Indivisible Bangor

Category: Hancock County Actions

  • Action 210 – KILL the SAVE clones!

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (2/9):

    Background:  We warned you this was coming.  See Actions 204 and 208.  Apparently, there could be Congressional votes THIS WEEK to institute voter suppression measures.  The Maine League of Women Voters writes as follows: 

    “It’s back: SAVE Act 2.0. Last year, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act was met with national outrage, and as a result, only squeaked by in the U.S. House. It’s time to get loud again, because similar bills have been introduced and are described as the SAVE Act on steroids: the Make Elections Great Again Act (MEGA) and the Save America Act. They include voter suppression methods, like voter ID and requiring proof of citizenship in order to vote. But they’re also far, far worse than the original SAVE Act. The MEGA Act would prohibit the use of mail-in voting (like absentee voting), Ranked Choice Voting, and the bill touches on voter list procedures and post-election audits. It’s a package of terrible ideas built upon false, debunked theories that our elections are not secure. Maine has the right to conduct our elections, which are already fair, transparent, and accessible. Let’s reject this federal intervention.” 
    The League says in addition: “ We encourage you to TAKE ACTION. These laws are nefarious legislation written to restrict states’ ability to run their own elections. Email your U.S. Representative and Senator that you oppose these bills. It only takes a few minutes.”

    Action:  Follow the lead of the Maine League of Women Voters on this.  The link above should get you to the Action Network page where you can easily send a letter. Or even better, send your own letters and make some phone calls. URGE SENATOR KING to FILIBUSTER any of these draconian bills that come up in the Senate.  Finally, send a note of encouragement to our Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, who is standing strong in the face of these desperate measures of the Trump Administration to cling to power. (1)

    Urgency:  Today

    Extra Credit:

    (1) https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/02/06/repub/trumps-calls-to-nationalize-elections-have-state-local-election-officials-bracing-for-tumult/

    And https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/01/26/sec-of-state-bellows-doj-demand-for-minnesota-voter-data-shows-ice-raids-tied-to-elections/

    CONTACTS:

    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

  • Action 209 – Maine Legislation 2/9-2/13, +EXTRA

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (2/8):

    EXTRA ANNOUNCEMENT

    UPDATE ON PROTEST, MONDAY, FEB. 9 
    12:00–3:00, Sagadahoc Bridge, Bath
    to protest the presence of Pete Hegseth at Bath Iron Works

    He will probably be discussing the “Trump Class” warships. Parking will be extremely difficult.  “We will be gathering to peacefully protest, NOT against BIW, but against Hegseth and the administration’s focus on spending our tax dollars on warfare instead of healthcare, lowering the cost of living, and supporting equal rights and the rule of law.” Sponsored by three nearby Indivisible groups and allied organizations.

    (Now, on with Action 209)

    Action 209:  Maine Legislation 2/9-2/13. Many work sessions this week, fewer hearings.

     (Only hearings are listed in these weekly updates.)

    Lots of bills on policing being heard on Monday.  LD 2157 criminalizes the flying of drones over prisons, and implies that drones have been used to deliver contraband.  However, there is no exception for newsgathering.  Should there be?  LD 2073 adds 2 detectives to the Executive Protection Unit, which protects the Governor and family.  If Maine stays blue after November, and the Trump thuggery continues, this could be important protection for the new Governor.

    On Tuesday: three bills to improve housing (LD 2124, 2164 and 2173); two bills to improve access to vaccines (LD 2071 and 2146 – possibly their provisions could be combined?), a bill explicitly protecting habeas corpus rights (LD 2176), and Senator Grohoski’s bill to overhaul the tax appeal process (LD 2178).

    Wednesday’s offerings include LD 2131, Senator Grohoski’s bill to improve access to nursing facilities in Maine, basically by providing additional funding for existing facilities.  We need more nursing homes in Hancock County!  Bipartisan cosponsors.  Also some other health care bills including LD 2177 (to improve the Maine Care reimbursement system).  Then there’s a pretty obvious environmental bill, LD 2070, to prohibit landfill expansion into wetlands. Duh. However, Maine’s solid waste situation is reaching a critical point.  See for example https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/01/09/news/top-stories/judge-rejects-juniper-ridge-expansion-plan/ but https://www.pressherald.com/2024/10/02/maine-state-needs-to-expand-its-biggest-landfill/

    On Thursday, a hearing on LD 2013 which would give the Commissioner of Marine Resources better tools to protect marine mammals in emergency situations.  Also 5 bills to name certain bridges (not listed on the table below), 4 of them sponsored by Republican Senator Libby. One has to wonder, why does the Legislature have to spend time on this when there are major issues facing the state and nation, largely created by Senator Libby’s party?

