Countervailing Forces: The Impact of Persuasion on Political Policyaking
The American public in contemporary times has been inadequately served in political policymaking due to increasing influence from well-funded lobbyists of special interest groups. To argue this point, a case study of health care reform is provided to exemplify that legislation for the “common good” or majority of citizens has been seriously delayed and diluted. Corporate-owned, mainstream media has been complicit in the problem by distributing entertainment and “sound bites” rather than informative news about policy issues. To counterbalance the forces of special interest groups and their narrow concerns, an informed and active citizenry that includes youth is required. The Internet provides a dynamic, growing communications medium for civic engagement and community building that portends to strengthen the public voice. To this goal, a populist e-democracy is the most plausible mechanism to reinforce citizen representation and promote policymaking for the public good within America’s evolving democracy.
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