Education is our only priority.

What is the Democratic Republican Party?

The Democratic Republican Party is a place where Democrats, Republicans and everyone else keep their positions on everything else and move education forward together. Education is permanent. The emergency inside it changes: when one moves, the next takes its place, and everything people added stays on the record. Its name has no hyphen: Democrats and Republicans, one party.

Who founded it?

An independent initiative founded by Mike Millett. Unaffiliated with any political party, candidate or campaign. More about him: mikemillett.com.

Why I started this: a letter from the founder

How do I join?

You can't join our party. You're already in it. Keep your party. Keep your position on every issue. Make education your priority, so our kids move forward. Start on the Forward Board.

What is Our Truce?

Our Truce is the idea this party is built on: both sides keep their convictions and set down the fight on education. Left and right are one line. Forward runs at a right angle to it: you keep your place on the line and give education your priority. Listen. Engage. Prioritize.

What does the party never do?

• It never asks, stores, counts or shows anyone's party.
• It runs no candidates, takes no money, runs no ads and endorses no one.
• It holds no official votes and delivers nothing to officials. Every opinion on the site is a range on a slider, never a yes or no.
• It pushes no single answer. People add ideas; the board shows where people land.

Who writes the two sides?

The two sides of every old fight are quoted in each side's own published words, with the source linked. The party's short description of each side, and the slider that goes with it, appear only after passing a fairness review: a reviewer for each side, a survey methodologist and a plain-language reader each score the wording, in both orders. The wording comes from that process. Nobody at the party writes or edits it by hand, the founder included.

Where does the name come from?

In the 1790s, Americans who organized around Thomas Jefferson and James Madison called themselves Republicans; historians call that party the Democratic-Republican Party. Its full history is here, along with how Americans divided, and the times both parties came together.

Why a dolphin?

The dolphin is the party's mark, chosen for cooperation. Why the dolphin?

Why are the party logos in the drawing on the home page?

The Democratic donkey and the Republican elephant appear in the home page drawing to identify each party. Elephant logo: Republican National Committee. Donkey logo: Democratic National Committee. Trademarks of their owners, shown to identify each party. No affiliation or endorsement.

How does the party check its facts?

Every fact links to its source, every study shows its design and limits, and every quote is in its speaker's exact words. Every source is listed on Sources; the rules are on Editorial standards. If you find an error, report it. Every change to the site is recorded on Changes.

How is this different from My Vote Forward?

My Vote Forward (myvoteforward.com) is where you set your own priorities across every issue and the standard you hold officials to. The Democratic Republican Party carries one emergency at a time and is the machine for new ideas on it. They share the same slider. Their data is separate.