  • Action 208 – ICE OUT of our faces!

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (2/8):

    Background:  The next No Kings protest has a date – March 28 – and groups are already planning their rallies (1).  Sen. Collins is touting her role in curbing ICE excesses in Maine, but vulnerable populations are still justifiably on edge (2).  Now we read that ICE and CBP are using their cameras to film not only their targets, but also protesters, and that the visual images thus obtained are probably being fed into a vast data base of images that could be used to target us law abiding citizens who protest any authoritarian takeover. (3) This policy initiative is being overseen by Roman Jankowski, formerly of Project 2025 infamy (4), and now DHS’s chief privacy officer. (5) As reference (3) clearly describes, the use of facial recognition technology is extremely prone to error and has no business being used in settings like our legal public expression of our first amendment rights, our protest of ICE brutality, or our voting spaces. 

    A few Senators (Markey, Wyden et al) have responded to this threat, with the introduction of a bill informally titled “ICE out of our faces” (6). Unfortunately, neither of Maine’s senators is a cosponsor – yet.  One of the Senators, Ron Wyden of Oregon, has also documented publicly that he has received disturbing information about classified CIA activities (7).  We do not know what he is referring to – it’s classified – but it coincides with the efforts of DHS to build a facial recognition data base of legal protesters, as well as with Tulsi Gabbard’s participation in the raid on Fulton County, Georgia’s 2020 election archives. (8)

    Regardless of these hamfisted attempts to deprive us of our first and fourth amendment rights, (as well as our right to vote without intimidation) it is vitally important that we show up at protests and at the polls.  Here are resources you can use to keep yourself safe. https://www.nokings.org/kyr.  Here is a video on how to film ICE, or any other potentially illegal search and seizure that violates Amendment #4, or in fact any other agents who are abusing civil liberties and rights. https://www.wired.com/video/watch/how-to-film-ice. Those frog-besuited protesters in Oregon had the right idea.  Until the ICE and CBP goons are prevented from wearing masks and filming us, show up in costume!  And always stay peaceful, never give them an excuse for violence.

    Actions:   Ask Maine Senators

    • to cosponsor the “Ice Out of Our Faces” Act; 
    • to join in ALL the Democrats’ demands to reform ICE before any budget for DHS is approved; and
    • to filibuster the MEGA (“Make Elections Great Act”) which is the old SAVE act in a new dress (10)

    Extra Credit:

    (1) https://www.nokings.org  https://www.activatemaine.com/calendar

    (2) for example, see https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/02/05/effects-linger-fear-remains-one-week-after-apparent-end-of-large-scale-ice-operation-in-maine/

    (3) https://www.wired.com/story/cbp-ice-dhs-mobile-fortify-face-recognition-verify-identity/  

    (4) The section in Project 2025 that he probably had a hand in writing is Section 5, Department of Homeland Security, pp. 133-169.  You may be able to read this section as well as the entire “Mandate for Leadership” at https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24088042-project-2025s-mandate-for-leadership-the-conservative-promise/  Worthwhile bookmarking or downloading for future reference.

    (5) More on Jankowski here:

    (6) https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/02/ice-out-of-our-faces-act-would-ban-ice-and-cbp-use-of-facial-recognition/

    (7) https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-5-2026  

    (8) Also, Gabbard oversees the CIA, which is prohibited from domestic spying, but that doesn’t seem to prevent her from engaging in wacky conspiracy theories that Venezuela, China and Italy were somehow involved in Trump’s 2020 election loss, an overseas connection that could give her a foot in the door to mess up our midterm elections.  Cf: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2020s-most-insane-conspiracy-theory-italygate-returns

    (9) https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/ https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-4/

    (10) https://cha.house.gov/press-releases?id=460DC098-9C01-4F60-8BA5-E795D1501893  Read the list of measures!  Ugh!

  • Action 207 – Keep Maine Blue!

