~~~ Really great article here below by Micah L. Sifry from 'The Nation" .
The interenet as a Political Tool is still evolving, and right now the Repulicans have a slight Cyber-Political edge. The Republican rank and file , the religious right & Big Biz , are all simply more lkely to give money or take other direct cyber -inspired -action, mostly because wealthier folks are more likely to have broadband internet , whithout which , one is quite cyber-limited in expresing political power.
However as broadband & wireless internet trickles down into the the many urban & rural areas with lower incomes , and now little broadband , a shift may still come , to where the 'political power' of cyberspace may tilt back towards the left ~~TP
The Rise of Open-Source Politics
By Micah L. Sifry, The Nation
Posted on January 20, 2005, Printed on January 21, 2005
http://www.alternet.org/story/21032/
Whether you're a Democrat in mourning or a Republican in glee, the results from election day should not obscure an important shift in America's civic life.
New tools and practices born on the internet have reached critical mass, enabling ordinary people to participate in processes that used to be closed to them. It may seem like cold comfort for Kerry supporters now, but the truth is that voters don't have to rely on elected or self-appointed leaders to chart the way forward anymore.
The era of top-down politics – where campaigns, institutions and journalism were cloistered communities powered by hard-to-amass capital – is over. Something wilder, more engaging and infinitely more satisfying to individual participants is arising alongside the old order.
View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/21032/
