For most of the people who inhabit this green earth, the internet is pretty much our life blood of information. Whether we’re downloading music, playing computer games, reading the news, watching the news, chatting, and what not, all of this can be done on the internet. We now live in the digital age where hi-speed internet is more affordable and common place in many households across the country. It’s rare to speak to somebody that uses mere dial-up.
The internet is by far the most powerful tool that’s accessible by many. I worked as a substitute teacher for two years and all the schools that I subbed at have hi-speed internet connections either T1 or T3 which are the fast connections at the moment. Those connections are expensive which is why they’re mostly found in school computer labs throughout the country. Just about anybody can access the internet. With the internet comes all sorts of tools and resources.
Candidates are definitely using the net. For example they have net casts where we can log on and watch candidates give speeches online.
Just recently, there have been political ads that have been broadcasted all over YouTube and Google Video. Use of such websites as those have proven to be pretty potent. The whole incident with Don Imus getting fired was because of the recorded commentary during his radio show that got posted on YouTube. If a video on YouTube can generate that amount of attention, political ads and political commentary can make much bigger waves. Unfortunately, the same thing can work with smear ads.
There was one smear ad against Harold Ford that had caught my attention. I found the smear ad to be pretty prejudice and extremely distasteful. Especially the last part of it. That smear ad had made very big waves in the media. Those two sites are just some of the tools available that can either help and/or hurt a candidate. Remember, the internet doesn’t discriminate against anybody.
Candidates also have their own websites and affiliate with other websites. Through affiliating, they get paid for all the traffic that goes into their sites from the candidates’ sites. And yes, candidates’ websites get thousands of hits a day. Having their own websites have proven to be a valuable tool that was provided by the internet.
Then other groups like the NAACP, ACLU, RNC, DNC, and such have made their own websites that’s generated a good amount of hits. Plus they can openly endorse candidates. That too also shows how the internet can make in impact during an election year.
If I don’t like a candidate, I can make up a website that attacks that person. If I like the candidate, I can make up a website that compliments the person.
Making websites and broadcasting ads online enables candidates to reach a whole base of possible voters. You can reach about 30,000 people in mere seconds. While you could reach about up to 100 househouses by manual means such as canvassing and literature drops. But internet campaigning cannot replace grassroots campaigning. However, it’ll complement and accelerate how we do grassroots politics.
With more technology and tools becoming accessible, the 2008 elections are going to be pretty interesting. The 2012 elections will prove to be far more interesting and so forth. When it comes to elections, the internet is one big Pandora’s box.
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