Call to Action Archive
Suit Up Maine’s current calls to actions (C2As) can be found on our homepage, but past C2A can be viewed here in our archive by topics. For more information on the specific issues and the working groups that produce them, click on the issue headers below.
EVERYONE COUNTS: Complete your 2020 Census!
The Trump administration is using every trick in the book to derail and devalue the 2020 Census in order to disenfranchise minority communities. This critical count of the national population determines congressional representation, legislative districts, and vital federal funding for states.
QUICK ACTION: Complete your 2020 Census now and tell Susan Collins to pass the HEROES Act.
BLOCK EXTREMIST & UNQUALIFIED JUDGES: No Zealots in Lifetime Positions
We’re tracking the most concerning nominees to lifetime judicial appointments, in partnership with other progressive groups. Justin Walker, a nominee to the DC Court of Appeals, opposes the ACA, unions, and civil rights and is the latest in a long line of extremist, unqualified nominees.
QUICK ACTION: Learn more about Walker’s extremist record and tell Collins and King to vote NO on his confirmation.
IMPEACHMENT
The House impeached President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and the Senate voted to acquit. Only one Republican senator found him guilty, and it wasn’t Susan Collins.
QUICK ACTION: Congress was unable to hold Trump accountable, so now the job is ours. Thank Senator King for honoring his oath and serving his constituents ethically and honorably.
VOTE NO ON 1: Defend Maine’s Vaccine Law and Protect Maine’s Children
74% of Maine voters overwhelmingly rejected Question 1, a “people’s veto” that attempted to repeal Maine’s new law that protects public health and safety by eliminating non-medical exemptions for school-required immunizations.
QUICK ACTION: Get answers about the law and the referendum, and learn how to effectively respond to vaccine opponents.
2019 Maine Legislature Roundup Recap
The first regular session of the 129th Maine Legislature was gaveled to a close just after dawn on Thursday, June 20. Legislators considered more than 2,000 bills since convening in December. Our State Government Working Group collaborated with other grassroots...
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VICTORIES & GOOD NEWS ROUNDUP: 2019 Maine Legislature edition
As 2019 draws to a close, we’re taking stock of this year’s many legislative victories. We didn’t win every battle, but Maine is in a far better position today than we have been in a long while, and we’re on our way to repairing the damage of the past 8 years. Read the latest Victories & Good News Report: Maine Legislature Edition and let your legislators know how you feel about their votes!
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BLOCK EXTREMIST & UNQUALIFIED JUDGES: No Zealots in Lifetime Positions
We’re tracking the most concerning nominees to lifetime judicial appointments, in partnership with other progressive groups. Justin Walker, a nominee to the DC Court of Appeals, opposes the ACA, unions, and civil rights and is the latest in a long line of extremist, unqualified nominees.
QUICK ACTION: Learn more about Walker’s extremist record and tell Collins and King to vote NO on his confirmation.
Victories & Good News Roundup: Blue Wave Edition
Democrats flipped the U.S. House of Representatives and broke Republican strangleholds at the all-important state level, where redistricting decisions are made, not to mention countless laws that affect everyday life. These state and national Blue Wave wins are due in large part to the efforts of thousands of citizen activists who ran for office, worked on campaigns, educated voters, knocked on doors, made phone calls, sent postcards, and got out the vote for candidates who support a progressive agenda.
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CANVASS TO WIN: Knock on doors to win at the polls!
The Nov. 6, 2018 election is just around the corner and Mainers are knocking on doors and making calls to support their favorite candidates up and down the ballot.
QUICK ACTION: Help make the change you want to see in government by volunteering for a canvass or phone bank near you!
#SaveTheCensus: No citizenship question on the 2020 Census
The fight against adding an untested, unnecessary, and likely unconstitutional citizenship question to the 2020 Census has been hard to follow. Bottom line: There will be no citizenship question, but Trump is still hoping to help Republican-controlled state governments move forward with plans to gerrymander districts in favor of Republicans. Read more.
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WELCOME NEW MAINERS: Support asylum seekers at the Portland Expo Center
More than 170 asylum seekers have arrived in Portland in recent days, and more will be arriving in the near future. The families will have temporary shelter at the Portland Expo, and efforts to coordinate volunteers and donations are under way. QUICK ACTION: Learn more and sign up to volunteer and donate.
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17 Reasons Why We Don’t Need a Wall
When Congress rebuffed his border wall demands for a third time, Trump made an end-run around them by declaring a national emergency. While all lawmakers agree that we can improve our border security, the case for wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on an ineffective vanity project steeped in racial animus is as thin as tissue paper. We’ll show you why.
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FACT CHECK: Correcting Anti-Vaccine Testimony
While measles outbreaks are spreading across 22 states and Maine’s pertussis rate is the worst in the nation, our state’s non-medical vaccination opt-out rate is more than triple the national average. At the public hearing earlier this year for a law passed by the Maine Legislature to strengthen vaccination requirements for school children, false and misleading information was shared by anti-vaccination advocates. We decided to do some fact checking to set the record straight.
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ABORTION RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK: How You Can Stand Up and Fight Back
Extreme abortion bans have passed in Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Mississippi, and more are pending in several state legislatures. All are designed to take advantage of the the Supreme Court’s new conservative majority in an attempt to overturn Roe v Wade.
QUICK ACTION: Find out how YOU can help support, protect, and expand abortion access.
Response to Sen. Collins’ Support of Brett Kavanaugh
Senator Collins has made her decision and will support Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination. She has long called herself a moderate and a defender of women. With this decision, she showed Mainers and the nation that she is no moderate and certainly no champion of women.
