Monday, May 14, 2007

May 15 How is Politics Being Transformed by the Internet?

If you know me you know I have an interest in politics. It is a complicated thing with a large number of small working parts, my specialty. I follow it for sport, closely enough to maybe find the small lever with the large effect. A few times I have. When I did I used it. But it is not an all consuming pastime for me.

If you have an interest in politics, the Bus Project is a band of merry pranks-, I mean politicos, who register voters and put the fun in politics. Tonight they put on stage "Digital Politics - How Technology is Transforming the Political Playing Field". Featured will be a huge figure in the field David Sirota, who is a progressive political strategist, consultant, and blogger too.

Are the days of door to door hand shaking and baby kissing over? Blue plate dinners replaced by PayPal? More raver fliers than campaign literature in your mailbox? Will the hundreds of millions spent on repetitive television ads be replaced by slow as mud Flash-y web sites? Is an unholy alliance between web 2.0 and politics emerging? Do MySpacer's, YouTuber's and Second Lifer's actually vote in the default world?

This is strictly and upbeat, fun event - no crying in your beer(s) over the sad state of politics - it can only get better! Maybe your tools to make it so will emerge tonight.

Note that the mail-in election ends tonight at 8PM. You can drop your ballot at the Multnomah County elections office which less than 10 short blocks from ACME until 8PM. Voting? Yes, that is part of politics too.

Tuesday, May 15th, 7pm
Acme Food & Drink
1305 SE 8th Ave (SE 8th and Main)
FREE