"One-Stop Shop" for Health Care Campaign Organizing
November Organizing Story
Video message to MoveOn Council members from MoveOn Executive Director Justin Ruben
POLITICAL CONTEXT:
- For months, pundits have been saying the public option was dead. But we kept organizing: more than 35,000 MoveOn members turned out in August, we held events in 38 states targeting insurance companies in September, and we got some of our best media coverage yet in early October when we told progressive senators, "We're counting on you" and spotlighted insurance industry campaign contributions to conservative senators.
- We’re finally seeing the fruits of our labor. Versions of the public option were included in both the House and Senate health care bills. With every action we organize, we push this Congress closer than we’ve ever been to real health care reform.
- And the House just passed its version of the bill. The Senate will likely take up its bill shortly afterward.
- Majority Leader Harry Reid has decided to bring forward a bill that includes a public option -- but Big Insurance and their conservative allies are fighting hard to kill the public option. Because Republicans will try to block progress with filibusters at every turn, we'll need 60 votes to bring the bill to the Senate floor and to get an up-or-down vote.
- The health care fight has been moving slowly forward for months, but now we’re down to the wire, and we need a final push to line up the votes to win.
OUR PLAN:
- So we're planning our next actions for a critical moment, right after the final House vote and before the first Senate vote. We've got overwhelm the Senate with a grassroots show of support for real reform. At the same time, we'll thank House progressives for their votes and encourage them to keep standing up for change as the process moves forward, and we'll hold other representatives accountable for voting against the bill.
- We're organizing "Countdown to Change" rallies on November 12 and 13, a few days after the House vote. That's a very rapid turnaround after our last actions, but it's critical that we respond quickly after the House vote, and we also expect all our congressional targets to be home on recess on those dates—which creates a golden opportunity to make sure they hear our message.
- We want these actions to be big, so we’re coordinating with Health Care for America Now (HCAN), SEIU, and other partners to make sure our representatives and Senators know there is strong support for the public option in the communities they represent. MoveOn councils in all states will join together on this action, including those in the "Go Big" states that have been organizing intensive campaigns on their swing senators.
Video update on November organizing
Countdown to Change Rally Materials
- Online event registration tool ("Bob")
- This is the main "Bob" for our upcoming rallies on 11/12 and 11/13.
- Who can use this? Anyone who's hosting a Countdown to Change rally should use this Bob, including "Go Big" states.
- Event Organizing Guide and FAQ
- Note: Most remaining materials will be posted by Monday, 11/9. The very last materials will be posted by Wednesday, 11/11.
Schedule of mailings & materials
You should get your event posted online as soon as possible. Here are the key deadlines for our Countdown to Change rallies:
- Big emails
- Mon 11/9: Attend recruit #1
- Wed 11/11: Attend recruit #2
- Deadlines to get your event posted online
- Deadline #1: Fri 11/6, 3pm ET (Preferred deadline; allows enough time to resolve problems before the 1st event recruit)
- Deadline #2: Sun 11/8, 5pm ET (Final deadline if you want 2 central recruitment emails)
- Final deadline: Tues 11/10, 5pm ET (Final deadline if you want 1 central recruitment email)
- Materials
- Tues 11/3 (or before): Bob, Organizing Story, Guide, FAQ, vetting guidelines
- Mon 11/9: Signs, most media materials, sample host remarks
- Tues 11/10: National Host Call, 9pm ET / 6pm PT, on (212) 812-2800 and enter 6031 9796
- Weds 11/11: Talking points (based on House vote)
Other November Event-Organizing Materials
- Stand for Health Care
- Bob: http://pol.moveon.org/event/standforhealthcare
- Guide: http://pol.moveon.org/standforhealthcare/guide.html
- Who can use this? Strong Councils that want to do an additional, "above and beyond" target-focused action to pressure their target, on top of the Countdown to Change rallies.
- Events must be posted and vetted as early as possible before the event date. Check out the full vetting and recruitment guidelines here.
- Note: This Bob gets "Rolling Recruitment."
- Go Big
- Bob: http://pol.moveon.org/event/gobig
- Guide: http://pol.moveon.org/healthcare/gobig/guide_reportrelease.html
- Who can use this?: Only "Go Big" states: CT, IN, LA, ME, MT, NE, ND and AR
- What can they use this for? Report Release Event and Rapid Response Actions.
- Notes: This isn't be a "priority" in BOB, so it doesn't appear on every Council page.
- House Party for Health Care
- Bob: http://pol.moveon.org/event/healthcareparty
- Guide: http://pol.moveon.org/healthcareparty/guide.html
- Who can use this? Available to start-ups and attriting Councils everywhere.
- Notes: This Bob gets "Rolling Recruitment."
Other organizing resources
- Legislative map -- or, how the health care bill moves through Congress
- State-by-state reports comparing different senate health bills
- Audio training on how to get your message across at town halls
- Written tips on getting your message across, and avoiding conflict with right-wing protesters, at town halls
- Health care talking points (from August)
- LARGE SIGNS that say "Public Option = Affordable Health Care"(great for bird-dogging)
- How-to's:
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