Congressional Call Storm

Country Committees in the Asia Pacific region have planned a Congressional Call Storm for next week.  The details are below.  We would LOVE it if you joined us or do something similar.  Below (and attached as a doc) is the Campaign Plan.  I will distribute a Campaign Pack over Leadership as soon as it is ready.  The Pack will include:

• the Campaign Plan
• the link to the "We're His Problem Now" activist phoning tool
• abroad activist introductory language for those using the tool
• the script for the Wednesday Oversight and Government Reform Comm Call Storm
• the link to the Call Log Google Form
• Sample language for CC leaders to use to motivate their members to participate in the Call Storm
• Social Media outreach plan

Make Congress do their job.  Join the Storm! 

Many thanks.

Best,

Carmelan

ASIA PACIFIC CONGRESSIONAL CALL STORM

Campaign Plan

Some country committees in the Asia Pacific region are collaborating on a campaign to make Congress do its job.  Next week we are going to “storm” the offices of elected officials and targeted Congressional committees with phone calls, sending messages of concern (and outrage) about the actions of the incoming administration. 

The purpose of this campaign is manifold.  We seek to:

• Make an impact by clogging phone lines with calls from concerned citizens living abroad;
  ·       Promote advocacy and activism, as we transform into the Majority Party in Opposition;
  ·       Energise our members, who we know are seeking an outlet for their concerns, frustrations, anger and fear;
  ·       Build our party by inviting members and other progressives abroad to become active and engaged participants in our party;
  ·       Train our members in activism, as phone call campaigns may become a regular feature of our opposition party strategy, especially when “rapid response” is required; and
  ·       Provide a mechanism for catharsis, as there are many who are still seeking a means of exorcising their upset about the election outcome.

The AP Congressional Call Storm has 2 components:

1. Initial Storm:  calls to the office and members of the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday 7 December from 9am to 5pm.  The message we recommend for these phone calls is a message of support for investigations into conflicts of interest that exist between the incoming president’s businesses and his role as US President and Commander-In-Chief.  A script for these discussions will be provided.
2. On-going Storm:  calls to the DC or district offices of elected members of the House of Representatives and Senate from Wednesday 7 December through Saturday 10 December.  We are recommending that campaign participants use this multi-dimensional tool developed for activists reaching out to elected officials.  It includes scripts, a register of elected officials and much more – all that we need to equip members to participate in this campaign.  The tool includes a remarkable “laundry list” of issues that members may wish to raise with their elected officials and a script for speaking to someone who is for or against the Democratic Party position.  It is updated regularly.

Participants will be provided with some introductory language that notes the caller is a citizen phoning from abroad. 

All members of Asia Pac country committees will be messaged about the campaign and be encouraged to participate in it.  Some Country Committees are hosting gatherings during the campaign period; others country committees are pushing out the campaign to members via email and social media. 

All participants will be asked to log their calls in this Google Form that prepares a register of calls made during the campaign:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSchDaixfzrenMJoY7XCM3tShXqf2sqTlPz-HYvQ-D_R0zgF8g/viewform