Mainers for Accountable Leadership's mission is to change the dynamic between Maine’s federal elected officials – two Senators and two Members of the House – so they are fully transparent, responsive, and accountable to Maine voters and their deeply held values. We ask and expect that they will be:

Transparent: announcing in advance what they stand for, what they will support, and how they intend to vote; publicizing their schedule and calendars so Maine voters know who they meet with and consult; providing data on the campaign contributions they have received.

Accessible: holding regular meetings and town halls with constituents, and not just donors and interest groups; providing enough staff, phone answering, and internet capacity to respond quickly, and personally, to constituents trying to reach them both for services and to express constituent views; staffing state offices adequately with qualified staff who can respond to constituent concerns, regardless of party; inviting the public to their events.

Leaders: rising up, speaking up, and showing up as challenges to Maine values and our democracy occur; not waiting to see which way the wind blows before taking a principled stand, consistent with Maine values; putting the people of Maine and the country before party.

Principled: supporting, speaking out on, and acting legislatively in ways consistent with the values most Mainers hold dear, including:

equality and justice for all,

diversity and the welcoming of all comers to Maine and to the country,

civil rights for all and freedom of speech,

the core institutions and processes of our democracy,

the protection of Maine’s environment on which our state economy depends,

affordable health care for all, fair wages, and affordable education;

the reduction of inequality between the wealthy and the rest of the people of Maine.

science and research driven policy proposals.

Honesty and act with integrity: condemning lies, alternative facts, untruths; conducting regular investigations of potentially illegal or corrupt activity in the executive branch and Congress.

Goals: Our fundamental goal is to restore responsive and accountable democracy in the United States, starting where we live – in the state of Maine. We will be making progress when:

Our federal elected officials have dramatically increased the transparency of their dealings, meetings, and activities, so the people of Maine see, know, and can trust what they are doing.

There are regular town halls and other meetings between these officials and their constituents in Maine, and polling and other data demonstrate that Mainer’s do not feel distanced from the officials.

There is measurable evidence that the officials have taken a principled stand, especially those that represent Maine values, but that may conflict with Party preferences or Party leaders.

The positions officials have taken represent the values we hold close: equality, diversity, civil rights, democracy, protection of the environment; investing in people, and science and research-based policy-making.