Sen. Susan Collins is a nice lady and I am sure she has done a lot in her many years in the U.S. Senate. The Republicans are pouring a great deal of money into her advertising campaign, but I wonder why they won’t let her talk for herself in the ads. She just stands there, smiling.

Collins must have done more in the last six years than advocate for rural hospitals and clean water. Many of our rural hospitals have had to affiliate with larger hospitals in order to survive. Locally, St. Mary’s has had to give up its emergency service and both hospitals have specialized in certain areas and dropped others. Although I suppose this is some form of efficiency, patients wind up being shuttled between hospitals and running up bigger bills.

Separately, I can’t support Garrett Mason in his run for governor. I tried to talk to him about an issue I had several years ago when he represented my district. He is a a talker, not a listener. His ads promote his truthfulness, but it is his version of the truth, not that of his constituents. In my experience, he has a personality much like former Gov. Paul LePage. Mason wouldn’t make a good governor.

My words are among the many silent who agree. We don’t have the money to buy expensive ads … but we vote. The powers in control are trying to change voting laws to take that.

Marilyn Burgess
Leeds