reaction (if any) to Trump's vicious attack on the State of Maine after Mills said "I'll see you in court."
Well, this is kind of a philosophy blog. And really this was as much about moral philosophy as it was polemic.
I haven’t seen a response by Collins to Krasnov’s attempts to extort Gov Mills into groveling, genuflecting, self-flagellating, and issuing a sincere personal apology to assuage his narcissistic wound. (All under the guise of a Title 9 review of Maine U.) Maybe Collins furrowed her brow more deeply than usual, wrung her hands into a white-knuckled knot, expressed some sort of “grave concern”? But not nearly grave enough to hold a town hall meeting - because, for more than 25 yrs, Collins hasn’t believed there have been matters of sufficient gravitas to convene a town hall meeting with her constituents. Maybe there’ll be sufficient gravitas when Maine’s seniors lose their SS and Medicare and storm her state offices with pitchforks and torches …
Mic drop. She should resign
Although not often mentioned publicly, Southern states have long participated in an informal competition to see which one could elect the Stupidest Senator in the Nation. That title was long held by Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma (“I know what the internet is - it’s a bunch of tubes!”), but the current champ is undoubtedly Sen. Tuberville of Alabama. Georgia almost pulled it off with the nomination of Herschel Walker, but Walker simply couldn’t put the ball in the end zone.
But perhaps this line of thinking has been all wrong. Consider the dark horse candidacy of Sen. Collins. Like a challenged child, she keeps repeating the same mantra over and over to excuse her idiotic votes: “I’m concerned, but Trump has learned his lesson.” Of course coming from Maine, she doesn’t have the folksy “Aw, shucks” manner we’ve come to expect from the title holder of Stupidest Senator in the Nation, but based on a moneyball type analysis, she does get on base a shockingly high number of times.
Thank you for this. My limitless rage against this woman always leaves me speechless. You have put words to the rage. To honor my deceased Maine parents, I will never stop trying to “Stop Collins.”
This was phenomenal. I can’t believe Collins, our Chuck Grassley wannabe “senator-for-life” can keep up this pose much longer. Six terms in office when long ago she promised to serve two? It will take a heavyweight puncher to put her on the mat, and I hope as a Maine voter that Gov. Mills puts on the gloves. Enough!
The political circumstances under which we exist can cause some of us to question our perception of reality. Your words in this piece reassure me of my own sanity. Your description of Senator Collins, her demeanor and gaslighting actually help so much. An internal peacefulness when perception and validation worded just perfectly align. I thank you for your work and sharing your gift and talent here. Today you made a big difference for me.
Brilliant piece. As one reporter was overheard to say "They all want to be John McCain, they end up as Thom Tillis." This could be equally, if not better said of Susan Collins. It is just that, unlike Tillis, she carries the concerned act off with more practice.
Not just an incisive reaction to Collins and the numerous other politicians with a similarly vacuous approach but also the most creative use of a Milan Kundera reference I've seen. There are indeed twenty-four hours in a day and now there is only one day in a year. I have to say I'm uncomfortable with that.