Congressional sources tell HUMAN EVENTS that Democrats intend to work through next weekend in order to get a vote on their unpopular healthcare reform bill before Easter recess.
Tomorrow Tea Partiers will convene on Capitol Hill one last time letting their members know America wants them to “kill this bill.”
Tuesday’s “People’s Surge” - organized by the Tea Party Patriots and Freedom Works - will meet on the lawn outside Cannon House Office Building on Independence Ave at 9am.
Unlike other protest or rallies, like the September 12 march or Congresswomen Michelle Bachman’s “House Call” this time the agenda is more focused on getting people actually into the offices of their congressmen said Brendan Steinhauser, Director of Campaigns at Freedom Works.
“What we are going to try to say is that you’ve rallied, you have protested, now we have got to get inside the offices of these targeted Blue Dog Democrats and tell them to vote no on this bill.”
Steinhauser says that people will first be visiting their congressmen but are then encouraged to visit Blue Dogs from their state. “The target on the Blue Dogs is who voted last time and who is undecided as of today, which is constantly moving.”
“It’s going to be pretty raw and grassroots based. I’m going to have a bull horn and at nine am people are going to start coming in to the space right outside the Cannon House Office building on Independence Ave.”
“Basically we are going to be handing out information with a map of the area with office locations and the target list saying okay go through security, find your congressman; it’s going to be very to the point”
Freedom Works feels confident that somewhere between 2,000 and 5,000 will show up for tomorrow’s effort.
“This is the finally week really,” said Steinhauser “and we are encouraging people who can’t get in to call their congressmen and say ‘Joe from Orlando came thousands of miles here to see you but I cant make it but he’s there representing me.’”
Freedom Works and the Tea Party Patriots are also encouraging people to make it to their local district offices in the states to support the people in DC.
The Tea Party Patriots website has a list of things to do before “The Surge.” High on the list of priorities is for activists to “dress in normal clothes,” “professional appearance,” and not to bring signs.
Freedom Works says “the only reasons they said to not bring signs was because it’s not a rally. There will be chanting of course of ‘kill the bill, kill the bill’ but you can’t bring signs into the legislative buildings so it’s pointless to bring signs if you’re going to meet your congressman.
The Tea Party Patriots are also providing a list of targeted representatives and maps that show the location of all three buildings.
Steinhauser stressed that they are urging the people around the country who cant make it to back them up with phone calls and faxes - for one last time.
