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Internet Used to Govern

I was honored to be a guest blogger on Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet's (IPDI) blog. The following post was my contribution.

Since its creation, governments have claimed to use the internet as a communication tool. In reality the vast majority of this communication was really dictation. Governments at all levels created websites to distribute information, but rarely have I seen a government seek public opinion via the internet. This one way conversation has apparently ended. Tennessee's state wide newspaper, the Tennessean, reports that a the municipal government of Spring Hill, a small city in Southern middle Tennessee, used an online poll to decide policy. The decision was rather or not to consolidate postal zip codes... not a decision that many would describe as paramount but the idea that this city was forward thinking enough to even consider using an online poll to get public input is impressive. Spring Hill had 2450 people participate in the online poll. As governments seek similar input from their constituents, there are some questions that need to be addressed but none of greater importance than security. How does a government insure no one votes more than once? How does a government guarantee the participants are actually constituents? How does a government prevent anyone from being paid for their participation? and others...

These questions may seem foolish given the issue at hand, but if the internet is going to be used by governments as a true communication tool, these questions must be answered.

PAC Client

My main client currently is a Political Action Committee (PAC) named Franklin Citizens for Balanced Government. The site is in its infancy but check it out.

Teacher...and Friends

I ran across a remarkable example of poetry/political speech/social commentary/public speaking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU

I googled him and found his web site.

http://www.taylormali.com/

I thought of a college roommate and dear friend, Austin Whitver. Austin in his own words:

"I am a graduate student, working towards my PhD in Renaissance Literature in, of all places, Tuscaloosa AL. Life can certainly throw some odd situations at you. I am an unrepentant Anglophile. Most of my life is occupied by reading, teaching and grading, with the remainder spent drinking inordinate amounts of coffee and/or squeezing in the occasional board game."



I am lucky enough to be one of his opponents on occasion. Every once in a while, I miss the college days when Austin, David Cybulski, and I could spend hours... okay days playing games. But then again, playing with my little daughter or laughing with my wife is hard to beat.

Nuclear Plant Attacked

Armed Men infiltrate nuclear Plant

The Australian is reporting that a "special paramilitary force" is responding to the report that two armed men have entered a nuclear plant in India.

If the India's guard their nuclear facilities like we do, it is going to take a lot more than two men to cause a serious problem. Also these are new plants "which went into operation between 1993 and 1995". I am sure they have hundreds of safe guards, and I doubt that anything will come of this.

I do not have the answers... do you?

A very wise person that I respect challenged my previous two postings do to the lack of commentary. I assume that this is because I did not take time to articulate what relevance I think these stories have.

First, I am not sure of the validity of the "Baby Bottle Bomb" story. Why post a link then? Because I have read about the story and wander if it is true or not. I was not being rhetorical when I asked why is the media not talking about this story. The answer may be, because it is not true.

The article about the cell phone arrests is interesting because it points to possible terrorist activity here in America. Is this a trend in terrorism? If so, will it effect American society? How?

A fellow GSPM Grad believes greatly in the power of mobile technology but I do not think that this is what she had in mind.

And finally, the Russian killing of Japanese fisherman. This story is an example of 1) a country that is serious about its border. 2) Russia's continued, but often forgotten, role in the area. 3) the never ending struggle for recourses.

We as Americans, as Westerners, and as Humans must address the fact that the resources upon which we depend are limited. A time will come when the price of oil, iron, aluminum, coal, and even water will be prohibitive. Russia have proven that they will kill to protect there border and resources, and therefore their way of life. Are we? Should we be? Is our way of life worth protecting? Should we try and change our lifestyle in order to prevent struggles over resources?

I do not know… Maybe you have an opinion.

Bottle Bombs and Cell Phones...NOT news

Why is the Main Stream Media not reporting about this...

Bottle and baby used as bomb

I know that the details are not clear yet but it is still a story. Here is another story that the Americans are not hearing about very often.

A SUDDEN FANCY FOR UNTRACEABLE CELL PHONES

Russia and Illegal Immigration

Why Russia Does Not Have A Bad Illegal Immigration Problem

Power of Faith

While doing research for a Class I found a paper, Fighting Anti-Semetism with Faith, written by Joseph Loconte of the Heritage Foundation. It is an inspiring paper. The following quote struck me as very convicting.

In Norway, all seven bishops of the Norwegian Lutheran Church resigned to publicly protest the treatment of Jews under Minister-President Vidkun Quisling (a name already synonymous with betrayal). "The Church has God's call and full authority to proclaim God's law and God's Gospel," they wrote. "Therefore, it cannot remain silent when God's commandments are being trampled underfoot."

These men were not afraid to do what was right no matter the repercussions. They gave up earthly power because keeping it would have made them betray God.

They also were not afraid to comment on and take action against governmental action that they saw as “God’s commandments…being trampled underfoot”.