Before running against Sen. Collins, I was the majority leader in the Maine Senate, where I had introduced and successfully passed a prescription drug pricing bill designed to force the pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs in Maine for the same price they were selling them in Canada. It was a tough fight that went all the way to the US Supreme Court but we stuck with it, and in the end we won a version of that plan.

Back then, Senator Collins suddenly (and momentarily) saw the light, and co-sponsored a bill that would...wait for it... allow importation of certain drugs from Canada at prices far below what we were paying in the U.S. After the election, the bill was shoved aside by Republican leaders and hasn't been heard from since.  

As USA Today's Walter Shapiro (now at Salon.com) pointed out back then, "me-too" Republicans have been trying to muddy the debate since the days of FDR:

This year [2002], Republicans have been particularly adept at clouding the debate over prescription-drug benefits for Medicare recipients by touting their own plan, which passed the House on virtually a party-line vote. Voters crave stark differences, not complex arguments over rival pieces of legislation.

The Republicans, or at least Sen. Collins, are at it again. But the political climate in 2008 is a lot different than it was in 2002, and this time we won't let them get away with it. 2002 was a tough year for Democrats, with war fever gripping the nation. Even the great hero Max Cleland lost his seat when Republicans accused him of being "unpatriotic."  In my own race against Sen. Collins, I spoke out against the war (to the great consternation of more than a few political consultants)--not a politically popular thing to do in those days. We ran a good race but in the end we lost.

This year, my friend Tom Allen is running against Sen. Collins (and I'm running for his open seat). As a member of the House, Tom had the courage to stand up and vote against the war. His convictions are not election-year conversions but the life-long principals of a true progressive who has also worked hard in Congress to help our seniors pay a decent price for their prescription drugs.

Our healthcare system is broken, but drafting letters and calling for resolutions isn't going to fix it. A "me-too" senator who is unwilling to fight for what is right won't get us anywhere. We need bold ideas, big solutions, and the courage to stand up to the pharmaceutical and insurance companies that will block our way. I'm running to represent Maine's first congressional district (Tom's open seat) in Congress, and I look forward to continuing my work on this issue. (You can visit my campaign at ChelliePingree.com.) But, obviously, it will take a large majority of us who are willing to stand together against the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbyists and pass real meaningful healthcare reform that will improve people's lives. For that, we'll need people like Tom Allen in the United States Senate.  

Will you join me in supporting Tom? http://actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18 023

(Also posted at TurnMaineBlue.com and my Campaign Journal.)