I used to work in the U.S. Senate. Some of the most memorable moments were days when the phones were ringing non-stop. One after another, ring after ring. You could barely get anything done.

And then the senator would pop out of his office and ask what the hell was going on. Are these calls really all coming from our state? If so, what do they want us to do and how can we do it?

Today needs to be one of those moments. Americans across the country are spending all day calling their Senators - Democrats and Republicans - demanding they pause this unbelievable rush to make a permanent change to the Supreme Court. They’re calling because our lives are on the line in this decision. They’re calling because we’re in the middle of voting for who should appoint Justices and who should vote on them. They’re calling because this is OUR COURT and we deserve to be heard.

Can you be a part of this movement? Find your Senator’s number here and give them a call. Don’t worry, a staffer will answer, and they will simply listen, write down your concern, and move on to the next call. But they are counting how many calls they get. And your Senator is going to ask them for the total.

Once you get on the line, feel free to speak your mind! But here is a script to guide you so it’s easier:

“Hi my name is NAME, and I live and vote in STATE. My zip code is ZIP CODE. I’m calling about the Supreme Court vacancy. I’m outraged that the Senate is jamming a Supreme Court nominee through when we’re in the middle of an election. We are in the middle of voting for President to see who we want to nominate Supreme Court Justices. I don’t think you should make a permanent decision about our lives until after the inauguration.

The Supreme Court can decide who gets healthcare in this country. They can decide what counts as discrimination. They could outlaw abortion, or end marriage equality, or let corporations pollute the air, or roll back civil liberties. So it’s fair to say the person who replaces Justice Ginsburg has our lives in their hands. The least you could do is wait to see what we think.”

That’s it. Then you’re done.

Look, flooding offices with phone calls can really work. I saw first-hand how ordinary people rising up defeated a horrible healthcare repeal bill that would have ripped healthcare away from 23 million people in 2017. Having failed legislatively, Trump is now suing to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, including its protections for preexisting conditions and Medicaid expansion. And guess who’s hearing that case in November? The Supreme Court.

This is a fight about healthcare. It’s about abortion access and reproductive freedom. It’s about civil rights and our democracy itself. Thank you for being in this fight.

Geoff Corey
Senior Manager, Digital Campaign Strategy
Advocates for Youth