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (2/4):

    Background:  Right now, the balance in the State House in Augusta is 74 Democrats – 72 Republicans – 3 Independents. How on earth did that happen?  This is WAY too close for comfort!  If they gain parity, or heaven forbid take the majority, the Republicans will torpedo all the bills we care about. 

    There is a special election in Lewiston coming up February 24.  Democrat Scott Harriman is running for the House.  His campaign needs donations, time, and energy to beat a challenging MAGA-aligned candidate that would hamstring Democratic efforts in Augusta.  (She’s a blonde of the type that Trump obviously likes, and that’s absolutely what the people of Lewiston DON’T need “representing” them in Augusta.)  

    Find out more about Scott here: https://harrimanforhouse.com/  and here: https://mainebeacon.com/scott-harriman-secures-democratic-nomination-in-lewiston-house-special-election/

    Actions:  You can help by 

    Urgency:  Obvious!  Help elect the Democrat and keep Maine sane.  

  • Action 206 – Coming Up Feb 8

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (2/3):

    Background:  If you have studied Christian Nationalism for years, you would already know it is a threat to democracy and our way of life. (1)   It is the philosophical underpinning of Project 2025 (2) and indeed has its origins way, way back (11th-13th century) in the Crusades (3) and the brutal Spanish Inquisition (4).  If you thought the Enlightenment had abolished once and for all the backward ideology of Christian Nationalism, you are sadly mistaken. Like a science fiction monster, it is “undead” and actively threatens the freedoms of all civilized Americans (5).  As Steven Weinberg famously said, “With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil – that takes religion.”

    Action:  Be informed.  Take this threat seriously.  Here’s a meeting to consider attending:

    Extra Credit:

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

    (2) https://kettering.org/project-2025-the-blueprint-for-christian-nationalist-regime-change/

    (3) Google AI search on “Can the crusades be an example of Christian Nationalism?”

    (4) Google AI search on “Can the Spanish Inquisition be an example of Christian Nationalism?”

    (5) https://forward.com/culture/672745/christian-nationalist-guide-influence-trump-election/  (Some names here you have never heard of.)  See alsohttps://www.americanprogress.org/article/christian-nationalism-is-single-biggest-threat-to-americas-religious-freedom/

  • Action 205 – Maine Legislation 2/2 – 2/6 

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (1/31):

    Tuesday brings a bill that imposes an additional fine on certain convicted sex offenders, in order to boost a pool of funding for victims.  It seems like a pittance considering the damage.

    Wednesday we see a bill to create a statewide health info exchange.  The obvious question is, what, if any, are the built-in safeguards to prevent exploitation of the information (by scammers, marketers, insurance companies, certain branches of the federal government, and others).  One of the goals is to “meet the State’s matching fund requirements to obtain federal funding”.  Pardon me, but… what are the federal strings attached?  The bill’s writeup doesn’t say.  This may be a good thing from a medical care standpoint, we just want to be sure there are safeguards.

    Also on Wednesday is a small allocation of funds for helping trafficking victims, to replace loss of federal funds.  Amazing how ICE can get Congress to fund their depredations, while states have to scrape the barrel to help trafficking victims.

    Thursday we learn that harvesting seaweed requires a license, and the license holders should be required to take a course sanctioned or created by the Dept. of Marine Resources.  Seems like a good idea to protect the resource: hopefully the fee for small-scale harvesters is affordable.  Also on Thursday, a bill that looks like a comprehensive regulation of aquaculture nursery operations.  Could be important for our coastal communities, seems to increase flexibility?

    Also on Thursday: a bill to keep communicable diseases out of schools and provide support for life-threatening allergies, and another bill to give grants to public preschools so they can provide kids with nutritious breakfast, lunch, and a snack.  Let’s see where the “compassionate conservatives” land on these bills. 

