Indivisible Bangor

Author: Mitchell Cooper

  • IB News: Tuesday, 6/2: 🌈Pride and PrejudICE

    IB News: Tuesday, 6/2: 🌈Pride and PrejudICE

    Happy Pride Month! Trump’s Republican regime wants the LGBTQ+ community to be invisible. Pride has always been both celebration and protest. We stand with you, indivisible.

    Check out upcoming pride events here or head over to Bangor Pride’s site for a full calendar and info.

    We are in the final stretch of the Democratic Primaries! By now you should either have voted early or assembled your primary voting day plan so you can VOTE on Tuesday 6/9. There are a ton of great candidates on the ballot (yay for ranked choice, am I right?) and Indivisible Bangor has endorsed a couple of them:

    Check out Graham and Matt’s upcoming Get Out the Vote events on our events page. Head over to Maine People’s Alliance to see their 2026 Legislative Scorecard. It will help underscore how important your vote is.

    ❗Get out and VOTE in the primaries!

    HAPPENING TONIGHT

    ICE Watch Verifier Training
    PRESENTE! Maine

    June 2, 2026 – Tuesday – 5:00 pm

    By signing up as an ICE Watch verifier, you’ll help verify reports of ICE operations in Maine and help create a safer environment for our neighbors.

    Register

    Keeping Up With the Chaos

    It’s been two weeks since the last newsletter – so much has happened that it feels more than a little overwhelming. If you are feeling it too, you’re not alone! Spend time taking care of your mental health – it’s easy to feel the soul-crushing weight of the absolute insanity and corruption of this regime. Every passing day it feels like we’ve turned into three casinos in a trenchcoat pretending to be a country.

    I had intended on writing another snarky article here, but Indivisible sent out an excellent article about the situation happening at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility concentration camp. I will instead post the article in its entirety here but first -ICE has not gone away. They’ve just started blending in better. They are still terrorizing people every day in these camps like Delaney Hall, Camp East Montana in El Paso, the Whipple building in Minneapolis, and in the streets here in Portland and Lewiston. I don’t know if they have a new “cheeky” operation name this time around, but they have definitely increased activity.

    Everyone should attend ICE verifier training tonight (it’s linked above). Check out our ICE resources and read up on Action 230 with more info. Our community needs us and the best time to act is now.

    Read Indivisible’s article below (and subscribe!):

    I wrestled with how to write about the crisis at Delaney Hall. Rather than give you a screed, I collected my own thoughts by just writing down what I know. I hope it’s useful.

    • What is Delaney Hall? The Delaney Hall Detention Facility is an immigration concentration camp in Newark, New Jersey with more than 1,000 beds. It’s one of many other such facilities that play a major role in Trump’s multi-billion-dollar mass deportation agenda. 
    • Who funds and runs it? Delaney is federally funded and privately run for profit. GEO Group, ICE’s single largest contractor, received a $1 billion contract from ICE to run it. GEO operates more than a dozen similar ICE-funded camps around the country. 
    • Who’s being held there? Human beings. Immigrants who’ve been here for decades. Parents and spouses of US citizens, Dreamers like the 18-year-old pulled out weeks before her high school graduation, pregnant women, the elderly, and overwhelmingly people with no criminal records at all. People who are detained do much of the facility’s own labor — cooking, cleaning, repairs — for as little as $1 per day.
    • What are the conditions like inside? Horrible. There are reports of maggot-ridden food, overcrowding, extreme heat, scalding showers, and dangerously inadequate healthcare — no doctor on site, and Tylenol handed out for everything from cancer to chronic disease. 
    • Why are we just hearing about it now? Delaney has been a flashpoint for over a year. But on May 22, a few hundred detained people organized a hunger and labor strike, followed by solidarity protests outside the building. Then it escalated:
      • Last weekend, ICE agents pepper-sprayed press and protestors, including US Senator Andy Kim.
      • This past weekend, Gov. Sherrill sent in state police that used tear gas, flash-bangs, rubber bullets, and mounted units to attack protestors and press; Proud Boys counter-protestors showed up; and the city set a curfew.
    • What are the protestors inside and out demanding? Local Indivisible members are among the throng of protestors. Immigrants detained inside Delaney are bravely demanding dignity, due process, and the freedom to be with their families. They want Delaney and all detention centers closed down. They demand that the most vulnerable — particularly the elderly, the young, and the seriously ill — be released, and investigations into the facility and those running it.
    • What are Republicans doing? Republicans are accepting no blame and are escalating. DHS Secretary Mullin criticized Senator Kim for showing up, and he threatened to effectively shut down the Newark International airport in retaliation.
    • How are Democrats responding? Mixed. Senator Kim has continued to show up and helped keep a spotlight on what’s happening inside the facility. House Minority Leader Jeffries led a delegation inside the facility and said afterwards it “must be shut down immediately.” The Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill has demanded that health inspectors be allowed into the facility, but is also getting lots of criticism for doing her best imitation of George Wallace by directing anger at protesters rather than Trump’s fascist goons.

    The only other relevant thing I know is that all elected officials answer to us. It’s federal funds flowing through private hands tormenting the moms, dads, and kids inside Delaney and camps like it across the country. Congress controls the purse and has oversight power, and members are returning from recess this week to try to pass a reconciliation bill that would shovel billions more to ICE and Border Patrol. Now is the time for us all to act. We’ve got a number of ways to do that in our weekly to-dos.

    In solidarity,
    Ezra Levin
    Co-Executive Director, Indivisible

    Your weekly to-dos

    Congress is in revolt over Trump’s $1.8 billion slush fund. Tell them to pass legislation to block it before a cent is released to January 6 insurrectionists. Trump raiding his own treasury to create his own private budget, bypassing Congress and the Constitution, for that matter, appears to be a bridge too far for many Republicans in Congress. But anonymous statements and expressions of concern aren’t enough. Congress needs to end this corruption now. 

    Show your solidarity with hunger strikers by demanding Congressional action against Trump’s mass detention regime. People detained at Delaney Hall and other detention centers are on hunger strike to protest their captivity and inhumane treatment by ICE. Use the link above to call your representative and demand Congress address the captives’ demands and stop the Trump regime’s inhumane incarceration of our immigrant neighbors. Then, use this link to call your senators, too. 

    If you have a Republican Member of Congress, email them to oppose another penny of funding for ICE and Border Patrol. The scenes outside Delaney over the past week have put ICE and Border Patrol’s brutality and lawlessness on public display once again. And yet, as soon as this week, Congress could hold a vote to hand those thuggish agencies tens of billions more. We need to increase the pressure NOW to peel off enough Republicans to sink the funding bill. 

    Tell Congress to stop Trump’s war with Iran NOW. Republican leadership canceled a vote on a resolution to end the Iran war just before Congressional recess because it appeared the legislation was about to pass the House. This week, amidst new flare ups in the war that could lead to more death and chaos, the vote could come up. Email your representative and demand they vote to end this illegal war now! 

    Send an email to your Members of Congress demanding they block a new war with Cuba — and deliver immediate humanitarian relief to the Cuban people. Even as the war with Iran drags on, the Trump regime is racing toward yet another military conflict 90 miles from the United States. Already, Cubans are starving and hospitals are without power because Trump has imposed a catastrophic blockade on the island. Use our email tool to call for immediate action to prevent war and mass starvation. 

