How the DNC Rules New Media

This afternoon, I received an email from Organizing for America (namely Natalie Foster, the OFA Director of New Media). OFA wants testers for a new tool they are going to deploy. The tool is meant for phone-banking from your own home without the need for a call sheet. As described from the College Democrats of America website

The tool detects where you are, automatically brings up contacts in your area, and takes you straight to a script. And you don't even have to create a new username -- you can sign in using either your Facebook or my.barackobama.com accounts

In other words, if you're like me and hate canvassing, but don't mind phone-banking and have any sort of free time, you can help ensure a Democratic victory this November. I tested the program and it is very easy-to-use and straight forward. You bring up the website, a person information is listed (name, address, age, sex, and phone number); a script is provided; you call the person and record the results with the online form (this is all on a single web page). And you can do as many or as few calls as you wish.

However, if any of you have been following any of the other improvements OFA and the DNC have been developing, you know that this tool is the tip of the iceberg.

Currently, both the DNC and OFA have iPhone and iPad apps. They allow for you to read recent blog posts, get discussion points, find events, and contact members of Congress.

On the OFA app, you have an option to "Go Canvass." The app will determine your location and provide you with a listing of residences in the neighborhood to persuade to vote for the Democratic candidates. Once you get to the house, you can bring up your canvassing script. Instructions are provided on what questions to ask and when to stop. Once you're done, you reply back with the result and that gets sent back to OFA. As an incentive, with the more people you contact, the more awards you receive (like FourSquare badges).

Of course, none of the phonebanking or canvassing really matter if the people aren't registered to vote. So, the Technology Department at the Democratic National Committee created a website widget called "Raise Your Vote." Simply, it is an online form that you can add to any website. Users open up the form, enter their information, and a PDF which the user has to print and mail in is generated. We currently have it on our website (http://www.fordham.edu/democrats), if you choose the "Register to Vote" link on the left navigation.

Finally, as proof that the Democratic Party is the Party of open government and politics, they open sourced much of their codes on Open.Democrats.org. Of course, they do not have their core codes listed (that would lead to users finding possible security lapses), but the source codes for the peripheral programs and widgets are freely available for anyone to download.

I don't know any other way to put it, but the work by the DNC's new media and technology teams is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

My Ram Opinon That Was Not Published

Having read the point-counterpoint two issues ago and the article by Jayme DeSocio in the latest issue of The Ram, I did not understand why nobody saw the good that having wi-fi in the Ram Vans could cause.

I am a commuter from Brooklyn (a part that taxis will travel to) and I am involved with the College Democrats and PRIDE Alliance, so I leave campus some nights as late as 11 PM. I do not like having to wait up to 20 minutes for a D train, so I take the Ram Van down to Lincoln Center.

I have an iPod Touch (think iPhone without a phone while having the addiction power of a BlackBerry) and I survive on it –I listen to music, play games, even check train schedules on it. I am also neurotic about checking my email (when I am in the library, I can typically be found at a computer with my flash drive plugged in and my copy of Thunderbird Potable open). So, my iPod Touch is my life.

Coming home about a month ago, after I arrived at Lincoln Center, I went to check my email on my iPod Touch. I go to the screen to choose a network and I see “Fordham I-Van.” I ask myself what that is and I realize that the Ram Vans now have wi-fi.

I have just recently become web liaison -Fordham IT speak for webmaster- for the College Democrats and PRIDE, so after meetings, there is usually a need to update the Facebook group or Google Calendar or send out necessary emails. Without the wi-fi, I would be up until 1 or 2 am just doing this work after I take care of my personal needs.

I take the Ram Van after dark, and, since I lack night vision, I cannot exactly do my reading for class for the next day at that time. Luckily, my iPod Touch has a backlight, so I can do some work, albeit extracurricular.

Before the wi-fi, I would find myself wasting my time playing solitaire or watching the passing scenery on the West Side Highway. Now that I have Internet access on the Ram Van, I can do necessary projects, send out emails, and Facebook stalk my friends.

Now, faculty can post assignments and staff can send out emails. This improvement to the University will allow the school to run more efficiently.

Though wi-fi in the Ram Vans may look to be an improper use of University funds since the campus does not yet have complete wireless Internet, people should take note that this is a big help for the students, faculty, and staff of Fordham University that need to be connected to the web at all hours (like most of us are now)

(Note: I wrote this originally on my iPod Touch.)I have just recently become web liaison -Fordham IT speak for webmaster- for the College Democrats and PRIDE, so after meetings, there is usually a need to update the Facebook group or Google Calendar or send out necessary emails. Without the wi-fi, I would be up until 1 or 2 am just doing this work after I take care of my personal needs.

I take the Ram Van after dark, and, since I lack night vision, I cannot exactly do my reading for class for the next day at that time. Luckily, my iPod Touch has a backlight, so I can do some work, albeit extracurricular.

Before the wi-fi, I would find myself wasting my time playing solitaire or watching the passing scenery on the West Side Highway. Now that I have Internet access on the Ram Van, I can do necessary projects, send out emails, and Facebook stalk my friends.

Now, faculty can post assignments and staff can send out emails. This improvement to the University will allow the school to run more efficiently.

Though wi-fi in the Ram Vans may look to be an improper use of University funds since the campus does not yet have complete wireless Internet, people should take note that this is a big help for the students, faculty, and staff of Fordham University that need to be connected to the web at all hours (like most of us are now)

(Note: I wrote this originally on my iPod Touch.)