The engraved invitations have been distributed on their silver platters and some of the invitees are planning to show up with blank sheets of paper. Those wretched ingrates.
Taking a leaf from the book of the Massachusetts voters, and a cue from Obama, let's target the Republicans. There are fewer of them after all, and we already know that the Democrats aren't listening to us. Chances are tiny, but maybe the ones who are supposed to be the liberals will change that if they see us ignoring them and whispering in the ears of Republicans.
I've picked out 4 Republicans to target first, just to make it easy, but feel free to tackle any of them you like, especially if any of your Senators or Representatives is a Republican.
First, the two leading Republicans who have been invited to the Upcoming Summit are Senator Mitch McConnell R-Kentucky [Senate Minority Leader] and Representative John Boehner R-Ohio [House Minority Leader]. There's contact information for Mitchell here and here and for Boehner here. Call, email, fax and tell them:
Yes, there is a better idea: we want Medicare For All.
After all, we already know that Republicans don't dare kill Medicare, not out in public anyway, not with the C-SPAN cameras rolling.
Meanwhile, we have two doctors in the Senate, both of them Republicans, and they have a twice-weekly show on health care.
Here's one episode, one of several in which they have a huge stack of paper [are those sheets blank?] as a prop [and it's effective] and in which they mention the size of the Senate "Health" "Reform" Bill.
On their website, they're soliciting our questions and comments via email, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. They can do something about that pile of paper at Coburn's elbow -- give them a link to the 30-page PDF of HR 676 and tell them we could save a ton of money with Medicare For All.
Yeah, yeah, the chances that any Republican is going to stand up on national tv on Feb 25 and suggest that the President give us Medicare For All are about the same as a snowball's chances in Florida, but hey, it could happen.
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Why not Snowe and Collins, too?
I like the other ideas, but...
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi
they weren't invited to the party
on feb 25, but feel free to badger them too, especially since they're yours iirc. i've already started on my republican representative and senator.
great idea
I will post links to the senate contact page. If we have any readers in their districts, now would be a GREAT time for a district office visit.
Love it
Yeah, yeah, the chances that any Republican is going to stand up on national tv on Feb 25 and suggest that the President give us Medicare For All are about the same as a snowball's chances in Florida, but hey, it could happen.
Basically do an endaround on Obama and the Dem "leadership" while agreeing with the GOP that this bill should be scrapped.
When I suggest people build a relationship with their Reps, often people will say "oh, s/he's a Republican so what's the point?" You never know where contact will make a difference, and if you can find some common ground rhetorically or otherwise, you can sometimes make an opponent do the work you want. So frame this as a way to stick it to Obama, offer up a briar patch option, see what shakes out.
Make me do it. - President Barack Hussein Obama
Okay. - Nonviolent Actionist NTodd Pritsky
bingo!
Basically do an endaround on Obama and the Dem "leadership" while agreeing with the GOP that this bill should be scrapped.
this is it in a nutshell. [gee, i coulda saved myself a lotta typing!]
When I suggest people build a relationship with their Reps, often people will say "oh, s/he's a Republican so what's the point?"
this is probably a lot easier for me than for most liberals. most of my family, friends, neighbors, coworkers are of the moderate-to-liberal republican type, even if a lot of them have crossed over to the democratic party in recent years. not to mention that most of my life i've lived in very conservative [and very religious] parts of the country and i'm used to being the only wild-eyed atheist lefty in the crowd and still remaining friends with everyone.
strange bedfellows pragmatic cowardly progressivism doth make
Good idea! Thank you. I call both sides and leave messages, though have slowed down. Hipp you always re-inspire me. Thanks.
Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. (Japanese proverb)
thanks!
you are a true treasure, libby. [and if you want to tip off any democratic politicians you talk to that i'm no longer speaking to them, feel free to pass it on]
hipp--u r the treasure....
just when i start to flag and forget my commitment... you give me a wake up call.
there is also something cathartic to leaving those post-midnite voicemails. wow... only in america. sure, their staff probably hears me going on and on... and i am very sincere and passionate... but what the hey... those ripples through the staff may also impact.
i wear my black armband for myself since the first day when i discovered the profound lack of curiosity or maybe self-protection people have in not querying me about it. i thought it would be a continuing thing to be defending. now i wish someone would ask and challenge.
what is that story about the guy on the soapbox on the street corner who spouted his entreaties to the passersby for years. finally a guy stopped and asked him why he continued for so long with so little notice. he said when he started he wanted to change THEM, but eventually he kept doing it so they wouldn't change HIM.
I guess it is about living in the solution and not the problem and remembering Burke's warning about good people doing nothing.
thanks again, hipp! We need a base camp of people reminding each other to keep living in the solution. To be survivors not victims!
Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. (Japanese proverb)
post-midnight voicemails!
i love it!
the first election i was old enough to vote in was carter/reagan. several of us students wore our black armbands on campus for the rest of that week.
strange bedfellows pragmatic cowardly progressivism doth make
Good idea! Thank you. I call both sides and leave messages, though have slowed down. Hipp you always re-inspire me. Thanks.
Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. (Japanese proverb)