9 seconds ago 2009-12-15T15:44:52-08:00
The next guest on Talk to Power is Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action. He is fielding questions now and his responses will be posted on Tuesday, October 24.
MoveOn.org got its start as an effort to forestall the impeachment of President Clinton, arguing that he should be censured so that the country could "move on." From there, the organization became a groundbreaking political advocacy engine, helping to fuel Howard Dean's candidacy in the 2004 primaries and generally providing support for Democratic candidates in that year's election.
Eli Pariser, right, speaks with the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut, Ned Lamont, at left, and his wife, Annie Lamont, second from left, in New York on Aug. 26. (AP/Douglas Healey)
The topics we would like to explore with Mr. Pariser revolve around the concept of "Democracy 2.0," in which voters use the Internet to play a more active and engaged role in the political process, from campaign to election to actual governing.
How will the Internet affect this year's midterm elections and the presidential campaign of 2008? Has the Internet empowered citizens in ways that have yet to manifest themselves in the political process? In a highly polarized nation, have participatory campaign tools such as blogs, online forums and meet-ups improved communication or widened the divide between left and right? Which political groups or candidates are making the best use of the Internet, and how?
Reader comments focused on these and related issues. Below are some highlights.
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On MoveOn's agenda
One reader wondered if an organization like MoveOn is able to communicate beyond a partisan base, asking, "Isn't MoveOn.org a classic case of 'preaching to the choir'?"
Similarly, another asked about the organization's close association with the Democrats: "I know a lot of people who have lost patience with MoveOn.Org because they feel it is just a tool of the Democrat Party as opposed to being a vehicle for real change. How do you respond to comments such as that?"
In a related comment, a reader asked about supporting smaller parties: "Why does MoveOn ally with Democratics and professional politicians instead of trying to increase the smaller parties and independents? MoveOn is just becoming a mini-democratic party instead of a real fresh breath of political air in this fetid atmosphere of distrust and abuse."
On "moving on"More than one reader harkened back to MoveOn's original reason for being and noted parallels with current political fights.
"Moveon.org got its start opposing the impeachment of President Clinton with the idea that the country should just 'move on.' Will MoveOn.org take the same position should the Democrats seek to impeach President Bush?"
Another asked if the same would apply to the Foley scandal: "Mr. Pariser, your organization was founded on the principle of 'moving on' from a destructive scandal because it wasn't in the nation's best interests. Now that we have seen that Mark Foley didn't even send sexual messages to anyone under the age of 18, and didn't have sexual contact with anyone under the age of 21, why can't many of the people at MoveOn.org 'move on'?"
Advice for the Democrats
"Many critics of the Democratic party say that the Democrats have nothing to offer. Republicans always speak of family values, lower taxes, security issues, etc. What do you think should be the major theme of the Democratic party right now?"
On partisanship
"Instead of trying to influence people one way or another, why doesn't your organization make an effort to find some common ground on which to rebuild the nation's trust in our political process?"
On the electoral process
"What do you think of Approval Voting (where each candidate is voted 'approve' or 'disapprove' instead of selecting one favorite candidate)? This would allow people to vote for third-party candidates without 'throwing away' their vote. Do you think this would help remind the major parties that there are more options than the two (or one) they represent?"
"...the Green Party really reflects my ideals. Does voting for a Green Party candidate move the agenda of more popular parties towards what's important to me, or am I just throwing away my vote?"
"Do you favor election reforms like proportional representation and instant runoff voting? Do you see a day when voters could either choose representatives in legislative bodies or choose to represent themselves by voting directly?"
"Do you think it would ever be possible for direct election of representatives via the Internet? In any case, it would be ideal, IMHO, that each vote would count equally. No Electoral College to give 10 votes in one state the force of 10 million in another. Can you imagine such a system? What does it look like?"
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We welcome your comments and questions on these and other topics related to the Internet's role in government and political debate.
As always, we appreciate hearing a bit about you and what motivates you to write. And, of course, we value civility on the boards.
