U.S. Sen. Susan Collins says it is too early to start campaigning, but seems it is not too early to start “Swift-boating” her opponent, U.S. Rep. Tom Allen. Not only does Collins vote with the Bush/Cheney policies, it looks like she is running her campaign using their playbook.

An out-of-state, anti-union group is criticizing Allen for supporting the Employee Free Choice Act, which is a bill that the House approved last year to give employees the power to form a union through a process called “majority sign up.” If a majority of employees sign a card approving a union, the employer must accept it. Current law requires a secret election.

Collins joined Senate Republicans to block the legislation from coming to a vote.

We need to listen to what Collins says, but more important, we need to watch what she does.

Diane Poirier, Lewiston