Operation Democracy Frequently Asked Questions
Updated often. Please check carefully to see if your question is answered here before emailing. You will also find lots of helpful info in the Operation Democracy campaign overview. Thanks!
How do I form an Operation Democracy team?
How big should a team be?
Can we have two teams in the same neighborhood?
I want to join or form a team, but I can't come on Thursday.
How much of a time commitment is required?
Will we be able to communicate with other teams?
Can I get a list of MoveOn members in our neighborhood so we can recruit them to join our team?
Are these teams going to be permanent?
Are we working with the Democrats?
Working on elections is pointless until we fix how elections are run. Shouldn't we focus on that exclusively?
Are we working with other groups like Democracy for America or ACT?
We need to do something positive, instead of just fighting against things. Is that part of the vision?
Fighting Republicans won't matter unless the Democrats stand for something. What are we doing about that?
How do I form a team if I'm the only person from my neighborhood/town/area at the party?
My neighborhood is very liberal—shouldn't we be organizing other places that need it more?
Will we have a choice about what we do?
Will we work as a network on local issues or elections?
What if our team wants to work on a local issue or election?
I'm involved with the Democrats. Can I work on this campaign?
Do MoveOn members have a say in what the teams do?
My congressperson is great—why should I do this?
What if my congressman is so conservative it seems like there's no point?
What will exactly will we be doing?
Can we have co-leaders?
Can non-MoveOn members join my team?
Can people who don't have email join my team?
I'm nervous about talking to strangers. Are there other ways I can help out?
I’m having trouble creating a team using Safari.
How do I switch teams?
My team has me down with the wrong name. How do I change it back to my name?
How do I change the email address I signed up for Operation Democracy with?
I searched for Operation Democracy teams, but there don't seem to be any in my area. What am I doing wrong?
What are we going to do next?
How will we decide what issues we work on?
I have the names/addresses of people who signed up to be team leaders and I don't know how to enter them in.
Can we have a team that crosses municipal lines or spans more than one area?
Our party didn't want to break up into smaller teams. Can we have teams bigger than 6 people?
We live in a very progressive state. Shouldn't we be calling Senators somewhere else?
Should we make plans to get together again?
If there's not team near my neighborhood, can I join another further away?
Can we get in contact with other local teams?
How can I quit my team?
I accidentally registered my team multiple times, how do I delete the extra teams?
I have a question that isn't answered here. What do I do?
How do I form an Operation Democracy team?
Just grab a few friends or neighbors, choose a name, and register your team here. If you went to one of the houseparties, you should receive a link to register your team after your host enters you into our system as a team leader. If you never received this message, you can register your team here.
A team may start out as one or two people, but the best size is probably 6-8 volunteers.
Can we have two teams in the same neighborhood?
Sure. In a neighborhood with lots of MoveOn members, you'll probably want to form multiple teams to keep team size manageable and to maximize impact. One way to do this is to divide up your neighborhood into smaller zones. Because we're going to encourage people to reach out to their neighbors or folks nearby, it'll work a better if each team consists of people from the same area, and if teams don't overlap too much—or if teams in the same area coordinate to avoid unnecessary duplication. But no one can stake a claim to exclusive turf, and two teams are free to work in the same neighborhood.
I want to join or form a team, but I couldn't come to one of the original houseparties.
No problem. To find a team near you, click here and enter your ZIP code (if you're reading this right after the houseparties, give it a few days for people to register their teams). If you want to form your own team, you can do it here.
How much of a time commitment is required?
If you're going to be a team leader, you should be prepared to put in an hour or two per week—though it will require more time during weeks when you're taking action, and might take less on off weeks. If you aren't leading the team, but can commit to being involved in regular team activities and being someone other team members can count on, you should sign up as an "lead volunteer," and be prepared to spend 2-5 hours per month. If you can't commit to regular involvement, you can be a " volunteer," and ask the team to keep you posted on team activities.
Will we be able to communicate with other Operation Democracy teams?
