Could Politicians and Media become Redundant?

[Teddy Bear]

Over 10 years ago, it occurred to me that the internet could actually make political parties and politicians redundant. After all, since citizens could vote directly on any particular issue at the click of a mouse, and research themselves on a particular subject without leaving their chair, all we really needed was the administration to carry out our choices.

How much money would the country be able to invest in useful projects, saved by not having to pay for sychophants masquerading as politicians to go along with the latest spin generated by the media. The fact that the media would be largely made redundant too could be quite positive. They've long since realised that they are largely omnipotent in controlling and manipulating public opinion, much to the downfall of society.

For the above to become reality, humanity has to survive another 25 years, something I'm not totally convinced of. However, the beginnings of a movement in this direction has started, and my guess is it will become very much more popular as others start to realise the value of it.

A tasteless diet: political spam with everything
Tim Montgomerie

Britain’s mainstream political parties all look set to offer a very similar menu at the next election. It will be the political equivalent of spam with beans, spam with greens or spam with lentils.
If voters reject the idea that climate change is public enemy No 1, they have no political party to represent their views. No opposition leader stood for religious freedom during last week’s dispute between the Catholic Church and Labour. Think of grammar schools, capital punishment, the monarchy, private healthcare or membership of the EU. On issue after issue the main parties are afraid to offer real choices.

This diet of political spam has encouraged many voters to support smaller parties or to stay at home. A recent poll found 36 per cent in the “none of the above” camp.

The BBC, through its dominance of the news agenda, has fashioned this new consensus. The corporation’s biases against America, Israel and religion were recently discussed at a much-reported internal gathering. Paul Dacre, Editor of the Daily Mail, has accused the Tories of sidelining principles as part of a “blood sacrifice to the BBC god”.

Right-wing commentators may despair at the drift of “their” party towards the BBC world view but they are wrong to lay all blame on the shoulders of David Cameron. The Tory leadership lacks the resources to change cultural attitudes that have been carefully nurtured by lavishly funded quangos, the universities and other pillars of today’s Establishment.

If the new consensus is going to be challenged, the impetus will have to come from outside the Establishment parties and media. The tools for a challenge have never been cheaper. Where thousands of pounds were once needed to reach tens of thousands of people only a few pounds are required today.

American political entrepreneurs have used blogs, YouTube and clever use of search engines to unseat powerful television anchors and presidential wannabes. This week 18DoughtyStreet.com brings some of the better American techniques to Britain and will soon be producing a weekly series of political attack adverts designed by bloggers and debated on a daily internet TV programme.

The videos will address the issues that the mainstream political parties won’t touch — and every idea will be sponsored by campaigning organisations of the Right or Left. The first video, produced with the Taxpayers’ Alliance, targets the all-party consensus on European levels of tax.

David had a sling to kill the oppressive giant of his time. The “none of the above” party has the internet to end the dominance of today’s political goliaths.

Tim Montgomerie is a director of 18DoughtyStreet.com, Britain’s first political internet TV channel