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#StrikeWithUs: Support Global Climate Strikes
More than 500 climate strikes were held Sept. 20 in the U.S.–including 20 in Maine–in an intergenerational action to demand action on climate justice and to highlight the climate change crisis.
QUICK ACTION: View image galleries from the strikes, learn about upcoming actions, and contact your members of Congress!
CELEBRATE EARTH: Join an Earth Day action this week!
Earth Day is April 22 and communities around the state have planned events and actions all week. QUICK ACTION: Find an event near you and take action to celebrate Earth!
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PROTECT OUR WATERS: Oppose Trump’s “Dirty Water Rule”
The Trump administration has proposed widespread rollbacks to clean water protections, jeopardizing wetlands and drinking water for nearly half a million Mainers and millions of Americans. There’s just one week left to submit a public comment! QUICK ACTION: Submit a public comment opposing the rollbacks by April 15.
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Settling the First Amendment Case Against Gov. Paul LePage
Suit Up Maine’s co-leaders Karin Leuthy and Kelli Whitlock Burton agreed to a settlement in their First Amendment censorship case against Governor Paul LePage. The terms of the settlement required administrators of the governor’s Facebook page to unblock Leuthy and Burton, create a process allowing others who have been blocked to request that their posting privileges be restored, and agree not to censor or block other constituents during Gov. LePage’s remaining time in office. Read their statement about their decision to settle the case.
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PROTECT PERSONAL DATA: Secure Your Online Accounts and Devices
Facebook failed to protect its users’ personal information from exploitation by third parties interested in manipulating voters.
QUICK ACTION: Follow these steps to secure your devices and online accounts, and protect your private data from prying eyes and bad actors.
WHOSE NEWS? Take Back Control of Your Facebook News Feed
Facebook recently changed the way users see posts in their News Feed, choosing the content THEY think you should see first. As a result, you may be missing important posts, updates, events, and calls to action.
QUICK ACTION: Take back control of your news feed in a few easy steps.
#SaveTheCensus: No citizenship question on the 2020 Census
The fight against adding an untested, unnecessary, and likely unconstitutional citizenship question to the 2020 Census has been hard to follow. Bottom line: There will be no citizenship question, but Trump is still hoping to help Republican-controlled state governments move forward with plans to gerrymander districts in favor of Republicans. Read more.
read more
WELCOME NEW MAINERS: Support asylum seekers at the Portland Expo Center
More than 170 asylum seekers have arrived in Portland in recent days, and more will be arriving in the near future. The families will have temporary shelter at the Portland Expo, and efforts to coordinate volunteers and donations are under way. QUICK ACTION: Learn more and sign up to volunteer and donate.
read more
17 Reasons Why We Don’t Need a Wall
When Congress rebuffed his border wall demands for a third time, Trump made an end-run around them by declaring a national emergency. While all lawmakers agree that we can improve our border security, the case for wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on an ineffective vanity project steeped in racial animus is as thin as tissue paper. We’ll show you why.
read more
ARM YOURSELF…WITH FACTS!
Another holiday weekend in America, another 12 mass shootings. Including the massacre in Texas, those three days of mass shootings left 15 dead and 63 injured. Those opposed to gun safety quickly turned to their tired excuses for the gun violence and weak arguments against common sense gun reform. We have what you need to debunk their spin. QUICK ACTION: Check out our list of the most powerful gun violence statistics and find rebuttals to common arguments against gun safety legislation.
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GUN REFORM: Maine’s New Gun Safety Bills Need Your Support
All 11 of the new gun safety bills we tracked this session were defeated in the Maine legislature this session. QUICK ACTION: Find out how your state legislators voted, and hold them accountable for their opposition and continued inaction.
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SUPPORT ERPO BILL: Reduce Suicide & Domestic Violence Gun Deaths
Last year’s “ERPO” bill was vetoed by Gov. LePage, but a new bill, LD 1312, has just been introduced. Extreme Risk Protection Orders reduce gun-related suicides and domestic violence homicides by temporarily suspending access to firearms for people who are a danger to themselves or others.
QUICK ACTION: Submit testimony in support of the bill and contact your legislators and Gov. Mills!
SUPPORT MAINE STUDENTS: Ban Lunch Shaming & Restore Funding for School Health Centers
The Legislature is considering bills to ban food shaming in public schools (LD 1684) and restore funding to school-based health centers (LD 1710). UPDATE: The House passed LD 1710 and LD 1684 and the Senate votes next. QUICK ACTION: Call your senator and ask her/him to pass LD 1710 and LD 1684!
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NO GUNS ON SCHOOLS GROUNDS: Oppose LD 1761
A vote on LD 1761, which would allow people to carry guns in their vehicles on school grounds, could come as early as TUESDAY.
UPDATE: The bill was voted down in the House, and is now DEAD. Great work, everyone!
DEFEND MAINE’S TEACHERS: Support “Dime A Dozen” Fundraiser
Gov. Paul LePage recently downplayed the importance of teachers, calling them a “dime a dozen.” Voice your opposition to these comments and support efforts to assist new and existing teachers.
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Suit Up Maine is an independent, all-volunteer grassroots progressive group that seeks to build a more informed and engaged electorate in Maine. Founded in 2016, Suit Up Maine is run by and for Mainers, and is not engaged in fundraising of any kind. Representing thousands of constituents across Maine’s 16 counties, Suit Up Maine raises awareness of and advocates for policies and legislation that promote equity and equality in civil rights, social justice, health care, the environment, education, the economy, and other areas that affect the lives of all people. Suit Up Maine is beholden to issues and action, not parties or politicians.
