This past week, the level of rumors and leaks about the White House being ready to abandon the public option has created at least a mini-firestorm. On Thursday, I posted A Tweet Campaign for the Public Option. While the diary itself didn't see a lot of comments or recs, there was a lot of response on Twitter. In addition, there was an independent effort on Facebook that drew the participation of 880,000 people.
There are other campaigns going on to support health reform with a strong public option. Jane Hampsher's Whip Count campaign on Firedoglake. A petition effort or two, including this one. There are letter writing and phone call campaigns.
The social media campaign for the public option is simple to engage. You can take just a few seconds to be part of it. Or you can engage it more deeply, and meet some new progressive friends in the process (and perhaps come across a few trolls as well).
Even if you're new to Twitter or Facebook, it's easy to get involved. More details below the fold, including links to tutorials for new users.
Update: Note link error in suggested Facebook & Twitter posts the autoformat wants to shorten the links, and I get multiple errors when I try to post the diary without the hyperlinks. While the links work as they are supposed to, the point is to have something that can be cut and pasted. At that point, the links won't function properly. Therefore, I have posted the link addresses affected just below the suggested posts. I hope it's clear.
Update 2: With thanks to mem from somerville, I retried a fix that didn't work for me last night. It adds an extra character to the beginning of links, "\", which you'll need to remove when posting. I think that's probably easier than having to use cut & paste twice for one post.
Last week, I think we hit a tipping point because of several factors: congress resuming session next week, the White House announcing an address by President Obama before a joint session of Congress next Wednesday, and the persistent leaks and rumors that the President is ready to abandon the public option to pass health reform. There is a lot going on on Twitter and Facebook independent of any coordinated campaign. But I think the viral nature of social media can give additional power to a lightly organized effort.
A lot of the strength of candidate Obama's campaign came from social media efforts on Facebook & Twitter, in addition to his general web campaign. The White House continues to try to maintain that social media outreach. Some senators and representatives are also trying to get in on the social media aspect of the internet. Some, like Senator Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) actively do their own tweeting. Others, like Senator Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) have staff contribute to their tweet-stream in part or in full.
Secure 51 votes to pass Health Reform, 60 to commit to break any filibuster
The point of this diary is to help with a little daily action at least up through the President's speech in an effort to ensure he continues to advocate for a strong public option, and applies pressure to moderate and conservative Democrats in order to pass it. We know the hardest part of the battle is in the Senate. He doesn't need 60 votes to pass reform, even with a strong public option. He needs 60 votes to break a filibuster. And if things go to reconciliation, he doesn't even need that. 51 for the public option. 60 to commit to no filibuster.
During the campaign, President Obama knew that the fight would be hard. Ted Kennedy spent his life on this fight up to the end. This is the best opportunity we're likely to see to pass quality health reform. Mr. President, it's time to fully engage in the fight!
Facebook
There are two strategies to use on Facebook. As was done Thursday, you can post updates in your own feed to share the message with your friends. Set your status to a pro-public option message or share links to advocacy efforts for the public option (like this one). The other thing to do is go to the Barack Obama group on Facebook and the White House Fan Page. Contribute to discussions in either or both places, and post comments to the to the White House Wall. If you want to base your comments on tweets such as those suggested below, feel free. Since you have more room to make your comments, try to use compete sentences. Still, it is important to be brief and to the point.
Sample posts for your Facebook news feed:
- No one should die because they can't afford healthcare. No one should go broke because they get sick. (If you agree, post this as your status for the next 24 hours)
- I'm joining the Facebook & Twitter campaign to support health reform with a strong public option. See details here: \http://cli.gs/hcsm.campaign. Please join the effort.
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- Join the fight! Petition President Obama to fight for the public option. Sign here: \http://bit.ly/2oR85B
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- On Wednesday, President Obama will address a joint session of Congress on health reform. I'm joining the Facebook & Twitter campaign to make sure President Obama includes strong support for a robust Public option in his speech. Honor Ted Kennedy's legacy & ensure that quality affordable, health care is a right, not a privilege in the U.S. See details on how to join the campaign here: \http://cli.gs/hcsm.campaign
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- We cannot afford health reform that is a giveaway to the insurance companies in the same way the bailout was a handout to banks and Wall Street. Join the campaign to make sure a strong public option is part of reform. Honor Ted Kennedy's legacy and make insurance companies honest. \http://cli.gs/hcsm.campaign
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
Post comments on the White House Facebook wall.
Some discussions on the White House Fan Page.
Discussion boards on Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack) on Facebook.
Twitter
Advocacy Tweets
Insert name before the message, including "@"
i.e. @BarackObama U better give us #publicoption, or we'll make U have BeerSummit w/SarahPalin, GlennBeck, & MichelleBachman. O & JoeThePlumber
Send advocacy tweets to:
...
