IB News, Tuesday, 11/11:, TODAY- Vets’ Day Rally, Support Your Local Food Bank, New Indivisible Action

Thank you to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund!

Welcome to all the new members on our mailing list!

Here is today’s newsletter from Indivisible Bangor, followed by the great list of important actions and information from our friends at Mid Maine Indivisible, including:
-CURRENT information about the Senate Democrats’ vote to end the shutdown.

Also, actions from Hancock Country Democrat. Click here for a list of more actions from the HCD, including those concerning ICE and more.

Also, check out the latest from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance (11/10) that discusses the privatization of the USPS and the Trump ballroom.

A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!


Current News:

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Weekly Vigils

Weekly vigils are happening here in the Bangor area!

Veteran’s Day Rally is today at 11:00!

TODAY is the Tuesday Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor at 11:00 am and for this week, we are holding our Veteran’s Day rally at this location and time. The next day is the Wednesday Weekly Orono Vigil from noon to 1:00 pm.  

Bangor Visibility Brigade

We finish the week with our Visibility Brigade on Fridays. Join us on the Essex Street overpass at the new time of 3:00 p.m. as we hold letters to spell out messages for the drivers on I-95! Learn more here. Tell them you read about it here!

New Action Planned at Home Depot

Home Depot continues to allow ICE to terrorize, intimidate, and abduct people, non-citizens and citizens alike, from their property.

Home Depot keeps quiet on immigration raids outside its doors (8/19)

As ICE Targets Home Depot Stores, Advocates Say Company Is Failing To Protect Day Laborers (10/31)

US: ICE Abuses in Los Angeles Set Stage for Other Cities (11/4)

We need more volunteers!

We are planning a regular vigil action on Stillwater Avenue in Bangor across from the entrance to Home Depot on Saturdays and we need more volunteers for planning and participating! Please contact George for more information!


Join Indivisible Bangor!

Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? How about helping to organize events, such as rallies and overpass actions or be a peacekeeper? Volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! We have had a huge influx of new members these past few months and to keep up, YOUR skills, connections, and input are needed! 

Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the button to sign up and we’ll help you with the process of becoming a member of Indivisible Bangor!

New members, and current members, too, are invited to join one of our monthly Zoom informational meetings! The next informational meeting for new members is NOVEMBER 20, so sign up and join soon!


New Indivisible Program

From Ezra Levin, Co-Executive Director, Indivisible (National):

Indivisible is launching the largest Democratic primary program we’ve ever run

This isn’t about left vs right. This is about fighting back vs losing. The regime’s threats are too real and the stakes are too high to settle for the feckless, loser version of the Democratic Party we saw this week. As we head into the midterms next year, we need a Democratic Party that inspires and instills pride. In this moment when the fascists are on the march, we need a Democratic Party with a spine.

Our primary program will include both the House and Senate. We will work with Indivisible groups to identify key races, provide support on the ground, and tap into movement energy across the country to boost candidates with a spine. One thing we can say for sure: We will not back any Senate primary candidate unless they call for Schumer to step down as Majority Leader.


Upcoming Events:

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TODAY
Veterans’ Day Rally
Tuesday, 11/11

Join us TODAY, 11/11, to stand with Vets Say No as we collectively refuse to allow growing fascism to be normalized.

We will be at the usual Tuesday vigil location, the Margaret Chase Smith Federal Building & Courthouse, 202 Harlow Street, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. We will have a speaker and please bring signs thanking our veterans as well as donations for food pantries! This will be after the Bangor Veteran’s Day march.


Food AND Medicine Annual Solidarity Harvest
November 13-24

Food and Medicine will be holding its annual Solidarity Harvest next month. Please consider volunteering to help them assemble and distribute locally-sourced meal baskets, each with nearly 30 pounds of produce, which is enough food for 8-10 people. The dates for this year are November 13-24. More information, donation, and sign up is here!


