PoliticsOnline Picks CitizenSpeak As HotSite Of The Week (9/12/03)

--------------THE WEEKLY POLITICKER---------------
The Newswire of Politics on the Internet
A Publication of PoliticsOnline
Fundraising and Internet Tools for Politics

Phil Noble - Publisher
David Abel - Editor
http://www.PoliticsOnline.com
For the Week Ending September 12, 2003
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HOTSITE OF THE WEEK
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CitizenSpeak - Aiding E-Democracy

Site URL: http://www.citizenspeak.org

By: David Abel

This week's HotSite is awarded to a new non-profit called CitizenSpeak. The web-based advocacy group provides the tools for grassroots organizations to integrate an email campaign into their communication strategies. What makes this site so "hot" are two key items. The first item is the cost. CitizenSpeak is a free service. Free is good, especially with low-budget campaigns. The second item is what it promotes. The site allows anyone an opportunity to turn his or her soapbox issue into a larger platform agenda. CitizenSpeak is furthering e-democracy, which deserves recognition.

An email campaign through CitizenSpeak works by allowing an organization's members to email targeted decision-makers one-on-one messages with a single click. CitizenSpeak strengthens organizations' lobbying efforts by putting immediate pressure on decision-makers and by providing reports on participation. The website also enables organizations to invite supporters to make a donation, volunteer or become a member.

Co-founder Jo Lee indicated that the website was inspired by the appeal of the MoveOn email campaigns during the antiwar movement. However, CitizenSpeak has more of a local flavor for activism on the community level. If you are considering using email as part of your grassroots campaign, check out CitizenSpeak.

Political spin: Instead of "Moving On" CitizenSpeak moved local. PoliticsOnline asks, who will "Move Global?"