    Take Action

    ❗Sign up to volunteer with the Maine Democratic Party here.

    ❗Tell Congress to pass 100% Tax on payouts from Trump’s $1.8 Billion MAGA slush fund here.

    ❗Tell Congress to say no to payouts for insurrectionists here.

    ❗If you haven’t already, sign the petition to show your support for the implementation of the divestment law and share it with your networks here.

    ❗Tell Congress to protect the right to abortion, including medication abortion, and guarantee meaningful access to abortion for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live, here.

    ❗We are deeply disappointed that Maine Congressman Jared Golden has once again voted against the House War Powers Resolution bill, this time casting the only Democratic vote against the bill, which resulted in the bill being defeated by one vote. Sign the petition to tell Congress about it here.

    ❗Tell Your Republican Representative to Stop Bankrolling ICE Brutality here.

    ❗Head over to take action on our site, or visit 5calls.org to demand Congress take action NOW!

    ❗Learn how to have a successful district office visit with the resources provided by Indivisible! Check it out here.

    Event Submissions

    Got a community, political action, or campaign event? Submit it to be featured on the site and in the newsletter.

    SUBMIT EVENT

    MAINELY NEWS

    ‘Hate has no home here’: Protesters rally against Vance regarding fraud press conference in Bangor

    Protesters gathered outside General Aviation at the Bangor International Airport to rally against Vice President JD Vance regarding his arrival to Maine for a press conference on alleged fraud across the state.

    “I think that it’s really important that there’s a very visible and audible opposition to what’s happening in the country right now,” said Rebecca Hartwell, who came from Cornish to peace keep at the event.

    Read the entire article here.

    Maine Democrats split over taxing 2nd homes in sharp debate exchange

    Maine’s five Democratic gubernatorial candidates debated taxes, housing and the limits of bold promises Wednesday, with the sharpest exchange coming over a proposal to impose higher property taxes on out-of-state second-home owners.

    The dispute offered a rare glimpse of friction in a Democratic field that has been notably collegial. For most of the debate, the five candidates agreed on raising the minimum wage, banning cellphones in classrooms and standing up to President Donald Trump’s administration against healthcare cuts.

    Read the entire article here.

    Bangor bans storing belongings on sidewalk amid homelessness debate

    Bangor city councilors unanimously passed an ordinance Monday night banning the storage of belongings on sidewalks amid rising concern around homeless residents gathering near the public library.

    Councilors made their decision after more than an hour of public comments about the city’s homelessness crisis in a room packed with both supporters and critics of the ordinance.

    Read the entire article here.

    Indivisible Bangor

    Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? Help organize events like rallies and visibility actions? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing? Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor — your level of involvement is up to you!

    Weekly member meetings are on Zoom, with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. As always, check out our Bluesky and Instagram for the latest info.

    SIGN ME UP
    DONATE TO IB

  • Action 230: ICE isn’t out, yet!

    Background:  So you think it can’t happen here, or can’t happen to you, or someone you care about? 
    A few weeks ago, a young US citizen on her way home to Brooksville (where she has lived since birth) was detained for 24 hours in Atlanta.  There was no reason given.  Her mother is from the Philippines, but her father is a descendant of one of the original European settlers of Brooksville. arriving in the 1760s and living here ever since, generation after generation.  She was on a business trip, and had a set of specialized tools with her.  She eventually got her tools back, but ICE did not return all the clothing that was in her suitcase.  This hits too close to home!  You may know of similar cases!

    Action:  The Maine Democratic Party has published an advisory which appeared in the Washington County party email newsletter.  I have edited the contents and present it below in Q and A form.  The links are in blue, and should work if you share it online.  Or, it prints out on two pages, double sided is best. You could print it out, and discuss with your local Dem committee.  Maybe there are some actions you as a group decide to undertake.  Resist!

    To fill the rest of this page:  the following sign also came from the Washington County Democrats’ email.  Just about every Republican friend I have has un-enrolled by now.  Share freely.

    ICE Out!

    From the Maine Democratic Party – “As we continue to monitor ICE activity across the state, we know how important it is to find ways to support our communities. Included in this email is vetted guidance and a comprehensive list of resources that you can use and distribute amongst your networks. Please know that this crisis is top of mind for all of us at MDP and we will continue to share updates and additional resources as they become available.”

    Q.  What information should I share on social media?

    A.   Please do not share information that will cause needless fear for immigrant communities at this already-stressful time. As always, only share verified, accurate information. ILAP, the ACLU of Maine, and the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Maine School of Law have put together this resource if you are looking for accurate Know Your Rights and other materials to share with your networks: https://www.aclumaine.org/preparingforice/

    Q.  What rights do immigrants have?
    A.  All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. These include:

    • The right not to open the door to your home to ICE, unless the agent has a signed judicial warrant.
    • The right to ask an ICE officer, “Am I free to leave?”
    • The right not to answer an immigration officer’s questions and to tell an immigration officer, “I choose not to say anything.”

    Importantly, even if someone exercises their rights, ICE may ignore them and still detain them. If ICE tries to detain someone, they should do their best to stay calm and not run away or resist arrest. Learn more: https://www.aclumaine.org/preparingforice

    Q.  What do I do if I see immigration enforcement officers?
    A.  Some or all of the following:

    • Complete this form if you believe an immigration officer has violated someone’s rights.  It links to ACLU legal assistance. 
    • Make sure you know your rights regarding filming an ICE arrest or encounter: Filming Immigration Enforcement in the U.S.  Use visuals and photos and amplify on social media and the press. However, please be cautious about sharing photos of people’s faces without consent and take other steps necessary to protect each other.  Remember that just being an innocent bystander can result in being profiled and indiscriminately targeted.
    • Report what you’ve seen to Maine’s ICE Watch Hotline at 207-544-9989.
      Try to remember the SALUTE acronym when reporting:

    S: Size (How many agents?)

    A: Actions (What are they doing?)

    L: Location and direction

    U: Uniform or clothing

    T: Time and date

    E: Equipment, including vehicles and license plates


    Q.  How do I make sure my business, school, or place of worship is prepared for ICE enforcement? 

    A.  Learn more here: https://www.aclumaine.org/know-your-rights/service-providers/

    Here are some questions relating to detained persons in your community:  

    Q.  What if my loved one is detained?

    A.  Know Your Rights: What to Do if You or a Loved One is Detained.

    Q.  How can I find my detained loved one?

    A.   Track detained person’s location.

    Q.   What if my loved one is detained at Cumberland County Jail (ME), Two Bridges Regional Jail (ME), or Strafford County Correctional Facility (NH)? 

    A.  Complete this form.

    Q.  What if my loved one is detained at Plymouth County Correctional Facility (MA) or Wyatt Detention Facility (RI)?

    A.   Complete this form.

    Q.  How can I or someone I know who is detained obtain financial help (bail, bond, commissary, etc.)? 

    A.  Visit the Maine Immigrant Resource Hub.

    Q.  How can we encourage Maine businesses not to serve or welcome ICE agents?
    A.  Talk to them.  Encourage them not to serve ICE agents, and to post signs of solidarity with immigrant communities in business windows. Know Your Rights (KYR) materials can be posted in public places and left at businesses and other locations with permission. Take care not to draw particular attention to places where noncitizens might be.  

    Q.  Where can we obtain KYR materials?

    A.  Many are available free, for download. 

    Q.  What else can we do?
    A.  Organize donations to the Maine Solidarity Fund: https://www.mainesolidarity.org/  and check out the Maine Home for All Campaign https://ilapmaine.org/home-for-all

  • Action 229: Slush and corruption!

    This is a long one, friends.  It was written by Mary Hennessy, a retired attorney living in Maine.  After you read it, you will be deeply informed on the issue and ready to write a letter to the editor and/or convince Collins’ staff that we are watching her every move!  It’s OK to first read the Actions, then backtrack to the Background for info.

    Background:

    The “slush fund”: 
    The Judgment Fund is a permanent appropriation created by Congress in 1956. The fund allows the Treasury Department to pay judgements on lawsuits or settle pending claims, generally with judicial approval, without a congressional vote on individual payments.
    This January, Trump, along with his sons and The Trump Organization filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS and the Treasury Department. They alleged the IRS failed to safeguard tax records leaked by a private contractor. Career lawyers at the IRS recommended Treasury contest the suit, setting out their legal reasoning in a 25-page memo. The Justice Department, under the control of acting A.G. Todd Blanche, who is aggressively pursuing appointment as Attorney General (henchman-in chief ) never sent attorneys to appear in court to respond to the suit or to dispute any of the claims.(1)
    Recognizing that Trump, in suing the government he controlled, was on both sides of the case, Presiding Judge Kathleen Williams ordered Trump’s personal lawyers and the Justice Department to brief the threshold question of whether a genuine case existed and scheduled a hearing for May 27.(2)
    In response, Trump dismissed his lawsuit against the IRS and the Department of Justice established the Anti-Weaponization Fund (colloquially the “slush fund”). It requires that the Judgment Fund transfer $1.776 billion to the slush fund to benefit President Trump’s allies, including, apparently, Trump family members and the January 6th insurrectionists who attacked U.S. Capitol police officers. The U.S. Attorney General would be responsible for appointing a five-person commission to administer the payouts. The commissioners would be subject to removal by Trump at any time. A spokesman for Trump’s legal team said in a statement Monday that “President Trump, his family, supporters, and countless other America First Patriots were illegally targeted by the Democrat-led law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Justice, and the IRS.” (3)

    Further corruption:
    The following day, Todd Blanche expanded the settlement agreement to completely bar the IRS from pursuing tax claims against Trump, his family and his businesses. The text of that expansion is attached below the references, as an image. This amounts to quite a windfall. In 2024, The New York Times calculated that a loss in an I.R.S. audit could cost Mr. Trump more than $100 million, and this does not even include the Trump’s crypto currency shenanigans in tax year 2025. (4) What is Trump trying to hide? Would this provision survive in some form if Trump drops his slush fund plan?

    Reaction to Settlement: 
    A significant number of republican senators, clearly concerned with the optics, have come out against it. Mitch McConnell – “So the nation’s top law enforcement official is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops? Utterly stupid, morally wrong – Take your pick,” Thom Tillis – “Imagine that, a fund that is set up to compensate people who assaulted Capitol Police officers and other responding agencies. People that had pled guilty to physical acts against the president may actually be able to get compensated. How absurd does that sound coming out of my mouth?” Senate Republicans were scheduled to vote last week on a $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement. After a heated meeting with Todd Blanche, and under threat by Democrats to raise the slush fund issue as an amendment, they hightailed it out of town for the Memorial Day Holiday. (5)
    The House Judiciary Committee by a 18-17 vote blocked Jamie Raskin’s motion to authorize subpoenas against acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and others. See Raskin’s 10-point fact sheet which clearly sets out why the slush fund and the bar to tax audits of the Trumps are unconstitutional, illegal and fraud on the court. (6)
    There have been a number of federal lawsuits filed to block the funding, including by two of the victims of the January 6 rioters. In another suit brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a federal judge in Virginia (Brinkema) issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Justice from taking any actions to create, fund, or issue payouts from the “Anti-Weaponization Fund” and has set a hearing for June 12. (7)
    Then, a bipartisan group of 35 former federal judges on Wednesday asked the judge in Miami (Judge Williams, who oversaw President Trump’s remarkable lawsuit against the IRS) to reopen the case and consider if the deal was an act of fraud. Judge Williams did reopen the case. She asserted that she was “empowered to investigate serious misconduct” in any case before her, and ordered Mr. Trump’s lawyers to tell her by June 12 whether the lawsuit should be formally reopened because “the court was the victim of a fraud” and whether Trump had colluded with his own government to settle the case “to avoid judicial scrutiny.” (8)

    Action:
    Despite the expressions of outrage, as with all of Trump’s criminal, unconstitutional and dictatorial actions, we predict Congress will not act. Likewise, though the lower federal court judges may do the right thing, the Supreme Court will not. Our current government is not going to take any meaningful action.  There will be no impeachment of Trump, Blanche, or the rest of the accomplices, no special prosecutors appointed. 

    We have to take back the House and the Senate. This illegal settlement of a bogus lawsuit is an issue that everyone who honestly prepares and files their tax return, every law-abiding citizen, every person who values the efforts of law enforcement, and everyone struggling to pay for gas and health insurance should be livid about.  And, they seem to be. Write a letter to the editor. Then write another. Talk to your neighbors and any friends who may be on the fence. Knock on doors. Put out signs. If you can, donate to candidates whose campaigns are not financed by corporations.

    We need a record. If we do prevail in the mid-terms (and we must), we need to be ready on day one to ensure that those who have orchestrated this travesty are dealt with appropriately. And, that any payouts are clawed back without delay. Predictably, Susan Collins has expressed ‘concerns’ about the slush fund. She “had some questions” on the issue for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche at a May 19 hearing on the administration’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget. Also predictably, her questions were not particularly tough and there was no follow-up. For the full hearing, See PBS News (9); for the Collins snippet, See CBS News (10).
    Collins, as chair of the Appropriations Committee, is uniquely positioned to use her powers of oversight to address this outrage. The diverting of tax money to insurrectionists and the Trump family is truly in her wheelhouse. This includes broad constitutional and statutory subpoena authority to compel the production of documents, records, and witness testimony. (11)
    Other Republicans on Appropriations include Mitch McConnell and Lisa Murkowski, both of whom strongly object to the fund, and John Kennedy from Louisiana, who just lost his primary bid to a Trump endorsee. The majority of the other Republicans have expressed at least some misgivings. So, for Collins, properly fulfilling her responsibilities should not be that difficult. One of her major claims for reelection is how she can wield that power and experience for the benefit of Mainers. Make sure she does her job. And, shine a bright light if she doesn’t.  

