wooden nickels

There's an interesting article in Wired on the political potential of blogs and community-building, using Dean's presidential campaign as an example of its efficacy.


Here's an excerpt:

"...the lesson of the Dean campaign so far is that community can't be broadcast. It gets built not from slick commercials squeezed onto a Web page, but from tools that enable, and thus inspire, hundreds of thousands of people to something that American politics has not seen in many years: hundreds of thousands of people actually doing something.


I tend to agree. Blogs have really been an amazing way for me to keep abreast of alternative news sources and to find "kindred" political spirits.


Given some of the disappointment and occasional feelings of hopelessness I experience, hearing the voices of others "like me" keeps my fire for change alive and raging....

"This administration is the most secretive of our lifetime, even more secretive than the Nixon administration. They don't believe the American people or Congress have any right to information," said Larry Klayman, chairman of Judicial Watch, a conservative group that is suing the administration to force it to reveal the members of the energy task force.

Gary Bass, executive director of OMB Watch, an independent public advocacy group, says that the United States, "is moving from a society based on the right to know to one based on the need to know." The breadth and scope of the Bush administration's clamp down on information is the largest such effort to restrict public disclosure since World War II. Because much of these changes have come in little-noticed dribs and drabs since 9/11, many have largely escaped public notice or explanation. In this report we chronicle some of the most significant changes.

from Old Fashioned Patriot...

New Web Project

Let's get everyone to link to http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html
with the words "Miserable Failure" Our goal is to make Shrubya the top google pick.

It's fun, it's easy just type in <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html" >Miserable Failure</a> in your favorite web page will look like Miserable Failure.

"...the White House has edited its website to keep search engines from archiving pages on Iraq..."

Wooden-Nickels is intended to be a space where folks who are interested in the current state of affairs can share insights, perspectives, and other articles with one another.

To get the blog rolling...The Smirking Chimp has posted an excellent analysis of Bush's rhetoric entitled, "The Postmodern President", by Joshua Micah Marshall.

It's a long article, but a very, very good and worthwhile read.

I'd be interested in any responses you may have on it. If you don't mind sharing your take with other folks, please post it to the blog...!