Concerned Sue and Sad Lisa have BS all sewn up

From Dahlia Lithwick at SLATE:

Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski Think Donald Trump Is No Longer a Danger

On Wednesday, the Senate [voted] to acquit President Donald Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress following a marathon few days of speeches, half of which came from Republican senators justifying their votes to acquit. Having listened through the hodgepodge of whataboutism, process complaints, and occasional outright fascism, one hesitates to focus on Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins because their reputations as GOP “moderates” have always been more a stylist’s branding choice than reality, and because holding Republican women in power to a higher standard than men has never redounded to the benefit of anyone, including women. But when powerful women who should see through the gaslighting instead pick up the proffered gaslighting torch and set small brushfires, it’s worth taking note.

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High Crimes but No Subpoenas

Twitler grabbed Lamar Alexander by the pussy. “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”

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R.I.P. Irony

So, kids, are you watching the impeachment trial? I’m having a little trouble doing so, because my cable company keeps changing the channel. Instead of the Twitler impeachment trial, I have seen the impeachment of Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Barack Obama and everyone else who is not Twitler.

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Here Comes the Bribe

From salon:

President Trump is rewarding senators that support him on impeachment with bundles of campaign cash, drawing accusations of political bribery.

…snip…

On Wednesday, Trump’s campaign issued a fundraising appeal to supporters to donate funds that would be equally distributed among Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., all of whom are supporting the resolution [to condemn the House impeachment inquiry] and face tough re-election battles in 2020.

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Abdication of Conscience

From HUFFPOST:

CNN’s Chris Cuomo reached into the Republican Party’s past to find a quote that could haunt GOP lawmakers today as the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump gets underway in Congress.

In 1950, Sen. Margaret Chase Smith (R-Maine) took on Wisconsin Sen. Joseph McCarthy, a member of her own party, in a speech she called a “Declaration of Conscience.” While Chase didn’t mention McCarthy by name, she urged her fellow Republicans to stand up for the basic American values being trampled by McCarthyism: 

It is high time that we stop thinking politically as Republicans and Democrats about elections and started thinking patriotically as Americans about national security based on individual freedom. I don’t want to see the Republican Party ride to political victory on the four horsemen of calumny: fear, ignorance, bigotry, smear.

Don’t leave out the horsewomen of calumny.

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Her Reign In Maine Has Really Left a Stain

From HILL REPORTER:

Whenever there is a close controversial vote, democrats normally hold out hope that Maine senator, Susan Collins, will vote with them. […] She broke liberal hearts, however, when she voted to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in October of 2018.

That Kavanaugh vote, while it pleased the GOP, may have done the senator more harm than good. According to a new poll from Critical Insights, Collins’ Maine approval rating has dipped 17 points since last spring.

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The Beer Facts

You have to wonder what the FBI will be investigating now that Senator Jeff Flake had a moment of conscience or courage (or if he is playing a game like Susan Collins was when she voted Betsy Wetsy DeVos out of committee knowing she would have enough votes to be confirmed even though Susie voted against her. But I digress…). I’m hoping they look into his Georgetown Prep yearbook references.

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Her reign in Maine should fill you with disdain

Dan Cluchey has an essay about Susan Collins at Medium. He talks about her relationship with Margaret Chase Smith, the first Republican female senator from Maine, and how Suze is a complete failure in comparison. Suze makes believe that she is a moderate, but what she really is is a con artist. Rip off the mask, and she’s just another Rethug opportunist.