    And finally Thursday brings a concept draft to life.  The current title of LD 307 is “Resolve, to Establish the Maine Artificial Intelligence Data Center Coordination Council”.  The Council would be under the Department of Energy Resources, with a charge “to provide strategic input, facilitate coordinated state planning considerations and evaluate policy tools to address artificial intelligence data center opportunities and related benefits and risks to the State.”  This is none too soon.  See for example https://grist.org/energy/data-centers-are-facing-an-image-problem-the-tech-industry-is-spending-millions-to-rebrand-them/

  • Action 204 – Protect the Vote

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (1/31):

    Background: To quote Thom Hartmann: “Trump has officially begun his corruption of the 2026 election, raiding the warehouse in Georgia where the 2020 election ballots were being stored by the state. He and his lickspittles know they’re facing an overwhelming defeat this November unless they can figure out multiple ways to rig the elections. Orbán and Putin have both used their equivalents of gerrymandering, destroying the free press, and voter purges to stay in power, and Trump has been following their examples (and even hung Putin’s picture in the White House this week). When conspiracy nut, former cult member, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard showed up in Atlanta to participate in the seizure of these materials, election integrity folks from across the country went on high alert. Something really dark is afoot; keep an eye on this.” (1). You may have seen the absolutely nutty rationale that Trump posted a few days ago (2).  Asha Rangappa has done a deep dive on it based on her national security and FBI expertise (3).  

    Expect considerable legal pushback. Responding to a lawsuit by the Democratic Party and others challenging a Trump executive order requiring additional proof of citizenship in order to vote (essentially his effort to implement the SAVE act by executive order), a Washington DC judge ruled that the Constitution’s separation of powers leaves “no role at all to the President” when it comes to establishing the rules that govern federal elections. “Put simply, our Constitution does not allow the President to impose unilateral changes to federal election procedures.”(4) Expect the DOJ to appeal the ruling, all the way to the Supreme Court.  But even if all the rulings go against him, Trump is likely to ignore them because he has immunity, don’t’cha know. “All of this underscores the fact that the fight ahead will be long and hard. The threat to free and fair elections is the challenge of our generation, and no one court decision will solve every problem.”(4)

    Action:  Are you up to “the challenge of our generation”?  Will you be part of the solution, or do you plan to sit on the sidelines? No?  Well, here are things you can do, on an ongoing basis, between now and November:

                1. Work with your Town Democratic Committee to be an active canvasser before and after the primary election.  See recent Action 203 to find out who to contact.  If you are new to canvassing, watch for training opportunities.  Ask the Hancock County Dems to arrange a training session for new canvassers. https://hancockdems.org/contact-us/  There is no substitute for personal contacts with your neighbors.  You will find it both interesting and empowering.

                2. Sign up to be an election worker in your town.  If your town registrar doesn’t have any need for additional assistance, then volunteer with the League of Women Voters.  Here’s the website: https://www.lwvme.org

                3. Contact our Senators to voice objections to any form of the SAVE act.  You may have thought we had killed it last year (5), but it passed the House and may arise like a zombie in the Senate.  Like whatever Gabbard, Patel et al are attempting in Georgia, a dormant bill like this can be very sneaky.  Shine a light!  Inform yourself and write a letter to the editor. 

    Extra Credit:

    (1) https://hartmannreport.com/p/saturday-report-13126-trumps-new

    (2) https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-targets-obama-newsom-alex-113502069.html  Scroll down to paragraph labeled “The SCIF” which was posted on X but apparently has been removed.   Also see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italygate

    (3) https://asharangappa.substack.com/p/if-youve-lost-the-plot-were-on-page

    (4) behind a paywall:  https://member.democracydocket.com/a-crucial-victory-in-the-fight-for-free-and-fair-elections

    (5) https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/22/all-actions?overview=closed#tabs  See also many past Action Items about the SAVE act.

  • Action 203 – Your party needs you!

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (1/31):

    Background:  There’s been a lot of discouragement in recent years with the Democratic party, and it’s not without justification. “Conservadems” just haven’t risen to the occasion. They don’t seem to understand the urgency of what we all see, that our representative democracy, based in the constitution and the rule of law, is under vicious and effective attack from would-be fascists and plutocrats. 

    It’s silly just to sit back and complain.  It is past time for us to rise up and defend the principles that the Democratic Party supposedly stands for.  That’s where you and I come in.  It’s literally up to us to energize and remake the party from the ground up, starting here at home.

