Good morning on this first day of December!! Here is today’s newsletter from Indivisible Bangor.
Following this newsletter is Emanuel’s Daily Action Email from Augusta -a great list of important actions and information.
Also, actions from Hancock County Democrat: Action 183 – We Need Nurses (11/24), that discusses the U.S. Department of Education’s plan to reclassify a number of professions, such as nursing, physician assistants, and social workers, as “not professional” (Newsweek, 11/21), which will adversely affect the way students can borrow money for their education. This is part of the Big Beautiful Bill that was passed this past summer and the MAGA attack on higher education. And it is worth noting that these real professions attract a high number of women to them-this is not a coincidence.
Also, check out the latest from the Bold Coast Civic Alliance (11/24) that asks to save the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and to pressure Apple to take back its donation to Trump’s ballroom.
A lot of research goes into these additional actions, so be sure to read them!
And “thank you” to supporters who have been donating to our ActBlue fund!
Current News:
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Weekly Vigils
Weekly vigils are happening here in the Bangor area!
Tomorrow is the Tuesday Weekly Vigil at the Federal Building in Bangor at 11:00 am, followed by the Wednesday Weekly Orono Vigil from noon to 1:00 pm.
Bangor Visibility Brigade
Fridays
The week finishes with the Visibility Brigade on Fridays. Join the brigrade 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
Home Depot Saturdays
For the next three Saturdays of holiday shopping, we will be out on Stillwater Ave at noon for one hour, across from the entrance to the Home Depot shopping center. Contact George for more info!
Upcoming Events:
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Shopping Boycott
Still Happening Today–
THIS Black Friday Weekend
November 27 – December 1
We Ain’t Buying It
From Ezra at Indivisible National:
What we’re experiencing in America now is strikingly similar to what other democracies that have collapsed into authoritarianism have experienced.
Yes, it’s a right-wing government passing right-wing laws that cut healthcare to give tax cuts to right-wing donors. But the fight is over more than just the national legislature or with the executive branch. In an authoritarian breakthrough moment, the regime attacks or co-opts other sources of power in a society as well — media, law firms, universities, businesses, political critics, and even comedians.
We’ve seen this story play out again and again — in Serbia under Milošević, Hungary under Orbán, Turkey under Erdoğan, Russia under Putin. The regime guts the judiciary, shutters newsrooms, attacks universities, brands NGOs as foreign agents, undermines the political opposition, bullies businesses into submission, and even drives satirical shows off the air.
And now we’re seeing it in America.
Businesses are caving to regime pressure or simply obeying in advance. Since Trump took office, we’ve seen corporations and billionaires rush to bend the knee. The list is so long it can feel like cowardice is just part of the culture now:
- Companies like Target preemptively ended their DEI and trans-inclusive policies.
- Companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft forked over millions to Trump’s inauguration slush fund.
- Companies like Spotify are running ads to recruit for the regime’s secret police.
- Companies like Facebook/Meta, Comcast, and T-Mobile helped fund the destruction of the East Wing of the White House.
- Media companies like ABC and CBS have embarrassed themselves with a pro-Trump lurch away from real journalism.
I could go on, but you get the gist: A huge number of companies have decided that their interests are best advanced by throwing their lot in with the regime. For those collaborators and capitulators, it’s simply a business calculation. And that’s why it’s time for us to change the math.
This Black Friday weekend, we’re joining with a super-team of organizers — the Target Three, Black Voters Matter Fund, Until Freedom, Working Families Party, 50501, and more — to issue a shared collective call: We Ain’t Buying It.
We Ain’t Buying It is a movement action to flex our power by zeroing in on three targets — companies who have, each in their own way, enabled Trump’s agenda:
Home Depot has allowed its parking lots to become ground zero for ICE raids on immigrant day laborers, and its billionaire co-founder Bernie Marcus has funneled millions into Trump’s campaigns.
Target, which once branded itself as the friendly, inclusive big-box store, has now scrapped its DEI goals and scaled back LGBTQ+ offerings to avoid angering the regime.
Amazon didn’t just shower Trump’s inauguration with cash — Jeff Bezos’ company pitched facial-recognition tools to ICE and powers the Palantir systems ICE uses to track and deport immigrants, making Amazon a core contractor for the regime’s deportation machine.
(Amazon owns Audible.com, Whole Foods Market, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios, Ring doorbell cameras, and other companies, so keep those in mind, too-George).
We want to concentrate our focus on three notable consumer-facing enablers because we’ve seen that organizing is far more effective when it is concentrated and easy to join in on.
That doesn’t mean our three targets are the only problem. But if we can get their attention and provide impetus for them to shape up, we’ll send every other consumer-facing company the message that even a quiet decision to enable this administration might trigger widespread consumer outrage.
And that message, if we land it, will be heard all across the corporate world. Then, rinse and repeat!
Town Hall with Matt Dunlap
Tomorrow Night
December 2, 2025
About this event
“I’m excited to invite you to a town hall in Bangor! This is a chance for us to sit down together, talk about the issues that matter most to Maine families, and hear directly from you.
