… So, look for more than just catchy lyrics, look for the singer-songwriters of the political process, those that are encouraging the audience to sing along. Then, join in, make your own music. Let’s make democracy a beautiful thing again.

Did we lose something bigger in 2004 than the election? This thought has been nagging me a lot recently as I work with various people gearing up for the 2006 elections. Leading up to 2004, there were so many people who had been told that they have the power, that they could go out act on their own without asking permission from some campaign, and it would make a difference. I went ahead and organized a flash mob 3000 miles from my house.
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As for me, I’ll learn what I can from media consultants, I’ll see if I can teach them a little about the beauty of chaotic online chatter and then I’ll go out and say what I feel, and part of what I feel right now is a longing for people that embrace Will Roger’s style of being a Democrat.

Recently aspects of competition and cooperation as it exists in our media, in our politics and in our daily lives keep recurring in discussions I’m in. I think this is a very important part of the political dynamic that should be explored.
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We can argue whether the structure of broadcast media contributed to the rising individualism or if the structure of the web will be instrumental in moving us back towards being a more cooperative society. However, I believe that the message of cooperation is going to be an important part of the political dialog over the next few years and those who can demonstrate their commitment to the idea that “we’re all in this together” will end up having a great effect on the political dialog.

It has been many years since I read Rousseau’s Social Contract. It was back in college and I didn’t read it as closely as I should have. Yet it often comes to mind as I read discussions about the role government in the age of Internet technology, and how to handle trolls, spam and scamsters. [read more]

Today, I received an email from Mike Lidell, the director of Online Communications for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee asking me to join in a blogger’s conference call with Senator Chuck Schumer, DSCC Chair.

In contrast, I received a bulk email from Howard Dean entitled “Investments pay off”. It asked for a $25 contribution. Rahm Emanuel, Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sent a bulk email entitled, “Democratic Vision Wins Out” asking for a contribution. Emily’s list sent a bulk email “Insider News - Setting the stage for 2006” asking for a contribution. The bulk email from Eli Pariser of MoveOn was entitled “Good election news! Now let’s win big in 2006” and asked me to donate now. Jim Dean, of Democracy for America entitled his bulk email, “…And We’re Only Getting Started”. It also asked for a contribution. John Kerry’s bulk email was entitled, “Reality 2, Bush 0” and asked me to click on an online petition calling to withdraw 20,000 troops over the holidays and asking for a contribution.

I didn’t send in a check to anyone or click on any petition. However, I did spend an hour of my time listening to Senator Schumer. I’m glad I did. He spoke frankly and openly about what is going on with the DSCC. He frequently spoke about Senators being out of touch with their constituents and how he wanted to change that.

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Back in August, I wrote about Political Network Topologies, drawing a distinction between two models of politics, one in terms of social networks and the other in terms of citizens as consumers. Jock added a comment pointing me to the work of Anna Nagurney from Umass on supernetworks.

I listened her keynote at MeshForum 2005 and started thinking in different ways about networks. Usually, when I think about networks, I think about nodes and links. However, she points out the importance of the flow on the network as well.

Yesterday, Grant McCracken wrote about brands as a new content provider. He focuses on the ‘flow’ aspects of social networks and how this flow is essential to sustaining social networks. He goes on to suggest that brands may be an important source of ‘flow’ for social networks, thus bringing together ideas of politics as a social network and politics as a group of citizens as consumers.

Over on Full Circle Online Interaction Blog, Nancy White asks, “How should we select our Keynote speakers?” She points to this blog post where Andrew observes, “Sitting in conferences I have often looked around at the audience and thought about the incredible opportunity for discovery which lies within”.
When I first read these posts, I […]

How will we fight poverty in America? Senator Edwards is going around the country in his Opportunity Rocks college tour. He is speaking to students about the need to raise people’s awareness of poverty in America so that we can address this problem.

He speaks about how Hurricane Katrina has shown the ugly face of poverty to people who have too long believed that poverty isn’t a problem. He has speaks about the need to keep this in people’s minds, to keep the attention from shifting back to other things.

He spoke about Robert Kennedy’s visit to Appalachia and how that helped get people to focus on poverty. As he spoke about this, I thought about the Freedom Riders. I have been talking about how we need a new generation of Freedom Riders with a new generation of tools.

So, when Senator Edwards invoked the image of Robert Kennedy in Appalachia, my friend excitedly said, “That is exactly what you were talking about.” I wondered if this is what I’ve been hoping for.

Senator Edwards said all the right things, talking about a movement, led by college students to touch the national consciousness and address the growing problem of poverty.

And there was a family I became particularly fond of: the Nolands from St. Bernard Parish. Leeane, the mom, was only 6 years younger than me. She chain smoked as she told me stories about her sons and her parents (who were also there at the shelter). The family had created their own “home” in […]