Sen. Susan Collins Opposes the Biden Agenda

This morning’s Wall Street Journal shares an excerpt from a speech Sen. Susan Collins delivered in the Senate on Sept. 28.

She rose to explain her opposition to the Biden legislative agenda. At a time when more and more people believe that shouting and preening constitutes politics, it is good to hear a senator offer a cogent analysis of the problems with the Biden agenda:

Rather, it is creating entitlement programs untethered to work that would fundamentally change incentives for our families, our communities, our society, and our economy, depriving people of their dignity and eroding their ability to provide for themselves and their families. Absent a pandemic or other crisis, Washington should not simply write monthly checks, creating dependency among those who could have a better life. The federal government’s obligation is not fulfilled by simply sending a check, washing its hands of any responsibility to actually help people achieve self-sufficiency.

She continued:

It appears that this Administration is moving toward the left’s proposal for a guaranteed minimum income regardless of one’s ability to work. Never forget that the first version of the Green New Deal included a guaranteed income for those “unable or unwilling to work.” Mr. President, we must not go down that path.

We will not build a more prosperous, just, and equitable society characterized by opportunity, dignity, and meaning just by issuing government checks. The time-tested way to achieve those goals for American families is by supporting and rewarding work. It is by recognizing the dignity of work. And that is the tradition that we must continue to embrace.

Cue the applause.