Change has come to Whitehouse.gov, but what is still missing?
Yesterday was a great day in history for the United States. The whole day was filled with moments that will forever be referenced in the coming days. Then after talking about how fantastic it was to see the changing of the guard even happening online, something was brought up that really caught me off guard.
Moments before President Obama was sworn into office, whitehouse.gov made a change. They are starting off on the right foot, by showing just how transparent they are going to be. This is great right? A presidency that on day one is taking what they said during their campaign and actually doing it on the first day. I don’t care what your job is, there are very few things that get done the very first day. I defintely aplaud him for that feat alone.
What caught me off guard was this; It is great that information is being published in a new way, but how do people that are poor get this information? Of course this was my socially conscience wife asking this question. The digital guy in me was quick to say, no this is great for everyone. Then she said “well think about it this way, people can’t afford news papers. Newspapers aren’t publishing print versions in some cases, they have gone 100% online. They don’t have a computer and if they do they can barely pay for internet/cable, if at all.”
It really does beg the question how can we keep all of our citizens informed? FDR was very concerned about this during the depression. That is when he started his fireside chats. He started this during the Great Depression. Back then it probably still left people out of the loop but he was certainly trying to cast the widest net possible.
President Obama is trying to use new media cast a wide net, and he showed it helped him win the election. I love that he is doing it, and I know it will make me an informed citizen. How can he use technology to reach the less fortunate though?
Maybe he can get the cable/broadband providers to make subsidized cable prices for low income families? Then work with computer manufacturers to get a low cost computer? Maybe pump this through the education system by giving students a laptop, with free internet access? Maybe Obama uses PBS more?
The bottom line here is that even though his new media efforts have the best of intentions, it can’t be another factor in creating a greater divide of the rich from the poor. The more informed we are as a society the better off we all will be.
