A GUIDE TO PRESSURING YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA 75 MAIDEN LANE, SUITE 702 | NEW YORK, NY 10038 | 212-727-8610 [email protected] dsausa.org/join facebook.com/demsocialists @demsocialists 08 BUILDING a Local Coalition 18 SETTING UP and Preparing for a Meeting with your Congressional Representative 26 ESCALATING Pressure on your Representative 2 CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS AND EDITORS James Cole, Benjamin Fong, Frances Gill, Dustin Guastella, Tim Higginbotham, Heidi Sloan, Megan Svoboda | Design & Layout by Connary Fagen CONTACT For more information, contact the national campaign committee at [email protected]. Be sure to check out our Medicare for All website at medicareforall.dsausa.org, where you can find an online version of this booklet, links to editable versions of campaign materials, more “how-to”s, reports from chapters from around the country, and more! ABOUT DSA Democratic Socialists for Medicare for All is a campaign organized and paid for by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). DSA is the largest and fastest growing socialist organization in the United States. We are a member-funded, member-run, and democratically accountable organization that fights for a political agenda that puts working people at the center. We believe that if we are to take on the enormous power of our political elite and their billionaire donors we need an organization that truly represents the needs, aspirations and desires of the working-class majority. Democratic Socialists of America 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 702 New York, NY 10038 212-727-8610 [email protected] DSA for Medicare for All Campaign dsausa.org/join medicareforall.dsausa.org facebook.com/demsocialists facebook.com/dsam4a @demsocialists @dsam4a Published in January 2019 3 INTRODUCTION As democratic socialists, the Act, to a vote in the House of fight for an uncompromising Representatives. DSA is not Medicare for All — one that alone in this work. National guarantees free-at-use care Nurses United, along with to all through a single, public nearly 30 other national and program — is a singular way local unions and progressive to organize working people organizations are coordinating around a demand that will to take advantage of this materially improve their lives. moment. Since Bernie Sanders’ We have the power and the numbers to make it happen: presidential run in 2016, single- 70% of Americans support payer advocates have been Medicare for All, including successfully turning Medicare 85% of Democrats and 52% for All into a litmus test for of Republicans. Winning politicians. A floor vote in the Medicare for All will save House will force representatives the average working person to finally reveal whether thousands of dollars per year, they’re on the side of healthcare while guaranteeing healthcare profiteers or the side of the security to every single working class. American resident. Not only this, but it will democratize Americans have been fighting nearly one-fifth of the US for single-payer healthcare economy by eliminating a for over a century, and at massive, parasitic industry in a major blow against capital. various points have pushed the policy to the brink of 2019 presents a unique becoming a reality. But time opportunity for the Democratic and again advocates were Socialists for Medicare for All unable to overcome the campaign: to be a key player in unwavering opposition of the pushing HR 1384, the Expanded private insurance industry, and Improved Medicare for All pharmaceutical companies, 4 and the American Medical Americans Association. Healthcare profiteers have already begun have been their latest assault on Medicare fighting for for All — we’re seeing a wave of public option proposals single-payer intended to undermine our movement, as well as key healthcare committee appointments for over a being handed to corporate Democrats. century, and What we need now to fight at various back against this assault is an points have unshakeable working-class movement capable of forcing pushed the politicians to reject lobbyist influence. Now is the time to policy to be clear about our demands the brink of and pressure politicians to get on board. Pushing a floor becoming a vote in the House not only tests the political strength reality. of the movement to make that happen, it also sends the bill to the Senate, calling the question there. Though we know Medicare for All will not become a reality under the Trump administration, a House 5 DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL floor vote is the best “Which accept any compromises. side are you on?” political opportunity in 2019 and sets This guide will help your the stage to make Medicare for chapter plan out a pressure All the decisive issue of 2020. campaign on your House rep. The first chapter talks about Every chapter and organizing the ways in which to build committee in DSA can be and participate strategically involved in this campaign, in local coalitions; the second as every single House rep discusses planning and can improve their position preparing for a meeting with on Medicare for All. For your rep; and the third offers a progressive Democrats who variety of tactics for escalating already co-sponsor HR 1384, pressure on your rep. chapters can push them to join the Medicare for All With the right planning, a caucus and to become a strategic orientation, and vocal champion of single- a good bit of gall, pressure payer healthcare using our tactics can win great campaign’s principles. We concessions from elected need progressive reps to be representatives. The gaps clear that the public option is in party structure allow not an option. Even Republican pressure groups to have reps can be made to feel the an outsized influence over heat: 52% of their constituents politicians, especially if those support Medicare for All, and groups can marshal a large we should try to activate those number of constituents for supporters to become involved their cause. With a large in the fight. field operation and an active membership, DSA is in a Momentum has been rapidly unique position to bring building, and 2019 is the year pressure to bear on House for us to raise the political reps, and like never before, stakes. It’s time to send the now is the time to do so. message that Medicare for All is inevitable, and that we won’t 6 INTRODUCTION Here are some Does this tactic build power in strategic questions my chapter or coalition? to help you decide Will it be visible enough how to approach your to attract the attention of pressure campaign: potential new members? If not, how can we get more press attention? Can we increase our What does my chapter need to social media presence? How can employ this tactic effectively, we reach people who wouldn’t have and do we have those heard about us if we hadn’t done this resources? action? If the answer is “no,” get in touch Will it spread organizing skills with your regional organizer from DSA’s Medicare for All campaign, throughout the membership? and let’s problem solve together! Will more people learn to canvass through this action? Or learn to have a one-on-one? Or learn to conduct Does this tactic make my research on an elected official? chapter or coalition look Or learn more about healthcare organized, mobilized, and policy? Can this be used to develop plugged into a larger strategy? new leaders? Or to build out the infrastructure of our chapter? When talking to your rep or their If not, how can we adjust so that staff, make it clear how organized we are using this campaign to you are, i.e. “We knocked on strengthen our chapter? 500 doors in the last two weeks [demonstrates people power], and we talked to hundreds of voters who support Medicare for All [demonstrates broad base of support], which we defined as involving these five principles [shows that there is no wiggle room on what we’re asking for].” 7 1 BUILDING A LOCAL COALITION 8 BUILDING A LOCAL COALITION When your chapter starts open the door to dysfunction, a campaign to pressure a conflict, and other serious congressperson to sign on to obstacles for your campaign. So Medicare for All, it’s important it’s probably worth planning out to realistically assess your your coalition strategy ahead capacity and power. Very few of time before launching your DSA chapters are large enough campaign. or have enough clout to swing a congressional election on their WHAT ISN’T own and, as such, cannot expect A COALITION? to move a congressperson to sign onto Medicare for All without A coalition is sometimes the assistance of other organized conflated with a community groups. Even if you could get or with a collaboration. A every member of your chapter community’s dominant feature is involved in your campaign (and shared values. A collaboration’s you likely can’t do that), you’re dominant feature is shared still going to need the help of tactics. A coalition, on the other other organized groups to win hand, has a shared goal and the reforms you want. strategy. Often times, coalitions build and encompass community To build an effective coalition, and collaboration, but a defined your chapter needs to be able to goal and affirmed strategy are identify good potential coalition what set coalitions apart. partners, create specific agreed- upon shared goals, and develop Entering into a coalition is an overarching strategy to not entering into a life-long achieve those goals that all partnership. It’s pulling power coalition partners agree on. together to achieve something This is easier said than done, concrete.