Thursday, June 01, 2006

Open-Source Politics - The Internet and the 2008 Election

There is an intriguing article on how the Internet will play a role in the 2008 Presidential election, A New Open-Source Politics that is well worth a read.
Will 2008 bring the first Internet president? Last time, Howard Dean and later John Kerry showed that the whole idea of "early money" is now obsolete in presidential politics. The Internet lets candidates who catch fire raise millions in small donations practically overnight. That's why all the talk of Hillary Clinton's "war chest" making her the front runner for 2008 is the most hackneyed punditry around. Money from wealthy donors remains the essential ingredient in most state and local campaigns, but "free media" shapes the outcome of presidential races, and the Internet is the freest media of all.
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Open-source politics has its hazards, starting with the fact that most people over 35 will need some help with the concept. But just as Linux lets tech-savvy users avoid Microsoft and design their own operating systems, so "netroots" political organizers may succeed in redesigning our current nominating system. But there probably won't be much that's organized about it. By definition, the Internet strips big shots of their control of the process, which is a good thing. Politics is at its most invigorating when it's cacophonous and chaotic.
Our mission here is to utilize the internet to help put Chuck Hagel in the White House in 2008. The political discussion on the internet is incredible and its influence will only continue to grow as we get closer to the 2008 election.

4 comments:

DeltaFox said...

No way would I ever vote for this guy.

The meatpacking companies in Nebraska hired the former governor to work as a lobbyist for them to get the DOJ and ICE to stop requesting employee records so they could search for illegals.

Hagel made sure that DOJ and ICE couldn't do their jobs.

Open border man....no thanks.

He is nothing more then a traitor to Americans.

http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:HCpjhA43U2sJ:209.157.64.201/~daffyduct/in-forum+hagel+meatpackers+mission&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2

http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:xVGTp366qGAJ:www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp%3FID%3D18198+hagel+meatpackers+mission&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=17

Anonymous said...

The new Heritage Foundation report says that the Hagel-Martinez bill (CIRA, S.2611) will lead to 103 million more immigrants over the next 20 years. This is absolute insanity. Come to Southern California and you will see the results for yourself: broken schools, hospital closings, increased crime and gang activity. Hagel is actually to the left of Hillary on immigration. “Jobs Americans won’t do” – for a slogan like that Hagel should be ashamed. What does Hagel have against ordinary middle class America?

fpr said...

I would, in a heartbeat. Hagel's approach to immigration, energy, economics, national security, etc. is comprehensive, far reaching and down the road will serve America well.

I fear that we are - through this debate - dangerously going down an isolationist road, with the new Father Coughlin of the 21st Century - Lou Dobbs - and his acolytes leading the way.

There is nothing treasonous about trying to find a comprehensive solution to immigration. This talk of amnesty, like the use of the federal marriage amendment and other social issues are red herrings, smoke screens.

We need comprehensive, principled and visionary leadership in 2009.

mw said...

Hagel is smart, articulate, and high integrity. He puts country and principle before politics and party. While I don't agree with all his positions, he is the kind of man I could respect as president.

He was one of the very few Republicans to stand up to the President and Republican leadership and tell the truth about the disastrous Medicare Prescription bill. That pig will cost more than $700 billion dollars of new entitlements and deficits piled on the back of our kids - thanks to the single party control of big government, big spending Republicans.

We need more Chuck Hagels in Washington. He speaks his mind, and if doing what is right for the Country means disagreeing with his party or president, he lets the chips fall where thy may.

He can even speak in complete sentences with coherent thoughts and ideas, unlike our current president.

I hope he runs.