I received a large number of enthusiastic emails and calls in response to the last email newsletter. Many people wanted to get involved with Marta Evry's efforts with firedoglake.com to reach out to Nevada Dems to encourage Harry Reid to push hard for the public option.
So... THANK YOU!!!
I'm pleased to announce that the effort is now "live" so you can use this link to start calling. Or you can copy and paste from below:
IMPORTANT: I tested it out late this morning to trouble-shoot it, after Ellen Shaffer of EQUAL Health urged caution on the third part of the short questionnaire for the Nevada Democrats you'll be calling.
So here are three tips, which I hope will be useful to you:
1. When you register to start calling, the first question is VERY well-scripted for the Nevada Dems, many of whom are extremely loyal to Harry Reid. It paints a picture of Harry Reid under assault from the GOP and special interests. Saying it like you mean it really helps to "get your foot in the door" - it's your opener.
2. The second question in the script is good, but it demands that people know what a public option is, and what triggers are, etc. Many of these Nevada Democrats don't understand what a public option is in the first place. Before you start calling, please consider reviewing this Robert Reich video, which provides the most straightforward explanation, or use my excerpt from Reich's video below:
"Imagine you live in a city like, say, Cleveland. Right now, in most of that city, you can choose from only a few plans. With the public option, you'd be able to choose between these plans and the public option. That's it. It's that simple. If the public option costs too much, or doesn't provide good service, you stay with your private plan. And the public plan would not be subsidized by the government. The public option works because it would have the scale and authority to negotiate lower prices from health care providers - this would push the private insurers to get the same deals."
As for the language in the questionnaire script about "triggers, delays and opt-outs"... if they don't know what the public option is, they likely won't know what a trigger is. Be aware that these people may not have that much time for a phone call. So after you explain what the public option is, you may have to simplify the "triggers, delays, opt-outs" part by saying, "a public option that - importantly - is affordable and open to everyone on day one."
3. The third part of the questionnaire talks about a democratic (primary) challenge to Harry Reid. Ellen Shaffer of EQUAL Health had reservations about that, and I didn't quite understand what she meant until I started calling, and as soon as I asked the first question, I got feedback about how loyal the individual is to Harry Reid. Serious, heartfelt loyalty. This is something we need to be sensitive to, so if you get that loyalty feedback, I would skip question number three, and emphasize how Harry needs their help to support the public option. On the other hand, if the person is immediately critical of Harry Reid, then by all means use the third part of the questionnaire.
We're calling people in the privacy of their own homes, and we're asking them for a favor, so we need to carefully consider their feelings first. A lot of these Democratic voters are older, so let's also not call too late or too early in the day.
I was planning to go hear Michael Lighty speak on single payer at the Wellstone Democratic Club tonight, but now that this is live, I'll be calling from home this evening.
If anyone has feedback to share with the group about this effort, please let me know.
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