an all out assault on the blogosphere - from both parties?

[welshTerrier2]

i hesitated for some time before posting this ... the article below, at least for me, contains two stories, not just one ... i often think our greatest weakness is that we are attracted by the sensational and shy away from the more analytical ... the article below, at least for me, contains one of each ... truly, i hope this does not turn into the usually unproductive and divisive idiocy ... it is NOT my intent in posting this no matter what motives some may ascribe here ...

one theme in the article is that now, not only are republicans attacking the blogosphere because they've come to realize we are the media they don't control, but now certain elements in the Democratic Party have also begun attacking the blogosphere because we represent a grassroots threat to their control of the party ... i will not discuss this latter point in this thread and hope that we can stay focussed on the next point instead!

the other theme in the article is a passionate description of just how powerful the online world of political activism has become ... the real purpose of this thread is to ask you whether you agree or disagree with the author's comments about the power of the blogosphere ...

my view is that the online world is very much still in its infancy but already it has shown devastating political clout ... and this clout is very likely to continue growing (net neutrality notwithstanding) ... i strongly disagree with those who suggest online activity is somehow less valuable than other forms of political effort ... it would be like arguing that journalists or talk show hosts or TV commentators have no clout ... the web, especially political communities like DU, is a major force to be reckoned with ... and i think, and this is true in my case, online activity has encouraged many of us to become far more politically active "in real life" ... don't let anyone downplay the importance of what we do here ... i'm not buying it!!

so, the question is, how powerful is the online political community? does what we do online, combined with millions of others, have a significant impact on the political parties and the direction of the country or are we just "keyboard warriors" who accomplish little or nothing??

once again, please stay focussed on these questions and don't let this denigrate into yet another useless intra-party squabble ... thanks ... i would encourage you to read the entire article ...

source: http://www.progressivedailybeacon.com/more.php?page=opinion&id=1203

Frankly, it is quite surprising that it had taken Rove and Republicans so long to engage bloggers. Bloggers are after all, responsible for not only the decline in Bush and GOP opinion ratings but, too, the reason Republicans haven't been able to regain their favor. Bloggers are also the reason behind the GOP's mega-disinformation outlet's -- FOX News -- ratings slowly eroding. And bloggers are most likely the reason Rush Limbaugh's radio program has begun to slump. Of course this is all based on correlational inference and not scientific fact, but it is hard to ignore the realities that easily lead to the conclusions.

Today, the blogosphere's combined audience exceeds that of the right-wing media and, some claim, the sum-total of the mainstream media's news programming. That is a powerful sphere of influence. Also, as the importance and visitation rates increased in the blogosphere, right-wing media like FOX News, Rush Limbaugh, and Bill O'Reilly's audiences have declined. Those two facts alone indicate an undeniable blog influence over political perceptions and the right-wing media's inability to maintain their audience.

Obviously Rove, Bush, and the entire GOP have reason to undermine the blogosphere. The blogosphere was the one variable they hadn't counted on, while Republicans were making plans for their "thousand year rule". They'd managed to figure out how to manipulate and intimidate America's mainstream media. Republicans had completely cowed and pigeonholed the entire Democratic Party. And the Republican media headed by FOX News and anchored by Rush Limbaugh had free reign to say and do whatever they wished, and the mainstream media never questioned or called BS on their antics. Suddenly the blogosphere began recording, highlighting, and holding up for all to see the many times in any given program that Limbaugh and FOX News were "massaging" the facts or outright lying. It is hard to con the public when a cop of sorts is standing right there writing a citation as the crime is being committed. Unexpected by Rove, Bush and Republicans the GOP media suddenly had an effective and tough entity dedicated not only to highlighting their many transgressions but, too, able to rapidly counter their disinformation.

So, yes, Rove and Republicans had to attack the blogosphere.

[Clark2008]

1. Very powerful.

In fact, it's the last vestage of free-thought and access to media by the working and middle-class, who are oft shuffled to the sidelines by the media elite and the corporate powers that rule the Republican Party and the DLC wing of the Democratic Party.

They're frightened - and they should be. There are more of us than there are of them and they know that if the populist message gets out to the masses, their days of wine and roses are numbered.

I see this country slowly creeping, being dragged, kicking and screaming, by the vocal average-Joe/Jane electorate back to a firm middle that has little tolerance for the screeching vitrol of Ann Coulter or the Gestapoish Relgious Right and their assaults on the control of our own bodies and even the far-left anti-military types who would turn the country into milquetoast.