“I’ll share my vision for Maine, answer your questions, and listen to your concerns. I’ve always made it a priority to be accessible to voters, and I look forward to having an open conversation with you.
“I hope you can join me — bring your questions, ideas, and your voice!”
The Norman Minsky Lecture Hall is located on the third floor of the Library. It is accessible by stairs or elevator.
Sign up here.
Tuesday, December 2
6:30 – 7:30pm EST
Bangor Public Library
145 Harlow St
Bangor, ME 04401
Home Depot Picketing
Saturday, 12/6
We had a nice turnout on Saturday, 11/29, that sunny, but windy day. Our signs were clear and visible to the drivers on Stillwater Ave in Bangor, both passing by and going in and coming out of the Home Depot shopping center. While we got a few “fingers,” a few thumbs down, and a few drivers hollering at us, the overwhelming response was supportive honks, thumbs up, and waves & smiles!
We will be out there every Saturday at noon for the next three Saturdays with our signs for an hour to inform people about Home Depot’s complicity with and support of the Trump administration.
Other News:
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A great action from Indivisible Chicago Northwest:
Help elect another fighter to Congress- Phone Bank Today
We’ve got one more chance to stomp the regime at the ballot box in 2025: Aftyn Behn in Tennessee 7.
She’s a state representative and former Indivisible organizer who can flip a Tennessee district that Trump won by double digits if we turn out enough voters.
Join a phone bank on Dec 1 to flip this critical seat!
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? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing? Volunteer with Indivisible Bangor! You level of involvement is up to you!
Weekly member meetings are on Zoom with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. Please click the link below 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!
Donate to a Food Bank or Pantry
The shutdown is over, but the need is not. There are still cuts to programs that help people with food and other needs.
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!
Also, this just in from Newsweek: “SNAP Benefits Update: USDA To ‘Completely Deconstruct’ Program”. The battle continues.
The Maine ICE Watch Hotline
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.
| Other Ways to Take Action (Courtesy of Indivisible Cumberland County: Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline Training: Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. Action Alert on LD 1917: Contact Governor Mills and tell her to sign into law this bill to protect Maine’s immigrant communities, workforce, public safety, and future! Donate to the Maine Solidarity Fund: Fund pools resources from across communities into a shared fund we can draw from immediately when urgent needs arise. NO I.C.E. for Maine: Learn more about this effort to reign in ICE. |
Stop the Military Occupation of American Cities!
Charlotte Joins the List of American Cities Occupied by Trump’s Troops, New Orleans is next on their list
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!
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 Emanuel’s morning Call to Action:
Action Monday December 1st: Keep Maine’s Rural Libraries Open – Submit Comments to The Maine Library Commission
Good Morning Folks, December here, now. Cold weather coming in. If you still have stuff growing outside cover it for the next few days! I know the list below is long and daunting – pick one thing to do this week, or a couple, whatever you can do adds to the power of our resistance. Thanks for engaging.
Top Action to Take Today:
The Maine Library Commission has delayed a vote taken recently to require small public libraries throughout rural Maine to hire a lead librarian, and stay open a specific number of hours weekly. Libraries that do not conform to the rule would not be eligible for inter-library loans or the digital lending services the state provides. No funds were offered to small libraries to meet this new rule. This ruling, if enacted would affect libraries all over the state, and force closings and restrict services. Please email Brian Cundick, Chair of the Commission, at bryce.cundick@maine.edu, to let him know you oppose this ruling and why. For more details on this situation and what libraries would be affected go to the Maine Monitor’s article on this issue. We should not be making it harder for small, rural, all volunteer libraries to operate in Maine. Knowledge is power. (Thanks to Elisabeth for this lead.)
(The Library Commission, a 17-member board appointed by the Governor, is broadly representative of the state’s library community. The Commission establishes the policies and operations of the State Library, gives advice and makes recommendations on the expenditure of state and federal funds, and establishes guidelines and policies for statewide library programs.)
More Actions Today if You Have the Bandwidth
The Department of Homeland Security is trying to purge new Mainers—and naturalized citizens everywhere– from voter rolls by creating a “citizenship” check system that could wrongfully keep eligible citizens from voting. They are doing this by using (abusing) private voter data that the Trump administration culled from Social Security files—in flagrant violation of the Privacy Act. DHS is taking public comments on this effort until Dec. 1. Go here to submit your comment. For a Sample Script go to the end of this email. (You can submit anonymously)
Ask Representatives Pingree and Golden to support the No Unauthorized Force in Venezuela Act bill presented by Seth Moulton and others.
On Tuesday, Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06), along with Reps. Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), and Eugene Vindman (VA-07), announced the introduction of new legislation, called the No Unauthorized Force in Venezuela Act, at a press conference by the House steps.
The No Unauthorized Force in Venezuela Act prohibits the executive branch from spending any federal funds on the use of military inside Venezuela or against Venezuelan forces, including remote or intermittent strikes, unless Congress passes a specific Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF).
