A new way to communicate

(noon. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

I was pretty disappointed at the Obama administration’s online response to Bob Fertik’s question about appointing a special prosecutor. But then, it blew my socks off to see George Stephanopoulos ask him about it on “This Week” last Sunday. And now almost every major news organization is talking about torture during the Bush administration and the potential for prosecution. This was an example of a relatively small group of people having a HUGE impact. When we can find ways to get the MSM talking about the issues we care about, whadayaknow…we might just have a democracy again!!!

Now I see that the change.gov web site has a new vehicle for dialogue going on called Citizen’s Briefing Book. Looks like you can write a short essay making a suggestion to the Obama administration. Readers can come in a comment on your suggestion (kinda like a blog, huh?) and/or vote on it. The best rated ideas will be presented in a “briefing book” to President Obama after he is sworn in.

Here’s what Sam Stein says about it at Huffington Post.

As lines of Oval Office communication go, the concept is certainly novel. There are, usually, very few avenues by which individuals can directly engage the president. The Obama team is seeking to not only open up that the pipeline of communication but democratize it as well.

On Wednesday, the president-elect’s team took the next logical step in the process: posting a video reply to some of the more popular suggestions made by website viewers. In a nearly four-minute YouTube clip, chair-designee for the White House Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley, addressed issues on green jobs, mass transit and energy efficiencies…

This online tool and others are opening up the process by which the public obtains access to a presidential administration. They are also changing the dynamics of how a presidential administration interacts with the public.

Traditionally, the White House uses public statements, televised speeches and press conference to disseminate information broadly. These all rely, to a certain degree, on a media filter. By using the Internet to solicit ideas, and then by posting videos in response, the Obama team is removing that middleman. The public gets to present the policy suggestions that they deem most popular — just as, with Change.gov’s Open Questions site, they get to ask the questions bubbling most on their minds.

I checked democrats.com and it doesn’t look like Bob has posted anything about a special prosecutor. But when I searched at the Citizen’s Briefing Book for “special prosecutor,” I got 25 items (not all are for war crimes/torture, but most of them are). The best one I see with the most votes is by Stephanie for the Future.

I think we should participate in this. We could either write one of our own and promote it or promote Stephanie’s. What do you guys think?