    References:(1) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/admin/irs-trump-lawsuit-deal.html
    (2) https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-president-who-sued-himself
    (3) https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-voluntarily-drops-10-billion-lawsuit-irs-leaked-tax-records-rcna345193
    (4)  https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/us/politics/trump-irs-doj-lawsuit-audit.html
    (5) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/21/us/republicans-trump-loyalty.html?searchResultPosition=1
    (6) https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/hjc-dems-top-10-slush-fund-fact-sheet.pdf  or : https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/the-top-10-reasons-donald-trump-s-1776-billion-weaponization-slush-fund-and-super-pardon-for-his-family-and-businesses-are-unconstitutional-illegal-and-a-fraud-on-the-court
    (7) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/us/politics/federal-judge-trump-fund.html
    (8) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/us/politics/trump-irs-lawsuit-ruling.html?searchResultPosition=1
    (9) https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-acting-attorney-general-blanche-may-be-questioned-on-weaponization-fund-in-budget-hearing
    (10) https://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch-collins-presses-blanche-doj-trump-anti-weaponization-fund/
    (11) https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R44247

  • Action 228: Summer Patriotism

    Background. On December 19, 1776, Thomas Paine, who in 1775 had published the widely read pamphlet Common Sense. started publishing another series of pamphlets on The American Crisis, opening with the famous phrase “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”  


    The outrages being perpetrated by the Trump administration are breathtaking.  We read about them every day, as the Overton window (1) moves perceptibly in the direction of dictatorship.  The latest outrage deserves special attention: “Under Donald Trump’s NSPM-7 (National Security Presidential Memorandum 7), our right to dissent faces an existential challenge. Now, Trump is asking Congress to fund an NSPM-7 “Joint Mission Center,” explicitly aimed at identifying and targeting Americans for their beliefs.  Under NPSM-7, any form of dissent against the Trump regime — attending a rally, organizing locally, even expressing political views online — could be defined as “domestic terrorism.” (2). Clearly, this is an effort to compile a list of people the Trump/MAGA administration would like to persecute, given the chance. Ask Congress not to fund it.


    We are not, at least thus far, being asked to defend our democracy with our lives. We cast about for actions we can take that will make a difference, that will be effective in stopping the abuse. It used to be that there was, or at least seemed to be, influence to be had by contacting our Congress critters. In Maine, we have two legislators who are reliably on board with positions that defend democracy (King and Pingree), and two who have proven to be hopelessly out of touch and hardly worth our time to petition (Collins and Golden).  Legislators in other states are mostly insensitive to our pleas (because we don’t vote for them). Large, organized rallies like the “No Kings” protests are effective in waking people up, but they are infrequent.  Small weekly standouts don’t get the media attention they deserve.  Most people in Maine go on with their lives, trying to make their pay cover their increasing costs thanks to Trump’s economic blunders.  What can we do in the few remaining summer months?  

    Action. I propose that each one of us adopts a Personal Resolution in support of Democracy and the Rule of Law.  This Resolution will not be as difficult to fulfill as those you probably adopt every New Year (losing weight, getting more exercise etc.). Here is my own list: if you want to respond with yours, I can publish your suggestions.

    1. I will not obey in advance. (3)
    2. I will vote every time, but I will not vote for any Republican until the party turns away from being the MAGA party (4). This includes any local race for a seemingly politically insignificant office.  I will encourage others to do likewise: vote at every opportunity but not for any Republican even if they are the only candidate.
    3. I will stop being afraid to speak my mind, even in social situations. (5)  
    4. I will attempt to write a letter-to-the-editor at least monthly. (6) 
    5. I will attend protests and rallies whenever I can, and make or carry a sign that defends my values. (7)

    If we all resolve to defend democracy, we may succeed in preserving freedom for ourselves and our progeny.

    Extra Credit.

    (1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window

    (2) quote from Robert Reich, Inequality Media Civic Action, May 26, 2026.  There is no specific federal law that defines “domestic terrorism” https://extremism.gwu.edu/need-specific-law-against-domestic-terrorism but, as an add-on to another criminal charge, it can result in penalties ranging from a few years in prison to life imprisonment or the death penalty. 

    (3) https://snyder.substack.com/p/obeying-in-advance

    (4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAGA_movement  See also Robert Hubbell, Today’s Edition Newsletter, 29 May 2026 “Trump is writing the narrative that we must amplify in the 2026 midterms: Republicans are the party of war, inflation, corruption, and cultish worship of a man who is a convicted felon, civil fraudster, sexual abuser, sociopath, protector of pedophiles, malignant narcissist, and existential threat to democracy.”

    (5) https://publicwords.com/2024/09/24/are-you-afraid-to-speak-your-mind/  Also Google AI “fear of speaking one’s mind” and use the “show more” dropdown for articles explaining why you may be afraid.

    (6) https://hancockdems.org/volunteer/lte/
    (7) See for example https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-power-of-protest-in-the-us/,  https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/freedom-of-expression/protest/,  https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/advocacy-social-movements/35-rule-understanding-what-makes-protest, https://revolutionaryspaces.org/impact-protest/.

  • IB News: Tuesday, 5/19: Socialism for Seditionists

    IB News: Tuesday, 5/19: Socialism for Seditionists

    Our hearts go out to the family of firefighter Andrew Cross and all those injured in the explosion at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont.

    There are a handful of meaningful events happening this week. Maine People’s Alliance is having a social event over at FAM tomorrow night. Come out and meet other activists in the area, learn more about MPA, and new ways to get involved. Now is also a great time to join the Grahampaign with a new volunteer orientation meeting tonight. Check out the events page for more opportunities this week.

    Speaking of ways to get involved – Activate Maine is looking for volunteers and Maine People’s Alliance is hiring canvassers in Portland and Bangor and are looking for students for their internship program. Both can be found here. Last but definitely not least, Food AND Medicine is looking for volunteers to help with their food programs. Check out their website or email them at FAM@foodandmedicine.org. FAM recently endorsed Troy Jackson for governor and Graham Platner for Senate.

    Growing our community and network is one of, if not the most, important things we can be doing right now. Regardless of who wins in the upcoming elections, real change happens locally – and with Team Trump at the wheel, it is liable to get worse before it gets better.

    HAPPENING TONIGHT

    Maine Indivisible May 2026 Statewide Organizing Call
    Indivisible

    May 19, 2026 – Tuesday – 5:00 pm

    Virtual

    Join Maine Indivisible leaders, group members, grassroots activists, and community partners for our next statewide call. Our monthly calls feature updates on National Indivisible programs and resources to support your local organizing priorities and information & strategies for facilitating collaboration between Maine Indivisible groups and community allies.

    Register

    Join the Movement! New Volunteer Orientation Zoom

    May 19, 2026 – Tuesday – 5:30 pm

    Virtual

    Excited to defeat Susan Collins in November? Wondering what the next steps are for the Grahampaign? Join your fellow Penobscot County volunteers and supporters at this Organizing Meeting to discuss how we’re going to organize our community, win the general election, and build long-term power for our communities in Maine.

    Register

    Maine People’s Alliance Social
    Maine People’s Alliance

    May 20, 2026 – Wednesday – 5:30 pm (technically tomorrow!)

    Food AND Medicine – 20 Ivers Street, Brewer, ME 04412

    Join MPA members to learn more about Maine’s largest progressive community action organization.

    Register

    Keeping Up With the Chaos

    Just yesterday, El Presidente Trump claimed that he called off a new attack on Iran. If you thought it was TACO Monday, joke’s on you! It’s actually TACO Tuesday because just a short while ago, he said he is considering another strike on Iran. Here’s hoping it’s just another effort to manipulate the stock market and he isn’t actually going to pull the trigger (HA, like this guy actually does anything himself).