Jordan Wood Is Returning to Bangor!
November 13

Democratic Senate Candidate Jordan Wood is coming to meet you. We’ll be at the Bangor Public Library. Come out to meet Jordan, learn why he’s the strongest candidate to defeat Susan Collins, and hear about what his plans as your next Senator: sweeping campaign finance reform, passing the Ultra-Millionaire Wealth Tax, enact universal childcare and addressing the affordability crisis head on.

Thursday, November 13, 6:00pm-7:30 pm. at the Bangor Public Library.


UMaine Fall 2025 Series:

DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, INCLUSION, AND RELATED DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND POLICIES UNDER ATTACK AT UMAINE AND BEYOND
November 20

In 2025, DEI policies at UMaine and beyond are under attack; students, researchers, and others are threatened and live with great fear and uncertainty. This program will explore these current threats and how we can respond, resist, uphold freedom of speech, and create democratic alternatives. Elliot Benjamin has a Ph.D. from the University of Maine and has been deeply committed to Indivisible Maine and Indivisible nationally, especially in 2025. Doug Allen retired after 46 years as a professor of philosophy at UMaine and has served as Coordinator of the Socialist and Marxist Studies Lecture Series since its inception in the mid-1980s.

Please email Elliot Benjamin (ben496@prexar.com) for more information on this discussion and for the Zoom link.

Thursday, 11/20/2025
12:30-1:45 P.M.
Bangor Room, Memorial Union
The University of Maine, Orono


National Protest in Washington, D.C.
November 20-22, 2025

We the People mean business.  Our presence is our power, and this time we’re showing up with firm demands and intend to change history. Remove the Regime is the moment we’ve been waiting for.

This is not a 50-state protest. On November 22, 2025, we will peacefully descend on the seat of power in Washington, DC to demand that this lawless administration come to an END.

We will no longer tolerate inaction or delay from elected officials as Donald Trump commits actual treason.  We are calling out their complicity in the sabotage of American democracy unless and until they honor their oath.  We are demanding impeachment and removal, and we are demanding it NOW.

We will lobby Congress directly beginning on Thursday, November 20, joined by movement leaders, veterans, artists, pastors, farmers and more. The Dropkick Murphys will headline our main event on Saturday!  


Other News:

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Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry

It is important that we continue the good work we did on No Kings Day on 10/18 in other ways! 

Please DONATE to a local food pantry- food, personal items, and even cash.  Faith Linking in Action maintains a database of all food pantries and free meals– organized by both location and day of the week– in the Bangor area. Check it out here.

Also, ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” If you know of any food drives that are happening, please visit this site to add it to the database!

If you get the paper edition of the Bangor Daily News, the first section of the paper on Friday, October 31, has a list of 260 food pantries.


LEAVING MAGA

Are you someone or do you know someone who wants to leave MAGA? Please visit this site created by a man who was once in MAGA and has since left. Leavingmaga.org


Boycott Spotify

From Ezra and Leah-

Earlier this month, Spotify began running ads to recruit for ICE, making them an active enabler of the hiring spree to build an American secret police force. That’s bad, and if we want there to be consequences for capitulation, we have to be the consequence!

If you’ve joined a weekly “What’s the Plan?” call, you’ve probably heard me and Leah reflect on the lessons from the successful Disney/ABC/Kimmel campaign. The regime bullied, the institution capitulated, the people rebelled, the institution reversed course, and democracy sat up a little straighter the next day.

What worked to influence Disney can work with Spotify! Like Disney, Spotify is a multi-billion dollar corporation that relies on subscriptions. That means we, the paying customers, have real influence.

So on Thursday, Leah and I sent a formal letter to Spotify, pointing out their problematic ads and requesting a meeting. If they do not respond by tomorrow, we’re going to launch a campaign to push them from capitulation to active resistance. Stay tuned for more soon, and come to “What’s the Plan?” on Thursday to discuss next steps.

