#TrumpTaxScam Payout Event Organizing Guide

Let’s be clear: the Trump Tax Scam is a massive giveaway to the wealthy and corporations, paid for by raising taxes on some middle class families and forcing deep cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security down the road. Republicans want to eliminate taxes that only affect the wealthiest individuals and let corporations pay even less than they already do. The vast majority of the benefits from the Republicans’ plan will go to the top 1%, which will exacerbate our country’s massive racial wealth gap.

The fight in Congress over the Trump Tax Scam is happening right now. Republicans want to use a special process in the Senate called “reconciliation” to jam the Trump Tax Scam through with only 51 votes. This is what they tried to do with TrumpCare—and you stopped them with your constituent power.  To use reconciliation, the House and Senate had to pass a budget resolution, which they finished on October 26. Nearly every Republican in both the House and Senate voted for this budget resolution, which tees up huge tax cuts for the rich and corporations that jeopardize our commitment to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.

STATUS UPDATE ON THE TRUMP TAX SCAM

The Republicans are done with the first phase of passing the Trump Tax Scam, the budget resolution. But they have a long way to go before the Trump Tax Scam is signed into law. Here’s what we expect to happen next:

  • Hold a vote in the House the week of 11/13

  • Hold a committee mark up in Senate Finance the week of 11/13

  • Hold a vote in the Senate sometime after Thanksgiving but before 12/11

The Trump Tax Scam would give massive tax breaks to corporations and the wealthiest 1% of Americans, an income band that is overwhelmingly white—meaning the Trump Tax Scam leaves communities of color behind. Republicans would pass these tax breaks by adding $1.5 trillion to the deficit, which would force deep cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security down the road.  

Fortunately, this fight is only just beginning. If your Member of Congress voted for the budget resolution, it is critical that YOU hold him/her accountable for voting to slash Medicaid and Medicare in order to give tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations. Turn up the heat now so when it comes time to vote on the Trump Tax Scam itself, they know where you stand.

GOAL, STRATEGY, TACTICS

The Trump Tax Scam is a giveaway to the wealthy and corporations, paid for by slashing Medicaid and other critical programs that people rely on. Our goal is to let MoC’s know that this tax bill is dead on arrival, and to hold MoCs who voted for the budget accountable in a way that will make them less likely to vote for the Trump Tax Scam. Our strategy is to make the Tax Scam politically toxic by emphasizing the programs it will cut in order to finance giveaways to the 1%. You can start by calling your Members of Congress on November 2, the day the legislative text is released, and telling them you oppose the Trump Tax Scam.

When the actual tax bill comes up in the House during the week of Nov. 6th, we are planning a week of “Trump Tax Scam Payout” protests at district offices to make clear to our MoC that we will hold them accountable for their votes.

WHAT’S A TRUMP TAX SCAM PAYOUT?

 
 

Introducing the newest Indivisible twist on a district office visit—the Trump Tax Scam Payout. Groups across the country have become pros at stopping by (or protesting outside) your MoCs office. This time, you’ll be bringing them something. A giant check made out to the 1%, from working families.

Group members arrive to present the check to their MoC or their staff. This can be done with a surprise knock on the door and a Facebook Live (think Publisher’s Clearinghouse), or outside of the MoC’s office with folks set up to make speeches talking about the sacrifices they and their families are making to help give this giant tax cut to the rich. This tactic is most powerful if done at the closest district office of a Representative, or at a public or private event at which the Representative is in attendance. This is a tactic designed to attract attention from passersby and people in positions of power, and can be used to disrupt business as usual at a problematic institution. It holds most power if media attend the event and/or if photos and video are shared to social media.

HOW TO PLAN A TRUMP TAX SCAM PAYOUT

Call an emergency team meeting. As the bill comes up in the House, we want our MoC to know that we’re going to hold them accountable to their vote.

  • Secure a venue for your meeting

  • Send an email to your list

  • Put an event on Facebook for the week of Nov. 6th, and register at http://act.indivisible.org/event/local-actions/create/

  • Write an agenda

  • NOTE: If you already have an event scheduled, and do not have time for a meeting or new action, feel free to skip this and look through this toolkit for ideas that you can easily incorporate into existing plans.

Before your meeting:

  • Identify the best time (within the week of Nov. 6th - 12th) and location for your Payout.

    • Is your MoC holding a town hall during recess next week? If not, we recommend that you call and demand a town hall.

    • Are they having a fundraiser?

    • Will they be at a public event?

    • If none of these are happening in the next week, go to their district office. Have you already visited the office? You’ll want to scope out the best place to position yourselves—space that will look good in photos or with media.

  • Gather art supplies for use in making a giant check: from working families, to the 1%, for $1.5 trillion dollars, signed Donald J Trump. Get creative? What other props do you want (think monocles, giant cigars)?

    • Posterboard/cardboard

    • Paint/paint brushes

    • Markers

    • Pens and paper

    • Fabric (if making a banner or costumes)

    • Tissue paper

    • Helium balloons

At your meeting:

  • Have everyone sign in!

