The entry on e-democracy was interesting. Here's a quote:
The research indicates the political process has been alienated from ordinary people, where laws are made by representatives far removed from ordinary people.[3] The goal of e-democracy is to reverse the cynicism citizens have about their government institutions.[7] However, there are increasing doubts concerning the real impact of electronic and digital tools on citizen participation and democratic governance and warning against the "rhetoric" of electronic democracy.[8]I believe the Internet is an emerging and liberating tool to better represent the broad range of opinion of constituents than any other communication channel before. The challenge in using the Internet in a campaign to maximize voter/candidate understanding is ensuring that all constituents have access to this communication channel. Residents who don't spend their entire year in Seguin have a window into the evolving issues and have a means of influencing policy. While Sequin libraries now have very good Internet access computers, my feeling is that older residents likely wouldn't have the Internet skills to participate at this time. Representation by way of the Internet alone would not serve constituents who aren't connected in this way.
The reason why I like to use a blog to communicate is that there is no intermediary filter between my words and the reader. There's no editorial slant or filter. And this is a two-way medium where people can give their feedback directly to me and visible to all other readers. No private phone calls, backroom deals, special influence.
In the absence of the Internet with it's potential to link a candidate to every single - confirmed - constituent through the use of on-line polls, on-line discussion forums, I think a candidate or representative is trapped in a coccoon of his/her inner circle of influencers. The Internet makes it possible for every, in this case, ward voter to add to the sum of community opinion on every issue. Each community participant has an equal unit of influence. On-line forums permit constituents to present grassroots ideas and have that idea gain influence based on its merits judged by others in the community. In this way, the quiet, well-reasoned voice is not drowned out by others who might wish to dominate discussion for personal benefit at the expense of the community as a whole.
A combination of, say, monthly town hall meetings between representative and interested constituents would allow people who don't engage in Internet discussion to also have voice, participate in polling which helps to guide their representative. In this way, the disconnect between constituents and representative is greatly reduced with a better, stronger, faster feedback loop.
I just wouldn't want to be unduly influenced by individuals pushing their own agenda at he expense of the community as a whole. That just isn't my idea of democracy.