    “I hope that we don’t have to do the war. But we may have to give them another big hit,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “I’m not sure yet. You’ll know very soon.”

    This Mofo feeds us information like we’re on a cliff-hanger ending of a terrible Daily Wire TV show. Given what we know of the conman, it wouldn’t surprise me if he is simply trying to divert the spotlight from one of his most brazen acts of corruption yet.

    Yesterday, Trump’s lawyers dropped the $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS, which is great news – right… right? Wrong. The Department of Justice Corruption announced a $1.776 (how gross) billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of a settlement agreement after dropping the suit. The order was signed by El Presidente’s own mafia consigliere, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, claiming to “provide a systematic process to hear and redress claims of others who suffered weaponization and lawfare.“

    What a load of bullshit. This is an act so corrupt that the Treasury Department’s own General Counsel Brian Morrissey resigned after the news. Senator Elizabeth Warren said it well, “an insane level of corruption – even for Trump.” As if that wasn’t already bad enough, the fund includes a massive disclaimer to preemptively dodge future legal issues:

    “no liability whatsoever for the protection or safeguarding of those funds, regardless of bank failure, fraudulent transfers, or any other fraud or misuse.”

    This allows the Trump regime to steal money from each and every single one of us and effectively redistribute our money to anyone who thinks they were wrongly targeted by the Biden administration. It’s like if Robin Hood decided to break into the hovels of peasants, steal everything, and bring it back to the sheriff instead. That sounds an awful lot like socialism for seditionists to me. House Democrats have filed an amicus brief arguing that this seeks to “undermine the Constitution”.

    “Should this lawsuit achieve Plaintiffs’ desired ends, it would result in the improper and unconstitutional transfer of taxpayer dollars into the pockets of the President, his family, and his allies,” the Democrats write.

    Congressional Democrats have brought in AG Todd Blanche to testify, which is still ongoing as I write this.

    This type of extreme corruption doesn’t happen in a vacuum. This is supported by the entire Republican apparatus – fully enabled by the Epstein Class of billionaires and dark money. It is more important than ever that we get involved in any capacity we can. We MUST vote to ensure the right candidates are elected to help fix this quagmire, but – voting is no longer enough. We need all hands on deck. Let’s get out and volunteer as much as possible – be it with the IB-endorsed candidates, or any number of the organizations in our area.

    ❗Get out and VOTE in the primaries! Early voting is in full swing.

    Take Action

    ❗If you haven’t already, sign the petition to show your support for the implementation of the divestment law and share it with your networks here.

    ❗Tell Congress to protect the right to abortion, including medication abortion, and guarantee meaningful access to abortion for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live, here.

    ❗We are deeply disappointed that Maine Congressman Jared Golden has once again voted against the House War Powers Resolution bill, this time casting the only Democratic vote against the bill, which resulted in the bill being defeated by one vote. Sign the petition to tell Congress about it here.

    ❗Tell Your Republican Representative to Stop Bankrolling ICE Brutality here.

    ❗Join Indivisible (national) to make calls to voters in key states and encourage them to call their Republican Members of Congress and demand they ensure our taxpayer dollars go directly to funding our communities, not to tearing families apart and locking them up in “warehouses” for human beings.Sign up here.

    ❗Head over to take action on our site, or visit 5calls.org to demand Congress take action NOW!

    ❗Learn how to have a successful district office visit with the resources provided by Indivisible! Check it out here.

    Event Submissions

    Got a community, political action, or campaign event? Submit it to be featured on the site and in the newsletter.

    SUBMIT EVENT

    MAINELY NEWS

    ‘Hate has no home here’: Protesters rally against Vance regarding fraud press conference in Bangor

    Protesters gathered outside General Aviation at the Bangor International Airport to rally against Vice President JD Vance regarding his arrival to Maine for a press conference on alleged fraud across the state.

    “I think that it’s really important that there’s a very visible and audible opposition to what’s happening in the country right now,” said Rebecca Hartwell, who came from Cornish to peace keep at the event.

    Read the entire article here.

    Maine Democrats split over taxing 2nd homes in sharp debate exchange

    Maine’s five Democratic gubernatorial candidates debated taxes, housing and the limits of bold promises Wednesday, with the sharpest exchange coming over a proposal to impose higher property taxes on out-of-state second-home owners.

    The dispute offered a rare glimpse of friction in a Democratic field that has been notably collegial. For most of the debate, the five candidates agreed on raising the minimum wage, banning cellphones in classrooms and standing up to President Donald Trump’s administration against healthcare cuts.

    Read the entire article here.

    Bangor bans storing belongings on sidewalk amid homelessness debate

    Bangor city councilors unanimously passed an ordinance Monday night banning the storage of belongings on sidewalks amid rising concern around homeless residents gathering near the public library.

    Councilors made their decision after more than an hour of public comments about the city’s homelessness crisis in a room packed with both supporters and critics of the ordinance.

    Read the entire article here.

    Indivisible Bangor

    Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? Help organize events like rallies and visibility actions? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing? Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor — your level of involvement is up to you!

    Weekly member meetings are on Zoom, with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. As always, check out our Bluesky and Instagram for the latest info.

    SIGN ME UP
    DONATE TO IB
  • IB News: Friday, 5/15: Hate has no home here.

    IB News: Friday, 5/15: Hate has no home here.

    Thank you to everyone that was able to attend the protest welcome committee for JD Vance today at the airport! We had a great showing, including several Democratic candidates – Matt Dunlap, Jordan Wood, and Shenna Bellows all spoke at the event.

    “We understand that fraud happens, and it happens in many states. The fact that they’ve decided to come here to talk about fraud is because of the dustup that he had with our Governor Mills,” said Indivisible Bangor Co-Founder Melissa Berky, “We really need to focus on the things that are important, which is affordability and voting rights and our ability to be a democracy.”

    JD Vance was here to stump for Susan “Concerned” Collins and everyone’s favorite Florida-Man Paul LePage. This was a stop on his “anti-fraud” national tour. We all know that whole thing is a BS charade. It’s hard to be anti-fraud when you’re part of the Republican Mafia masquerading as a governing body. Thankfully he didn’t stick around for too long – all couches can breathe a sigh of relief tonight.

    Check out some of the photos from the event today. Some email readers might not display the gallery, so if you don’t see it, open the post on the site.

    HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND

    ICE Verifier Training
    Presente! Maine

    May 16, 2026 – Sunday – 1:00 pm

    Blue Hill

    Thank you for your commitment to standing with our communities. By signing up as a Community Watch verifier, you’ll help verify reports of ICE operations in Maine, hold law enforcement accountable, and engage respectfully to create a safer environment for our neighbors. Please fill out this form so we can start the training process to help you coordinate rapid response, protect our neighbors, and push back against unjust immigration enforcement.

    Register

    Forum on Election Security
    Hancock County Democrats

    May 15, 2026 – Friday – 6:00 pm

    Blue Hill Congregational Church – 22 Tenney Hill, Blue Hill, ME 04614

    If you are near Blue Hill, attend this informational presentation next Friday.  Have your questions answered and be prepared to debunk the conspiracy theories with facts!  Timely info for canvassers!

