Get thee to Augusta!

Or DC! Or to an April 5th protest near you

“Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For indeed, that's all who ever have.” --Margaret Mead

Dear Friends,

Subscribers to “Maine Matters” just surpassed 1,000—after only 3 weeks! It shows what a thirst is out there for this information. Thank you for spreading the word.

There’s really only one story this week, and it’s the April 5 National Day of Action:

“HANDS OFF!” APRIL 5

National Day of Action, from Skowhegan to Washington, D.C.

Hands off our bodies, hands off our Social Security, hands off our democracy. A coalition of Resistance groups is building an opposition movement against the looting of our country, and the April 5th march on our nation’s capitol, state capitols, and hundreds of municipalities will be the first “mass mobilization” of this effort. It’s hoped a million people will turn out to send a message to Washington that we do not consent to the destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of the oligarchy.

If you can get to Washington, great. If not, marches are planned for Boston, and the biggest gathering in Maine will be in Augusta. If you can’t go to a larger rally, find one near you. (See comprehensive list below.) An amazing total of 20 Maine towns from Kittery to Presque Isle are planning rallies for Saturday! As of Friday, 900 people had already signed up for the rally in Portland alone.

Please try to go to one of them. Bring a friend and carpool. (See below for busses and carpool options).

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Maine Political News

Small glimmers that pressure on our lawmakers can produce results. And things to consider when you make your daily calls:

Jared Golden Pushes Back on Union Busting Order

Jared Golden responded to President Trump’s move to end collective bargaining with federal labor unions at agencies dealing with national security by announcing he would "introduce legislation to repeal it" according to the Associated Press.

Trump’s order, described by Chellie Pingree as “explicit union busting,” would terminate contracts for workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Togus VA Medical Center, Bath Iron Works, and a defense accounting facility in Limestone.

"The right for workers to collectively bargain is sacrosanct and any claim that it is incompatible with national security is bogus," Golden said.

Susan Collins Challenges Trump Spending Cuts

Susan Collins made news by challenging Trump’s right to cut funding, a move so rare that it earned front-page headlines in the New York Times. Collins and a Democratic colleague wrote a “vigorous” letter to the White House that “accused Trump of illegally refusing to spend $2.9 billion approved by Congress” in emergency funding.

Trump’s move was endorsed by OMB director Russsell Vought. Collins said she “hoped to persuade Mr. Vought to reconsider his view.”

Perhaps the time to “reconsider” Mr. Vought was before she voted yes on his nomination, knowing full well he would back the President on such moves—as was repeatedly pointed out to her by grassroots groups lobbying her to “vote no on Vought.” She defended her vote by saying she would rely on the courts to decide if the President had the right to control spending, a decision that has not aged well.

In other Collins news, her vote to overthrow a Biden-era law preventing banks from charging more than $5 for overdrafts got zero mention in the press, despite the fact it would affect many poorer Mainers.

And a recent Public Policy Polling survey had Collins’s approval rating at 24%; but this was largely due to a mere 70% approval from Republicans, who were upset she didn’t support Trump more often.

Chellie Pingree Town Halls

Chellie Pingree’s phone-in Town Hall last week—her second virtual Town Hall this year— had nearly 13,000 participants. It was an informative session with Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, but like all virtual town halls, it lacked the fire of an in-person event. Fortunately, Pingree has announced she will hold two in-person Town Halls in April. Stay tuned for details.

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HANDS OFF Rallies in Maine

Here’s where to go on April 5:

AUGUSTA, 12-2pm; State Capitol, 111 Sewall St.

ALSO:

• Auburn, 12-1:30, Longley Bridge

• Bath, 9-11 am; opposite the Bath Freight Shed, 27 Commercial Street

• Bangor, 12-2 pm; Federal Building

• Belfast, 12-1 pm; Post Office Square.

• Blue Hill, 12-3pm; Blue Hill Town Hall, 18 Union St.

• Brunswick, 11-12:30, Park and Row, Main St.

• Bucksport, 12:30-3:30; Verona Island Bridge.

• Cherryfield, 12-2, Rtte. 1 River Road, on bridge.

• Farmington, 11-12; 196 Main St.

• Kittery, 9-11; Memorial Bridge

• Lubec, 11-12; across from the IGA

• Machias, 12-1; 28 Dublin St.

• Portland, 11 am; Monument Square

• Presque Isle, 11-12:30, 365 Main St.

• Rockland, 12 – 1pm; Chapman Park, 294 Main St.

• Skowhegan, 2:30-4, Margaret Chase Smith Bridge, US 201 and Water St.

• South Paris/Norway, 1—12, Fair St. and Main St.

• South Portland, 11-12, Erskine Park (end of Casco Bay Bridge)

• Wells, 10:30-12, 1563 Post Rd., Public Safety Bldg. (NB Some confusion as to site; possibly the Library at 1434 Post Rd.)

