A lot of people are saying that Barack Obama’s inauguration as the 44th U.S. president signals change in America; it certainly signals change on the White House Web site. The new White House site, far more dynamic and interactive than the Bush administration site it replaces, is designed to provide transparency and to encourage citizen participation in politics. The site includes a White House blog, enables users to send email to President Obama and his staff, and allows them to sign up for email updates about key issues, actions and events. The site is also set up to make good use of video, photos, slide shows and other media.
During the presidential campaign, Obama’s tech-savvy approach to politics helped to energize younger voters, expand fundraising, and create a national discussion about critical issues. Now that he’s moving into the Oval Office, Obama seems eager to use the power of technology to communicate with his constituents, to help him govern, and to keep millions of people involved in national politics.
A section of the new White House Web site called “The Agenda” outlines Obama’s plans and commitments on dozens of issues, but only two appear as top priorities on the site’s home page—the Economy and Energy & the Environment--two issues that are inextricably linked.
Check out the new White House Web site for yourself at www.WhiteHouse.gov. And while you’re there, go to the Contact Us page and tell President Obama what you think about his environmental strategy.
Comments
Bush’s Whitehouse.gov site had links to energy and environment too. So did Clintons.
Of course. My point about the placement of Energy & Environment on Obama’s White House site is that he continues, in a variety of ways, to put those issues front and center in his agenda. And the larger point of this blog post is that the new site promises a wealth of content and encourages political involvement and interaction between the new president and his constituents.
Kudos to Obama for putting “energy and the environment” high on the agenda. But through the link in the new White House website there is no language about even the need for a new electricity grid, let alone an action plan for facilitation or construction. Without a new grid our “newfound” renewable energy production will not provide the maximum benifits. Other than that though, I’m proud and excited for what this year’s policy changes will produce.