The Watchers on the Hill

[Mythsaje]

This Democratic Congress will face a challenge no Democratic Congress has ever before faced. Unlike the last predominately Democratic Congress, this one will stand naked before the people and have to answer to the people in a way that none before it has ever done.

The Republican Congress faced the same dilemma, but, as we all saw, didn't really care what the people thought. They found it far too easy to misdirect and misinform, and finally got caught by the people thanks to the same medium that will make the Dems more accountable than ever.

I'm talking about us. The Watchers. Within minutes of making a public statement, that news is all over the web--usually in text AND in video. The Netroots are plugged in and the internet is probably the most democratizing technology ever invented.

In short, they will have to govern with a whole lot of people looking over their shoulder.

I'd like to think they won't have it easier than the Republicans did. The freepers and their ilk usually acted like a cheering section rather than a critiquing group. "Yay, War!" And "Stand tall Mr. Bush! Kill them muslims!"

We, on the other hand, chased down evidence of their malfeasence and shared it with the rest of the world. Any misstep we made public. Frankly, I think we're better at it than the freeper types. They're not good at nuance, and not good at sourcing their material.

We are.

The Carville statement is a good example of this. Within minutes of him stealing credit from Dr. Dean's 50 State strategy, DUers were ripping him a new one, roaring out their support of Howard Dean.

I'm assuming that the Dems realize that we'll be looking over their shoulders. We'll be sending e-mails in support or opposition to what they're doing at any given time. We'll be putting video up on YouTube and cheering when they do something we like. And we will not hold back when they do something we don't.

The internet activists such as ourselves, and denizens of the new media such as Truthout, Moveon, and the like, are almost like a 6th Estate now. Citzens with our fingers on the pulse of politics, with our eyes on the doings on Capitol Hill. Citizens who are more involved than any in the whole history of politics, when you get right down to it.

It was this power that allowed us to help tumble the Republicans from power, and it will be this power that allows us to aid the Democratic Party in maintaining it. Not only the power to watch, but the power to communicate.

They'd do well to listen. We've shown our power, and I truly believe we're just getting started. We're stretching our limbs and testing our new strength. I think, as we become more comfortable in this power, others will grow to understand it and our ranks will swell. The disaffected and disenchanted who have, up until now, believed that their voice was lost in the crowd--that the wishes of the corporations and lobbyists outweighed their own--will realize to what extent we can now oversee the halls of power and make our feelings known.

Welcome to the Democratic movement of the 21st Century. It can only get stronger from here.

[knowbody0]

1. True and true.

Our amazing power born of our democracy's death, like the phoenix rising from the ashes.

[sce56]

2. Net Neutrality is needed now more than ever!

October 17, 2006,Will be remembered as the Enabling day of the 21st Century!
"The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures..."
~Adolf Hitler, March 23, 1933, before the German Parliament (Reichstag) as he urged them to pass his "Enabling Act"

Got Fascism Yet?


http://www.georgewalkerbush.net/bush-nazilinkconfirmed.htm



Fascism Accomplished!

[earth mom]

13. Yes, we must keep our eagle eyes on Net Neutrality!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2675783

[seabeyond]

3. here is an interesting example from the watcher and our responsibility

with that position

lets take kerrys joke.

we all know he was not talking about the troops but about bush. we had his exact words on video but only showed the part that would allow the story he bashed troops. we had previous transcripts where he told the joke and how he left out us this time. we know kerry doesnt bash troops but support them from being a troop, to money to troop, to taking are of vet and so much more.

yet

we watchers had an agenda with kerry. and we watchers gave the nation, world, our troops, the lie. and many of the people that embraced the lie knew it was a lie and all of us watchers that spread the lie knew it was a lie, but.... we had an agenda

[peacetalksforall]

4. Fabulous words - perfect. This needs to be in a permanent

spot on DU. Sometimes, even our Dem leaders don't get what's going on - they need savvy interns and staff to monitor what's being said. They are not quite with the internet yet as was proven many times in the last couple of years.

And on DU, this needs to be in a newbie or 1st time viewer primer.

Great job. k & r

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. Yes.

[pacalo]

6. This is such a well-written, well thought-out opinion, I was looking for a link

to read more! Bravo!

[Mythsaje]

7. Took me a second to realize what you meant...

No--this isn't anyone else's work. It's mine. :) I don't, as a rule, post opinions other than my own.

Thanks for the kudos.

[NanceGreggs]

8. Go, Mythsaje!

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[dalaigh lllama]

9. the watchdogs from the (democratic) underground

we oughta have Cerberus as our mascot. :)

k & r

[silverweb]

10. Well said, Saje!

This is why I, too, believe that all the reTHUG bravado and posturing right now is so meaningless.

You've said it very well, as always, and we will only get stronger from here.

:applause:

[Laelth]

11. Undeniably true.

So long as a tyrant doesn't shut us down for being "terrorist sympathizers."

We MUST impeach Bush. The war against tyranny will never end, but if you don't slap it down hard every time it rears its ugly head, it returns much more quickly. When do you think Germany will elect its next tyrant?

-Laelth

[earth mom]

12. Power to the People!

:applause:

[JeffR]

14. Mainstream pundits' sneering animosity to bloggers & such

is the best proof out there of the internet's growing importance as a bulwark of transparent democracy. They sneer because they sense their own relevance is dying, and a new and better paradigm of a vigilant free press is being forged now.

Good post, Mythsaje.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

15. "the internet is probably the most democratizing technology ever invented."

I agree. It's changed the way we monitor and direct our elected officials, in effect giving us a greater role in our democracy. It's also proved to be an invaluable resource to spread information between our ever growing network of peers.

How did we ever survive before it?

[Fovea]

16. Great Post

People get the government they deserve. If we want justice, we have to demand it, and check the results.