Summary

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorUniversity, Bachelor's February 2008

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In the article Pressing the Flesh Online, the author discusses the modernistic surge of e-democracy. Touching on previous campaigns that were enhanced by or dependent on the Internet, the writer describes the innovative methods that politicians have applied over the Internet to attract voters. Additionally, the author notes important studies and statistics to supplement the idea that e-democracy is a growing phenomenon that will most likely gain more popularity in future years.

The author begins the article with information about a Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, Jesse Ventura. In addition to his distinction as a celebrity, Ventura also utilized simple email lists to capture voters. He eventually won the race because of his appeal to young voters, a group that was born into the world of the Internet.

In addition to this, the author also cites examples of more popular politicians using the Internet in their campaigns. References to Al Gore, George Bush and Steve Forbes are made regarding their websites.

These men have used various approaches to charm voters, including bilingual websites, interactive highlights and photographs of the actual candidates.

Lastly, the author declares that future candidates must take heed to the ever-increasing population of voters that are Internet users. Pointing out numerous reports that have found online voting to be a flourishing process, the writer mentions numerous statistics that support this contention. The author basically argues that the Internet cannot be avoided as a tool for those seeking election in the future.

In its entirety, the author asserts that the Internet will inevitably be a major influence on decisions made by citizens in the future. The author supports this argument with examples of past politicians who have used the Internet as a campaign tool, as well as notable research that has been done regarding the idea of e-democracy. The overall proclamation of the author is that the Internet will be an increasingly significant element in future elections.