    Magic The Gathering Commander Charity Tournament
    Northeast Collectibles

    May 16, 2026 – Saturday – 12:00 pm

    Northeast Collectibles – 146 Parkway S, Brewer ME 04412

    Whenever you enter the Magic the Gathering commander charity tournament at Northeast Collectibles on May 16th from 12-6 PM, you help reduce X harm in our community and gain X raffle tickets, where X is your cash donation to enter the tournament!

    Casual format, commander deck brackets 1-3, booster packs for every game winner, prize raffles every hour, $10 NEC gift card to the first 10 entries, booster box grand prize, and more!

    All proceeds go to Needlepoint Sanctuary of Maine

    Get Out The Early Vote for Graham in Bangor!

    May 17, 2026 – Sunday – 1:00 am – 2:00 pm

    Maine People’s Alliance – 81 Main St, Bangor, ME 04401

    Excited to defeat Susan Collins in November? Wondering what the next steps are for the Grahampaign? Join your fellow Penobscot County volunteers and supporters at this Organizing Meeting to discuss how we’re going to organize our community, win the general election, and build long-term power for our communities in Maine.

    Register

    Bangor Canvass Launch with Matt Dunlap!
    Dunlap For Congress

    May 16, 2026 – Saturday – 12:00 pm

    56 Wiley St, Bangor, ME 04401

    Join Matt Dunlap’s campaign for our Bangor canvass launch! We’ll meet at 56 Wiley St. in Bangor, ME at 12pm to meet, get trained up, and head out to talk with our friends and neighbors around town. Bring a friend!

    Register

    Keeping Up With the Chaos

    While JD Vance was acting like a clown here in Bangor, his boss was acting like a clown in China. It’s always embarrassingly pathetic to watch Trump’s clown car full of cabinet officials brown nose and suck up to Trump, but it’s just straight cringe to watch Trump turn around and do the same to his favorite dictators. This week it’s Xi Jinping in China. Not only was he just absolutely gushing to Xi, but he made some questionable comments in light of the Epstein Trump Files. You have to see it for yourself.

    As if that wasn’t bad enough, Xi just walked circles around Trump. It’s abundantly clear who the winner in the Iran war is – China. Xi warned (threatened) Trump about “clashes and even conflicts” over Taiwan. According to our own Department of War Defense, Xi told the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to be ready to attack Taiwan in 2027. It almost sounds like less of a threat and more of an instruction.

    Speaking of clowns – our favorite “Democrat” Representative Jared Golden again stepped on a rake this week. He was the deciding vote AGAINST the war powers resolution yesterday. This is not the first time he has voted against reining in El Presidente’s illegal war in Iran. It looks like Golden must have been comparing notes with John Fetterman. Who would have thought we would be looking back at Joe Manchin fondly? Given that Golden is a veteran, I didn’t expect that he would support this illegal war, but I guess Israel’s blood money makes it easier to sleep at night.

    The US still has a ways to go to get money out of politics, but in surprising news, Hawai’i has thrown the first punch in the fight. The governor signed a bill into law that restricts corporations’ ability to donate money in the state. Montana has followed suit and hopes to pass similar legislation in November. They are likely to be challenged and appealed up to the Supreme Court, but could prove to be an effective method to combat the damage of the Citizens United ruling.

    That ruling, in addition to others – like the recent ruling to “eviscerate” the Voting Rights Act last week, presidential immunity, and overturning Roe v. Wade have contributed to continued suffering and hardship. They have enabled the extreme corruption we see everyday. People are angry – and rightfully so! Justice Clarence Thomas has something to say about that:

    “The security concerns now are much different from the way they were when I first became a circuit justice,” Thomas told the conference, which was organized by the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals. “That’s really one of the big changes since I’ve been on the court — that it’s become very, very dicey.”

    Let’s be real here – Clarence Thomas’s security concerns are that he can’t go out all the time without being reminded of how absolutely un-American he is. He doesn’t seem to care about the decades of progress and precedent he’s helped destroy. And that is exactly why it is not at all surprising that he is half of The Dynamically Corrupt Duo (Alito is the side-kick) that voted against maintaining access to the abortion pill mifepristone by mail. Thankfully even a broken Supreme Court is right twice a day.

    I want to end on a note that shows progressive values can win when people come together and rise against the machine. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a balanced budget for NYC, overcoming a ~$12 BILLION deficit. Taxing the Epstein Class in New York not only balanced the budget – it funded free universal child care in the city, among other benefits. The lesson here is clear. Fair is fair:

    Tax the Rich

    ❗Get out and VOTE in the primaries! Early voting is in full swing.

    Indivisible Bangor endorsed candidates Graham Platner and Matt Dunlap both gave excellent speeches at the Maine Democratic Convention. If you weren’t able to attend in person, we’ve got you covered!

    Take Action

    ❗If you haven’t already, sign the petition to show your support for the implementation of the divestment law and share it with your networks here.

    ❗Tell Congress to protect the right to abortion, including medication abortion, and guarantee meaningful access to abortion for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live, here.

    ❗We are deeply disappointed that Maine Congressman Jared Golden has once again voted against the House War Powers Resolution bill, this time casting the only Democratic vote against the bill, which resulted in the bill being defeated by one vote. Sign the petition to tell Congress about it here.

    ❗Tell Your Republican Representative to Stop Bankrolling ICE Brutality here.

    ❗Join Indivisible (national) to make calls to voters in key states and encourage them to call their Republican Members of Congress and demand they ensure our taxpayer dollars go directly to funding our communities, not to tearing families apart and locking them up in “warehouses” for human beings.Sign up here.

    ❗Head over to take action on our site, or visit 5calls.org to demand Congress take action NOW!

    ❗Learn how to have a successful district office visit with the resources provided by Indivisible! Check it out here.

    Event Submissions

    Got a community, political action, or campaign event? Submit it to be featured on the site and in the newsletter.

    SUBMIT EVENT

    MAINELY NEWS

    ‘Hate has no home here’: Protesters rally against Vance regarding fraud press conference in Bangor

    Protesters gathered outside General Aviation at the Bangor International Airport to rally against Vice President JD Vance regarding his arrival to Maine for a press conference on alleged fraud across the state.

    “I think that it’s really important that there’s a very visible and audible opposition to what’s happening in the country right now,” said Rebecca Hartwell, who came from Cornish to peace keep at the event.

    Read the entire article here.

    Maine Democrats split over taxing 2nd homes in sharp debate exchange

    Maine’s five Democratic gubernatorial candidates debated taxes, housing and the limits of bold promises Wednesday, with the sharpest exchange coming over a proposal to impose higher property taxes on out-of-state second-home owners.

    The dispute offered a rare glimpse of friction in a Democratic field that has been notably collegial. For most of the debate, the five candidates agreed on raising the minimum wage, banning cellphones in classrooms and standing up to President Donald Trump’s administration against healthcare cuts.

    Read the entire article here.

    Bangor bans storing belongings on sidewalk amid homelessness debate

    Bangor city councilors unanimously passed an ordinance Monday night banning the storage of belongings on sidewalks amid rising concern around homeless residents gathering near the public library.

    Councilors made their decision after more than an hour of public comments about the city’s homelessness crisis in a room packed with both supporters and critics of the ordinance.

    Read the entire article here.

    Indivisible Bangor

    Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? Help organize events like rallies and visibility actions? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing? Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor — your level of involvement is up to you!

    Weekly member meetings are on Zoom, with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. As always, check out our Bluesky and Instagram for the latest info.

    SIGN ME UP
    DONATE TO IB
  • IB News: Tuesday, 5/12: Hide your Pope, hide your couch – JD Vance is coming to town

    IB News: Tuesday, 5/12: Hide your Pope, hide your couch – JD Vance is coming to town

    If you haven’t already seen, JD Vance will be flying into Bangor and speaking on Thursday (could we not, please?). Indivisible Bangor and several other groups in the area plan on giving him the welcome he deserves. Let’s show up and show him how much Maine loves him!

    Doors @ 9:30 am
    Program begins @ 11:30 am
    JD Vance expected to speak @ 12:30 pm

    The event is taking place at BGR Aviation FBO @ 188 Maine Avenue, Bangor ME, 04401 – but unless you RSVP to attend the event, you’ll need to hang with protestors. We are still working out details, but we will keep you posted once we have firm information. Until then, if you (or any of your, uh… friends) want to RSVP to attend the event, you can do that here. It looks like we might even have some out of town friends joining us in solidarity.

    And don’t forget to pour a line of salt around your couch and say his name three times in a mirror to make sure he doesn’t come for you or your couch!

    HAPPENING TODAY

    Bangor Town Hall with Hannah Pingree

    5:30 pm @ Bangor Public Library, Norman Minsky Lecture Hall

    145 Harlow St, Bangor, ME

    RSVP

    Keeping Up With the Chaos

    Let’s get right to the chase. Republicans have been working in lock (goose?) step to undermine our elections – like the recent Supreme Court ruling that gutted the Voting Rights Act, or the states that are actively redistricting following that ruling, or the (thankfully) failed attempt to pass the SAVE Act. To that end, President Donald J(ust a little coup) Trump said the quiet part out loud (again, as per usual):

    …the Republicans had an Election Integrity Army in every single State to preserve the sanctity of each legal vote. We will be doing the same again in 2026, but it will be much bigger and stronger.

    What army might that be? If Steve Bannon is to be believed, it will be ICE. This is something that conservative media and some in Congress are actively advocating for. This is not normal. Wait, I take that back. It’s normal if you are living under a fascist regime like Mussolini’s Italy, Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, Nazi Germany, or Putin’s Russia. I don’t think they make red flags larger than that.

    Thankfully, we aren’t quite there. We can still course correct – but only by taking direct action – like protesting JD Vance this week. More importantly though – we need to do everything possible to resist ICE deployments. ICE is back and coming to cities near us. Contact our legislators and tell them to support the abolishment of ICE. Tell them to stop funding ICE. Check out Mainers for Humane Immigration and sign up to volunteer – I think we are going to need the extra help soon enough.

    Maybe someone should inform Bangor City Council, where the “Employee Authority in Immigration Matters” ordinance was once again delayed – this time until May 27th.

    ❗Get out and VOTE in the primaries! Early voting started yesterday.

    Indivisible Bangor endorsed candidates Graham Platner and Matt Dunlap both gave excellent speeches at the Maine Democratic Convention. If you weren’t able to attend in person, we’ve got you covered!

    Take Action

    ❗If you haven’t already, sign the petition to show your support for the implementation of the divestment law and share it with your networks here.

    ❗Tell Congress to protect the right to abortion, including medication abortion, and guarantee meaningful access to abortion for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live, here.

    ❗We are deeply disappointed that Maine Congressman Jared Golden has once again voted against the House War Powers Resolution bill, this time casting the only Democratic vote against the bill, which resulted in the bill being defeated by one vote. Sign the petition to tell Congress about it here.

    ❗Tell Your Republican Representative to Stop Bankrolling ICE Brutality here.

    ❗Join Indivisible (national) to make calls to voters in key states and encourage them to call their Republican Members of Congress and demand they ensure our taxpayer dollars go directly to funding our communities, not to tearing families apart and locking them up in “warehouses” for human beings.Sign up here.

    ❗Head over to take action on our site, or visit 5calls.org to demand Congress take action NOW!

    ❗Learn how to have a successful district office visit with the resources provided by Indivisible! Check it out here.

    Event Submissions

    Got a community, political action, or campaign event? Submit it to be featured on the site and in the newsletter.

    SUBMIT EVENT

    MAINELY NEWS

    Republicans Don’t Want to Talk About Gas Prices Anymore

    The same party that spent years pinning every penny increase at the pump on former President Joe Biden is now scrambling to explain why prices have surged to their highest level in years.

    The Republican attacks were everywhere in 2022. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, gas prices surged to a record high of an average of $5 per gallon that June. It’s a familiar strategy for the party, using rising gas prices as a political weapon against Democratic candidates. From the moment Biden took office, GOP leaders lined up at microphones, held press conferences on Capitol Hill, and plastered “I Did That” stickers of Biden’s face on gas pumps across the country. Every rise in fuel costs was, in their telling, a direct consequence of Democratic leadership.

    Read the entire article here.

    Graham Platner touts energy cost plan on first day of early voting

    Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner voted Monday on the first day of early voting in Maine, casting his ballot alongside his wife, Amy Gertner, in his hometown at the Sullivan Town Office.

    “It is paramount that we as Mainers use our constitutional rights to turn out and vote,” Platner said.

    Read the entire article here.

    Bangor bans storing belongings on sidewalk amid homelessness debate

    Bangor city councilors unanimously passed an ordinance Monday night banning the storage of belongings on sidewalks amid rising concern around homeless residents gathering near the public library.

    Councilors made their decision after more than an hour of public comments about the city’s homelessness crisis in a room packed with both supporters and critics of the ordinance.

    Read the entire article here.

    Indivisible Bangor

    Do you want to become more involved? Would you like to help with the website and communications? Help organize events like rallies and visibility actions? Or do you just want to keep up with what we’re doing? Sign up to volunteer with Indivisible Bangor — your level of involvement is up to you!

    Weekly member meetings are on Zoom, with in-person meetings on the first Wednesday of the month. As always, check out our Bluesky and Instagram for the latest info.

    SIGN ME UP
    DONATE TO IB

  • Action 227: Protect Retirement Funds!

    Background: On August 7, 2025 Trump issued Executive Order 14330 (EO 14330) to grant owners of self-directed 401K retirement plans access to “investment alternatives” (1).    On March 31, 2026 the US Department of Labor published proposed regulations to comply with EO 14330 (2).  The “Designated Investment Alternatives” listed in EO 14330 include:  

    • Mortgage-backed securities and derivative contracts, the very instruments that almost collapsed the entire world economy in 2008.  
    • Private loan partnerships which many economists think may bring about the next collapse.  
    • Hedge funds, which have typically charged extremely high fees, are generally illiquid and have historically produced low risk-adjusted returns.
    • Digital assets including crypto currencies, which most serous economists consider to be a variety of Ponzi scheme and in which the Trump family are major stakeholders.  
    • Commodities, the granddaddy of speculative vehicles.  

