Dem House leadership memo: Plan hospitable greeting for Tea Party protesters

[sabra]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/86899-democrats-plan-hospitable-greeting-for-tea-partiers

Democrats plan hospitable greeting for Tea Partiers

<snip>

In a memo sent to freshman and sophomore lawmakers, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the House leadership, urges lawmakers to make special accomodations to prepare for the protesters, ranging from refreshments to extra staff members.

"Activists are expected to begin arriving around 9am and they have been given instructions to wait in your office until they can have a meeting," the memo says. "Please have an orderly process and enough staff and interns to welcome what could be a very large number of visitors throughout the day."

Among the suggestions:

Consider having some light snacks, H2O, and coffee available;

Have multiple guest books/comment sheets available for all visitors to sign-in and leave comments

Have a Capitol Directory and map available to direct visitors to their Member of Congress and written instructions on how to get over to the Senate side of the Hill


Listen and communicate in small groups:

But lawmakers and their staff should also understand that the tea partiers are reacting merely to a "caricature of the reform bill presented by right-wing media outlets" and aren't intimately familiar with the legislation, the memo says.

"(D)on't assume common myths about this bill have been debunked," lawmakers are told. "Be prepared to explain that there are no death panels, that Medicare is in fact strengthened, and that reform is not a government take-over, but it is an attempt to crack down on the abusive practices of health insurance companies by providing oversight and increasing competition."

Meanwhile the "Birthers" make an appearance @ rally:

[onehandle]

1. I'd plan to beef up security. They know they've lost and will come armed.

[DebbieCDC]

2. Why not take them home for dinner too?

Jeebus H. Christ

[mrcheerful]

3. Oh yeah that will work never mind that the nit wits are only there to disrupt

and stop any information to debunk their nit wit talking points they got from Beck, after all these tea bag people have their minds already made up end of discussion.

[spanone]

4. let's invite the crazies over for dinner....not

[quiet.american]

5. "Kill 'em with kindness" - I think it's a good call. They will have no one to blame but themselves -

- for "disruptive" behavior.

[Cleita]

6. But the single payer doctor protesters get arrested.

http://beltwayblips.dailyradar.com/video/doctors-flowers-and-paris-arrested-re-obama-and/

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/435159

There's seems to be a double standard here of priorities.

[happy_liberal]

7. exactly!

WTH :grr:

and will they treat Cindy Sheehan and friends this nicely this time

Cindy Sheehan camps out on National Mall
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7928782&mesg_id=7928782

[Mari333]

8. will the MSM cover Cindy or the anti war marches?????

or just these astroturf dickarmey idiots.

[Cleita]

9. She will be treated with contempt and maybe even be arrested like she

was at the State of the Union address. We really do know who our government stands for these days and it isn't Old Liberal Democrats.

[Better Today]

10. I was all ready to think this was a good idea, be courteous, be informative,

but then I read your post, and reality slapped me up the side of the head. Thank you, sincerely.

[slipslidingaway]

11. Exactly, not to mention the Mad As Hell doctors who drove across country. n/t

[joe black]

12. Don't forget.....

To kick out or arrest any liberals that want a single payer option though. Fucking politicians.

[happy_liberal]

13. kick