The new tax policy in Pres. Donald Trump’s budget bill is projected to speed up the depletion of Social Security’s trust funds — and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins has been a pivotal supporter of measures threatening the program’s future. The GOP’s budget package not only extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts but also adds a…
With Pres. Donald Trump’s newly-passed federal budget slashing funding for consumer protections, experts say state-level laws will be more important than ever to keep people safe from scams, crushing debt, and predatory lenders. Fortunately, Maine’s legislature passed several laws this session – on medical debt, housing, access to credit and health care – that will…
Maine Democrats say Sen. Susan Collins’ efforts to justify her procedural vote to advance Senate Republicans’ budget bill don’t hold water — and Collins needs to be held accountable for her role in advancing the bill, which will gut essential programs and harm tens of thousands of Mainers. “She voted to advance this bill because…
After about 15 years in different health care settings, Brad Tuttle and his wife, Alley Tuttle, decided to leave traditional health care and start a direct primary care clinic in Bangor because they saw a “big collapse coming.” And now, with U.S. House Republicans moving forward with a vote on legislation that would cut nearly…
As the U.S. Senate prepares to vote on the budget reconciliation bill, Mainers gathered outside Sen. Susan Collins’ Bangor office Wednesday morning to deliver a symbolic message: a pair of boxing gloves, urging her to “get in the ring” and fight for her state. The event, organized by the Maine People’s Alliance (of which Beacon…
Dozens of Maine faith leaders gathered Wednesday morning outside Sen. Susan Collins’ offices in Bangor, Lewiston, and Portland — joining in prayer, song, and silent reflection to call on Collins to stand against the House-passed version of Pres. Donald Trump’s reconciliation budget bill, and fight for a better federal budget. The vigils were led by…
This week on the podcast, Esther, Cate and Ben are together to discuss the Maine state budget, as well as the federal budget proposal from the Trump administration. In Maine, lawmakers are considering a tax on income over a million dollars (which is supported by a majority of Mainers). On the federal level, the budget…
A majority of Maine voters would be less likely to vote for Sen. Susan Collins for reelection if she were to support the House-passed federal tax and budget bill that would cut taxes for the super-rich and megacorporations by cutting spending on Medicaid and other programs including SNAP. That is according to new polling by…
“Extremely wasteful and deeply traumatic.” That’s how Tessa Corsetti, a wildlife biologist who was abruptly fired by the Trump Administration from her job at U.S. Fish and Wildlife, described her experience. Corsetti was part of a diverse coalition of Mainers who gathered in Brewer on Wednesday to share how they’ve been hurt by the administration’s…
This week on the podcast, Ben and Cate cover Trump’s State of the Union exploring its nationalist tone, economic impacts, and the need for fact-checking. They also break down national deportation trends and the legal hurdles of immigration policy. On the state level, Cate discusses budget negotiations, Republican-driven funding roadblocks, and the powerful child care…