    All the “investments” on this list are speculative in nature (forms of gambling) and not real investments in productive assets.  Also, in comparison to publicly listed stocks and bonds, they are opaque: that is, information available to investors to assess relevant risks and rewards is limited, or known only to promoters (3). Often the promoters of investment options available to the owners of “self-directed” 401K retirement plans are also the fiduciaries of those plans.  The proposed regulations would relieve those fiduciaries from any liability for offering speculative investments to clients, so long as certain proforma procedures were followed.  

    Extensive economic research over the past 30 years, including that of 3 Nobel prize economists, has concluded that information asymmetry of this sort typically leads to market failures, as happened in 2008. The impacts of such market failures can be systemic, but more often they leave individual investors holding the bag.  Rich investors can usually sustain such losses.  Individual pensioners usually cannot, and face retirement in poverty.  

    A sensible change to the proposed rules would limit speculative 401K investment to “qualified investors”, defined as those with more than $1 million of investible assets.  However, EO 14330 instead promotes a “get rich quick” scheme for small investors, putting the imprimatur of the federal government on the kind of con with which Trump has been fleecing his followers for decades – think Trump University, Trump steaks, vodka, sneakers, watches, cell phones, and Trump crypto. 

    Actions: 

    1) Comment on the proposed rule here: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/EBSA-2026-0166-0001  As of this writing, over 28,000 comments have been submitted. Add your voice!

    2) Contact Angus King’s office: 207/945-8000 or senator@king.senate.gov to ask if they have commented.

    3) Contact the Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation – Office of Securities to urge them to comment on the proposed regulations: 207/624-8551

    4) Call your union rep to urge them to weigh in. 

    Urgency: The comment period ends June 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM. 

    Extra Credit:

    (1) Executive Order 14330 of August 7, 2025: Democratizing Access to Alternative Assets for 401(k) Investors

    https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/12/2025-15340/democratizing-access-to-alternative-assets-for-401k-investors

    (2) Proposed Rule: Fiduciary Duties in Selecting Designated Investment Alternatives. Posted by the Employee Benefits Security Administration (US Department of Labor) on Mar 31, 2026 https://www.regulations.gov/document/EBSA-2026-0166-0001

    (3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_asymmetry

  • Action 226: Election Security

    Action 226: Election Security

    Background:  The radical right has been making noise about “voter fraud” since Trump came on the scene, with bogus canards about illegal aliens voting, ballots being changed electronically, ballot boxes being stuffed, etc. ad nauseam.  In Maine, this sort of nonsense hasn’t had much traction, because we know better.  Too many of us, Republicans and Democrats alike, have been involved as volunteer ballot counters, election observers, poll watchers etc. to fall for this crap.  Nonetheless, it does no harm to bone up on exactly how our elections are made secure, before the fascist operatives make their move to skew elections in their favor through gerrymandering and voter suppression, such as removal of legitimate voters from the rolls through “interstate cross check” or “address confirmation notice”, spreading the meme that your vote is insignificant, and spreading the lie that elections are not secure.

    Action:  If you are near Blue Hill, attend this informational presentation next Friday.  Have your questions answered and be prepared to debunk the conspiracy theories with facts!  Timely info for canvassers!

    Extra Credit:

  • Action 225: The Flying Monkeys

    Background:  The Wicked Witch of Oz had her Flying Monkeys. (1)  Trump has his.  They include the cast of incompetent sycophants within the Executive Branch who are enabling the deranged Trump agenda to benefit both the Russians, and homegrown grifters including Trump and his family.  Note there are Trump Flying Monkeys all across the country, even in Maine, at least one of them running for Governor on the R ticket. Fortunately we are onto them.

    How Trump and his Flying Monkeys are benefitting the Russians 

    For example, here is an article from Thom Hartmann this week, titled Trump Is Making Khrushchev’s “We Will Bury You” Real for Putin.  (2) It’s worth reading.  In the article, Hartmann describes “a cabinet of grifters, ideologues, and 13 billionaires whose loyalty runs to Trump and the morbidly rich rather than to the nation whose Constitution they swore an oath to defend.”  He goes on to list the highlights of what these Flying Monkeys have been doing, calling their actions “an operational blueprint [that] a hostile foreign intelligence service might draw up if it had been handed unlimited access to the executive branch and told to dismantle the American republic from inside without firing a single shot”.

    • Hollow out the public health system so disease can do its work (RFK Jr)
    • Demoralize the officer corps and burn through munitions in unconstitutional wars (Hegseth)
    • Terminate the diplomats and intelligence professionals who keep allies aligned (Rubio, Gabbard)
    • Replace independent journalism with state propaganda at Voice of America (Lake)
    • Defund the agencies Congress created (Vought)
    • Abandon the clean energy transition that would have weakened OPEC and Russia simultaneously (Wright, Zeldin)
    • Politicize the FBI and DOJ so they target dissenters instead of crooks (Bondi/Blanche, Patel)
    • Turn armed, masked ICE thugs loose to terrorize immigrant communities while conditioning the rest of us to accept our neighbors disappearing into massive concentration camps (Miller, Noem/Mullen)
    • Abandon our allies in Europe by withdrawing our armed forces, starting with Germany right after Trump’s nearly two-hour phone call with Putin (Witkoff)

    The above-named Flying Monkeys are only some of the characters mentioned in Hartmann’s article.  In pure Flying Monkey fashion, they do what they do in an effort to please Trump and carry out what they think are his “orders”.

    The Grifters

    Remember the completely unsubstantiated, bogus Republican whining about the “Biden Crime Family”?  Well, in November of 2025, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee issued a blockbuster report on Trump family corruption, and unlike the Republican whine, this one is full of details. (3) In January 2026, Democrats on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform issued another report on the same subject (4), along with a Trump digital grift tracker (https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov) that now stands at about 2.5 Bn.  Most (but by no means all!) of the exponential increase in what was already a shocking level of grift is due to cryptocurrency speculation. But there are too many other examples of grift to list here.

    Actions: 

    1) Tell Senators Collins and King, and your favored candidates for election to replace Susan Collins and Jared Golden, that you want hearings, subpoenas, and roll-call votes on the troop withdrawal from Germany, the lifting of Russian oil sanctions, the anti-American behavior of every Trump official named above, and the Trump grift machine.
    2) Check your voter registration and VOTE in the June primary and the November general election.  Volunteer to help your local or county Dems and your favored candidates to Get Out The Vote!
    3) Support independent journalism.  Did you know there are no embedded journalists in the current Iran war?  We have no clue what is really going on unless we are reading foreign and independent sources.
    4) Publicize the Trump Digital Grift Tracker!  https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov at the top of the page

    Extra Credit:

    (1) https://www.verywellmind.com/narcissists-and-flying-monkeys-7552473

    (2) https://hartmannreport.com/p/trump-is-making-khrushchevs-we-will-36b (Hartmann doesn’t call them Flying Monkeys)(3) https://democrats-judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2025-11-24.hjc-dem-staff-report-trump-crypto-corruption-small_0.pdf
    (4) https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/news/press-releases/ranking-member-robert-garcia-releases-damning-new-report-highlighting-trump-family-corruption-launches-trump-digital-grift-tracker  and https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/imo/media/doc/12026cryptoreport.pdf