Electronic Lobbying
Special interest groups are using the internet and electronic media to lobby their constituents, while also educating and persuading them to agree with their specific issue. Groups that have a small membership but widely shared views are examples of organizations that use the internet and the media to recruit support. Lobbyists close to political officials see less of a need to utilize the internet to interact with the people when they have a policymaker on their speed dial. The groups that do use the internet are developing into the new political organizations reaching a mass audience electronically and instantaneously (Davis 63). Their message will reach more people more effectively discussing topics that existing interest groups do not.
Websites are a popular method to convey a particular organization’s message and objective. “94 percent of sites set up by interest groups include a description of the group’s mission, perhaps assuming the random visitor would be uniformed about the group’s message” (67). This then allows a potential uninformed person to become educated about a particular issue.
Electronic lobbying is also important because it allows information to be readily available to them with just a quick search of any topic. Not to mention, electronic lobbying allows the average person the opportunity to engage in politics and lobbying efforts (67). This is an aspect that will contribute to the future of politics and all lobbying efforts because as technology expands, so will the amount of people with access to computers. This will eventually lead to the growth in political and lobbying sites on the Internet.
To conclude, it is important to acknowledge the rationality behind electronic lobbying. Electronic lobbyists are “groups seeking to further a cause [by thriving] on controversy; they must gain attention of the mass media in order to convince their patrons of the organization’s potency and also to communicate effectively with their far-flung constituents” (66).
Source:
Davis, Richard. "Electronic Lobbying." The Web of Politics: the Internet's Impact on the American Political System. New York City: Oxford UP, 1999. 62-84.
Special interest groups are using the internet and electronic media to lobby their constituents, while also educating and persuading them to agree with their specific issue. Groups that have a small membership but widely shared views are examples of organizations that use the internet and the media to recruit support. Lobbyists close to political officials see less of a need to utilize the internet to interact with the people when they have a policymaker on their speed dial. The groups that do use the internet are developing into the new political organizations reaching a mass audience electronically and instantaneously (Davis 63). Their message will reach more people more effectively discussing topics that existing interest groups do not.
Websites are a popular method to convey a particular organization’s message and objective. “94 percent of sites set up by interest groups include a description of the group’s mission, perhaps assuming the random visitor would be uniformed about the group’s message” (67). This then allows a potential uninformed person to become educated about a particular issue.
Electronic lobbying is also important because it allows information to be readily available to them with just a quick search of any topic. Not to mention, electronic lobbying allows the average person the opportunity to engage in politics and lobbying efforts (67). This is an aspect that will contribute to the future of politics and all lobbying efforts because as technology expands, so will the amount of people with access to computers. This will eventually lead to the growth in political and lobbying sites on the Internet.
To conclude, it is important to acknowledge the rationality behind electronic lobbying. Electronic lobbyists are “groups seeking to further a cause [by thriving] on controversy; they must gain attention of the mass media in order to convince their patrons of the organization’s potency and also to communicate effectively with their far-flung constituents” (66).
Source:
Davis, Richard. "Electronic Lobbying." The Web of Politics: the Internet's Impact on the American Political System. New York City: Oxford UP, 1999. 62-84.
posted by Christopher DeSanto at 10:59 PM
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