Saturday, November 15th, roughly 125 people attended the first ever Maine Solidarity Conference in Lewiston, hosted by Maine DSA. The purpose was to bring together folks from union leadership, mutual aid groups, and activist organizations to share and learn from each other.

Trump had a bad month, but he may be stronger than he looks. Todd Chretien writes that defeating #MAGA and the billionaires will need a better strategy.

Today, with the author’s permission, we offer you a re-printing of a piece @breadnrosie.bsky.social wrote for @powermap.bsky.social. Rose lays out why Janet Mills represents a centrism that does not meet the moment, and is a bad choice to represent Mainers in the Senate.

In our ongoing debate/opinion series focused on 2026 candidates in Maine, we present this piece by contributor Bluebird. The author lays out why they believe socialists not only can but should support Troy Jackson for Governor.

With newer generations growing up under the panopticon of the internet's long memory, T. Sinclair argues that the left will need to embrace a sense of revolutionary forgiveness when it comes to candidates, and each others', pasts.

As a debate grows among Maine’s political and working classes around Graham Platner’s problematic past, Todd Chretien argues that it’s important for the left to continue supporting him.

In response to Todd Chretien's letter calling for Maine DSA to consider endorsing Graham Platner, Bluebird responds with this piece encouraging Maine DSA to find ways to support the candidate, but not endorsing him.

🚨 NEW 🚨 Todd Chretien discusses why Maine socialists and DSA should consider supporting Graham Platner for Senate and Troy Jackson for Governor, and how supporting them is more than just supporting a candidate, it’s a step toward build power.

🌲 New from Pine & Roses 🌹 Todd Chretien covers the growing number of people showing up to County Commissioners meetings, demanding Cumberland County stop cooperating with ICE, and why it’s important. #maine

🌲 New from Pine & Roses 🌹 Joey B. comments on the passage of Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," how it's a form of social murder, and what it means for the working class.

👀 NEW THIS MORNING 👀 We share this public statement from the newly organized “No ICE for ME” campaign in Maine.

🎧 New Podcast Episode 🎧 This month our Maine Mural podcast brings you a presentation from the Poli Ed Committee of @mainedsa.org. Geared toward folks newer to left-wing thought, it offers a brief overview on the origins of the socialist movement.

📰NEW📰 As the Trump admin threatens student deportations and pressures schools, Bowdoin College has found itself caught up in it. T. Sinclair gives an update on the battle over academic freedom at the esteemed institution.

What went into May Day planning? Todd Chretien gets into behind-the-scenes details that made #MayDay such a success in Maine and beyond.

🎧New Podcast Episode🎧 We interview the local group, Presente! ME about their organization’s history and mission helping new Mainers, and current concerns regarding national attacks on immigrant communities.

⭐️ NEW ⭐️ May Day will be a test of strength. But to beat back Trump's attack, we can't underestimate his strength, nor overestimate ours.

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🏠New Housing Article🏠 T. Sinclair sat down with Bradley Davis from Maine's Portland Tenant Union to discuss tenants' rights, the history behind the organization, and its recent successes. pineandroses.org/news/sitting...

Maine DSA Co-Chair Sophie Garner delivered a speech at Augusta, Maine’s #HandsOff rally. Her message to attendees: get involved and commit. No one will save us but us.

Yesterday roughly 10,000 Mainers rallied at different #HandsOff protests across the state. Today we bring you Portland City Councilor Kate Sykes’ speech, delivered at the Portland rally where over 3,000 were in attendance.

♥️ NEW: Health Opinion Piece ⚕️ Anna from York County discusses the dangers of addiction within activist movements; and offers advice on not just avoiding hard drugs and alcohol, but mindfulness about caffeine and processed foods, too.

🚨 NEW: Responses to ICE Detentions 🚨 Today we share a statement by New England DSA chapters, including @mainedsa.org, against ICE's illegal detention of legal residents; and a copy of Portland City Councilor Wes Pelletier's speech against ICE's actions, encouraging communities to rally together.

📰 NEW 📰 Todd Chretien discusses Trump's motives behind his blitzkrieg attack on programs that millions rely on, and how the recent activity of unions across Maine might help point to how it can be resisted.

