Lasting Impacts: Revitalizing Democracy

The 2008 Election Cycle has changed the way that elections will be run in the future. As I have alluded to, the effects of using the new literacies in campaign efforts are democratizing. There are five main aspects of this democratizing shift that I would like to point out, for they will dictate how future political aspirants run their campaigns and how their constituencies participate:


1. The use of the new literacies led to a shift in authority. The campaign relinquished some of their control by allowing the public to participate so freely. The people now have some control over the campaign, which puts the power back in the hands of the constituents. In the classical democratic theory, the people is where the power rests, and the shift to new technologies has restored the balance.


2. The new literacies augmented communication between the voter and the campaign, as well as between the voter and their friends. Because people are able to communicate with the campaign on the go, they all have the same opportunity to volunteer for the campaign events and to spread the message through their cell phones and social websites. They can also get the information on the issues that they need, allowing each person with access to the internet to make an informed decision to vote.


3. The new literacies provide an equality of participation to the public. Anyone can access the internet in a public library, so anyone with a credit card can donate to campaign, showing their support through monetary donations. People all have the same ability to download voter registration forms online, so the ability to vote was expanded. Anyone can look up campaign events, call their friends, and spread the message online, thus aiding the campaign in their free time, rather than on the time of a local campaign office. The new literacies makes it possible for people to contribute to the campaign in their own way and at times convenient to them, restoring the ability of every constituent to make a difference.


4. With the emphasis of the new media on the campaigns, candidates can also run their campaigns with less money. Money will continue to be an important factor in campaigns, but many of the new literacies are free to use. Obama didn't pay for his Facebook page, or to use YouTube. These media are lasting, as opposed to the fleeting television advertisements previously used by politicians, thus allowing more people to be exposed to the message. The inexpensive nature of the new literacies also equalizes the opportunity for any candidate to run an effective campaign.


5. Candidates now have to be more cognizant of their mistakes than ever. Image has become increasingly important in campaigns, and now any mistake can be uploaded to YouTube, ruining a candidate's chances at winning their desired office.


Although these effects are quintessentially important to any campaign that will be run in years to come, the new literacies have not eliminated the old media. As younger and digitally comfortable generations mature to voting age, the role of the internet will probably play a larger part in the reinforcement of messages, but it will never completely replace traditional media because it cannot reach the massive numbers of people that other traditional “push” mediums do. People have to actively seek, or “pull” the information they want. People like to have their views reinforced, so they will continue to go to liberal sites if they are liberal and conservative sites if they are conservative, ignoring other sources completely (Bimber and Davis). As an information source, it can be democratizing in the sense that undecided voters can research the candidates before making a decision, but it is unlikely that the internet will sway decided and partisan voters who are only exposed to the spin of the web-based media. The new media are here to stay, but the traditional media will not disappear in the foreseeable future.


The main appeal of the new media is that they provide the opportunity for a more informed and engaged electorate to emerge. If our future citizens are more engaged and energized about politics and political issues, American government will have a stronger base and broader support. The 2008 election cycle was not just important because it generated a lot of buzz for its use of technology. The 2008 cycle effectively revitalized American democracy in elections. The renewed democracy in the 2008 election cycle was the beginning of a political era that will continue to level the opportunities to participate in elections for both citizens and candidates in the years to come.