With a week to go until Maine’s presidential primary and referendum vote (see dates below) and just a few more months left in the legislative session, our plates our full! Voters have an opportunity March 3 to protect Maine’s children and immune-compromised adults by defeating vaccine opponents’ efforts to repeal our new strong public health vaccine law. We have all the facts you need in our vaccine guide below. In addition to the health reform legislative hearings highlighted here, Maine legislators are also considering bills to restore Tribal sovereignty, expand dental care to more Maine adults, offer a tax credit to family caregivers, support for the state’s family planning system, and expansion and protection of workers’ rights. Get the details in our Legislature Roundup. And we have some updates about the latest partisan votes from Susan Collins, who spent last weekend celebrating the return of Paul LePage at a Maine GOP event that barred the press. Time to get to work!
In solidarity,
The Suit Up Maine Admin Team
VOTE NO ON 1 MARCH 3 TO PROTECT MAINE’S CHILDREN
Maine’s rising vaccine opt-out rate has led immunization rates at more than 40 elementary schools to fall below 85%–well below the threshold needed to protect against measles and pertussis. That, along with numerous whooping cough outbreaks around the state, led legislators last year to pass a strong public health vaccine law that eliminates all non-medical exemptions. Now, vaccine opponents want to repeal the new law with Question 1, which will be on the ballot March 3. We are urging Maine voters to vote NO on 1 to protect Maine’s children. Learn more about vaccines, the law, and the referendum in our vaccine guide. Find it here.Â
HEALTH REFORM PACKAGE WOULD CAPÂ INSULIN COST
More than 140,000 Mainers have diabetes, incurring an average of $16,750 in diabetes-related health care costs each year. A recent study found that the cost of insulin nearly doubled between 2012-2016, from $2,864 to $5,705 per patient a year, costs so high that 1 in 4 patients often limit their insulin dose or skip it altogether. Maine legislators will hold a public hearing TUESDAY on a bill to cap the cost of insulin to $100 a month. It’s part of a package of health care reform legislation designed to reign in health care spending, eliminate surprise billing from ER visits, and promote billing transparency. Legislators need to hear from you NOW. Learn more in our Legislature Roundup. Find it here.Â
THE CASE AGAINST COLLINS
Shortly after voting to acquit Trump in the first Senate impeachment trial in history not to include witnesses, Sen. Susan Collins (R) voted to confirm Andrew Brasher to a lifetime appointment on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Collins supported Brasher despite widespread opposition from constituents and civil rights groups over his efforts to undermine voting rights and the rights of people of color, women, workers, and LGBTQ individuals. These votes came on the heals of an ethics complaint filed against 1820 PAC, a super PAC that supports Collins with large donations from out-of-state donors. Find details about these developments in The Case Against Collins, our online resource that offers evidence of Collins’ increasingly partisan voting record. Find it here.Â
MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND PREPARE TO VOTE!
2020 is a big election year, with much at stake. Mark these dates on your calendar and vote like your planet depends on it!
- MARCH 3 (Super Tuesday): THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY AND QUESTION 1. No ranked choice voting.
- MARCH 8: Maine Democratic Caucuses to choose state convention delegates and other party business. Get more info from the Maine Democratic Party.
- JUNE 9: PRIMARY ELECTION for US Senate, US House, and Maine State Legislature. Will use ranked choice voting.
- NOVEMBER 3: GENERAL ELECTION. Ranked choice voting will be used for federal races but not for state races.
Get more info from the Maine Secretary of State and from Vote in Maine.
On our website you’ll also find:
- Letter to the Editor Guide: Tips on writing LTEs and a list of Maine newspapers that accept them.
- Top Events: A list of upcoming progressive events across the state.
- Guides & Explainers: Resources on complex topics.
- Victories & Good News Roundup: A sweet (and long) list of progressive victories.
- Civic Dashboard: Contact info for your elected officials, tutorials on the legislative process, and more.
- Get Involved: You’ve been making calls but now you’re ready to do more. We’ve got just the job for you.
Our Calls to Action (C2As) are made by and for Mainers, and cover state, national, and international issues. Too busy? We’ve boiled down background info on each issue into easily digestible knowledge nuggets. So if all you have time to do is read ONE SHORT PARAGRAPH, that’s action you can take to help build a more informed electorate!
