Collaborator! An ominous, ringing word - conjuring images of betrayal, treason, and disloyalty.

A collaborator is a sell-out; a quisling. A person who - for their own selfish ends - works to undermine his own country and takes up the cause of the enemy.

The collaborator - lacking in conscience - places his personal well-being ahead of the common good, despite what harm his treasonous actions may bring to those around him.

Perhaps the most infamous collaborator in history was Judas Iscariot, whose "deal" with Jewish leaders fulfilled the scriptures' foretelling of a traitor who would betray Jesus.

Can there be any lower form of life than a collaborator? Many a nation's fate has hinged on that ONE person, who sold out his country and became a collaborator.

The term "collaborate" (from 1817) originates from the French "collaborateur."  It was used during the Napoleonic Wars to describe smugglers trading with England.

Collaboration - defined as "traitorous cooperation with the enemy"- dates from 1940; in reference to those who helped Nazi Germany following the French defeat in early World War II.

After the Americans liberated Paris in summer, 1944, young French women, who had collaborated (slept with) with German officers, were seized by their outraged peers, and had their hair sheared with animal clippers - then a swastika was painted on their bare scalps.

Remarkably, in all the long history of American foreign wars, there was but one famous collaborator, Benedict Arnold, whose name (to this day) will forever signify infamy.

And now, for the first time, we are engaged in a sordid, domestic form of warfare - the people vs. their OWN Congress! And could there be a new Senate collaborator who now lurks amongst them?

A new ominous chapter in American history is being written: our nation experiences the anomaly of an ELECTED Congress, who's taken sides  AGAINST their own constituents! And a rebellious electorate now speaks in one unanimous voice: "we don't want to be forced to buy Government health insurance." 

But the defiant Democratic Congress - in search of "collaborators" - refuses to listen: 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi only needs 14 "Blue Dogs" to get to a 218 victory margin in the House; and it’s very possible that she could beg, borrow, or bribe that many votes when the September session begins. Currently, the Democrats hold 257 House seats.

But with the loss of Ted Kennedy, the Democrat's 60 seat filibuster-proof cushion in the Senate is now vulnerable - except for the possibility of a Republican "collaborator." And many believe Senator Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, just might provide that sorely-needed 60th vote.

Snowe is a Republican in name only. She comes from Maine, a sparsely-populated state who's inhabitants support her by a overwhelming margin of 70%.

Given that the public option is all but a certainty in the House, Snowe has introduced a Senate version involving a so-called “trigger:” e.g., a public option would be triggered only if private insurance companies fail to deliver on what would be a pre-determined point on "fair and affordable coverage"

But what is "fair and affordable?"

This is what so overwhelmingly frightens Americans: ONE senator - who represents a state of just 1.25 million - now holds the long-term fate of over 300 million; and Snowe's history of voting is indicative that she answers to no one but herself!

And ironically, Snowe is the only Senator floating the trigger idea, which is the Democrats' last hope for getting any type of public option passed by traditional Senate rules.

Absurdly, Snowe seems to be under the delusion that there is a great deal of national support for such an idea. Thus, she is the only one of the "Gang of Six" (Senate Finance Committee) actively working to see it implemented in a final bill.

(Quote) “It is important to get it to be a bipartisan initiative, given the dimensions of health care reform, and the implications to all Americans,” said Ms. Snowe. “Every American will be affected one way or the other under this.”

That's right Olympia dear - EVERYONE in America will suffer, because of one person - YOU, and your mindless collaboration. There are over 250 million people who DO NOT want any part of government-controlled healthcare!

The Senate version of Olympia's "Snowe Job" is as follows:

1) a "mandate" on every American to buy insurance or face tax penalties. 

2) a public insurance option, but only as a “trigger’’ if private insurers fail to rein in premium costs. 

3) new regulations allowing consumers to compare insurance plans, and requiring insurers to accept all customers regardless of pre-existing conditions.

Ms. Snowe says she wants the public to understand..."Something needs to be done to remove the deep anxiety facing people because of the lack of health insurance.”

But Olympia Snowe - on perhaps the biggest ego trip of her life - now becomes the one CAUSING the rampant anxiety: 

Snowe is keeping millions of Americans awake at night, wondering if their lives are about to be turned upside down by a determined Democratic Congress, and one single Republican who could enable the nightmare of government healthcare to become reality. 

Snowe remains the potential turncoat - co-operating with scheming Democrats to slap a phony "bipartisan" label on any health care plan, even though she is the ONLY Republican backing it.