We know many people want to be able to communicate with other Operation Democracy teams in the community. We will create a way for team leaders in your area to communicate and coordinate, either electronically or in-person. This may take a few months to get up and rolling, however.
Can I get a list of MoveOn members in our neighborhood so we can recruit them to join our team?
Many of our members have expressed a clear preference not to receive too much email or email that's not from MoveOn staff. But once you've created a team, unless you've marked it as "private", we'll make it possible for other members who didn't come to the house parties to find your team or another nearby. From time to time, we'll email them to invite them to search out your team and join it—especially when there's a team activity they can get involved in.
Are these teams going to be permanent?
We think these new neighborhood teams will mark a real step forward in MoveOn's structure. Our immediate goal is to defeat the Bush agenda and elect progressives in the 2006 congressional elections. But assuming things go well, we will likely continue to work in teams. That said, teams are of course free to split up or reorganize as they see fit.
Are we working with the Democrats?
Campaign finance law prevents us from coordinating with the Democratic Party in our on-the-ground organizing or our communications. In some ways, this is a drawback—there will be some overlap since we're legally barred from coordinating with them. On the other hand, we have many members who are independents, Republicans, or greens, who share a common desire to elect progressives and defeat the current right-wing Republican leadership—and we certainly need to reach out to voters in these categories. Being separate from the Democrats means we can bring a valuable independent voice to national politics. It also frees us to call for increased grassroots participation and other kinds of reform within the Democratic Party.
Working on elections is pointless until we fix how elections are run. Shouldn't we focus on that exclusively?
Clearly, we have a lot of work to do to fix how elections happen in this country—as the widespread problems in Ohio attest. For that reason we've been involved in investigating irregularities there, as well as supporting electoral reform efforts. But the truth is, elections are only easy to steal when they're close. The most important thing we need to do is to ensure that a large majority of Americans believe the Republicans are taking the country on the wrong path, and that there is a viable alternative. That’s how we’ll be able to elect progressives and defeat the Bush agenda. If we accomplished this but didn't manage to fix elections, we'd be in a far better position than we are today. If we fixed the electoral system but didn't change the larger political dynamic, we'd still be in trouble. Our plan is to make progress on both fronts at once.
Are we working with other groups like Democracy for America or ACT?
Just this week we met with both groups to discuss our plans and theirs and opportunities to work together. Naturally, as separate organizations we'll sometimes take separate paths: for example, Democracy for America will continue to support candidates for state and local office, while our focus will be primarily national, and ACT is still shaping their plan for the next few years. But we're committed to finding ways to work together and reinforce each others' work as much as possible.
We need to do something positive, instead of just fighting against things. Is that part of the vision for Operation Democracy?
Right now, one critical task is to stop the Republican leadership's extraordinarily dangerous agenda. But we also need to be clear about what we stand FOR. And make sure Democratic politicians are communicating to voters what THEY stand for. That's why our strategy will include: developing a positive agenda; encouraging Democrats in Congress to fight for progressive values; and encouraging Democratic candidates to be clear about what they'll fight for if elected. And where we have an opportunity to make real progress on an issue, instead of just playing defense, we'll hop on it right away.
Fighting Republicans won't matter unless the Democrats stand for something. What are we doing about that?
Democrats need to know that voters want them to stand up and fight for progressive values—and, crucially, that we'll be there to support when they do. That's one reason it's so important that we have teams working in areas already represented by people who generally vote the right way. But we'll also be engaging with the Democratic leadership, as much as we legally can, to make sure they listen to the grassroots, and stand firm on critical issues like electoral reform, social security privatization, right-wing judges, and national security. We'll also take steps to encourage Democratic candidates to be clear about what they'll fight for if elected.
How do I form a team if I'm the only person from my neighborhood/town/area at the party?
Don't be discouraged! A team can be as small as 3 or 4 people. So you might just want to come up with a plan to recruit some family, friends or neighbors to join you. Alternatively, if there is a team in a nearby neighborhoods, you can join up with them, and split off when you've got a critical mass of people from your area. You can search for nearby teams here.
My neighborhood is very liberal—shouldn't we be organizing other places that need it more?
In order to create a national atmosphere for political change, we need people all over the country exposing the Republicans' corporate agenda and promoting a positive progressive alternative. Only when dissatisfaction with the Republicans is a national story will voters be willing to shake things up and give someone else a chance. So even if you live in a place where most people already agree on these issues, the first step is still making sure that they’re organized and active. We can’t do this without leaders like you. Imagine trying to gather a million petition signatures—or stage 1000 simultaneous vigils to attract national attention—without help from people in the most progressive neighborhoods.
In order to make sure that the Democratic Party is standing and fighting, we also need to make sure that Democrats know voters are demanding a real fight—and will be there to support them. That's one reason it's so important that we have teams working in areas already represented by people who generally vote the right way.
That said, if you think there is a neighborhood in your community that could use a team even more than yours, you can also try to use your own social network to find someone in the area who is willing to get involved.
Will we have a choice about what we do?
Yes. Each month we will have a major activity that we will ask every team to take part in, because together we can make the biggest impact. We will also have a few other actions that more active teams can engage in. It’s up to your team to decide how active you want to be and which actions you want to participate in, though in general we expect that your team willdo at least the major activity each month.
Will we work as a network on local issues or elections?
No. Local issues or electoral campaigns are vital, but we normally don't work on them for three basic reasons:
One of MoveOn's key advantages is the responsiveness and efficiency we gain from our very small staff. We make this possible by choosing campaigns and strategies that people can replicate across the country, and using technology to make this process as easy as possible. Working on local campaigns negates these advantages and makes our small staff a liability instead of an asset.
We believe that, strategically speaking, there's an urgent need for national coordinated action of the kind we organize, in order to win a voice for ordinary Americans in Washington D.C. This is our niche. Fortunately, many of our allies are better set up to work on local issues and campaigns.
We simply can't examine and approve tactics, messages, and materials on dozens, let alone thousands, of state and local efforts, which, for legal reasons, we'd need to do if people worked on those efforts in the name of MoveOn (or in their capacity as MoveOn leaders).
What if our team wants to work on a local issue or election?
As your team solidifies, some people may also want to also work on pressing local issues (see the above question for more info on why we won’t work as a network on local issues). We are thrilled when involvement with MoveOn activities helps citizens develop skills or relationships that they can use to improve their communities in ways that go beyond MoveOn's national program. But for legal reasons, you can't in any way imply that it's connected to MoveOn. Instead, you would need to come up with a local name for yourselves, or partner with an existing local group. And you'd need to make it clear that the two efforts are distinct. Click here for more complete legal guidelines which discuss this separation in detail.
I'm involved with the Democrats. Can I be part of Operation Democracy?
You can volunteer for both the Democrats and MoveOn, but you need to be very careful about it. Here’s a good way to think about it: when you volunteer for an organization or party, you’re wearing their “hat.” As a volunteer you can “own” as many of these hats as you want. But it is critical that you don’t wear two hats at the same time. Particularly when talking about MoveOn and the Democrats. Campaign laws restrict any electoral coordination between independent groups like MoveOn and party organizations like the Democrats. So that means that you can’t talk about MoveOn activities or plans while at the local Democratic meeting and that when you’re meeting with your MoveOn team, you can’t tell them about local party activities. People who hold significant leadership positions with the Democratic Party, e.g. as a County Chair or higher, should be extra careful to avoid communicating Party strategy or plans to MoveOn, or vice versa.
Do MoveOn members have a say in what the Operation Democracy teams do?
Yes. Most of our best ideas come from MoveOn members. Throughout this campaign we will be asking for your input and for your ideas on new actions that teams can take.
My congressperson is great—why should I do this?
In order to create a national atmosphere for political change, we need people all over the country exposing the Republicans' corporate agenda and promoting a positive progressive alternative. Also as tough votes come up, it is important to give progressive representatives the support they need to take principled stands. We need progressive champions, not merely reliable votes, and that means making sure our representatives know we're holding them to that high standard.
What if my congressman is so conservative it seems like there's no point?
