This week kicks off the holiday season. Many people will be traveling all over the country to spend Thanksgiving with family and friends. With the election not that far in the rearview mirror, politics are likely to come up in some way or form as people gather over the next six weeks to celebrate the holidays. So here at NPPC we have come up with a few tips to help you survive those conversations.
- Know your facts – misinformation is damaging. Be sure to know your facts before engaging in a conversation. This helpful blog post outlines state specific information on retirement policy.
- Use real life examples – from the California firefighters who are battling wildfires to the professors who open their homes for those who cannot travel for the holidays, there have been several news stories of public employees going above and beyond for their communities. It’s important to highlight these examples to remind others that these same workers deserve a dignified and secure retirement.
- Be concise – you lose your audience if you ramble on and on.
- Be courteous – Be sure to engage in a conversation, not a lecture on policy. Ask questions of the person you are discussing retirement security with to gauge what their real concerns are about public pensions.
- Never engage with your crazy uncle – We all have one. Sometimes it’s best to just walk away from that conversation about how “so-and-so politician is the antichrist.”
Whether or not you manage to convince a family member to see how beneficial public pensions are to the community, be sure to get them a slice of pie. It’s the holidays, and it’s more important to remember that we are lucky to spend this time together.
