Use the System

    Contact Strategies

    Many people believe their representative will not listen to them because of the district area's party affiliation or history of dismissing constituent issues. While it is true they may not listen to you they are more likely to pay attention to a hoard of dissent. Contacting your representatives is a numbers game. Be a grain of sand in the larger pile.

    Quick Tips

    • Call, don’t write. If you can go in person
    • Have 1 or 2 talking points max, not a laundry list of complaints
    • Research exactly what you want them to do - is there’s something they can vote to oppose?
    • As often as you can demand answers on the record and in public in spaces such as town halls, you want a visible trail to hold them accountable.
    • Organize town halls to get your representatives to face your area in person. If they show up ask the real questions. If they don't you can hold an empty chair town hall and make sure fellow constituents know about it. Learn more about organizing town halls and involving the media.

    Contacting Republicans

    The key is forcing them to answer for their support of bills and policies that directly defy their constituents interests or campaign promises.This is a betrayal of their responsibility to the families they represent. They know these policies are deeply unpopular, and they must answer to their constituents. Demand real answers.

    Contacting Democrats

    Compromise only works if both sides are doing it, centrist democrats are almost as harmful as republicans who capitulate to Trump. Though they're both on different sides, their lack of conviction is the same. Urge them to use every ounce of leverage they have to stop the worst of the attacks against everyday Americans. Do not let them use the excuse that they're smaller in numbers or working against a tough opposition. They need to do their job, this is what they signed up for. While you dont expect them to single handedly solve all issues, you do expect them to fight tooth and nail for their people.

    Meeting In Real Life

    Sources

    Representatives at Risk

    North Carolina senator Thom Tillis told people that the FBI warned him about ‘credible death threats’ when he was considering voting against Pete Hegseth’s nomination for defense secretary. Tillis ultimately provided the crucial 50th vote to confirm the former Fox & Friends host to lead the Pentagon.” This is but one example of how Trump intimidates members of his own party to get in line.

    - Joyce Vance, Democracy Index

    Help protect officials in your community or state whom Trump and his administration are targeting for vengeance. Some may be low-level officials, such as election workers. If they do not have the means to legally defend themselves, you might help them or consider a GoFundMe campaign. If you hear of anyone who seeks to harm them, immediately alert local law-enforcement officials.

    - Robert Reich