Bloggers may make for an effective bogeyman for the administration:  people misunderstood enough to be marginalized. But bloggers aren't the biggest problem for Rahm Emanuel's strategy of passing something...anything, in fact they aren't even the biggest problem online.

If anything, progressive blogs have been overly accommodating by creating a discussion-heavy atmosphere over the disagreements between Democrats. The administration should be relived that bloggers opposing the bill have largely taken such an approach. Because the bloggers opposing the bill have by and large shown far more of a willingness to get their hands dirty and fight with every tool available. From fundraising to message to organizing, I can't imagine anyone would rather go into a political fight with the bloggers supporting anything than the bloggers fighting to make the bill better. I mean, Fred Hiatt didn't bring on Ezra Klein because of all he'd done to elect Democrats.

But bloggers aren't the main problem, not even online.

If there is anything keeping up at night administration online folks like Macon Phillips and Jesse Lee, it is email...

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Ever since the advent of Internet, every business organizations started to rely much upon the Internet because it paves the best ways and means to market the business, to build and maintain the amicable relationship between the company and its customers, to keep in touch with the fellow employees, etc. In other words, the entire organization completely depends on the Internet and its sources and it is quite possible to reckon the standard of a concern from its web site and the Internet operations carried on in that concern. While considering the maintenance of stronger customer relationship, the main concept that comes into view is the email facilities. Every transaction of a concern, say, the Internet Marketing of the products, sales and services, feedback response, receiving customer orders, and many such activities cannot be accomplished without the help of proper communication between the vendors and the purchasers. Such communication can be made only via email over the World Wide Web.

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If you ever need a quick downer, go over to OpenLeft and read something by David Sirota.  I tend to agree with a lot of what he says, mostly because I'm a pessimist by nature.  Sirota ain't happy with Obama these days.  His team of rival (singular) essentially pits the progressive image of Obama versus the center-right D.C. establishment.  

In this narrative, Progressives have been played somewhat by ponying up precious time and money to get Obama in office only to find out that he's a re-run of the triangulation and lukewarm centrism that is both unsavory and unnecessary at this time.  The counter-argument is that Obama is so overwhelmingly in control that his center-right team will actually help him hone his thoughts and skills to the point that mere mortals will shutter at his deft center-leftitude.

I'm not terribly comfortable with either narrative, but I do find surprising solace in the daily emails I still receive from David Plouffe.  There is apparently a coordinated effort to continue online fundraising and drawing Progressives into the fold.  Obama's team is urging us to get together to share our thoughts for the future and actually organizing Progressive causes into some sort of lasting force.  I find this interesting.

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From the New York Times today, it seems President-elect Obama will have to give up most forms of modern communication once he is inaugurated:

But before [Barack Obama] arrives at the White House, he will probably be forced to sign off. In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas. A decision has not been made on whether he could become the first e-mailing president, but aides said that seemed doubtful.

For all the perquisites and power afforded the president, the chief executive of the United States is essentially deprived by law and by culture of some of the very tools that other chief executives depend on to survive and to thrive.

This is disheartening. Modern forms of communication like email, instant messaging, blogging, and more recently social networking and twittering have revolutionized the way we relate to each other. While it might be a stretch to expect Obama to become the first twittering or blogging president (we can hope!), certainly indispensable tools such as email (invented in the 1970s and thoroughly mainstream by the 1990s) shouldn't be beyond the grasp of the President.

Without these tools, Obama will be forced to relate to the outside world through his circle of aides and advisers, who it seems will have access to email. While this might look no worse than a clumsy work-around to some - allowing Obama to access essentially the same lines of communication - I'm not so sure. Again, the Times:

"Given how important it is for him to get unfiltered information from as many sources as possible, I can imagine he will miss that freedom," said Linda Douglass, a senior adviser who traveled with the campaign.

Even more than the campaign trail, the White House can be a bubble far removed from the outside world. Having access to information only through aides and advisers is guaranteed to remove a President from reality, at least slightly. Given that 1.5 billion people use the Internet (nearly 1/5th of the world's population), cutting the most powerful man in the world off from our society's most important communications device seems downright dangerous.