  • Thank everyone for attending on short notice and remind everyone why we’re here:

    • Give the #TrumpTaxScam status update;

    • Explain our overall goal and strategy for the campaign, as well as what a Payout is and why we’re doing it.

  • Tell everyone the time and location of the Payout (and if possible, where to park for it).

  • Pass around a sign-up sheet, collecting the contact information of everyone who is available to participate in the event, and who is willing to speak at the “Payout.”

  • Designate key roles:

    • Main speaker (will speak into bullhorn or microphone and introduce storytellers)

    • Someone to give a signal that it is time to hand the giant check over to the Congress person, their staff, or appropriate (cardboard?) stand-in.

    • A responsible person who will make sure the art makes it to your location

    • Photographer/videographer (this is really important; without photos and video, the Payout might as well not have happened)

    • Social Media coordinator

    • Media Liaison

  • Ask the room who has a story that they would be willing to share at the event, illustrating how people in your district will be impacted by the #TrumpTaxScam. Remember, this tax cut comes at the expense of people who use Medicaid, Medicare, educational programs, and so many more programs.

    • One leader from your group should take these people aside and lead a storytelling exercise, where everyone writes out their tax stories. Try and keep these to 500 words or less. Shorter is always better for media coverage, although of course be sensitive to people in this moment of pain.

  • Those who will not share stories, cannot make it to the event, and those who will attend but cannot speak should begin the art efforts.

    • Be creative!
    • Some suggestions:

      • Be creative and don’t underestimate the power of humor and theater.

      • Make sure that your art calls out your MoC by name wherever possible (this will make your target clear in photographs of the action!).

      • Make enough picket signs so that there are no empty-handed participants in the Payout.

      • If anyone has sewing skills, they can make a fake fancy outfit to accept the check. Think top hats, cravats, monocles, etc. These are also pretty easy to find at costume shops.

      • Make a banner that can be seen from a distance. Use bold colors. If you want to make it look professional, use a projector to project letters or a picture onto your surface, then trace your image in pencil and paint inside the lines.

      • Giant Check (this one is great for media)

  • Those who will speak at the Payout should be asked to stay an extra 20 to 30 minutes at the meeting to practice.

    • How will you signal who to pay attention to? Will  you bring a podium? Will they walk over and hold the check, or stand next to it?  Figure out an order, and a pre-arranged signal for when it’s time to start the speakers.

    • Practice sharing stories, and then have someone designated to hand over the check.  Have someone roleplay as a disgruntled staffer, a Trump supporter, a confused bystander, or anyone else who might throw you off. Is everyone able to stay focused, and speak?

MEDIA

To change the narrative in your MoC’s home district, it’s critical to get media attention at constituents events like a Payout. Get started with “How to Get Press to Cover Your Event.”

ON THE DAY OF THE ACTION

  • All people in key roles should meet 45 minutes in advance. Bring snacks and water, assemble any art pieces that need assembly, test any technology, make reminder calls to everyone who signed up to attend, and begin to get in position.
  • It's also fun if members of your group can dress up like caricatures of wealthy aristocrats, like the Safety Nets group of Get Organized Brooklyn did during their event. It adds a great visual element, and reinforces your message that the rich will benefit most.

  • Meet outside the MoC event or district office. Once everyone has gathered, the Main Speaker should state clearly why you all are there, and that many people in your district will be affected by this vote.

  • The Social Media Coordinator should record, live-tweet and/or Facebook-live the entire experience.

    • Make sure that you are recording and taking photos horizontally, not vertically. It really helps the video get shared and makes it usable for press.
    • Be sure to tag your Member of Congress.
    • Be sure to tag @IndivisibleTeam on Twitter.
    • Post photos of the action.

  • Storytellers should stand in a line next to the speaker, so they can easily pass the microphone or bullhorn to share their stories.

  • At the appropriate time, someone will give the signal and participants in the Payout should let the designated person hand the giant check over to the MoC/ their staffer, with the Main Speaker making the point clearly and slowly that this Tax Scam is a giant payout to the 1% on the backs of middle class families. Feel free to talk about why the bill is a scam, but keep it brief. Make sure to get video of this part.

  • During the handing over of the check, other people holding signs should stay silent, and hold their signs up prominently. Chanting would be appropriate after the staffer or MoC has the check in hand.

  • When the Payout ends, everyone should clean up and leave quickly. You may also wish to end with some chanting. The mood is a little humorous, so be aware of media and social media coverage before you assume things are finished. But do regroup off-site and congratulate yourselves!

  • Leaders should plan a debrief meeting.

  • Send your stories, pictures, and best practices to stories@indivisibleguide.com.

Optional:

  • Bring a bullhorn or portable microphone.

  • Agree on a dress code. Wearing the same color creates a strong visual impact, makes it clear you are together, and looks great in photos. Alternately, you could all wear khaki pants and suit jackets to go with the theme!

  • Collect all of the constituent stories that you can, and deliver them in a package to your MoC. This is a great way to incorporate the stories of folks who couldn’t attend.

Note: Familiarize yourself with our resource A Note on Police Encounters in case you are stopped by the police at your event.