Congressman Moulton, a Marine Corps veteran who served four tours in Iraq, emphasized that the legislation is urgently needed in light of recent developments. For a live stream broadcast of his press conference go here.
Masked ICE and Customs and Border Patrol continue to abduct people in Maine. Several of these kidnappings have happened at Home Depots around Maine. Here are a few related actions you can take in response. Ask Governor Mills to let LD 1971 , an act which forbids Maine Law Enforcement and other public offices from doing the work of ICE, go into law. (She can no longer sign it, but she can veto it.)Go here to email or call her at (207) 287-3531. Remember in Nazi Germany, and in many other fascist government take overs, action starts with scapegoating a perceived “outside” group of people such as Immigrants, Jews, Roma, Buddhists, etc.
Last week Trump posted execution threats towards Democratic lawmakers who are all former military/CIA who posted a video asking troops not to obey illegal orders: Ask Pingree and Golden to join the effort begun yesterday by Representative Al Greene to begin impeachment hearings. There is no walking this threat of violence back.
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? The Senate voted down S.J. Res 90 which directs the “cessation of US military involvement in any non-congressionally authorized hostilities with Venezuela.” Both of Maine’s Senators voting against the resolution. Our lawmakers should be demanding an investigation of these murders NOW, as well as a say in stopping a war with Venezuela!! For more information go here.
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.” Even though the Government is “open” now, hunger issues continue for people around the country.
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. According to Indivisible Bangor, Pandora is running the same ICE recruiting adds. Pandora is a subsidiary of SiriusXM. Spotify’s stock has dropped 13% in the past month.
GOT MORE TIME? HERE ARE SOME MORE ACTIONS (just pick one!)
- Ask our Maine Law Makers to Ring the Alarm on Trump’s murder of civilians in the Caribbean: Trump’s orders to blow up boats in the Caribbean because they are carrying drugs is illegal, unconstitutional, and a trial run for what he would like to start doing at home. These killings must be investigated and Trump must be held accountable. Call Pingree, Golden, King and Collins to raise a storm about these killings. Go to 5calls.org for a script. Ask King and Collins why they are not opposing Trump’s military maneuvers against Venezuela.
- Join the Maine People’s Alliance in bringing your story to our Congresspeople: Are your insurance rates going up? Did you lose SNAP benefits – the MPA wants to hear your story and use it to fight for Mainers in the ongoing shutdown budget battle. Fill out this form and tell your story here.
- Call or email our Congressional Representatives to publicly condemn the administration’s use of our Military to create havoc in Blue Cities: It is time to publicly denounce these unconstitutional, king-like actions of our Executive branch. Where is the outrage? Go to 5calls.org for a script on this request.
- Call or write Governor Mills and ask her to Sign LD 1971: Go here to make a comment on this on her website.
- Call Governor Mills and our Congressional Representatives: Ask Mills to deny any request from the Trump administration to deploy National Guard Troops for local law enforcement; Ask our representatives to sound the alarm about the use of US Military to intimidate and harass peaceful, public protests. Go here for wording on this.
- Consider volunteering and/or donating to one of the worthy immigrant support organizations listed below: Capital Area New Mainers Project, Mainers for Humane Immigration, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, (all Maine based), and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center.
Statewide Actions
- More ICE resistance: Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline Training: Get trained to field, verify, and document potential community ICE sightings and provide trusted, reliable information on ICE activity to immigrant communities. NO I.C.E. for Maine (noice4me): Learn more about this effort to reign in ICE.
- Mid Maine Indivisible has a great weekly newsletter – To sign up: go here. Indivisible Bangor has a great daily newsletter and actions go here to sign up. If you are in the Mid Coast area consider joining Audacity – learn more here. The Bold Coast Civic Alliance has a newsletter as well as the Hancock County Democrat. Cumberland County Indivisible newsletter go here. Greater Portland Indivisible, go here. We are developing a great ecosystem for resistance communications in Maine.
- If you know your Maine Representative or Senator is supportive of making ICE accountable in Maine, ask them to join with Representative Cassie Julia to put in a bill to ensure proper identification of ICE agents acting in Maine. Lawmakers in California have introduced legislation requiring the identity and affiliation of ICE agents to be displayed while interacting with the public.
- Check out the No Kings Alliance page for weekly updates about actions that you can take to continue building the pro-democracy movement, building and protecting our communities. (Thank you to Indivisible Mid Maine for this suggestion)
- Check out Graham Platner’s “Un-Shuck The System Tour” Tomorrow! Windham Veterans Center, 2 -3 pm, Mon, Dec 8 @ 5pm Online Town Hall with U.S. Senate Candidate Graham Platner to sign up for any of these go here or go to Grahamforsenate.com
With great appreciation for all the engagement everywhere!
As always, throw a little sand in their gears!
~~Emanuel
Libraries are the mainstays of democracy. The first thing dictators do when taking over a country is close all the libraries, because libraries are full of ideas and differences of opinion, all the things we say we want in a free and open society. So keep ’em, fund ’em, embrace and cherish ’em. — David Baldacci
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 name: Here
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!
