Why does Sen. Olympia Snowe oppose the health care bill? She voted for the reform in a meaningless committee vote — a show of “nonpartisanship” — but has opposed it ever since. None of the reasons she has given for her opposition hold water.

She said she would not support a bill with a public option, but this bill has no public option.

She said the bill would be too expensive, but the Congressional Budget Office determined it would reduce the deficit.

She said it would not cut medical costs, but most economic analysts argue it will.

She said, both in August and again in December, that the bill was proceeding too quickly, but the floor debate over the bill was the second longest in the Senate’s history.

So what’s the real reason?

The Republican leadership knows that health care is hugely popular.

They know they have no ideas: The only “reform” they produced while in power was a budget-busting, cost-inflating taxpayer giveaway to the pharmaceutical companies. (Strangely, Sen. Snowe voted for that one!)

They know that if the democratic Congress passes authentic reform, they will be doomed to minority status for years to come. Their only hope to regain power is to ensure that the Democrats fail, and they have pressured Snowe to help them do so, despite the voices of her constituents and the inevitable judgment of history.

She has buckled under the pressure and is now flailing around madly trying to justify her decision.

James Richter, Lewiston