Party Line? Snowe Way!

Today, the Senate Finance Committee finally held a roll-call vote on the Baucus Plan for Health Care Reform.

As expected, the GOP members of the committee voted against the measure -- that is except for Maine Senator Olympia Snowe. Snowe is known for bucking her Party's dictates, with only 58.4% of her votes being with her Party. (This independence should come as no surprise as 40% of Maine's voters are registered as Independents and only fellow Maine Sen. Susan Collins has a lower party unity score of 58.1%.)

With Snowe voting with the Democrats, the final vote was 14 to 9, passing the measure. Although she does note that there are aspects of the Bill which she does not like, she does risk retribution from her own party for not following its dictates -- specifically a potential threat which could cost her important committee memberships.

So if she doesn't like the Bill as it stands and can risk political retribution, why vote "Yes" on the Bill?

Because she actually listens to her constituents in Maine and seeks reforms which will benefit all Americans:

When finding out that Senator Snowe's vote would move the Bill out of committee with all-important bi-partisan support, he called the Senator "extraordinarily diligent" in her work on this effort.

We think Senator Snowe makes some good points while justifying her vote today -- and no matter how you fall on the spectrum of political ideology, we should take comfort that there are still legislators who are willing to defy their handlers and vote their conscience. Even if it is just for today.