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The MAGA Default Crisis

Birddogging Guide: Kevin McCarthy’s MAGA Default Hostage Crisis

  • Introduction

    • In just days, Kevin McCarthy’s attempt to use our national economy as a hostage to force cuts to essential programs like Medicaid, public schools, and veterans benefits will spectacularly backfire, forcing America into its first-ever default. The results would be immediate and devastating, with every household feeling the effects. Democrats have created an emergency off-ramp: a discharge petition to get a default prevention bill passed before the deadline. But McCarthy is choosing to play politics and send Congress home for a long holiday weekend instead. It’s horrible governance, but it gives us the opportunity to get every Republican on the record: will they sign on to a bipartisan discharge petition and avoid damaging our country’s economic future?

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  • Key Questions to Ask

    • Key questions to ask:

    • Why are you here? If we default, the impact on our district’s working families will be devastating, but you’re here trying to protect Kevin McCarthy and score political points instead of signing the petition and ending this crisis. Why?
    • Our schools and teachers are central to our community, but McCarthy’s plan would cause over 100,000 teachers to lose their jobs! How do you justify defunding our schools and laying off teachers after all they’ve been through in the past few years?
    • The plan voted on by House Republicans DOES NOT exempt veterans’ programs benefits from the proposed across the board cuts. Why are you out here lying to constituents, and why are you willing to sell out our veterans?
    • 11 million children in America – 1 in 8 – don’t get enough food to eat, but Kevin McCarthy’s plan slashes food assistance programs. Why do you think taking food from hungry children is better than asking the rich to pay their taxes?
    •  Donald Trump is encouraging a default, saying “you might as well.” Why are you helping Trump and the Freedom caucus? Do you understand that voters will hold you responsible in 2024 if you continue?
    • All 213 Democrats have signed an emergency discharge petition to force a debt ceiling bill onto the floor and prevent disaster. Are you going to support our district and our working families and end this default standoff, or are you going to support this MAGA Republican hostage attempt and the Freedom Caucus? You can’t do both. 
  • How to Birddog

    • How to Birddog

    Show up at public events where your Representative will be and ask a tough question. (Hint: it doesn’t have to be an official Q&A in order to ask questions!) Force them to take a position or make it clear they’re deflecting reasonable questions from constituents, get it on video, and get that video everywhere you can from social media to local print, radio, and TV news.

    Recruit and train your crew. You need at least two people: one to talk, one to film, but the more people asking questions the better!

    Find opportunities and practice your questions. 

    Attend the event & get them on record. Be PERSISTENT — they answer to you!

    Get footage up on social media and out to local media. Tag everyone, esp. @IndivisibleTeam!

    No opportunity to birddog? Use versions of these questions in creative ways:

    • Call in to local talk radio

    • Ask Qs in the chat for online events
    • Ask on the MoC’s social media channels
    • Make posters or stickers

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