In order to create a national atmosphere for political change, we need people all over the country exposing the Republicans' corporate agenda and promoting a positive progressive alternative. It’s also particularly important that we’re able to point out that even people in the most conservative areas of the country are fed up with the direction in which the Republican leadership's is dragging our country. And imagine trying to gather a million petition signatures—or stage 1000 simultaneous vigils to attract national attention—without help from anyone in a conservative area.
What will exactly will we be doing?
Basically teams will be working at the grassroots level to counter Republican propaganda, promote a positive progressive agenda and lay the groundwork for sweeping electoral change in 2006.
Our first action will be a national call in day to stop Bush's plan to fill the courts with right-wing, pro-corporate judges. After judges, we'll work on other key issues, all the while spreading the message that Republicans are putting corporate donors before everyday Americans. We'll use a whole range of approaches depending on the issue: for example, letters to the editor of your local newspaper on Iraq, news conferences demanding election reform, town meetings on Bush's screwed-up budget priorities, bake sale fundraisers, or meetings between members of Congress and local citizens who can't afford a Social Security benefit cut.
Yes. Our online tools will be set-up to allow you to partner up with a friend or a neighbor to lead a team.
Can non-MoveOn members join my team?
Yes! You should recruit as many different people for your team as possible
Can people who don't have email join my team?
Yes. But you shouldn't enter them into our online system. Instead, you, or someone else on your team, will have to keep them updated on what’s going on over the phone (or any other convenient non-electronic way).
I'm nervous about talking to strangers. Are there other ways I can help out?
Over the course of the campaign, teams will be engaged in all sorts of tactics - and much of what you'll need to do will be talking to friends and neighbors, as well as strangers. If you’re uncomfortable with one particular activity, you don’t need to take part in that action. Your team can also create different roles for different members, depending on their strengths. But most people find it a little nerve-wracking to engage politically with people we don't know, especially at first. Give it a shot and allow your team members to support you - you'll likely find that you get much better at it, and start to have fun.
I’m having trouble creating a team using Safari.
We are working on fixing this problem. For now, try another browser like Internet Explorer or Firefox.
Go ahead and sign up for the new team. If you have the email you were originally sent when you signed up for the old one, or an email sent from your team leader, click the link in it to quit the team. Otherwise, ask your old team leader to use their admin page to remove you from the team, or to send you an email through their team tool – it will have a link you can use to quit the team.
My team has me down with the wrong name. How do I change it back to my name?
If you are signed up under the right email address but the wrong name, it’s easy to fix. Just go to http://www.moveon.org/keepmeposted/ and sign up using the same email address, but the correct name. It will reset your name everywhere in our system.
How do I change the email address I signed up for Operation Democracy with?
If you're a team leader:
1. Log in to the team administration page.
2. Go to "Add/Remove Members" and register yourself, using your new email address.
3. Now close and reopen your browser. Go back to the team administration page and log in with your new email address.
4. If you get logged in automatically, you need to clear your browser's cookies and go back to step 3.
5. Once you've logged in using your new email address, go back to "Add/Remove Members" and remove your name with the old email address.
If you're not a team leader:
1. Find the team at http://www.moveonpac.org/team/ and join it using your new email address.
2. Find the email you received when you joined using your old email address and use the link in it to quit the team.
You should now be registered only with your new email address.
I searched for Operation Democracy teams, but there don't seem to be any in my area. What am I doing wrong?
We gave members a chance to sign up their teams before letting others search for teams in their neighborhoods. Not to worry though, the tool is now working at http://www.moveonpac.org/team/. If you still can't locate a team, try increasing your search radius . If there’s no team in your area, consider starting one. A team can be as small as you – periodically, we’ll encourage other members in your area to search your team out and join.
What are we going to do next?
We'll email you in the next few weeks with more plans to stop right-wing judicial appointments, including a concerted national letter-to-the-editor campaign. We're also planning on addressing Social Security privatization very soon.
How will we decide what issues we work on?