Both security and disclosure laws seem to be the issues holding back Presidential email, and these are two valid concerns. Still, there are no problems that can't be solved. I know our intelligence services use email and other online communication tools constantly. If they can handle sensitive data online, so can the White House. In my view, we should strongly consider updating whatever rules apply to allow the first truly 21st century President (possibly post-modern, too) to use 21st century tools so he can do his best to govern a 21st century country.

But maybe I'm making too much of this. Is it important for America to have an emailing President?

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First, a word of caution. Breathe deeply...now count to ten..

The following is an email that has been forwarded to every member of my church with an email address and I'm willing to bet that before the week is out, it will be sent to many others around rural North Carolina.

If you feel compelled to vent a bit after reading this, please consider leaving a message for the good Bishop. His phone # is provided below.....

First a word from the Neo-Nazi who plays the organ...

Sent: Friday, October 24, 2008 9:19 PM
Subject: Bishop Jackson on Obama

I received this from a friend who knows Bishop Jackson personally and he asked this be shared with others, especially Christians who need to be reminded of their responsibility to God.
 I would go a step further and remind you that as a Christian you are accountable for your vote, on Nov. 4 as well as when you getto heaven.  I don't want Jesus to ask me "Why did you deny me in the 2008 election?" He said if you deny me before man, I will deny you before My Father.  I need Him to be my Advocate now and always.

Can you trust Him with your future,economy,safety, and day to day life?  My Father created all things and everything comes from Him.  He knows our every need and is faithful to keep His children in good times, bad times, through trials and tribulations, but He will not give us more than we can bear.  Can
you be counted to stand with Him and trust Him with everything?

-Corrye

"Christians Must Not Vote For Obama"
By Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr., President
Staying True To America's National Destiny ("STAND")
www.bishopjacksonministries.org

"We are no longer a Christian nation..." Barack Obama declared. "We are...a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation and a nation of nonbelievers." Is Obama right? Are we a Muslim or Buddhist or Hindu nation? Are we a nation of nonbelievers? Not according to any credible statistical or cultural measures.
The greatest danger to our future is political leaders who would rob us of the values which make our nation great. The Founding Fathers held a Judeo-Christian understanding of America's place in the world.

As a Christian and an American of African descent, it pains me to conclude that Barack Obama would move our country dramatically away from God and the values which made this nation possible and prosperous.First, Obama is the most radical pro-abortion candidate ever to run for President. As a State Senator he alone blocked the "Born Alive Infants Protection Act", which guaranteed medical care to babies born alive in spite of attempted abortion. Jill Stanek, who testified at Obama's hearing on the legislation said, "his lack of mercy, shocked me...

Second, Obama has said that he would not belong to a church which is "averse" to gays and lesbians. He views Bible believers as bigots against homosexuals rather than as principled Christians opposed to sin. Christians cannot vote for a politician who supports radical deviation from our biblical understanding of marriage, family and sexual morality.

Third, Obama's history is one of opposition to Israel. He belonged to a church which honors Louis Farrakhan, and supports Hamas. He has had close ties to supporters of anti-Israeli terrorism such as Rashid Khalidi and Ali Abunimah. Bible believing Christians cannot vote for an enemy of Israel. To
do so invites the curse of God.

When we stand in the voting booth on November 4th, 2008, we must stand for the righteousness of God rather than bowing to racial identity or social pressure. True change must come from adherence to the unchanging truths which have guided our nation's destiny. Obama says we are not a Christian nation. He must not receive a single Christian vote.

Bishop Jackson is the author of "Ten Commandments To An Extraordinary Life",President of STAND - dedicated to restoring America's faith tradition and values and is Bishop of Exodus Faith Ministries in Chesapeake, Virginia and Boston, Massachusetts.

Contact: Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr.
Tel. 757-410-7740; Cell: 757-589-5544
 

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