The most powerful tool in promoting digital democracy

 I think that while we can search for the next big thing in mobile tools and apps or specific programs and websites to help with digital democracy or public awareness, we can not overlook the greatest tool invented... the internet itself. Sure it may seem like a way to easy example, however lets really sit back and think about one resource that has changed the way that humans communicate, research, work or enjoy free time. The internet has changed everyone's lives in endless ways, some for the better and some issues like obesity can be attributed to the internet in a 50 degrees of separation sort of way, regardless without the net, all of our lives would be much more difficult.

 Lets think about the internet and the public personas of politicians for a second. In the past, politicians would campaign on a tour, from town to town, shaking hands and kissing babies. Showing the public how great they are and how the world will now be a better place if we pull the lever next to their name. If we fast forward to the present, we can now see how politicians are not all they say they are. We can use the many elicit behaviors of Mayor Anthony Weiner, whose name suits him so well in a we can’t make this stuff up manner. The internet is obviously not a useful tool for him, or maybe it is. He obviously uses it perhaps way too much!

 Another example of how the internet and the political world can merge, this time a bit more ethical. In 1999 Jesse “The Body” Ventura, whose claim to fame were his feather boas and bright colored wrestling boots and trunks decided to run for governor of Minnesota, his chances of winning were very slim. In fact, while researching him I learned that Ventura received very little press whether it be in print or on television when compared to his Republican and Democratic opponents. Instead, Governor Ventura resorted to the internet, connecting his supporters to his campaign trail in a way that had never been seen before. This created so much buz, that he won and confused even the most scholarly political enthusiasts.

http://web.mit.edu/transition/subs/demointro.html