HW 3: Toward A More Participitory Democracy

AMERICANS TODAY TEND TO BELIEVE that blogging has a great influence on politics. It is believed that blogging is responsible for changing the way that Americans are learning about their political news. Blog sites have obtained more online visitors in one month than the online site of Fox News received. Blogs have also become so popular due to the lack of trust that people have in the media. Many people feel that newspapers and TV are biased or reveal false information. Also the media is able to focus on particular issues while they ignore others. Although the media cannot tell people exactly what to think they do have the ability to direct people’s attention towards certain issues. Blogging was originated because due to the distrust of the media. Americans value blogs because they tend to portray honest and open ideas. Blogging has the potential to change the media into a more diverse and open atmosphere. Americans are attracted to blogs because they combine information with debate, which allows people to express their own ideas and feelings. Bloggers have revealed many stories and information for the first time, which were disregarded and hidden by the media. One incident, which was uncovered by bloggers, was the fact that Dan Rather used false information in his story on President Bush’s service in the National Guard. Bloggers have made it impossible for the media to hide any information from the public. Bloggers are now able to easily access any information. Blogging has a large influence on the elections, especially in the 2004 election. However, in an argument blogging uses more ridicule and mockery rather than facts. Yet, blogging has given the American people a voice and a sense of interaction and involvement. Bloggers have provided America with new opportunities. David Kline and Dan Burstein have successfully outlined the influences which blogging has had on our lives. I agree that blogging has affected our political system and will continue to do so. I feel that if blogging continues to evolve it will eventually reshape our government allowing the American people to have more input and involvement with these situations.