A new study suggests the Internet is used as a resource for influencing participation in civic affairs more often than general media and face-to-face communication.
Conducted by University of Wisconsin journalism and mass communication professor Dhavan Shah, the study tested the change in media exposure over time. Shah’s work analyzed various forms of data conducted before, during and after the 2000 presidential election.
Category: Politics
US Delegation Votes via RSS
Very slick, by the Washington Post:
This site offers an RSS feed for every current member of Congress, so you can get notified each time your elected officials vote. Each member-specific feed includes the member’s position in the latest 10 votes.
Tammy Baldwin’s RSS voting feed is here
Air Travel: The Battle over the Wright Amendment
Virginia Postrel nicely summarizes the battle over the Wright Amendment which limits air travel from Dallas’s Love field:
Schnurman’s tough-minded coverage of the issue demonstrates the great virtues of distant newspaper owners. His paper is owned by Knight Ridder, which isn’t entangled in local crony capitalism. The Dallas Morning News by contrast seems terrified to even voice an opinion on the issue. (And I’m not just annoyed that they turned down this piece on the grounds that they’d already run too much on the topic. In fact, I’m delighted. D Magazine paid me twice the DMN’s rate, and I like them better anyway.)
Viewed up close, the whole Wright discussion demonstrates the wisdom of my old boss Bob Poole, who has spent at least two decades arguing for airport privatization. Locally, the only thing any politico seems to care about is what’s good for DFW Airport and, secondarily, for the airlines. The traveling public doesn’t count–either in the political equation (too diffuse) or, apparently, in airport management. Anyone who’s had the misfortune of traveling through DFW knows that, with the exception of its new Terminal D, it’s hardly a comfortable or accommodating place. Neither does it seem to maximize revenue. No mall developer would use space so pathetically.
The article is also an interesting look at the “devils bargain” that sometimes occurs between politicians and the mainstream media.
City Casino?
Two weeks back, Isthmus reported that the Ho-Chunk tribe may be expanding its De Jope bingo hall on Madison’s southeast side, adding new machines as well as poker and blackjack tables.
Ho-Chunk spokesperson CaraLe Murphy confirmed the new gaming tables and machines are under consideration, but insisted no decisions have been made. “We’re looking to expand that because we want to bring in a younger crowd,” she said, specifically citing the tribe’s desire to attract more college students.
Barnett: Is the Military – Industrial Complex Winning?
I want to agree with both sides of this argument, but I won’t. Given the aging of our population and the competitive pressures of Friedman’s “flat world,” I think we need to make some choices in this Global War on Terrorism. I think that if we’re going to shrink the Gap, we’ll need a lot of manpower help, so moving toward strategic alliance with China kills two birds with one stone: takes great power war off the table and frees up resources within the Pentagon for more intensive focus on postconflict (which does cost, buddy, no matter what anyone tells you) while giving us historic access to allied troops we’ll need for the “long war” effort that will be shrinking the Gap.
Rice on Internet Governance
The Internet will reach its full potential as a medium and facilitator for global economic expansion and development in an environment free from burdensome intergovernmental oversight and control. The success of the Internet lies in its inherently decentralized nature, with the most significant growth taking place at the outer edges of the network through innovative new applications and services. Burdensome, bureaucratic oversight is out of place in an Internet structure that has worked so well for many around the globe. We regret the recent positions on Internet governance (i.e., the “new cooperation model”) offered by the European Union, the Presidency of which is currently held by the United Kingdom, seems to propose just that – a new structure of intergovernmental control over the Internet.
GM’s New Janesville Assembled SUV’s
There’s a lot riding on those SUVs, including the jobs of nearly 4,000 workers who assemble Suburbans, Tahoes and Yukons at General Motors’ Janesville factory.
The plant was spared from GM’s massive restructuring last month, when the company announced it would shutter five factories and scale back a host of others – moves designed to cut 30,000 manufacturing jobs.
The Janesville factory still faces a risk, particularly if oil and gasoline prices spike again, industry observers say.
Automakers Lining Up for Aid
Jeffrey H. Birnbaum and Sholnn Freeman:
Troubled U.S. automakers and their allies on Capitol Hill are seeking billions of dollars in aid from the federal government ranging from health coverage for their workers to extra tax write-offs for themselves.
They’re also asking for one rhetorical favor: Please don’t call the requests a bailout.
I don’t view it as a bailout,” Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) said.
“We’re not looking for a bailout,” agreed William C. Ford Jr., chairman of Ford Motor Co.
GM, Janesville and Where do We Go From here?
Tom Still offers commentary on why Janesville survived GM’s recent cutbacks. Unfortunately, as he notes in closing, the auto industry will continue to shed jobs. Peter DeLorenzo summarizes Detroit’s challenges here.
Falk vs. Lautenschalger Really All About Doyle vs. Green
Interesting and likely correct insight into why Kathleen Falk is running against Peg Lautenschlager (I’ve mentioned to Kathleen that I’d rather see her run against Herb Kohl!).