PANDORA & SIRIUSXM

Note, according to the Huffington Post (10/31) and Rolling Stone (10/15), Pandora is also running ICE recruitment ads. Pandora is a subsidiary of SiriusXM satellite radio. SiriusXM acquired Pandora in 2019 “to form the world’s largest audio entertainment company.”


The Maine ICE Watch Hotline Is LIVE!

The purpose of the hotline is to protect immigrant families by providing accurate, real-time information about ICE and Border Patrol activity and connect Maine families to resources and support services during a time of heightened enforcement and targeting of immigrants and refugees.

Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition ICE Watch Resource Hub.

Read more about it here in this Newscenter Maine article.

Verifying ICE and Border Patrol activity in real time.

(207) 544-9989


Stop the Military Occupation of American Cities!

We cannot allow Donald Trump’s continued use of armed federal agents and the military on American soil to intimidate and terrorize civilians to stand. This cannot be the new norm. The sole purpose of these actions is to intimidate and terrorize the local communities into compliance. Please contact your congressional delegation in Washington to let them know this is unacceptable and un-American. This should not be tolerated in our country!


OBAMACARE Price Hike Info Now Available

Information on premium increases for ACA healthcare plans for a dozen states has been made available, according to a New York Times article “Higher Obamacare Prices Become Public in a Dozen State – Consumers are facing greater costs for their 2026 A.C.A. health coverage as Congress continues to debate whether to extend subsidies that help people afford their premiums.”

From the article, “Based on the newly posted information, a family of four making $130,000 in Maine would face an increase of $16,100 in annual premiums next year.” Such an increase will result in many Mainers simply not having healthcare insurance any longer.

This is what the Democrats in the Senate WERE fighting against. Please contact your Maine senators and let them know you would like them to vote with the Democrats on the Continuing Resolution to extend the ACA tax credits!

Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417


Make Some Calls!

It’s mentioned a few times in these newsletters about calling your representatives in Washington, D.C. It’s one of the most important things we can do and it’s so easy!

Write Some Emails!

If you are more comfortable with sending emails to our Maine congressional delegation in Washington, click the links/buttons. This is a good option if you have lengthy comments or questions.


We are on Blue Sky, Instagram, and Facebook!

Follow us! Invite your friends! Comment! You’ll be glad you did!


We have an easy way to donate to Indivisible Bangor. Drop off your returnable bottles and cans to Ohio Street Redemption in Bangor and tell them to put it on the account of Dave Cox. They’ll add the money to our kitty, mail out a regular check, and the money goes to our bank account to help with our expenses! You can find them here!

****Be sure the attendant writes down “Indivisible Bangor” because several donations have not been credited. Thank you!****

And you can donate here, too! Donations help pay for supplies, website, outreach, and to fund the many upcoming actions in Maine.


Thank you for all you do! – Indivisible Bangor

And now to the Mid Maine Indivisible morning Call to Action:


Action Tuesday November 11th: Join Veteran’s For Peace in Portland + Ask Pingree + Golden to Vote AGAINST the Senate CR Bill 

Good Morning Folks, today is Veteran’s Day. If you are in the Portland area, or are so moved join the Maine Veteran’s for Peace demonstration at 9:30, with a march at 10:00. For the full description of the event go here.

Top Action to Take Today

As you know the Senate voted last night to re-open the government.  8 Democrats who are not standing for re-election in 2026 were picked by their caucus to make the deal. To learn more on how this was a group cave-in, read Ezra Levin’s take on it attached below. The House has to agree with this measure – and no Democrats should go along with what the Senate passed. So, topline action is to ask Representatives Pingree and Golden to vote NO on the Continuing Resolution as passed in the Senate, and demand the inclusion of the ACA tax credits in any bill to re-open the government. Perhaps the House Dems will have more guts than the Senate Dems.

More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth

One bright side of the capitulation of the Democratic Caucus on the CR is that the House will have to reopen. This means that the Speaker will have to swear in Adelita Grijalva who is a recently elected Representative from Arizona. She will be the last vote needed to bring a discharge petition to release the Epstein Files to the floor of the House. Ask your Representative, Pingree or Golden, to vote in favor of the Discharge Petition and then to vote in favor of H.R. 4405 the 

Epstein Files Transparency Act.  For more on this go here.