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“HANDS OFF” Ralllies Beyond Maine

Rallies are being held around the country:

• Boston, 11-2; meet at 139 Tremont St., march to City Hall Plaza. Details.

• Washington D.C., 12-3:30, Washington Monument. Details.

• Other states.

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Getting There

Washington

• Van/Bus: Greater Portland Indivisible is working with a NH group to provide free van service from Bangor and Portland to Londonderry, NH, where busses will leave for DC. Bus prices to DC are flexible, and donors have offered to help pay ticket costs for those who need it. Fill out the form here.

• Carpool: A carpool to DC from Bridgton/Portland/southern Maine leaving on Friday and returning Sunday has room for several more people. Contact Don Gooding at don.gooding58@gmail.com.

Augusta

If you need help getting to Augusta, several groups and individuals are offering help with carpooling.

• Bangor: Bangor Indivisible: indivisiblebangor@gmail.com

• MDI/Ellsworth/Gouldsboro area: AcadiaAction: Acadiaaction@gmail.com

• Portland area: contact Amy MacDonald: Amym781@gmail.com

• The rest of the state: Try contacting one of the many Indivisible groups in Maine. To find the one in your area, go here.

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Ongoing PROTESTS and SPECIAL EVENTS

In addition to Saturday’s “HANDS OFF,” the number of regular weekly protests across Maine continues to grow: 15 different rallies or community events are happening during the rest of this week. New ones have popped up in Bridgton, Wells, Farmington, and Kennebunk, plus one in Portland run by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (“Pints and Patriotism”). Make it a habit to attend one.

• Bangor, Tuesdays, 11-1; Federal Building, 202 Harlow St.

  “For Democracy”

• Bath, Saturdays, 12-12:30; Bath Iron Works, 700 Washington St.

  “Vigil for Disarmament”

  Saturdays in Lent, through April 1

• Belfast, Sundays, 12-1 pm; Post Office Square.

• Biddeford, Fridays, 4-5 pm; Susan Collins' office, 160 Main St., Biddeford.

  “Stop the Coup”

  Biddeford Saco Area SURJ protest. Sign up here, or just show up.

• Bridgton, Wednesdays, 10-11; corner of Rte. 302 and Rte 117.

  “Peaceful Solidarity Protest”

• Damariscotta, Wednesdays, 11-12; Damariscotta/Newcastle Bridge.

• Ellsworth, Sundays, 12-3pm; Union River Bridge, downtown.

  “For Peace and Palestine

• Freeport, Tuesdays, 8-10 am; Corner of Main and School st.

  ‘Freeport fighting for Freedom”

  Organized by Freeport Dems

• Farmington, Fridays, 12-1; Farmington Library

  “Maine Visibility Days”

  For peace and democracy

• Kennebunk, 4-5 pm; Kennebunk Library

  “Stand Out”

• Lewiston, Tuesdays, 12-1pm; Dufresne Plaza, 72 Lisbon St.

• Portland, Saturdays, 1-2:30pm; corner of State St. and Congress St.

  “Gaza Vigil”

  Protest organizer: JACQUIO50@yahoo.com

• Portland, 6-7:30 pm, 35 Industrial Way

  “Pints and Patriotism”

  Safeguarding democracy. Sponsored by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and democracy FIRST

• Waterville, Tuesdays, 12 – 1pm; Tesla Charging Station, Elm Plaza, 334 Main St

  “Stand at Tesla”

  Sign up here, or just show up.

• Waterville, Sundays, 1 – 2pm; 1 Kennedy Memorial Dr., on the bridge next to CVS

  “Stand up to preserve and restore our country.”

  Sign up here, or just show up.

• York, Saturday, (April 5), 2-4 pm, York Community Auditorium, 1 Roberts Stevens Dr.

  “Community Forum with AG Aaron Frey”

  Registration required. Call (978) 771-3455 (Judy Goodwin) for details

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RESOURCES

• Congressional phone #s.

  • Sen. Collins: Portland: 618-5560 -- Lewiston:784-6969--Biddeford: 283-1101--Caribou: 493-7873 Augusta: 622-8414 -- Washington DC: (202) 224-2523

  • Sen. King: (202) 224-5344; Portland: 245-1655
    Rep. Pingree: (202) 225-6116; Portland: (207) 774-5019

  • Rep. Golden: (202) 225-6306; Maine: 241-6767

• Turn Anger to Action: A quick guide to WHY and HOW to make those 5 or 6 daily phone calls.

• 5calls.org Great app for helping make those 5 calls a day. Does all the heavy lifting.

• Find a Group Near You: a listing of the grassroots groups in Maine.

• Maine Women’s Rights resources.

• ActivateMaine.com. Website that tracks statewide protests. You can post an event here, too. They also have a newsletter.

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As always, share this newsletter widely. And thank you for doing your part for democracy.

Yours,

Amy MacDonald