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Bill Burgess of Portland is a partner with North Bridge Venture Partners. He currently serves on the board of Issue One, a leading crosspartisan political reform group, and is a founding member of The Council for American Democracy, a nationwide coalition of citizens dedicated to preserving our democracy.
Sen. Susan Collins has long been known for her measured approach to governance, her independence, and her willingness to put principle above party. Today, as American democracy faces an unprecedented challenge from an executive branch determined to expand and consolidate power in ways that defy the rule of law, our republic needs leaders like her to act with courage and conviction — before it’s too late.
Our republic was founded on the principle of checks and balances — a system designed to prevent any one branch of government from amassing too much authority. The framers of our Constitution understood that concentrated power, regardless of its source, is a threat to liberty. That’s why they granted Congress specific powers to serve as a check on the executive branch and to protect against overreach.
Today, I speak for many concerned Mainers when I say that the current Trump administration is eroding these very foundations and threatening the freedom of every citizen.
We are witnessing the White House and its loyalists attack the independence of the judiciary, disregard the rule of law, and use executive power to intimidate states, municipalities, private businesses, and individuals who oppose — or are merely perceived to oppose — its policies. Free speech is being stifled not by laws, but by the ever-present fear of retribution. Elon Musk, an unelected billionaire who bought his way into Trump’s inner circle, now fancies himself as the final authority on spending and governance.
In recent days, the president has taken aggressive action to bring independent agencies under the control of the White House, abruptly firing the two Democratic commissioners sitting on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Prior to that, a Democratic member of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) also reported that Trump was attempting to improperly remove her from her seat.
These agencies were established by Congress to operate independently from the president. Yet these actions appear to be nothing more than an attempt to seize power without accountability.
The president also issued a sweeping, and likely unconstitutional, executive order attempting to assert broad control over U.S. elections, authority that the Constitution largely grants to the states and Congress.
Through it all, Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives remain silent — some out of loyalty, others out of fear.
We expect the Senate, and Sen. Collins, to act with greater urgency to protect our system of checks and balances.
This is not a partisan issue. This is not about left or right, Democrat or Republican. This is about the very survival of our constitutional system. Our elected leaders took an oath to defend the Constitution and exercise their oversight authority to check executive power.
If Congress does not step up, it risks becoming nothing more than a ceremonial body.
Sen. Collins’ voice carries weight. She has already spoken out against this administration’s handling of congressionally appropriated funds, and she has voiced her opposition to the president’s Canada tariffs. We urge her to continue standing up for and defending our Constitution. She has the platform, the experience, and the credibility to push back against this dangerous overreach.
Collins’ independence made her a national figure. This is her defining moment. Maine needs her, America needs her, the Constitution needs her. The time for action is now.