David Nalle at the blog of the Republican Liberty Caucus offers some friendly advice for people going to Congressional town hall meetings this month:
1. Go to expose the truth, not just to protest. There’s a lot more potential to advance our issues if you get to talk and ask questions and give legislators a chance to hang themselves with their answers. Ask them questions and let them know what you want, what you’re worried about and that you will hold them accountable. Just waving signs and shouting slogans will let them paint you as bullies. Some townhall meetings have already been cancelled because of protests, so you have to appear non-threatening. Be nice, but don’t let them get away with anything. Challenge their talking points and spin with the facts. Keep calm and demand answers.
2. Go with questions in mind. Have several thought out in advance so that if someone else asks one you wanted to ask you have a back-up ready. Read the Health Care bill (HR3200 on opencongress.org) and find something in it which bothers you. Preface your question by telling them that you’ve read the bill or most of the bill. Be honest about it and ask them about specifics. Ask them how they plan to pay for the massive cost of the “public option” without raising the deficit as Obama has promised. Will it mean raising taxes? Ask them if you’ll be able to stay with your current doctor or change from one private plan to another under Obamacare. Ask them how they expect private insurers to compete with a tax-subsidized government “public option.” Ask them if they’re going to enroll themselves and their faimily in the new system. Ask about the penalties for small businesses and individuals which want to opt out of the system.
3. Don’t limit your questions to healthcare. Once you have the floor you can’t be brushed off before you can get a question off, so ask about other issues which concern you. Ask about the new Food Safety act (HR2749) and whether it’s a good idea to put control of our food supply under the FDA. Ask them if they are going to support the Federal Reserve Transparency Act (HR1207). Ask them whether they think the “Cash for Clunkers” program (HR2751) is a good idea considering it encourages so many Americans to take on more debt. Ask them if they support the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act (HR197) and the Citizens Self Defense Act (HR17) which protect the rights of gun owners. Ask them if they support the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act (HR2835). Ask about the cost of “Cap and Trade” (HR2454) and how much it will cost taxpayers and small businesses. Ask if they think that creating special classes of privileged citizens under the Hate Crimes Bill (HR1913) is a good idea. There are lots of good issues to raise and you can find all the bills on opencongress.org. Just make sure you know the issue you’re asking about and don’t let them get away with brushing off your question. If all else fails, just ask them if they’ve actually read the Health Care bill or if they read all the bills they vote on. That seems to throw all of them for a loop.
4. Don’t just hold Democrats accountable. If there are Republican Congressmen or Senators in your area who are holding Town Hall meetings don’t give them a break. Attend their events and ask them the same questions you would ask the Democrats and ask them clearly if they are going to support or oppose Obamacare. Ask them about other issues as well. Let them know that you don’t want them caving in to the Democrats on these issues and that you support them if they remain true to Republican principles of fiscal responsibility and individual liberty.
5. It’s a small technical point, but vitally important. When you are called on, state your name and where you are from very clearly. This will allow the media to follow up with you afterward if they want more information and it will make very clear that you are from the congressman’s district or at least his state and have a legitimate reason to be there. Don’t let the media portray you as a shill or an outside agitator. Stand up, be counted and be clearly identified.
Sounds like a better strategy than screaming like an idiot.
good advice, until you ruined it by calling legitimate protesters idiots.
surely you are aware that the actions the federal government, and clandestinely by the federal reserve, has taken over the last 100 years has destroyed our economic system? states are talking secession, people are buying guns and ammo. this is serious. hello?
due to this interference in our economy over the years, this will not be like the great depression, this will be magnitudes worse. i defy you to name anything more serious than this, other than a meteor hitting the earth. this is no longer some small problem to be discussed while sipping tea and following the proper rules of etiquette!
the people have been ignored and are being ignored. they want the government out of their lives. they don’t want 800b being spent like its nothing. they don’t want the government owning car companies, insurance companies, and banks. they don’t want the federal reserve bailing out banks and counterfeiting trillions of dollars. but they keeps doing it over and over, no matter what anyone says.
there is no time left to debate this! the wreckless behavior of the federal government and the federal reserve must stop now. not a year from now. now, before its too late. you should be glad those “idiot” protesters are showing how serious they are. they are giving the government one last chance, ONE LAST CHANCE, to stop the insanity. they still believe we might have a few shreds of democracy left, and the federal government will finally start doing whats best for the people, not whats best for them to get re-elected by pandering to special interest groups.
I didn’t call them idiots, I called their tactics idiotic.
Screaming at people accomplishes nothing