The Revolution is Now 08-21-2004
The Dean campaign is what got me into seriously following politics as opposed to just watching the headlines and never really scratching the surface of where our country is going. When I first saw how Howard Dean was taking politics in a different direction, and using what is considered to be an unconventional political tool–the Internet–I was ultimately curious. Mainly due to that I am avidly interested in technology and beginning to question where we as Americans fit into deciding our government.
Joe Trippi, Dean’s campaign manager, has written an excellent book–The Revolution Will Not Be Televised–depicting the beginning of the revolution of the people taking back the government and using the Internet to do it.
I have always felt that as a person I could have no real affect on the people who make our policies. But Joe Trippi’s book speaks of the revolution which has already started, the people becoming a major part of calling the shots and taking back what once was ours, the government.
From this point on, there will be a new special interest group to reckon with–the American people. And this special interest group has a tool–the Internet–more powerful than broadcast politics…
The book is not liberal propaganda, it’s barely even about the parties. It’s about how the people have lost their voice in our political system. We are constantly fed “news” from the broadcast and cable stations, supposedly telling us the facts. But where is the interaction, how do we get involved and become heard? As I’ve stated earlier the Internet is that solution, the voices are heard and actually make a difference.
After reading Trippi’s book it makes me wish I had been more involved, but at the least I can say that the Dean Machine sparked my interest in politics and that it is possible even as an average person to have my voice mean something.
At a time when everyone says things have changed since September 11th, I’ll say I agree. We as American citizens will no longer let our voices fall victim to the special interests who now dictate our government policies.
This is nothing new, even our forefather Thomas Jefferson spoke of it:
A little rebellion is a good thing. God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion. … What country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance.
We are at a crossroads in the way our government works and as Joe Trippi stated we are living in the Empowerment Age.