Created by Joan Blades and Wes Boyd, two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, to organize a bi-partisan campaign for a quick resolution to the Clinton impeachment trial, moveon has moved on to become a strong organizer for political action in America. It specializes in Internet campaigns, reflecting the sea change in political involvement in North America. Now that direct one-on-one communication is possible at an negligible cost, it is possible to organize campaigns very quickly--i.e. flash campaigns.
References
- Report on the campaign against the Clinton impeachment
- http://www.moveon.org/about/documentation.html
''From http://www.moveon.org/about...''
What is a "flash campaign" like?
Here's an example of activities from the original Censure and Move On anti-impeachment campaign:
PHASE I — PRIOR TO HOUSE VOTE ON IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
- September 22 — Petition site launched
- September 29 — 100,000 mark reached
- October 1 — 80,000 petitioners armed with their representative's phone and fax; asked to call
- October 1 — 1,000 volunteers armed with phone and fax for all judiciary committee members
- October 3 — Begin daily email of individual petitions to constituent's representative
- October 4 — Compiled petition to each Judiciary Committee member, with comments
- October 5 — Additional 50,000 petitioners asked to call their district's Representative
- October 7 — Compiled petition sent to each member of the House with an email address (80% of districts)
- October 8 — 200,000 mark reached
- October 8 — Compiled petition hand delivered to each member of the House before vote
PHASE II — PRIOR TO NATIONAL ELECTION
- October 9 — Compiled petition delivered to White House
- October 13 — 250,000 petition mark reached: biggest web petition ever
- October 20 — moveon volunteer pool breaks 3,000 mark
- October 22 — 411 volunteer leaders selected for 226 congressional districts
- October 28 — 20,000th "Move On" bumper sticker downloaded for printing
- October 29 — Petitions hand delivered by constituents at district offices in 44 states.
- November 2 — Get out the vote email sent to more than 250,000 petitioners — encourages officeplace campaign
- November 2 — 500,000 impressions of "Move On... Vote today" banner placed on Yahoo
- November 2 — 500 "Vote today" banners downloaded for placement on third party websites — circulation unknown
- November 3 — Get out the vote email sent to petitioners again — encourages email passaround
PHASE III — PRIOR TO HOUSE VOTE ON IMPEACHMENT
- November 18 — 4000 volunteers lobby judiciary before inquiry
- November 19 — Email to petitioners requesting constituent calls after Ken Starr show
- December 8 — Begin email of daily petitions to constituent's Senators
- December 8 — 1-877-TO-MOVEON campaign — more than 200,000 calls made to Congress
- December 12 — "swingvotes" email group offered to petitioners — 1,000,000 letters sent to swing members
- December 13 — Emailing to 400,000 petitioners highlighting swing members in state with phone numbers
- December 16 — Press conference and presentation of petitions in Congress by three dozen volunteers from across the country
PHASE IV — PRIOR TO SENATE VOTE ON REMOVAL
- December 19 — "We will remember" pledge drive announced to 450,000 petitioners
- December 21 — press release on success of pledge drive first day — $5 million pledged to congressional campaigns