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Netpolitique : What is " theworldvotes
" about?
Wiebe de Jager : In November 2004, U.S. citizens
will elect their new President. The outcome of these
elections directly influences the lives of citizens
around the world. Theworldvotes is a website that gives
people all around the world a voice in the forthcoming
U.S. Presidential elections.
Netpolitique : Traditionally, foreign policy
is barely an issue that candidates address during the
campaign. The last 2 presidential campaigns were largely
run on domestic agendas. In the post-9/11 era however,
US citizens are likely to be much more concerned by
international issues. Is your initiative a way for "citizens
of the world" to exchange views with US voters,
or is it aimed at protesting the Bush administration's
foreign policy: some sort of global MoveOn.org campaign?
Wiebe de Jager : Theworldvotes is most certainly
not intended to be an anti-America or anti-Bush platform.
America is the only superpower in the world. We recognize
that the U.S. President plays a very important role
in the global political scene.
But, people around the world are more acutely aware
today that they have no real say in the management of
world affairs that affect their lives directly, nor
an opportunity to elect leaders that shape the destiny
of this world.
Democracy is about diversity of opinions, is about
letting people with different views have their say in
the global dialogue about issues that affect us all.
The Internet provides an opportunity to give people
a vote in elections that matter. It is foremost a symbolic
action to mobilize world citizens to become enfranchised
in the debate about a more democratic management of
world affairs as was for example recently initiated
by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi
Annan.
Theworldvotes.org will, and this is a secondary objective,
open the opportunity for an international dialogue between
citizens of the various continents, including U.S. citizens,
about how this objective can best be achieved. There
are no blue prints. This is uncharted territory that
needs to be explored through dialogue.
The third objective is to explore Internet technology
as a means to connect people on a subject of shared
concern. Obviously, organizing an international vote
on the Internet that has sufficient credibility is an
interesting challenge.
Democracy is built through engagement in dialogue.
All citizens, including U.S. citizens, are most welcome
to engage in this dialogue on Theworldvotes.org. Registering
yourself to cast your ballot is an excellent way to
express your voice and to make yourself heard.
From among registered voters, regular surveys will
be conducted in the run up to the Presidential elections
to monitor the preferences among citizens globally.
Opinion leaders and journalists from various continents
will be asked to publish their thoughts about global
democracy on Theworldvotes.org as well.
Netpolitique.net : Last but not least, our ritual
question: what are your three favourite sites?
Wiebe de Jager :
http://news.google.com
http://www.voxpolitics.com
http://slate.msn.com/
The
World Votes : http://www.theworldvotes.org
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