TIPS:

Be yourself

Be authentic

Make the scripts your own and include any personal stories if possible

Avoid an angry tone

Anticipate when you might run into folks you can talk with (at the mailbox, in the grocery store line, etc)

Be friendly and prepared to listen to them too (after all, you want them to listen to you)

Practice enough to feel ready and natural..

If you miss an opportunity or mess up your words, don’t worry and try again another time.

TALKS:

I’m worried because my _____ has lost his/her job with _____ and I hear more layoffs/firings are coming. These tariffs are hurting the economy, and businesses are starting to lay folks off. I’m afraid this will be coming to McDowell Co soon. Egg prices are already crazy high!

I’m worried about cuts to Social Security! My _____ can barely get by on the Social Security checks they get now. I don’t know how they’ll survive – and what about my SS when I retire? From what I hear, they want to pull money out of Medicare, Medicaid, and even Social Security so billionaires don’t have to pay taxes. I don’t think that’s fair and I don’t like that.

I rely on the Postal Service – I couldn’t run my business without daily mail delivery. I worry if they privatize it by selling to the highest bidder, then stamp prices will skyrocket and service hours will go down even more than they already have.

I’m concerned about these billionaire tax cuts – I’ve heard that the only way to balance the budget to pay for them is to cut Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid! How can we get by without these government programs we all need?

I’m worried about public school funding cuts. They cut the Education Department way back and that’s got to make a big difference here in McDowell County soon. Our kids’ and grandkids’ future depends on good schools, and that takes money! Teachers can’t work for nothing. School vouchers aren’t going to help when we can’t afford to buy eggs at the grocery.

I don’t like the way Trump is taking Russia’s side against Ukraine. Putin attacked Ukraine, not the other way around. I believe we should be supporting Ukraine and Europe if we want peace in the world, not cozying up to dictators. Which country will Putin invade next if we let him win in Ukraine? Where does it stop?

If the federal deficit is too big like my Congressman and Senators keep saying, they why are they cutting jobs at the IRS, there are two sides to a balance sheet – income and spending: if you cut the IRS then how will the government collect the taxes that are due? I’m sure they will collect taxes from me, but what about the billionaires with their teams of lawyers?