If you’ve already completed the Weekly Action list items from 2.17.17, we have some template assistance for those dropping letters into our collection boxes tomorrow night.
Before you go to the ACA Town Hall tomorrow night, please read the action items on the event itself from 2.18 and 2.19 if you haven’t done so already.
Now, after you’ve gotten your evening game plan – inside or outside, letters, questions and signage prepped, it’s time for a little pre-meeting ACA information review.
OK, you didn’t get a seat, now what? Well, we have an agenda for you:
– Still come! News crews will film and interview the crowds outside.
– Bring: Positive signs, American Flags, positive attitude.
– Feed the media: If you’re outside, find a reporter, ask to tell your story. This is important!
– Opposition: Don’t feed them. Don’t talk or physically react to them.
– Bring your stories: We’ll collect letters, postcards, etc. outside.
– Know your facts: District #26 has had a 43% decrease in uninsured since the ACA took place and 28,800 of our friends and neighbors are insured under it.
– Take pictures and videos to share with Indivisibleguide.com and with the press.
OK, you did get a seat inside, so here are some reference materials:
– Watch the video.
-Your job isn’t to convince Ms. Brownley, she wants this too. But she needs to listen, and to gather supporting evidence to take back to Washington.
– Be a storyteller. Incorporate your own personal story in your question. Keep in mind your audience is as much your neighbors and fellow town hall attendees as it is the MoC. Be honest, be vulnerable, and tell stories that matter.
– End the story with a concrete, verifiable ask. The best asks or clear, actionable for the her, and easy to verify whether she followed through or not. For example: Instead of “Will you fight for me?”, ask her “Will you commit to voting against any loss of ACA coverage?”
– Don’t settle for talking points or canned responses.
The lone Trump supporter at the ACA Town Hall meeting last night said that she felt that her concerns were not being heard. Another audience member asked her if she could describe her vision for health care in America. She didn’t answer, so the mystery continues.
What, exactly, do conservative voters want? Is it really different than what we want?
We know what the President promised them…
“We’re going to have a plan that’s going to be great for people”. We’re going to have insurance for everybody…There is a philosophy in some circles that if you can’t pay for it, you don’t get it. That’s not going to happen with us”.
Well, that sounds awesome! Who could not like that?
However, the few details he’s provided, such as tax deductions and block grants, suggest otherwise, as they’ve been proven to hurt low-income people. The GOP in Congress have made no such wild promises and are working on how to sell the repeal. There is a serious disconnect here in the making and we need to leverage it to help protect the ACA and make it better.
Your homework assignment: Ask a conservative you know to describe the perfect insurance/healthcare system. No judgements, no arguments. Just get their vision.
You can ask them, point by point, or just follow them to where they go.. then write it up as succinctly as possible and tell us here what you find out in the comments section!
Indivisians! Our first town hall! February 21, at 6:00 pm at the Camarillo Public Library Community Room. Unfortunately, it is extremely limited in seating… Try to get a reservation at CA26.RSVP@mail.house.gov. However…
– IF YOU DON’T GET A RESERVATION…We still need you! We need people who are willing to stand outside, peacefully, to show support for both Brownley and the ACA. If you can do this, please come at 5:30. We want a flood of people outside for the late night news to show how important this is.
– SIGNS: Signs with positive messages about ACA are welcomed. More is better. Bring American flags! Good health care for all is a patriotic value!
– MEDIA: We will be getting as many members of the media there as possible. If you see one, go over and share your story about how ACA has helped you, your family or friends. We need to put a human face on this issue.
– THE OPPOSITION: There may be people there from the other side that will try to provoke you. DO NOT ENGAGE WITH THEM! Don’t engage them physically or with words. We must be above reproach.
– LETTER CAMPAIGN: If you’re willing to allow Julia Brownley use your story, please bring a letter, or note or postcard about the ACA and it’s positive effect for you. We will be collecting these outside and will present them to her at her office as publicly as possible.
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 