How to make a call script to talk about a bill
Alright, so if you're here you've probably seen those posts about "call your senator/rep/whomever about xyz" but then don't include a script. Here's a formula to making your own. Remember that you will likely to be talking to an aide, not the person themself, so you'll be using third person (he/she) rather than second person (you/your). Once you fill in the script for yourself on whatever your issue is, pass that new script around. Calling your representatives is a numbers game, not a uniqueness game, and a completed script helps with accessibility.
If you want to do this but need help, especially if you're trying to call a politician who usually doesn't align with you, feel free to send me (op) an ask and I'll lend a hand. It's a good skill to have, but it's not always intuitive if you've never done it before!
Option 1: The Basic I've never had this version take more than a minute, and since the bulk of calls are boiled down to a yea/nay without much regard for content outside of that, it does it's job.
Hi. I'm calling today from [place your person represents] as a constituent of [name of your person]. I heard about [bill number], or the [name of bill], and was calling to express my [support/concern] for it, as it would seriously [benefit/harm][name of your person]'s constituents in my community. Because of this, I'm calling on [him/her] to vote [yes/no] when the bill comes to a floor vote. (They'll say that they'll pass it along) Thank you, I appreciate that. Have a good day. *hang up*
Option 2: The Deluxe This one takes a little more effort, but can help your call stand out a bit, which helps indicate that you actually do care. Before you call, look on their website to see if they've supported any initiatives similar to the one you're calling about (even if it's kinda tangential). This works because most people call to complain, so saying "you're doing a good job" is a nice change of pace. They're people too, even if they're detached.
Hi. I'm calling today from [place your person represents] as a constituent of [name of your person]. I heard about [bill number], or the [name of bill], and was calling to express my [support/concern] for it, as it would seriously [benefit/harm][name of your person]'s constituents in my community by [main selling point of your bill/reason to vote it down]. As someone who expects my [office of person]s to look out for the people of [place your person represents], I was pleased to see [name of person] vote [for/against] the [name of bill] bill, showing their commitment to [main selling point of example bill/reason to vote it down]. To continue this trend, I'm calling on [him/her] to vote [yes/no] when the [name of bill] comes to a floor vote. (They'll say that they'll pass it along) Thank you, I appreciate that. Have a good day. *hang up*
