Susan Collins Live Constituent Conference Call

[ticapnews]

Live blogging...

Carol from Madison: If you Senators had to fight for health care the way normal people do, you'd do something now rather than later.

Susan: It's a serious problem. Health insurance is too expensive. Talks about the effect on businesses. Wants hearings to gather information on how to solve the problem - wants to consider lots of options. Make it available to those without and more affordable for those who have it.

Dawn from Naples: Maine is lucky to have you *puke*
A senior who says Medicare is not enough to cover her health needs. Thanks Susie for her service. Never actually asked a question. Just called to praise the red dress, apparently.

Paul from Westbrook - just wants to say how wonderful Susie is, a loyal Republican serving. Says we went to Iraq under false pretenses, his son is serving in Iraq, thinks the standard for going to war should be higher. But he supports Susan Collins and hopes she gets re-elected.

Idiot.

Susie responds that the war is a difficult issue. She tries not to vote a straight party line. She is trying to chart a new strategy - a bipartisan tack. Thinks the Democrats are using the war to score political points...

More coming...

[ticapnews]

1. Shirley from Berwick...

Concerned about young people going to college and looking for work. Lack of benefits. How will it effect their Social Security if they go to college while working part time. (HUH?)

Susie says they just expanded Pell Grants and lowered rates for student loans (Thanks, Democrats!) Says any money earned, even part time will apply to Social Security...

[ticapnews]

2. Ida from Augusta

Thanks Susan for joining with POTUS on the war - wants Congress to support the president's views.
Thinks there are too many unnecessary tests in health care and that's why it costs too much.

Susie says prevention is incredibly important. That early-detection can save lives. But that doctors are worried about being sued and therefore order tests that may not be needed.

Susan says we need to withdraw more troops from Iraq by the end of the year than the president has proposed. But says a full withdrawal would invite AQ into Iraq and give them a safe haven (THEY ALREADY ARE THERE!!!)

Wants troops to focus on counter-terrorism and training the Iraqi military. That would lead to a significant drawdown of troops...

[MaineDem]

3. How did you get on her list?

;)

Thanks for the live input.

[ticapnews]

11. No idea how I get on her list.

I wound up on the GOP mailing list in 2004 because I received a gift subscription to US News & World Report.

[ticapnews]

4. Gene from Bangor

Women are allowed to change their mind. Advocate for the blind. Wants to know what Susan will do for the blind, especially children. Any legislation you have or are working on?

Susie - That's an important issue. Every year she meets with a delegation from Maine to talk about what is needed - more education and more job opportunities. (Gosh, once a year?) Working on a bill with Pat Roberts looking for a way to set aside federal contracts for people with disabilities so they can compete.

Welcomes suggestions on things that should be done.

Points out that she has many offices all over the state and people are welcome to call or stop in and offer suggestions. (Here's a suggestion: Don't run for a third term like you promised).

[ticapnews]

5. Call from a laid off environmental worker...should be fun...

Lambastes the Resident for slashing enforcement budgets, and says she has been crushed by losing her job on top of her mortgage skyrocketing because of the credit crunch. Wants more tax breaks for alternative energy (solar, wind, hybrids) than Hummers. Says college students are getting killed by interest rates. Is a Democrat, but is thankful Susan is such a moderate and that she is wise. WAKE UP DEMOCRATS!!! SHE IS ****NOT**** A MODERATE.

Susan: We treasure our open spaces, having clean water etc. The environment is a challenge (It is?) Wants to increase CAFE standards which would also reduce foreign oil.
Says Global Climate Change is a crucial issue. She went to Antarctica (in Alaska?) with the University of Maine and that the impact of climate change is huge. Says China is about to become a larger producer of greenhouse gases than US.

[ticapnews]

6. Jim from Gardiner

Wants to know why we can't use satellite and surveillance technology to see terrorists in Iraq (Why can't we see the guy digging a hole to bury a bomb?).

Susan - That's something she has asked military and intelligence leaders. There is a lot of money going into R&D to get the new technology and get it into the hands of the soldiers and Marines (Marines aren't soldiers?). The military is also improving the ability to withstand the blast. (Great, the vehicle withstands the blast and all the soldiers inside are maimed)

[ticapnews]

7. Margaret thanks Susan for her service...

No one can complain about what you do for us. BULLSHIT!

Wants to know about the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Susan gives us a history lesson on the AMT. Wants to do away with the tax altogether. Doesn't explain how the wealthiest would still end up paying taxes if we got rid of it completely. Voted to end the tax, but the bill failed. Says it is a back-door tax.

[ticapnews]

8. Charlie from Waterville...

Health care - Michael Moore on Oprah and an insurance spokesman. There is a bill in Congress to provide health insurance, and the insurance company guy said people should contact Senators and tell them to support it.
Also talks about unfair trade agreements (in particular Peru). Wants a fair playing field for Maine workers.

The Workers Free Choice Act: Susan voted against it. Says CEOs are making excessive money, people are losing benefits. People need democracy in the workforce.