In light of it being Veteran’s Day, Trump and his gang have started an illegal war through extra-judicial killings in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. A dozen civilian vessels have been blown up and dozens of people killed, with no hearings, no due process. .  Trump wants to distract from his problems at home by creating a “war” on drug traffickers in which he can order anyone he wants killed by claiming they are drug dealers.  What could go wrong? Congress has done nothing about this. Our lawmakers should be demanding an investigation of these murders NOW. For more information go here.

Although the deal put forward by the Senate includes full funding for SNAP benefits, it may not go through. In the meantime, the food emergency will be  gathering force. One approach is to get involved with or start a mutual aid effort if there are no food banks in your area. Here is a resource for starting a mutual aid campaign put together by the No Kings Alliance.  If you have a food bank/soup kitchen in your area send them some money. 

 If you want to find out the food assistance programs nearest you, here is a listing by town. Donating to Good Shepherd or your local food bank is one of the most effective things you could do at this moment. The Winslow Food Cupboard goes all over Kennebec County, If you are able to help, please click here (WCCPantry.com) and then click on the white “Donate Now” button. 

People are ramping up mutual aid efforts. Here is a valuable resource in these hunger times.  The Maine USDA has The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP); this gives out food to organizations which are getting food to hungry people.  Could your school, non-profit, church, synagogue qualify for food?  Go here to find out. 

ActivateMaine has created a site, SNAP Into Action: “a statewide effort to help those who are affected by the freezing of benefits due to the Government shut down.” 

Arts and Politics!

Consider boycotting Spotify and canceling your subscription to them: To participate in the boycott of Spotify for their running of ads recruiting for ICE, visit this Indivisible page for more information, and for ready-made materials you can post online and use in other ways to encourage others to cancel their subscriptions, visit this page.

Fall of Freedom“is an urgent call to the arts community to unite in defiance of authoritarian forces sweeping the nation. Our Democracy is under attack. Threats to free expression are rising. Dissent is being criminalized. Institutions and media have been recast as mouthpieces of propaganda.

This Fall, we are activating a nationwide wave of creative resistance. Beginning November 21–22, 2025, galleries, museums, libraries, comedy clubs, theaters, and concert halls across the country will host exhibitions, performances, and public events that channel the urgency of this moment.” (from their website) They have a toolkit to help with creating graphics, posters, events to join the Art Resistance. (Thank you Connie for this.)

March on DC November 20 – 22 – Remove the Regime! Consider joining this National Event which will combine a march, rally, and congressional lobbying. Go here for more information. This event may involve encounters with Trump’s shock troopers, so please be prepared.

As always, throw a little sand in their gears! 
~~Mid Maine Indivisible


It’s a piece of cake to email or call with these links!

The names of our senators and representatives listed below are links that go right to their official congressional contact form pages. The telephone numbers are links that should open your phone app to call that number. It’s that easy!

Senator Angus King             
DC: (202) 224-5344
Augusta: (207) 622-8292 

Senator Susan Collins         
DC: (202) 224-2523 
Augusta: (207) 622-8414
Bangor: (207) 945-0417

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree      
DC: (202) 225-6116
Portland: (207) 774-5019  
Waterville: (207) 873-5713  

Congressman Jared Golden         
DC: (202) 225-6306 
Bangor: (207) 249-7400
Caribou: (207) 492-6009 
Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Find your State Representative
By nameHere
By district: Here

Find your State Senator:
By name: Here
By district: Here

Our government in Augusta:

Governor Janet Mills
Email Governor Mills
Call (207) 287-3531

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows
Contact Secretary Bellows
Call (207)626-8400

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey
Contact Mr. Frey
Call (207) 626-8800

Questions or comments? Contact George!


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