The following is a Twitter thread from Ben Wikler, the Washington Director for MoveOn.org. It has been compiled for easier reading. This document provides some background and predictions as to how the Senate is expected to handle their version of the egregious AHCA. It also gives suggestions as to how we can approach our Senators in regards to Trumpcare.
TIMELINE: The Senate GOP’s plan is to pass this bill FAST—by June 30. Enough time to fight, no time to spare. Here are the steps. 2/
GOP is writing the bill now, in close touch with CBO. Their goal: send it to CBO for official score between now and Tue, unseen by public. 3/
;In other words, negotiations are nearly wrapped up on what’s actually in their bill. What’s leaking out is awful. But the bill is secret. 4/
They get it back from the CBO with official score ~2 weeks later—& fast-track it to Senate passage w/privileged status, ie no filibuster. 5/
The week of June 26, the score will come out, the bill will be made public, the public will scream, and they’ll grit teeth & pass it. 6/
NO hearings w/ experts & affected witnesses, NO committee markups, NO consultation with Dems, NO town halls or public forums—undemocratic 7/
Senate learned their lesson from the House: silence is golden. Attention is the enemy. Comey testimony provides perfect cover. 8/
What I’m hearing on the Hill ranges from “they’re within a vote or two” to “they have the votes.” This is the doomsday scenario. BUT… 9/
Unlike the House vote, where most people only noticed the onrushing train in the final 48 hours, we have 3 weeks to make this toxic. 10/
Here’s how we meet this moment and kill TrumpCare. 11/
PHONES. Senators are telling me that their phones have returned to normal, pre-Trump levels. A few dozen calls a day. That must end. 12/
The Bible has some good advice about how to remember the number to call Congress, which is 202-224-3121. Listen to the Bible:
in other words, make sure you have this number with you all the time and use it often
Save the 202-224-3121 in your phone as a contact. Put it as a favorite. Say “Hey Siri, remind me to call Congress at 10am on weekdays.” 14/
Don’t just call Congress—recruit callers. Type “Friends in Tennessee” into Facebook. You’ll get a list. Ask ’em to call Sen. Alexander. 15/
Your friends in TN WV LA ME TN AR AZ CO SC NV AK & OH miss you! Don’t neglect them! Get in touch & ask ’em to call Congress re Trumpcare 16/
It’s GREAT to call Congress and leave your opinion. Senate offices circulate call tallies every day. But calls can go even further: 17/
When you call a Senate office, ask to speak to the relevant Health Legislative Assistant. Hey look, a list of staffer names! 18/
Find your Senator’s Health Legislative Assistant: 
.
.
When you get through, explain that you’re a constituent and you have grave concerns about how the bill will affect you. Then explain WHY 19/
These staffers are human beings. They work on health care because they care about health. Even if their bosses don’t. Tell your story. 20/
What you want is for health staffers to be telling their bosses that they’ve spent all day with the phone from freaked-out constituents 21/
And then you want to ASK FOR A MEETING, before the vote. With state staffers (or in DC, if you can come). Promise to bring a group. 22/
If you get the meeting with your Senator or their staffers, bring a ton of people & make it huge. @MoveOn can help. (DM me.) 23/
If you don’t get the meeting, no problem. You should still recruit a group & show up at Senators’ offices. Time to break out the signs. 24/
Incidentally, it’s also worth EMAILING the legislative assistants w/personal notes. Here’s how to figure out Hill staff email addresses 25/
If I, Ben Wikler, worked for Sen. Murkowski, (I don’t; Chelsea Holt is her health LA), I’d be ben.wikler@murkowski.senate.gov. Get it? 26/
So: CALL every day. Ask for health staffers. Email them, too. VISIT local offices—for scheduled meetings or to protest. Bring friends. 27/
Find the letters to the editor submission email address for local papers in your state & send them your story, mentioning your Senator. 28/
And mark your calendar for the last week of June, esp Wed-Fri. There should literally be round the clock vigils. You’ll be needed then. 29/
If you believe that nobody should be denied health care because they’re sick or can’t pay, this is the time to fight. 30/
If you don’t think families should be one accident or illness away from bankruptcy, this is the time to fight. 31/
If you think a decent society doesn’t abandon those who need help the most, this is the time to fight. 32/
Defeating Trumpcare isn’t the end of the battle. We need a system that affordably covers everyone. And we won’t give up if we lose. But 33/
this is a moment in politics when lives are on the line. Our extraordinary power as citizens becomes a duty to act. #ProtectOurCare. /end
