It saddens me to say that I feel the internet may have already reached its’ high watermark with regard to contributing towards the way politics is conducted by the major politicians and parties.

It has proven itself a good tool in so much as it enables relatively cost effective access to the masses, as well as being a tool that links and coordinates messages and policies.

The slightly subversive nature of the web and viral advertising will lose its edge and effectiveness as more and more main line politicos, lobbyists and pressure groups seek to maximise its effectiveness.

Its very success to date could well be its own downfall, also I fear that with the advent of the main stream politicians migrating their messages to the web, and the ability for all of their other methods of address, public speeches, press and other more traditional media delivery methods we will see (if possible) even greater control and contrivance of these said messages.

I am afraid to say that i fear that the powers that be and the stuffed shirts will hijack effectively the internet and seek to use it for their own ends, as they have very efficiently through their banal control of the traditional media so they will seek to control how their messages and candidates appear on line.

The age of the stepford politician is well and truly upon us, it is difficult enough to get any politician now to actually answer a question let alone inform us as to where they stand on specific issues, knowing that every word spoken will be consumed by the masses globally instantaneously will only result in them being more conservative (little c) in expressing their views.

Interestingly it was senator McCain who admitted that he had never used the internet during the recent elections, no one can I feel argue that of the two candidates Barack Obama was by far and away the most marketable in terms of the packaging and media presentation, before any one leaps in here I am in no way questioning his abilities, merely stating that of the two candidates I felt that much more effort had been invested in the Obama packaging that the McCain team had done to their candidate, the proof of this is yet to be decided, so as said this is purely my own personal opinion and I am very interested to see what the actual delivery is having been exposed to the packaging.

His campaign team had seen the value of the web, and he was packaged and presented accordingly, going forward I fear that the stepford politicians of tomorrow will be more bland, less recognisable and more difficult to distinguish.

Just my views of course, and thank you Damyanti for yet another very good thread.