Announcing Operation Backscratcher!

Caption Action 2 is announcing the start of Operation Backscratcher! What is that? Are you scratching your head in puzzlement? Here is what Operation Backscratcher is all about...

But first, if HR 3101 does not pass this Congress, we are going to need a very strong support base for the next Congress! So, don't leave the Caption Action 2 Facebook group just because of this. Stay with us!

You've heard of the old saying, "You scratch my back and I will scratch yours?" That is certainly true in politics! So Operation Backscratcher uses that concept.

An example of Operation Backscratcher in action: Over the weekend, we became fed up with waiting for our own representative, Gerry Connolly, to sign on. So we contacted the campaign of a challenger: Pat Herrity. We told the Herrity campaign that if Mr. Herrity would commit to supporting the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act when it is re-introduced in Congress next year, we would tell deaf and hard of hearing people in our district to vote for Mr. Herrity. We sent the same message tonight to the campaign of Keith Fimian, who is also competing to be the Republican challenger to Connolly.

Today, we got a fast response from the Herrity campaign saying that Mr. Herrity was researching the bill and would make a decision soon.

That's how Operation Backscratcher works! This is an election year for Congress. Time is running out to get HR 3101 passed this year, so it is time to look ahead, and plan ahead. Not only is it an election year for Congress, it is also an "off year" with no Presidential election! That means far fewer people will vote. Ergo, the value of the deaf and hard of hearing vote increases substantially!

Tell your Representatives who have not signed on to HR 3101, that they will NOT get your vote this year. Then contact the campaigns of their challengers and try to get them to pledge their support for the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. Document any response you get as you will need the proof if the challenger wins. Now is the time to start building relationships with candidates because if they win, we will have a better chance of getting their support if we have established relationships with them.

Do this regardless of whether you vote Democratic and the challenger is Republican, or vice versa. Mr Connolly is Democratic and his challengers Mr. Herrity and Mr. Fimian are Republican. Normally Caption Action 2 votes Democratic but if either Mr. Herrity or Mr. Fimian is willing to support our bill, we will vote Republican.

In addition to Operation Backscratcher, we also need an Operation Retain! What is Operation Retain? We have to work HARD to make sure that every single one of the bill's cosponsors KEEPS his or her job as a Congressional representative. That means voting for them, and encouraging everyone in your community to do the same.

Let's start flexing our political muscle as deaf and hard of hearing people, families, and friends!

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