The RNC Chair Election Goes Web 2.0
The crew of Rebuild the Party continues on its path to update the Republican Party by using the tools the Internet offers to the fullest. They have now kicked off a campaign that allows Republican citizens to ask the candidates for RNC chair a question by uploading a video to the Rebuild the Party website. The candidates will then answer those questions, which should help those with the right to vote and normal Republicans make up their mind about who will be best able to lead the party in the coming years.
Rebuild the Party uses YouTube, which co-sponsors this “RNC Candidates Forum,” in order to upload the videos and to make the project a grand success.
Republicans (and moderates, independents and other interested parties) can then vote for the videos they deem best. The top 10 questions are asked to the candidates, who will proceed to answer other questions they choose themselves.
Users can upload videos until 20 January. After that, the candidates will answer the questions during a one-week period.
An example of such a video:
The answer to that question is, I think, to a large degree quite simple and it may have nothing to do with specific policies; make it simple for young voters to participate actively in the debate, to organize, to get involved. This means that the Republican Party should use the Internet to the fullest; it should use FaceBook, YouTube and other social networking sites more actively than ever before. This will almost automatically lead to more involvement from young voters; make it easy for them to access information, to participate, to get involved, and before you know, Republicans will make a comeback among the youth.
It is yet another smart move by Patrick Ruffini and co.; the project allows them to make a grand entrance in the Republican Party and to help make average Republicans more involved than they have ever been. The DNC chairman was simply appointed by President-Elect Barack Obama, Republicans are allowing voters to participate in the affair – not by voting, but by asking questions, sharing their opinion, etc. which means that, in the end, their voices will be heard (delegates will not easily ignore the demands of Republican voters).
Web 2.0 has really changed politics in America. The RNC is lagging behind but catching up fast. Much of it obviously has to do with reaching and mobilizing young voters.
There’s a new social media platform for politics launching on Jan 20 called PopRule: http://www.PopRule.com. All politics is social.