President-Elect Barack Obama of the US launched a new website last Thursday. On change.gov visitors can make suggestions for the new American government. "The story of the campaign and this historic moment has been your story," the website says. "Tell us your story and the issues that matter most to you. Share with us your concerns and hopes. – the policies you want to see carried out in the next four years." Users can also use the website to send in an open application for a job with the American government. There's a blog, an upcoming event (Obama's inauguration on January 20th) and the agenda is explained. Further more people can leave their email address and zip code for a newsletter.Analysts say that the way Obama used new technologies and means of communication, like the internet, in his campaign was the key to his victory.
Below the header ‘open government’ it literally says:
It’s Your America: Share Your Ideas
The story of the campaign and this historic moment has been your story.
Share your story and your ideas, and be part of bringing positive lasting change to this country.
Future Vision by Erwin Van Lun on this article
This shows how the world is changing fundamentally. A beautiful example of how organizations, whether they’re NGOs, governments or commercial brands are becoming more open. In this case Obama also takes a next step: he really wants people’s input. How he’s going to organize all that input time will tell. Perhaps he’ll moderate the ideas (without removing what he chooses), group them and send concrete questions to the people together with volunteers or paid help. This way, in the long term, he can use the site to gauge people’s opinions. And if he does something with them (he’ll have to), you can take this ‘gauging’ as ‘voting’.
And if Obama takes it another step further he can call for people to do something. Not just listen to what he’s supposed to do (he just makes decisions anyway), but facilitate what others will do. That means a change in democracy.
Well done, Obama! My compliments.