Most Americans want their social programs liberal, their finances truly conservative (as in within budget), their military powerful enough to protect them and their daily lives left the hell alone.

The only place people are hearing about this sort of thing is the blogosphere. The media isn't telling them they have the power. The politicians aren't telling them they have the power, but the bloggers are - and are explaining to them how to use it.

[welshTerrier2]

2. yes, very powerful ...

i think it's fair to say that not all in power fear the online world ... some see it as a source of political support ... those that fear it the most perhaps are the ones clinging to power rather than allowing a more democratic sharing of power to occur ...

one OT disagreement, and i won't debate the point in this thread, was that the people are the "firm middle" ... i don't see things along a political spectrum in the way you characterized it but i agree with your assessments of where most Americans are on the issues ... but that's a topic for another thread ...

i expect the mainstream politicos will attempt to build an enormous online presence and perhaps, someday, they'll drown us out ... in the meantime, there is no question we have found our voices and we are being heard with a "shout heard round the world" ...

[Greyhound]

3. I wouldn't go so far as saying they are frightened, more like concerned

about the potential. Take DU, there are are 91,000 members and it is one of, if not the, biggest dem party boards. We can't get a consensus here on the most fundamental issues and even if we could, 90K people spread across the country is insignificant. No, currently the blogosphere (I hate that word) is a sample for them to extrapolate the prevailing mood of certain segments or demographics.

They are concerned that as things really start changing, the internet(s) will be a source for those that will demand change to find each other, thus the inevitable crackdown.

I'm also dubious of the claim that there are "millions of others" that are participating in this type of on-line activity. Ferintstance, how many boards do you read and post to? I'd bet that the majority of the 90K here are also on huff-post and KOS and the others, just as the RW wackos are on several of their boards, so the numbers tend to become inflated.

Just for a sense of scale, the worst rated, prime-time, network television show (the one that will be canceled before the 6th episode) attracts millions more viewers than the top rated cable network show, and that cable show attracts millions more viewers than the #1 best selling book, which will get far more exposure than this website.

[cally]

4. I think it's very powerful for getting information out

and getting people active. I don't think we'll see a consensus around any candidates and that the blogosphere will have the power to choose winning candidates. I dislike the Kos candidates list and the desire to designate certain candidates as endorsed by the political left blogs.

I think the media fears us and many politicians do also. They all had a free run to for too long to tell America what the news was and slant the news. The blogs call them on their lies and hypocrisy. As they lose viewership and their power, I think they will continue to attack the internet.

[dogman]

5. It's as American as Thomas Paine.

Considering the relevance pamphlets hold in the Revolution, it seems the potential is real. If only we can keep it public. I'm sure this is as important to the powers that be as the monetary reasons for controlling the www.

[radfringe]

6. the blogs are powerful

because they bring like-minded people together from all over.

prior to blogs/internet - the only way people talked to each other would be face to face, telephone or letters and usually limited to family, friends or co-workers

the blogs expand that circle to include 'strangers' or rather more people who you would not normally meet in regular circumstances

this is what the parties fear - that people are talking, they are communicating and sharing opinions, ideas and news. What is even more frightening - blogs are making people think and a thinking population means questions and a demand for answers

[rucky]

7. Yes and No

blogging is still in its infancy, and I'm not sure how convincing it's been in turning public opinion. I wouldn't give them all the credit for this turn of events - i think gas prices and more tangible things relating to feeling the economic squeeze really set the pendulum a-swinging.

Blogging gets about 10-20% of the credit.

[earth mom]

8. Net Neutrality is a perfect example of how afraid the PTB are.

They want to shut us up,

Tell us who to vote for,

Tell us what to do,

Tell us when to do it,

Tell us what to buy,

Tell us what to read,

Tell us what to watch on t.v.

et cetera, et cetera, et cetera

And we damn well better like it too! :puke:

[earth mom]

9. Morning Kick!

:kick:

[Jacobin]

10. The corporatists Dems and Reps need to control the media

To have a pretend 'democracy' and to justify their globalization vision, ending the middle class in America, and their visions of world domination.

The blogs, since its no longer possible to ignore them, must be stopped, as they don't own and run them. They can't afford to have anyone with any readership telling the truth.