I Wonder if THIS PLACE Makes a Difference

[Dem Agog]

By "This Place" I mean DU of course, but also the Internet as a whole. Even in 2000, the Internet was not quite what it is today. This is the first big ticket election that is being held in a society that is saturated, nay practically drenched by high-tech communications.

Today anyone can Google candidate issues, find published MIHOP conspiracy theories. Anything and everything about the candidates that could be dug up CAN be dug up easily by Joe Schmoe at home. Though the Internet was around in 2000 it was not quite the household word/place it is today.

How do you think that will affect the outcome of the election? Is it making the electorate more easily mobilized and energized? I think so. And if so, who is it benefitting the most? D or R?

[proud patriot]

1. for me it does

:hi:

[dogtag]

2. Du keeps me from leaping off a tall building.

[jayfish]

3. Well, All The Hi-Tech...

organization and utilization in the world didn't save Howard Dean from the good old media smear(the scream) and it killed him. I was not a Dean supporter but I have to admit, if it weren't for the scream he would be the nominee. Wouldn't be nice if the media played "practice their love" just as much.

Jay

[21winner]

5. Dean lost in Iowa big time.

The hype collided with the voters. That was before his scream. Dean did himself in.

[whistle]

4. Those who wish to can be as informed as they want to be....

...but we are all vulnerable to the same deceptions and faulty judgments about the information we are given as CBS and Dan Rather have been regarding the forged memos. Driven by our own biases and partisan hopes, we can very easily be mislead if we fail to check our sources and believe blindly everything we see, hear or read, especially on the internet. The traditional media are partly to blame for this as are our leaders, our governments and our institutions which have lied and manipulated and undermined much of what we have relied upon and trusted as being the truth. I suppose it has always been that way, but today with such rapid and wide spread mass communication it seems overwhelming much of the time.

[mongo]

6. DU got me off my butt

and working towards putting Kerry in the WH. I have never been involved in politics before.

[Jacobin]

7. Helps keep me sane

I live in a bright red zone and there is no one to talk to who doesn't parrot the RW mantras without thinking.

Sometimes you think you are the only person in the world who thinks Bush* is insane, until I come here and realize I'm not alone, just surrounded by ditto heads.

[movie_girl99]

8. it's made a difference to me

This is the first time in my life that I have been active or ever wanted to be. I've always voted but this time it's different because I want to do as much as I can to make sure Kerry wins in November. I have a real passion and feel the need to do whatever I can and I thank DU for that.

[Night Gal]

9. After a long time of being a lurker....

I finally did the registration thing today and I want to tell all you fine folks, YES IT DOES!

I have an erratic schedule and enjoy being able to just "pop on" to read what's really going on, no matter what the time.

I was in a fairly long term relationship with a well known pub in this area and I have you to thank for keeping my eyes open to the bs that they spew. In fact, some of the clear headed thoughts I picked up from here were the subject of some heated debates which contributed to our no longer being together.

Thanks to all!

Keep it up! (the good work that is)

[ThomCat]

10. I introduced a coworker to DU

She's a lurker but doesn't have an account hear yet. I definitely think DU can make a difference. Encourage people to check out DU when you can.

Come on in, Ellie. The water's fine. :hi: