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Bloggers vote in favor of political wiki

Michelle Meyers
Michelle Meyers wrote and edited CNET News stories from 2005 to 2020 and is now a contributor to CNET.
Michelle Meyers
2 min read

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales this week unveiled a new wiki, Campaigns Wikia, which he sees as a non-partisan, central meeting ground for those "who think that it is time for politics to become more participatory, and more intelligent."

wikipedia

In doing so, he also sparked the interest and excitement of many bloggers who have long been turned off by the partisan nature of American politics, which they say is often unrelated to their own community's wants and needs.

Wales is the first to admit that he doesn't know how to make politics healthier. But he believes the first step is turning to the community that made Wikipedia a success. And that community is already on it.

Blog community response:

"Wikia could be key to engaging people in developing policy on issues that they care about. And key to developing communities of interests--communities of people who will want to meet candidates, make demands of them because they will be communities who will vote."
--SunSpots

"Reading this I'm simply overwhelmed by a feeling of relief, of satisfaction. There are more and more people who 'get it', and I feel that we may be reaching a tipping point where another digital revolution reaches the masses and changes our societies."
--dekstop weblog

"Hallelujah. He's bright, he's done exactly what he's doing now multiple times in the past and he's totally and completely not arrogant. And the community is extremely well-versed, even though the diggers have holed up there for a few days."
--100% Pure Premium Squeezed Conservative Propoganda

Billosaur on "Sounds intriguing, but one has to wonder if it will be plagued by internecine feuding, punditry, and political manipulation."
--Slashdot

"Ok, I'm skeptical. But I'm signing on. I've worked in partisan politics, and I know party politics align with citizen wishes only coincidentally, temporarily and when it makes sense for the party."
--Allan Jenkins