http://iraqtownhalls.com

In April, Congress will vote to give George W. Bush and Dick Cheney another $102 billion for Iraq - unless we finally persuade our Representatives to Just Say No.

One of the best ways to persuade a Representative is to hold a town hall meeting and fill the hall with people who care and are willing to speak passionately. (Another way is to turn out a crowd for a town hall that your Representative is already scheduled to attend.)

So we're asking YOU and the 500,000 members of Democrats.com to organize Iraq Town Halls in all 435 Congressional districts on any day in April.

Check for an Iraq Town Hall already being planned in your district: To do this, you must be registered and logged in on this website. Once you are, go to http://democrats.com/local and look for an Iraq Town Hall announcement below the "Congressional District" heading. If you see one, open it and post a comment below it offering to help, or contact the organizers in whatever way they have suggested (they may have posted a phone number or Email address).

Start organizing an Iraq Town Hall using the tools on this website: If there's nothing yet being planned in your district and you want to start talking with others about planning a possible town hall, or if you're ready to post an announcement of an Iraq Town Hall, please Email us at: iraqtownhall@democrats.com We will walk you through the steps involved. To get started on your own (it's really not that hard) CLICK HERE.

For tips on how to make your Iraq Town Hall a success, READ MORE.

Getting Organized:

Ask at least one reliable friend to help you organize this event.

Ask local organizations to take part.

Reserve a convenient hall or auditorium.

You should hold your event with or without your Representative, so you can call and ask about their availability before or after you pick a date. Weekends are the most likely times for them to be available. We recommend calling the District Office (not DC office) of your Representative (you can find the # here) and ask for the scheduler. If your Representative won't give you a date promptly, pick one yourself - and leave an empty seat on the stage for your Representative.

Invite key speakers. A number of organizations are making speakers available for these Iraq Town Halls. Here is a list.

Reach out to community to participate: here are some outreach ideas.

Make a 1-page flyer (or use this one) and post it in busy locations (coffee shops, supermarkets, libraries, post offices, etc.)

Post your event on every community calendar you can think of (internet, radio, newspaper, etc).

Email and/or call local reporters (TV, radio, newspaper, blogs) to personally invite them to attend.

An Agenda for Your Event:

Your agenda will depend on whether your Representative attends, what key speakers attend, what groups are involved, etc. Here are some ideas:

Be aware of how your Representative has voted in the past on funding the occupation.

Be aware of how much total money the Iraq Occupation is costing: http://3trillion.org

Be aware of exactly what you can ask Representatives and Senators to do.

Come early to set up and bring all the items you need.

Test the sound system to make sure it works.

Bring video cameras to record the event for Youtube.

Set up tables in the back for literature from your allies.

Set up a table and chairs on the stage with a readable sign for each speaker, including your Representative - whether (s)he attends or not.

On the podium, tape a sign with your Representative's name and DC phone number in large letters so everyone can add them to their cellphone.

Set up a card table at the door with several clipboards for sign-in sheets. Ask for name, zip, email, and cellphone for texting.

Bring a cash box for contributions.

Greet reporters at the door, thank them for coming, and invite them to sit in the front and interview the speakers.

After the speeches, ask everyone to call their Representative and leave a message with their name and address and a simple demand: vote NO on $102 billion more for Iraq.

Form a committee to keep up the pressure on your Representative through grassroots events like honkathons, ironing-board letter-writing, anti-war film showings, tables at community events, etc.

Make a plan to pass local resolutions in support of ending current wars, not starting new ones, impeachment, and indictment.

Show videos of the Winter Soldier testimony available at http://ivaw.org

Display and discuss the financial cost to your district of the occupation of Iraq. Find figures at http://costofwar.com and multiply by 6 to approximate the full cost as calculated by Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes in "The Three Trillion Dollar War."

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