    In Maine that is relatively easy to do.  The state’s population is only about 1.4 million.  40 states have more people than we do, and far more backward-thinking people.  78% of us (i.e. 1.1 million Mainers) are voters, split roughly 33% Democratic, 33% unenrolled, 29% Republican, and 4% other party.  With the right priorities, and effectively communicating them, our Maine Democrats should be able to gather in a significant portion of the unenrolled, and even a few upstanding Republicans who have become disgusted with their party.  The simple truth is, at the current moment, the stronger our party becomes, the better for the country.  This is why realistic reformers like Graham Platner are running as Democrats rather than third party candidates.  The midterms are coming, the national situation is dire, and we need all hands on deck.

    Action:  

    1. On the local level, support – or take a leadership role in organizing – your local Democratic Committee.  If you are in Hancock County and you don’t know who to contact, a good place to start is the person sending you these action items.  Or, send an email to the Municipal Committee Coordinator (Joyce Schelling) c/o secretary@hancockdems.org

    Municipal leaders are now holding monthly meetings to share and develop strategies.

  • Action 201 – MAINE legislation 1/26-1/30

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (1/26):

    I usually try to list hearings for the upcoming week on Sunday, but yesterday we were driving back from New Brunswick, Canada (Brrrr!), so this week’s edition is late.  Also, note only HEARINGS are listed.  There are follow-up work sessions that you can often tune in to, and you can always contact your legislator about any bill any time, even after they have voted and you want to praise or condemn their vote.  

    Check complete bill listing here: https://legislature.maine.gov/Calendar/#PHWS.  
                
    Find the text of any bill here: https://legislature.maine.gov.  Form your own opinions!        

    Instructions for testifying are here:  https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/

    LD 2150 is a bill introduced by Sen. Grohoski.  It has quite a few cosponsors, mostly Democrats plus one Independent and one Republican.  Its purpose is to deal with protests/protestors, protecting individual rights while addressing safety concerns.  The bill requires “state entities” to state reasons why a “person” is denied access to state property or services. One of the “whereas” clauses is telling: “Whereas, the number of protests held on state properties and the need for services provided by state agencies are anticipated to increase in 2026 and coming years”… (you betcha!) The public hearing testimony might tell us more about the problems the legislation seeks to address.

    LD 2106 is an important bill that would prohibit a specific group of entities (public schools, state postsecondary educational institutions, health care facilities, child care facilities, family child care providers and public libraries) from giving voluntary consent to ICE enforcers to enter nonpublic areas of their facilities unless there is a valid judicial warrant (just like the Fourth Amendment intended).  And they are allowed to challenge the validity of the supposed warrant. (1)  Plus, the Attorney General is charged with developing, by January 1 2027, guidance for these entities so that they “remain safe and accessible to all state residents regardless of immigration status.” 

    There are three bills to address the needs of teen agers: LD 2008, another Grohoski bill, supports tuition, room and board for kids attending the Maine School of Science and Math; LD 2065 provides funds for constructing a psychiatric facility for at-risk youth; and LD 2109 essentially says that kids attending a private school can have tuition reimbursed only if that school is located in Maine.

    (1) Learn how to tell the difference between a judicial warrant and an administrative warrant.  See for example https://x.com/NILC/status/1149755946081538049 

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

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

  • Action 200 – NO MORE ICE

    A message from the Hancock Country Democrats (1/26):

    Background:  The Senate votes this week on giving even more money to ICE.  King will probably vote against the extra funding.  Pingree voted against it in the house.  Collins of course isn’t saying how she will vote. Golden already voted for increased funding – he’s hopeless and we are glad he’s not running again, but there are still many months left in his term, which won’t expire until January 3, 2027.

    We are informed that funding for DHS can be stripped out of the Continuing Resolution Bill and voted down separately, so voting NO does NOT automatically mean another government shutdown.

    Action:      Call Collins today – and maybe every day until the vote is recorded.   Send just four words: “DO NOT FUND ICE.”  Multiply your effectiveness by asking 10 friends to do likewise. 

    The judgment of history is relentless.  It would do no harm and possibly some good to send a letter to the editor to the effect that Jared Golden’s vote in favor of extra funding for ICE, and his previous vote in favor of the SAVE act (a disenfranchising bill which may be resurfacing), will brand him forever in the history books as unworthy of his party and its values.

    Contact:
    Senator Susan Collins   
    Email: www.collins.senate.gov/contact/email-senator-collins/form      
    DC: (202) 224-2523 
    Augusta: (207) 622-8414
    Bangor: (207) 945-0417