What is Golden Thinking? A new piece by Todd Chretien explores why Rep. Golden sometimes betrays the working class and what that could possibly mean for his future and ours.

Bluebird offers this opinion piece on why raising taxes on the rich would be a good start, but how we will need much more if we are to truly change things.

🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE 🎧 This month, our Maine Mural podcast looks back at the February student encampment at Bowdoin College that demanded the institution stand against scholasticide in Gaza and divest from certain arms manufacturers.

Brendan Davison writes this piece analyzing the commercialization of Irish-American heritage around St. Patrick's Day, how capitalism drives it, and ways we can work to correct it.

Todd Chretien sat down with @breadnrosie.bsky.social and @amessylich.bsky.social to discuss the dangers Trump poses to trans folks in Maine, how that threat is tied to a broader assault on the entire working class, and how important it is for Mainers to stand up against this reactionary offensive.

We are proud to have platformed this powerful statement.

🗣️ NEW INTERVIEW 🗣️ Todd Chretien sits down with new Portland City Councilor and @mainedsa.org member Wes Pelletier to discuss why he ran, what he hopes to achieve, and how valuable it is to have an working-class organization behind you.

We’re happy to see some actual concern about this from one of our Representatives at least (no word yet from Golden). Here’s a piece from our own Todd Chretien about the issue.

📰 OPINION PIECE 📰 With International Workers Day a month away, contributor Bluebird sets the stage by laying out the American roots behind the holiday, its importance to the global labor struggle, and how we should celebrate it here again.

📣 NEW FROM MAINE 📣 "President Trump is cutting the legs out from under farmers all over the state. [...] small farmers are wondering if the federal government will default on signed contracts or eliminate funding for critical farm infrastructure." #maine #farmers

📢 NEW LOCAL STORY 📢 Remedios M. recaps the five day student encampment at Bowdoin College led by SJP. Activists called for the administration to abide by a recent student referendum opposing scholasticide in Gaza and to divest from weapons manufacturers supplying the apartheid regime in Israel.

Contributor Beckham O’Leary-Cyr argues that Trump’s second rise to the Oval Office was caused more by Democrats’ inaction and refusal to support working-class issues than anything else.

As a project of Maine DSA, Pine & Roses is beginning a monthly piece of handpicked headlines featuring DSA news. If you’re a member or fellow traveler, be sure to check it out!

📰 NEW from Pine & Roses 📰 A brief recap of Maine DSA's recent Winter Semi-Annual Convention as the socialist organization prepares for another four years of a far-right agenda under Trump.

📰 NEW OPINION PIECE 📰 Today we feature a fun piece by contributor Vernon S. that focuses on language and how we use it. Vernon lists a number of phrases that we commonly use, and suggests alternative ways to word them.

"Getting away from the stigma of 'this is just poor, white trailer trash [...] and we're not.'" In the newest Maine Mural episode, we conclude our interview with folks from Brunswick who turned their mobile home park into a collectively owned cooperative.

📣 NEW OPINION PIECE 📣 Contributor Bluebird uses simple questions about labor and commodities as examples for why reading and understanding classic texts is still a must for today’s organizers who wish to understand basics.

Today's Editorial piece argues that the two major U.S. political parties embrace death in their own ways. The author suggests that while the GOP makes a cult out of it, the Dems accept it with a whimper. Check it out! 👀

📢 Editor Todd Chretien compares Trump's election and administration to Reagan's. What do they have in common, and what is different?

NEW: Maine Public Housing Tenants Face Eviction at High Rates. A New Program to Keep Renters Housed Excludes Them. For those who are evicted from public housing in Maine, experts say the consequence “is almost certainly homelessness.” w/ @bangordailynews.bsky.social

Their plans are to dismantle democratic governance and let big corporations run your lives without consequence ✅

🎧New Podcast Episode🎧 Mobile home park residents in Brunswick recently formed the Blueberry Fields Cooperative, purchasing the park from its owner. We interviewed Co-op members to discuss why it was necessary, and the organizing work that made it possible.

📣 T. Sinclair pens this opinion piece in response to billionaire Daniel Lubetzky's article in Newsweek, attempting to blame the Left for Dems' losses this election. Sinclair points out how this is a tired tact by the establishment to avoid responsibility. READ & SHARE 🔻