Have you ever wondered why Mashable, a blog dedicated to technology, covers politics? The fact is, politics has come to us. With the recent announcement that Barak Obama would name a Chief Technology Officer if he was to become president, and candidates launching social network campaigns left and right, there is no denying that politics and technology are converging like never before.
No matter who wins the Presidency in 2008, we will probably see an unprecedented level of focus on the Internet, and since we're in that business, it only makes sense we should give you some insight to what's out there on the web. We've gathered together a small sampling of what we feel are some of our best posts on the subject.
News
Declare Yourself: MySpace Gets Political - MySpace teamed up with the group Declare Yourself for a drive to get young people registered to vote.
Fastest Growing Facebook Group Now Has A Million Members - What does it say about the state of American politics when a "Presidential campaign" for a comedian is the fastest growing Facebook group? Are people tired of the status quo, or do they just want to mock the system?
Highlights from CNN/YouTube Debates - How did the first YouTube involved political debate go? It was a mixed bag, but since they're doing it again, this time for the Republicans, it obviously had some impact.
On YouTube, YouChoose Obama - YouTube is going political, with citizens submitting debate questions via the video sharing site. This particular article is about Barak Obama becoming the Internet sensation of the day.
Politicians Come To Facebook for Election 2006 - If the politicians were flocking to Facebook in 2006, just imagine what it's going to be like come next fall! You're not going to be able to toss a rock without hitting a politician pandering to a social network crowd.
Tony Blair Launches YouTube Channel - Proving it's not just US politicians who get the power of the Internet, former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, launched a Labour Party YouTube channel in England. The videos are a way for the party to get their points across to the public without having to go through various media channels.
Why08 Launches with Friends and Feeds - News of new features on the Twitter-esque site for the politically minded that lets you easily monitor what your friends (and "adversaries") are saying on both sides of the political spectrum.
Toolboxes
20+ Educational Sites About The Democrats - They may control Congress for the moment, but they're desperate for the White House, and probably getting the majority of the attention due to Hillary Clinton. This toolbox will help you learn more about the party.
20+ Educational Sites About Independent Political Parties - Sometimes people are surprised to learn that the United States does indeed have more than two political parties. This toolbox is but a small sampling of what is out there outside of the mainstream politics.
20+ Educational Sites About The Republicans - With no incumbent this time around, the Republicans are in the same boat as the Democrats, and they are all duking it out to be crowned the front runner. Learn about what each candidate stands for, and what the party believes in.
30+ Resources For US Politics On The Web - A good resource for anyone that just wants to learn about politics in general.