Susan talked today about SCHIP and is very much in favor - and will vote to override the veto if it comes. It covers 14,500 children in Maine. This will cover another 11,000.

Says the Peru trade agreement is in committee, hasn't seen it.

Says she strongly disagrees on Free Choice Act. Says there would not be a secret ballot, so it's a bad idea.

[ticapnews]

9. Russ from Falmouth

Health care: Difficult to get insurance if not through employers. Anthem just raised rates 1000/month. Where do you stand on universal health care? (This should be good)

Our goal should be universal health care coverage.

BUT - we should build on the current system. Many people want private health plans and want to choose their own doctors etc. Wants to use the tax code and give credits to the uninsured to help them afford it. 72% of people who are uninsured are in a family where either they or a spouse are with a small employer - has proposed tax credit for small business (<50 workers) to provide health coverage. The bill would also provide money to states to set up buying co-ops. Says there are multiple approaches to solve the problem.

Is working towards a greater investment in biomedical - 20% of Medicare money is spent towards treatment of diabetes and biomed might reduce that.

Susan says the vote on SCHIP is coming soon. Doesn't want to miss a vote.

She'll take 2 more questions...

[ticapnews]

10. From Bucksport

2 questions: Illegal amnesty program they are sneaking through the defense budget.

Also about the Plame case - the agent who was outed. His question is if Mr. Kennedy (Fitzgerald?) knew it was Armitage who leaked it, why did he go after Libby and put the reporters in prison. He wants the prosecutor put in prison.

Susan opposed the illegal immigration bill that was proposed. Doesn't want to see 12 million people deported. Wants an expedited path to citizenship. Is still looking at the amendment that was proposed....


I have to run...sorry all...

[MaineDem]

12. Thank you!

Most of us didn't even know this was taking place.

Obviously she doesn't want to hear from people who disagree with her.

I appreciate the information you've provided.

[luckyleftyme2]

13. well I CERTAINTLY DON'T APPRECIATE IT

IN NO WAY DO I WANT TO GIVE THIS TURN COAT A POSITIVE IMAGE! SHE'S NEVER MISSED A VOTE TO HURT THE LITTLE GUY! SHE'S SIDED EVERYTIME WITH BUSH ON HEALTH-CARE. SHE DEFINETLY NEEDS TO RETIRE FROM PUBLIC OFFICE!
AND TIPPY TELL EVERYONE YOU POST BIG TIME IN "AS MAINE GOES"

[MaineDem]

14. Oh, lucky...

:eyes:

I know "tippy" and we don't have to worry about him being a troll from the other side. Please stop pointing fingers. Remember, for every finger you point at someone else, 4 point back at you.

Please stop bringing up that other site. They don't need the publicity here.

[Maine-ah]

15. oy, here we go again.....

:popcorn:

[MaineDem]

16. I'm not going to go there anymore

I'm tired of wasting my time replying to lucky's posts on what has turned into his private blog.

Probably time to ignore.

But pass the popcorn since you've got it. :)

[Angsty]

17. Why don't you read it

before you bash it? Ticap's comments aren't giving her a positive image.

[ticapnews]

18. Did you even read anything I wrote?

I transcribed as closely as I could the comments from other people and then Susie's responses. I added editorial comment when I had the time. The conference call was moving pretty quickly so there wasn't much time to editorialize, but if you read the bulk of my posts and come away with the impression that I am somehow a Collins supporter who posts a lot over at that site composed of regressive knuckle-draggers you need your head examined. The reason I posted this and other conference calls I have been invited to is to let people know what Susie is telling people and spotlight her lies and weaseling tendencies.

Several people on here know me personally. I have posted in this forum for a few years now, have had LTTE published in several local and national publications and am the Democratic Party town chair where I live. I have volunteered on multiple candidate and issue campaigns, and spent three months in South Dakota fighting the abortion ban last year. You really don't want to be challenging my liberal/Democratic Party bona fides.

I try not to attack others in this forum and am not going to take the bait here. You're free to post whatever you like, however you like. I would ask (as myself and many others have in the past) that you please at least consider changing your posting "style" to something that is a little easier to understand, without the ALL CAPS and the unintelligble, punctuation-deficient mish-mash you currently employ.

[luckyleftyme2]

19. I'VE READ IT ALL

AND under both ur names -srry maine dem-didn't think it was mine anymore than it is yours-and i believe you've been told that before -and not by me!
and tippy -I don't think she needs the exposure in this blog

[ticapnews]

20. So we shouldn't discuss Collins at all here?

Not even to point out when she is lying through her teeth?

You're entitled to your opinion, Lucky, but when she does something newsworthy I think we're going to post about it. If people were falling over themselves to sing her praises I might see it your way, but that isn't what's happening here.

And to think I get accused of being a blind partisan on other sites :D

[MaineDem]

21. No idea what you're talking about

Again.

And my apologies to the Maine DUers...legitimate DUers. I'm not going continue this battle of wits with an unarmed opponent. I now have two people on ignore and I'll do my best to leave it at that. Not bad for the many years I've been at DU.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

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