Website Allows Obama Supporters To Set Agenda

In the June 2008 Atlantic, Marc Ambinder, touching on the remarkable success the Obama campaign has had leveraging the power of online social networking as a funding and organizational tool (documented well in the article by Joshua Green that Ambinder's piece accompanies), poses an intriguing question: "How would Obama's success in online campaigning translate into governing?"

What Obama seems to promise is, at its outer limits, a participatory democracy in which the opportunities for participation have been radically expanded. He proposes creating a public, Google-like database of every federal dollar spent. He aims to post every piece of non-emergency legislation online for five days before he signs it so that Americans can comment. A White House blog - also with comments - would be a near certainty.

As Ambinder notes, online governance could potentially foster a renewal of public investment and trust in its transparency. On the downside, it would also give opponents of an Obama administration a forum for pushback.

If you're looking for a prototypical model that offers a whiff of what this manner of participatory democracy might look like, look no further: a group of Obama supporters have launched OhBoyObama.com, which purports to be "the unofficial campaign think-tank":

Created by Obama supporters for the purpose of giving the Obama grassroots a platform to submit and vote on ideas to better the 2008 primary and general election campaign of Barack Obama. All supporters are welcome to contribute.

Registered users may submit ideas pertaining to any number of campaign categories, from policy formation to branding. Then, using a Digg-style voting system, participating members can push the ideas up or down, allowing consensus to send the most-preferred agenda items to the top, and the least favored to the bottom.

Naturally, the site suffers from all the limitations known to the phenomenon of the "wisdom of crowds," where individual expertise gets trumped by ideas that sound good. Additionally, we look forward to the site's first great hacking, where prankish internet denizens send something like "Have Obama glue horns and glitter to ponies and call them unicorns" up to the top of the list.

Nevertheless, the site offers some key insight into where Obama's grassroots supporters' minds' are right now. Key priorities as of this writing include transparency in government, maintaining the brand identity from the primary season, getting started on a fifty-state general election campaign, and stumping with John Edwards on a tour focused on poverty issues. And the least liked idea? Perhaps unsurprisingly, "Name Hillary Clinton the Veep Nominee," an idea that has thus far been deemed more toxic than having McCain on the ticket. Like I said, the wisdom of crowds has limitations.

Comments

[dhinds]

"Unofficial Think Tank" is a contradiction in terms - it doesn't add up. If there's no direct, active or planned interchange with the Obama Campaign, it can't be an Obama Think Tank.

Likewise, the fact that the group doesn't provide the identities of those that created the site is highly suspect, and if the same group has attacked Michelle, something is radically wrong. Period.

[marijam]

Terrific site and I agree with all the current top issues. I even agree with the foreign relations credentials for the criteria for a V.P. I think that's Hillary, though she was a separate option.

[RJII]

I sent an email to te obama website w/ some comments. I didn't even expect a response, but damned if they didn't get back to me in a week or two. luv it.

[dhinds]

Are you referring to the official obama website or the oh boy website?

If you meant the official website, did the reply you received refer specifically to the comments you sent, or was it only a form letter thanking you for your input?

If the response was specific to your comments, did the person responding identify him or herself?

I'm asking because I've received nothing but form letters to date in response to questions regarding Obama's position on number of issues that haven't been dealt with on the campaign's website.

I understand they are busy but, my belief in the change he offers would be stronger if his staff was better at responding to legitimate requests for information and I'm hoping that will change.

[XME]

I've actually sent several emails to the official BHO website. You automatically get a form letter, but in many instances depending upon the content of my email, sometimes within hours but usually withing 2-3 days, I've gotten a specific response. It's typically another form letter, but they include some detailed/personalized notes at the beginning of the letter. I've never contacted me with questions regarding issues, so I can't speak regarding that, but I can say that they are very good about responding to emails in a rather personalized matter and I'm very confident that they read all emails and listen to them, which is pretty nice, not to mention unusual!

[xmw]

i know! don't you love it!! I sent in a strategy suggestion to them last month not even expecting a reply and I was flloored a week later when I got one and not a stock email it was tailored to my emailwhich told me they actually read it. Awesome!!!

[paganmist]

So I was talking to my boyfriend on the phone and decided to check out HuffPo. I saw this article. I literally lost the ability to speak.

You know how sometimes you have an idea but discount it because you think there's no way it'd ever work? And then someone comes along and makes it work, and you feel like 1) an idiot, 2) your idea just got stolen, 3) an idiot, 4) someone just stole your idea?

After a good night's sleep I can appreciate how cool it is that the Obama camp would consider something of this nature to get people participated. They've always had a good grasp on how to use the net.

Just another reason I dig him.

[jethrock]

This is NOT an authorized site by the Obama campaign.

It is created by Obama supporters though.

But they are completely unaffiliated with the Obama campaign. It's more of an Obama fan site.

[Fotios]

But this site is based on Obama's idea of an online forum for their administration. This site may not be affiliated with the campaign, but is what Obama has been talking about.

[simplify]

Ive seen the site and its an interesting model but it needs a stronger design elements Right now it looks all over the place design wise.

[PAposter]

I must be missing something, it's not necessary, and 'the name" makes it very suspect. Sorry, I'll let Obama know what I'm thinking on his site, and then directly to the White House.

[mollyjackson]

Once again the Democrats will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!!!

[Oregran]

This is an intriguing site, with many great ideas, along with some dumb ones. Overall, it's fun! It's also very well organized into a number of categories, so it's easy to submit an idea or to peruse ideas by category.
For those worried that it's not affiliated with the official Obama campaign, get over it. Not everything has to come from the top down and be from one official source. Isn't grassroots energy what Obama's campaign is about?
Please explore the site before just submitting some snarky comment about it.

[tototo]

It's perhaps important to point out that OhBoyObama.com claims to be run by Obama supporters, but it doesn't carry any indication that it has been sanctioned by the Obama campaign.

It's -- as far as I can see -- a purely corporate operation. There is no real identification of who is behind the site; the Contact page is "inaccessible". (Meanwhile, it's publishing GoogleAds that lead to sites highly critical of Michelle Obama for example.)

I would be *extremely* wary. Huff Post should have tried to contact the site owners before promoting this site.

Obama has his own citizen feedback and other social networking functions on his official site. http://barackobama.com

[PAposter]

I agree "tototo", and the name just struck me a odd. I don't think this site was created with good intentions.

[simplify]

It could be just a website that is using Obama's name for financial gain.

[verbotin]

Good grief. There is nothing revolutionary here at all.....you can try dressing it as something else, but it's still POLLING. And in true Obama form, it will be just another way for him to avoid making difficult or controversial decisions.

[Faith101]

I looked at this site, I think this should used with caution, it looks nothing like the official site:
Here is what was on the site homepage:

Oh Boy Obama is the unofficial campaign think-tank. Created by Obama supporters for the purpose of giving the Obama grassroots a platform to submit and vote on ideas to better the 2008 primary and general election campaign of Barack Obama. All supporters are welcome to contribute.

Be very careful Obama supporters, be wary of contributing, this could be a farce.

[Daisy1111]

"Oh Boy" ???

If a Hillary supporter used that on a site they would be burned at the stake for racism.

[blueskybigstar]

completely unnecessary.

[PAposter]

For once, Daisy1111, I totally agree with you. See we do have common ground.

[Grannysue]

You mean there is actually a Politician running for President that wonders what us little peons think? Imagine that, gee I wonder why this guy is ahead!

[levibatgirl]

Great idea!

Keep the trolls out and I'm there.

[Testtubebaby]

I so hope they have a good scrubbing system for the idiots.