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The Congress Online Project has an excellent newsletter <http://www.congressonlineproject.org> and is one of the very very very few projects researching the role of the Internet in representative democracy. They focus on the US Congress. It is amazing to me that we don't have more active research projects on how Presidents and Governors or state legislatures and city councils use the Internet/ICT to the represent citizens (and interest groups). With the retrenchment by a number of foundations in the "online" arena, my sense is that we will be left with "politics as usual" online. We will not foster the knowledge sharing that will make the _demonstrated_ democratizing potential of the Internet a probability. Without active research on what works, the best practices often coming from the local or state level, will not be documented. The innovation that is possible will take 50 years to spread instead of five. E-government best practices are spread in large part by the companies (and trade publications with IT company advertising) who know they can provide services governments will pay for ... who expects to make significant money on e-democracy in government? (Most politics online companies make the dough on advocacy services side.) Anyway, it is great to see commercial companies helping fill some of this void so the Congress Online project can continue. See below. Steven Clift Democracies Online Release: August 7, 2003 Contact: Brad Fitch Phone: 202-546-0100 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Congress Online Research to Continue Under New Sponsor Capitol Advantage to Support Monthly Newsletter and Join CMF Board WASHINGTON, D.C. � Congress Online, the only newsletter providing congressional offices with information on online communications, received new support this week, allowing the research to continue for another year under a new sponsor and focus. Capitol Advantage, the largest online grassroots advocacy firm, will be funding the research and newsletter to provide Members of Congress with guidance, tips, and examples on how to improve online communications between constituents and Congress. Congress Online, produced by the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), is provided to congressional chiefs of staff, press secretaries, and systems administrators, as well as more than a thousand subscribers in 21 countries. Past issues have included new information on: � how to use Web sites to help constituents during the Iraq war; � innovative methods for providing voting records online; � services for students and how to better engage young people in congressional activities; � how offices could use online technologies to cope with the anthrax contamination on Capitol Hill; � how Members of Congress could use their Web sites to help the public after the 9/11 attacks. The newsletter had been funded under a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. With Capitol Advantage�s support, Congress Online will add new features focusing on a burgeoning area of online communications, grassroots advocacy and Congress. �We need to continue to search for ways to improve communications between Congress and their constituents,� said Bob Hansan, President of Capitol Advantage. �I hope this research and newsletter will make it easier for constituents to communicate with Congress, ease the burden on congressional staff, and improve the public�s perception of interacting with democratic institutions,� he said. Congress Online is a component of the Congress Online Project, a joint venture with the George Washington University and funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. During the two-year project which concluded in May 2003, CMF released reports helping Congress improve it�s e- mail systems, identified best practices among Capitol Hill Web sites, and graded the best sites by awarding the Congress Online Gold, Silver, and Bronze Mouse Awards. CMF is taking over full management of the Project and is seeking funding to continue its evaluation and grading of congressional Web sites in 2004. �Capitol Advantage is providing Congress with a vital service by continuing and expanding the Congress Online newsletter,� Rick Shapiro, Executive Director of CMF said. �Technology is offering citizens new ways to reach their elected officials, and the sheer amount of communications is presenting both challenges and opportunities for congressional offices. By expanding our research into how congressional offices deal with grassroots advocacy campaigns, we�ll be addressing a pressing need in Congress to help offices improve office efficiencies and enhance communications with constitu ents,� he said. Capitol Advantage also will be joining CMF�s Board of Governors. CMF provides regular briefings to the Board on management issues related to congressional operations and hosts lunches with Members of Congress and staff. In addition, CMF often seeks input from Board members on how to improve communications between Congress and groups and individuals that interact with congressional offices. Capitol Advantage supplies online solutions and publications that enable ordinary citizens to change the world through civic participation. The company, founded in 1986, is best known for its congressional directories and for the Capwiz Advocacy System�, which increases civic participation by connecting millions of citizens to their elected officials. Capwiz is the grassroots cornerstone to more than 1,200 associations, corporations and nonprofits, across the political spectrum. The Capwiz Media Network� includes AOL�, MSN�, Yahoo!�, USA Today�, the LA Times, and more than 100 other media portals. The company provides the Congress.org� portal as a public service, and is the driving force behind Participate America and National Civic Participation Week. The company is privately held and is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. Visit http://www.capitoladvantage.com. CMF is a non-profit, non-partisan organization which has provided independent management assistance and research to the Congress since 1977. # # # ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. Clift - W: http://www.publicus.net Minneapolis - - - E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Minnesota - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667 USA - - - - - - M: +1.612.203.5181 Join my Democracies Online Newswire: http://e-democracy.org/do *** Past Messages, Discussion http://e-democracy.org/do *** *** To subscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** Message body: SUB DO-WIRE *** *** To UNSUBSCRIBE instead, write: UNSUB DO-WIRE *** *** Please send submissions to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***
