How the Internet has had an impact on citizen participation

Twitter 

Twitter allows users to connect to one another based on similar interests or even just online personality. It allows fans to interact with their idols and post updates about themselves as well. It also allows users to ask questions to his or her own follows in hopes of a fast and quick reply. With an increasing amount of people owning smart phones, users may check and update their twitter on the go.

Twitter is an amazing application that has developed on the internet. Based on a post and reply system, it allows people from anywhere in the world to communicate efficiently and most importantly, quickly. As the internet expands, possible communication between citizens increase dramatically as well. Sometimes hidden under an anonymous screen name or just your actual name, citizens are able to expand their right of Freedom of Speech and express their opinions without being physically denied. Without physically participation in a conversation, citizens are able to avoid any possible awkwardness or speech capabilities.

Political Advertising from opposing candidates

Carly Fiorina



Barbara Boxer



Of these two particular politcal campaign advertisements, I think Barbara Boxer has a cleaner and more convincing advertisement. One of the major flaws of Fiorina's ad that I noticed right away was that the video stated she dropped out of law school after the first year and decided to go into another field. Then it talked about Fiorina's perks. If dropping out of law doesn't make a valid argument against your campaign, especially if you're running for governor, then I don't know what does. On the other hand, Boxer uses short sentences in addition to her own voice as narration and only says what she advocates. This makes a very easy-to-understand message.

The issue of E-Commerce Taxation

E-commerce taxation is an issue about whether the government should put a tax on purchases made online by Americans. This is problem is very hard for the U.S. government to solve because online purchases include a vast variety of different website stores and corporations such as Ebay and Amazon. How would, if even possible, the government enforce the tax on every purchase, and what would happen if someone out of the country is also trying to buy from these multinational websites. On the other hand, we have the issue of Americans buying products from people overseas. Will the government be enforcing tax on those purchases as well? The problem is that the internet has helped expand these corporations that are hubs for these products and have become globally influenced.

An example of how the government has censored some kind of media

One example of the U.S. government censorship is the case with the online database called Wikileaks. Wikileaks is an organization, some termed the Whistleblowers, that exposes the flaws and secrets kept by the American government from the public. In response, the U.S. government has suspended access to Wikileaks and even blocked online payment accounts from supporting the organization. On a very fundamental level, the government should not be able to do this because Wikileaks is just utilizing their Freedom of Speech. On the other hand, when one takes a look at the list of supports, we find that the majority of donations come from organizations that have grudges against the U.S. government, the President, and/or the politics of the ruling party. Here we see reasonable examples of why the censorship is necessary to hopefully protect the peace of the citizens.

An example of online print media

"Why the Tea Party won't determine the 2012 GOP nominee" by Aaron Blake

Blake does a good job in this particular article of The Washington Post. Clearly this is a biased opinion, but what Blake does so well is that he immediately starts his article by trying to convince the public using clearly defined facts as well as making a point that his perspective is not completely geared toward an extreme view. He uses facts from the Republic party viewpoint as well to justify his argument. With the use of quotes as well, Blake keeps the public informed by not putting too much analysis and having the public decide for themselves if the information is sufficient enough for his claim.

An example of political commentary on television

President Obama's Birth Certificate Released

This report was well done because it allowed the audience to stay focused by switching commentaries back and forth. Although it had a slightly more center left view, in my opinion, the report given was clear, precise, and easy to follow. This helps keep the public informed of the issue that Donald Trump is just spouting arrogant, self-righteous content and really should move on.

New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

In this particular case, Daniel Ellsberg, stole classified information, copied them, and released them to The New York Times to be published. They were called "The Pentagon Papers." The Court ordered a per curiam and the case was brought to the Supreme Court where 6 justices concurred with the right of the 1st and 14th Amendment and 3 dissented.

This case was being argued under the pretense that the First Amendment of free speech and the Fourteenth Amendment of due process were in place rightfully. These justices believed that the information should be accessed to the public and even the government withholding a publication corporation during the period of this trial is unlawful. This is why Justice Douglas believed that there was no right that could withhold the press from publishing these papers, and by doing so to the Times is illegal. I side with the dissenters. I believe that the fundamental wrong doing is that Ellsberg stole these papers in the beginning from national security of the Executive branch. There has to be a reason why these papers would be kept in secret, or else the government would have already let the information loose. Reasons could include the protection of the safety, prosperity, and well-being of the nation as a whole. These papers could also incite unnecessary violence among the people.

Here is some more information about the case, and also the aftermath that concluded this case.

While I personally believe that this case should have been more delicately handled by considering possible public reaction. The aftermath was not hurtful towards the government as it could have been. By letting the newspaper corporation to publish these papers, the government is letting publishers know that their freedom of expressing speech is protected.