#ShowUp4DC

 

ACTION TOOLKIT

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Calling, face-timing or zooming with friends & family? 

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While we’re all at home, many of us are talking with folks across the country. When they invariably ask, ‘how are things in DC’, take the opportunity to tell what happened. Here’s a sample response to the question: 

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“Glad you asked! Here in DC, we just got cheated out of our fair share of aid money! We need help, just like across the country, people here are suddenly out of work, we have people experiencing homelessness, problems every state is struggling with now. But that aid bill that Congress just passed to provide funds to states during this crisis, they deliberately short-changed DC. We pay our fair share of taxes, in fact more than 22 other states. They can cheat us out of aid money we really need, because we are not a state. Unfair, right? Really, it is shameful that Congress is jeopardizing DC’s ability to help us get through this pandemic. This makes it really clear why we want DC to become the 51st state, right?” 
 

Call to Action 

If you have peeps who would be up for taking an action, GO FOR IT.  

“Would you be willing to contact your elected officials to fix this? Here’s the phone number for the Senate – (202) 224-3121 just ask for your Senator’s offices. Leave a message with your name, city/town where you live, and that you support DC becoming a state and for giving DC its fair share of corona virus aid.”  

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“I’ll email you a link to a petition that when you sign it, the message goes directly to your Congressional delegation. This is really powerful, when Congresspeople hear from their constituents about the injustice to the people of DC.” Link here. https://secure.everyaction.com/zj0G4FoAYk-jWhUacH6Maw2

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Got some time to email your contacts across the country? Here’s a sample. 

Dear Friends, 

I hope you are all doing okay in this very difficult time.  

While so many of us are home, I’m taking this opportunity to tell you about how my home, DC, got cheated out of our fair share of federal money to help our nation get through the pandemic.  

Our whole nation needs all the help we can get. DC is no different. But Congress deliberately denied the people of DC our fair share of crucially needed funds in the recent coronavirus aid bill. On purpose, cheated us – leaving the people of DC with less than HALF of federal aid compared to the smallest states. 

Without representation in the Senate, the people of DC got screwed. That’s why I’m all for DC becoming a state, to give us the equal status to all across the US. Meanwhile, we need our fair share of the aid and YOU can help make sure we get it. 

Please Take action by clicking here: https://secure.everyaction.com/zj0G4FoAYk-jWhUacH6Maw2

Thanks, friends. Be well. 

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Sample Tweets 

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• America is struggling to beat the coronavirus. The people who call DC home are no different, but Congress kicked DC to the curb giving less than half the aid compared to any state. This is what discrimination looks like. Take action: https://secure.everyaction.com/zj0G4FoAYk-jWhUacH6Maw2 #DCStatehood 

• With no representation in the Senate, the people of DC got screwed in the coronoavirus aid package. It gives Americans who call DC home less than half the aid of anyone in a state. This is bad democracy and bad health policy. Take action: https://secure.everyaction.com/zj0G4FoAYk-jWhUacH6Maw2 #DCStatehood 

• Relief bill passed by Congress cheats 700,000 DC residents, taxpaying Americans, out of full aid, shortchanging by half the aid allocated to states with similar population. It's unacceptable to arbitrarily limit aid to anyone during a pandemic. Act now: https://secure.everyaction.com/zj0G4FoAYk-jWhUacH6Maw2 #DCStatehood 

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