Question of the Week 2 - Due 8/29/08 by 5:00 PM

Background:
Politicians have always relied on communications with voters. This year, four of the presidential candidates are using mobile technology to keep in touch with their supporters. For example, Obama will be texting his supporters with the name of his Vice Presidential running mate -- even before he announces his choice to the press. Using the Internet to stay in touch with constituents is now mandatory for politicians in the USA. In countries where political information is censored, the Internet and especially text messaging are used to bypass governmental censorship. Here are a few articles:

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070815/15textprez.sidebar.htm

http://www.politicsandtechnology.com/mobile_messaging/index.html

http://www.epolitics.com/2007/02/01/cell-phones-and-politics-republican-mobile-activism-in-the-2006-elections/



http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/November/20071119144120xjsnommis0.7180445.html

http://www.personaldemocracy.com/node/993

Question(s) of the Week:
What role do you think mobile messaging, both the Internet on PDAs and iPhones as well as text messaging, will play in the U.S. presidential campaign in the upcoming months? Do you think that campaigning for student body and class officer elections at ICA would/should ever include test messaging? Do you think texting and the Internet aids or hinders democracy in international politics?