Sunday, November 2, 2014



Social Media and Politics




Here is what I found online recently about how very much social media is affecting politics worldwide.  From Texas to New Delhi, check it out.

Texas Congressperson Wendy Davis filibusters for 12 hours on  abortion.  There was a bill recently before special session of the Texas legislature which had several restrictions on abortion (and could close down most of Texas’ abortion clinics).    So, Wendy Davis filibusters against it -- for 12 hours.   The congress tried to use the 3-strikes rule to stop her filibuster.

However, due to SOCIAL MEDIA, the watching gallery erupted as it was being broadcast live via CNN on Youtube.  The people in  chamber and the audience online were watching her and that amped it up because it was now about the procedure of democratic politics for both the actual and virtual attendees. 

There are now two audiences in on politics:  the actual physical one (the members of congress physically present during Wendy Davis’ filibuster) and the virtual audience via YouTube. 

These two audiences can ALSO interact and what this can do  is tremendously affect the political outcome.  This was seen in the Occupy Movement.  People were in Zuccotti Park in New York as well as online nationally and then online internationally.  Obama’s election was also greatly improved through social media.


According to the Economic Times in May 2014, social media has changed the face of India’s general elections in 2014.

  
Narendra Modi, current Prime Minister of India, has nearly 14 million FaceBook fans.  Obama is the only other politician to have more FB fans than Modi.


The Bobs
    This is my favorite (serious) political activist online blog, called  ‘The Bobs’. 


It honors websites and projects in 14 languages that champion the open exchange of ideas and freedom of expression.  Anyone is free to submit.  Awesome content! 

The Bobs represent one of Deutsche Welle's ongoing efforts to contribute to promoting freedom of expression and the upholding of human rights on the Internet and around the world.  (Deutsche Welle has broadcast regularly since 1953, Germany's international broadcaster now on shortwave, Internet, and satellite.)    

In closing, my current fav all time political guy is Russell Brand and his 'brand' of news. 


The Bobs represent one of Deutsche Welle’s ongoing efforts 

“The Trews”, true news online by Russell Brand, celebrity comedian, actor and now one of my favorite pop political commentators.  (See my recent Google+ post on Brand.)





Russell says that the current, stifling media keeps your   consciousness imprisoned in a tiny box of ignorance and lies.  I find his take original, refreshing and hysterical!

(for more on Russell go here:)
      

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