Web 2.0: Yes we will.

It's the Webster's opinion that the GOP has plenty of ideas, a solid core brand, and had a terrific '08 ticket sailing into a political perfect storm.  There are twice as many self-identified conservatives as progressives.  We easily will eclipse the Left's very impressive performance in rallying their base simply by giving space to rank and file citizens on the Web and giving them gentle guidance about practical ways they can make an impact -- with a click!

I've been speaking to the leaders of many advocacy groups and there is real enthusiasm for adopting a new, more optimistic populist model.  How?  By creating social networking webspaces that are inviting to activists and concerned citizens, inviting people to come to the fore in a site context comparable to my.barackobama.com. 

The good news is that the tech has been made ultra-simple, easier than blogging! -- and is free (or, in a premium service, at very modest cost) from Ning.com.  The Susan B. Anthony List's pilot of this model, TeamSarah.org, saw its community grow from 30 members two months ago to about 60,000 today -- with 6.6+ million internal pageviews.  And continues to grow post-election.  (Full disclosure: I architected Team Sarah for them.  Props to Emily, the site's key leader.  She really gets it.  We will get it too!)

Web 1.0 was 99% about informing and educating, 1% about listening.  Web 2.0 is 99% about listening and 1% about informing and educating.  Properly done, this is a recipe for creating intense and effective populist communities and is available to anyone who wishes to give it a try.  One has already begun to go to scale, others will too.  I've laid out a few how-to tips on www.thewebstersdictionary.com, the companion site to my recently published The Websters' Dictionary: How to Use the Web to Transform the World, which was deeply informed by many astute postings by Ruffini and may be downloaded in eBook form for free.

The "net" result is that we don't have to criticize, complain, or persuade anyone -- in the party, elected officials, donors, opinion leaders -- to do anything.  Anyone so inclined can just do it herself or himself.  (And by the way, the success stories all share an implicit common factor of having a lot of women involved, which is a secret key to succcess.  The Boy's Club Model is defective for reasons that may end up as a topic of discussion in thewebstersdictionary.com's own social network found under the tab marked "Bar & Grill."  If you wish your effort to succeed, make sure that women have full presence, status and participation.  If you don't know how to do this ... and many guys do not -- ask around until you figure it out.  But if you intend to win -- do it.)

The Web has put the power in our hands.  We have the tools.  We have the model.

Use your newfound powers only for Good!

Ralph Benko

"The Webster"

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