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Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announces her resignation at the end of July.
Building the GOP online
On Pajamas Media, Mindy Finn describes a coalition to revamp the RNC’s infrastructure. The goal of Rebuild the Party is to “provide guidelines for rebooting the Republican National Committee through a greater commitment to new media and technology.” Or as the headline says, rebuild the GOP “one Internet user at a time.”
This is interesting to me since I’m writing a piece for WORLD about online social activism. I asked Jon Henke, co-founder of TheNextRight.com, why conservatives seem to be lagging behind in online social activism, as the latest campaign showed. He said this, among other things:
It’s my hypothesis that the extensive offline communities (e.g., church) maintained by many social and cultural conservatives make online communities less important and influential to them. They’re more influenced by the offline leaders and groups than the online influentials.
This is an intriguing question, especially for people active online like the WMB audience. Are you more influenced by offline or online community leaders?
back to top5 Comments to “Building the GOP online”
“… rebooting the RNC”. That’s funny.
All of us here are active online. But what is “online social activism”? Does that mean signing on to a local cause? If so, I have a few that I participate in:
- A cycling club that posts events online.
- A local advocacy group to convert abandoned rails to trails.
- I’m starting to look into a local alternative energy co-op.
- A town group for purchasing land for hiking trails.
But I don’t trust either the RNC or the DNC or any other NC. I will never participate in big party politics either online or offline.
Liberal passion for politics borders on a religious fervor. They want to become saviors of the world. Conservatives on the other hand have religion and a Savior already. Politics is a cheap substitute.
are as passionate about politics as conservatives are about religion and American values.
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I am more influenced by offline leaders, especially local ones, as I can question them face to face and get to know them as a real, live person, rather than an impersonal, unknown personality.
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My little church has about 100 members. Of that, maybe about half are competent with a computer. Of those perhaps 30 or so use the internet, but mostly just for email and other assorted odds and ends. I think I am the only one who actively participates on a blog. Most are not comfortable with their writing and research skills, nor are they aggressive enough to participate in even a mild give-and-take blog like this. They vote and discuss politics and religion with like minded friends, but energetically arguing with belligerent foes and running the risk of embarrassment is not what they want to do. Besides, their plates are already full with family, church, work, and other Christian ministries.
As for me, I don’t participate on the internet to bolster the Republican Party. It is for my faith, my country, and the values they represent for me. If the Republican Party and its candidates offer the best and most effective choice in seeing those values put into practice, then, for better or worse, I vote and lend my voice for them. In the meantime, I spend far more time with my family and other ministry activities than here online.
With that said, would I participate to some degree in “Building the GOP Online?” Maybe—but not if it was just endless appeals for money, like I already get from them via “snail mail.”
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The RNC does need to use the Internet better, but what they really need to do is revamp their approach to people. You have to have something behind you other than a great website.
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I agree. I used to support the RNC, but they got “big tent” focused, and lost the confidence of LOTS of us.
Making it easier to communicate doesn’t matter a whit if what they’re communicating isn’t grounded in conservative principles.
Oh, and I’m much more influenced by offline community leaders. I have a politically connected friend who I rely on for recommendations for elections, for example.
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