That will depend, in part, on how events unfold. But we know, based on the priorities you set at the Future of MoveOn parties in November and your feedback through other avenues, that we'll work on Social Security, election reform, and the war, among other issues. We'll also use surveys and other feedback mechanisms to solicit your ideas and input.
I have the names/addresses of people who signed up to be team leaders and I don't know how to enter them in.
Don't worry about it. Just email them and tell them they can go ahead and register their team by going to:
http://www.moveonpac.org/team/create/
Can we have a team that crosses municipal lines or spans more than one area?
It's up to you to decide what area your team covers—we've deliberately left it flexible. We want our network to gain strength by building connections and community within neighborhoods. But it's fine to start out covering a larger area, and then as you grow stronger, to split into two teams covering smaller areas.
Our party didn't want to break up into smaller teams. Can we have teams bigger than 6 people?
We haven't set a maximum group size—it's ultimately up to you how you want to organize yourselves. That said, we find that when groups get much bigger than about eight people, participation often starts to decline and a few people end up doing the lion's share of the work. Ultimately, we think our network will be stronger if each town has several teams that can cover particular neighborhoods and coordinate together vs. one larger team that becomes unwieldy and ceases to grow. But we definitely understand that people don't want to feel atomized or "split off." Coordination and communication between teams is a key part of our plan.
We live in a very progressive state. Shouldn't we be calling Senators somewhere else?
It is our strategic judgment that every Senator needs to hear from constituents on this issue right now—even those who are reliably progressive or who have spoken out against the nuclear option. Stopping the nuclear option may require these senators to take considerable political risks in order to lead the Democrats into an extremely high-stakes confrontation with Bush and the Republican leadership in Congress: Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has threatened to "shut down the Senate" if the Republicans take away the Democrats' voice.
Whatever their personal beliefs, progressive senators NEED to hear that this is a priority for their constituents and that you will be there to support them. And we need an avalanche of calls into every office in the Senate to create a buzz about growing opposition. To transform this from a Washington insider's game to a fight in the public spotlight, Senators need to know people are paying attention.
That said, if you have particular other states you want to call, you can download flyers for those states, with the senators' names and contact info from our site at:
http://www.moveonpac.org/team/0316/flyer.html
Should we make plans to get together again?
As a team, you'll want to meet somewhat regularly. We'll tell you about next month's main action in by the end of the month, so you might want to make a plan to meet during the first week of April, if not before. If multiple teams formed at your house party and you all want to keep meeting together that's fine. We won't organize an official wave of houseparties, so make sure you have the email addresses of the other team leaders from your party, and you can coordinate together. While you can meet as often as team members like, we pledge that we won't ask you to meet without a good reason or without an opportunity to take action.
If there's not team near my neighborhood, can I join another further away?
Sure. But if you do that, we encourage you to begin recruiting others in your area and ultimately to form your own team.
Can we get in contact with other local teams?
We will create a way for team leaders in your area to communicate and coordinate, either electronically or in-person. This may take a few months to get up and rolling, however.
If you’re a team member and you decide that you can no longer take part in Operation Democracy or if you want to switch teams, you just need to click on the quit link at the bottom of any email sent to you from your team leader through the email tool. If you can’t find one, you can try emailing your team leader and asking them to take you off the team.
If you’re a team leader and you need to quit, you should first find someone to replace you as team leader. Once you’ve done that, then you need to change their status to “co-leader” by using the “Add/Remove Members” option on the team administrative page. Once they are a co-leader, then they can remove you from the team. If you can’t find a new leader and you need to disband your team, then you should 1) be sure everyone on your team knows 2) change your team to a private team by going to the “Edit Team Information” link so no one new will join 3) change your team name to “Delete” so we will know you are no longer an active team.
I accidentally registered my team multiple times, how do I delete the extra teams?
When you log in, you should see all the teams you're registered as the leader of. Go to the team(s) you want eliminated and make sure it is marked private so that no one else accidentally joins it. Then rename the team "DELETE" and it will be purged from the system within a few days.
I have a question that isn't answered here. What do I do?
We can't answer every question individually, but if you contact us with your question; we'll answer the most common in this FAQ.