Advice for Volunteers

Read this advice for No Labels volunteers by No Labels volunteers.

In order for the No Labels volunteer effort to work, a consistency of effort must be established that is cognizant of the personal responsibilities of every volunteer. We understand that circumstances arise in life that will either allow for either more or less time spent helping the No Labels movement.

With the above in mind, it is important if you volunteer for a task or level of responsibility that you fulfill the responsibility within the timeline defined, and most importantly advise us if circumstances arise that preclude you from doing so. Communication is critical. We fully understand circumstance may change, and all we ask is if that happens please communicate this to the No Labels group in your area and/or No Labels staff. With that said, here’s what we’ve found out as volunteers.

Stay Out of Partisan Discussions

People will always want to know what you think about specific issues that divide Americans. We like to say that having strong convictions is very important. As volunteers we all have strong convictions on all the economic and social issues that face our country. However it is important to separate this side of the political equation from the No Labels mission of addressing the question of “Making Congress Work” by improving the dialogue and process of our government, so that our country can operate more efficiently and effectively.
 

"Yes, but": How to Respond to Skeptics

As you talk to friends, associates, or just people you contact about joining No Labels you will find skeptics (“yes buts”). Most people feel our government is dysfunctional and that the gridlock and partisanship must end if we are to find win-win solutions to the great problems that face us, but they just don’t feel change can happen. The following letter is a great response to such skepticism:

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Dear____________

When people tell me that No Labels is just an idealistic group that can’t work realistically, I try to educate them on the remarkable progress No Labels has made in the year and a half since our founding.

One need only look at the accomplishments of No Labels in this short period of time to discover that we have become a driving force behind fixing the hyper-partisan climate in Washington.

Note the following accomplishments:

1)   One of the 12 steps of the “Make Congress Work” Plan—the No Budget, No Pay Act-- has been introduced in both Houses of Congress, and now has 55 co-sponsors in the House and 11 in the Senate.
2)   No Labels has mobilized its base of over half a million members to encourage their elected representatives to support the Make Congress Work! action plan.  
3)   The number of highly respected former and current members of Congress from both sides of the aisle who support the goals of No Labels increases every month.(The full list can be found on the No Labels web-site).

I would suggest that anyone who says No Labels is idealistic consider the continued growth of our supporters (who will soon number over 1,000,000) and ask yourself this: Is it idealistic to believe that our politicians will respond to concrete incentives? Is it idealistic to believe that the American citizenry is fed up with the hyper-partisanship that is paralyzing our government and preventing our government from solving the serious problems that we face? I believe the answer is a resounding “No.”

If No Labels is idealistic simply because we value and pursue the principles of working together and finding common ground to solve the daunting problems facing our Country, while rejecting the finger pointing and cynicism that permeate contemporary politics, then we are guilty as charged.

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If you don’t know, just say so: If you don’t know the answer, that’s okay! It is important that all volunteers try to represent the No Labels philosophy and mission correctly. Thus when you are unsure about something, it is always better to admit it.
 

Positions

Please remember to distinguish between your remarks as a No Labels member and those remarks that are positions or statements that you know have been expressed on the No Labels website. This is meant to avoid any confusion or legal liability between No Labels volunteers and the No Labels Back Office.
 

Privacy

Everyone has a different level of comfort when it comes to using personal contact information. When contacting others, please be mindful of this and veer on the side of caution.



By Citizen Leaders David Nevins (FL), Ron Tobias (NY) and Julia Pfaff (VA)