edemocracy

 75 days until inauguration starts Obama's website. It is the first evidence of Obama's determination to involve all who want to be involved in his administration.

The first blog says "Change.gov provides resources to better understand the transition process and the decisions being made as part of it. It also offers an opportunity to be heard about the challenges our country faces and your ideas for tackling them. The Obama Administration will reflect an essential lesson from the success of the Obama campaign: that people united around a common purpose can achieve great things

The NSW Labor Party has relaunched its website as a Political and Social Justice Portal for the 21st century featuring campaigns, a blog, and news. The new site is more interactive and includes enhanced membership services, for new and existing members, info on Labor groups and ways of getting involved.

At one point during the 2007 Federal Election, the media were calling it the YouTube election. Whether or not that turned out to be the case, there is no doubt that the internet has changed the way politicians interact with their constituencies, and more importantly how those constituencies are able to interact with us.

Out there in the political tragic part of the blogosphere (where I admit I occassionally lurk) lies a number of people with too much time on their hands. I have come across this post today from Possum Comitatus who has developed the Pollercoaster. A very different way of seeing the fortunes of the Federal ALP over the last 7 years. I loved it.

Blogs, video, petitions, policy, enews, myspace, youtube and facebook. Finally a forum for engagement over just what sort of country we want to live in. Get involved and help get rid of Howard.

I have put myself up on facebook. Not too many friends as yet but I am enjoying being a member of groups such as I wish I lived in Bennelong so I could vote for Maxine, Bring me Sunshine Mike (Vote 1 Mike Bailey), I love Greg Combet and the Antony Green Appreciation Society. - warning you have to register to view.

Will any of this make a difference at election time? I am not sure but I am fascinated by the possibilities.