@WhiteHouse
@BarackObama
@SenatorReid
@SenBenNelson
@SenBillNelson
@MarkWarner
@kayhagan
@MarkBegich
@SenArlenSpecter | |
Cut & Paste Tweets
Action & info to share
- Join the fight! Petition @BarackObama & @WhiteHouse to fight for the #publicoption Sign here! \http://bit.ly/2oR85B
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- HOT! Petition from Obama 2008 workers/volunteers asking @WhiteHouse to fight for the #publicoption Sign here! \http://bit.ly/2oR85B
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- RT @Ramotringo: If you really want #public option, include #publicoption in every tweet until it becomes a reality
- RT @avivagabriel RT @WAOOFA List of undecided Senators + contact links for requesting support for #publicoption: \http://bit.ly/bCGV #hcr #p2
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- Powerful video from @MoveOn and R.E.M. about the real lives at stake in the health care debate. \http://bit.ly/UVqZl #publicoption via @rebeccabw
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- RT @avivagabriel: On health debate, Moyers urges Obama: 'No more Mr. Nice Guy' | \http://bit.ly/gA3oZ #hcr09 #publicoption #p2 #healthreform
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- RT @bobfertik: the "Snowe trigger" is a #snowejob RT @slinkerwink \http://bit.ly/2V8BS
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- RT @janehamsher: Frmr Obama organizer writes The #PublicOption: A Promise Kept or a Promise Broken \http://tinyurl.com/l54ala
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- RT @MikeW789 Cigna whistleblower Wendell Potter, details insurance industry corruption: \http://tinyurl.com/mtm86u #singlepayer #publicoption
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
General Public Option Tweets
- RT @markos: Bottom line-Obama, the GOP, & Senate Dems are more concerned w/protecting insurance industry profits than in serving The People
- RT @moofedma: CA's 5 biggest insurance companies under investigation 4 violating state business practices! #publicoption should solve that!
- RT @KagroX: RT @GottaLaff: CA investigates HMO claims-rejection (22%!!) rates \http://bit.ly/3Y2Hcr #hcr || But let's wait for "trigger!"
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- RT @LauraClawson: RT @KagroX Just want to be able to feel like insurance rep isn't counting bonus while deciding whether to approve my care.
- RT @KagroX: People just want ability to buy insurance from some1 w/o $ incentive to screw them & deny coverage. Not hard to understand.
- RT @anthonystevens4: Join the HOT campaign 4 #publicoption & check out sample tweets -> RT @dreaminghope \http://su.pr/78e7dr (Pls RT)
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- RT @anthonystevens4: Let @BarackObama know u support #publicoption (sample tweets) --> RT @dreaminghope \http://ow.ly/nVHF (Pls RT)
remove the "\" before the hyperlink when posting
- RT @murphyj87 @BarackObama remember: the Left is Single Payer on the Right the Status Quo Therefore #publicoption is the compromise #hc09
- RT @Atrios: mandate for shitty insurance with no public option will drive dems out of office. do not know why this is not obvious?
Follow the Public Option discussion on Twitter (Should function even if you don't use Twitter or aren't signed in.) Can you think of a variation on the theme? Please add it in the comments. Also in the comments below, I will post a list of other senators & representatives on Twitter, as well as a TPM link to media tweeps. If you know of anyone I miss, please add a reply to the comment.
Some Valuable Links & Info
Twitter dictionary & rules for those who haven't used it before.
- Tweets are limited to 140 characters, including spaces
- hashtags # - indicate subjects that may be searched on by others
- #p2 - allows progressives to find each other
- #hcr09 - health care reform 2009, also sometimes as #hcr
- #publicoption, #healthreform, #healthcare are additional popular tags with many followers
- Direct Messages (DM) are private messages that are only seen by the sender and recipient. To send a direct message, the person must be following you. To receive a direct message, you must be following the sender.
- @ Replies or mentions show up in your public timeline. Your followers and anyone who views your profile will be able to read @ replies or mentions you have written. People doing a search on your id will be able to read replies or mentions to or about you.
- RT - retweet. When you repeat what someone else tweeted, usually because you like what they said (though sometimes used for snark value - see @glennbeck if you're feeling adventurous and in the mood for paranoid stupidity. Credits original writer.
Twitter Tutorials
Learning Twitter - and the Golden Rules via Rightbrain Search - This was one of the first guides I used.
10 Twitter Tips for Professionals by Bill Sweetman
10 Twitter Tips for Professionals by Fabien Tiburce
What are Hashtags (#) via http://hashtags.org/...
Hashtags are a community-driven convention for adding additional context and metadata to your tweets. They're like tags on Flickr, only added inline to your post. You create a hashtag simply by prefixing a word with a hash symbol: #hashtag.
Learn more about hashtags at the twitter fan wiki: Twitter Fan Wiki
Brought to you by @superphly, @brianthecoder, & @benburkert
I tweet as @forbodyandmind and @dreaminghope with some overlap. Feel free to follow one or both id's. If you want to connect with me on Facebook, become a fan of one or both of my pages For Body and Mind Therapeutic Massage or San Francisco Integrative Health Networking. If you're interested in finding other progressives on Twitter, Tweet Progress is directory with over 3400 id's and growing.