Over a year ago the Obama administration launched We The People, a new way to create, view, and sign petitions that go directly to the Obama Administration. You can view the official video about how it works by clicking here. You should definitely look around the We the People site and get more information and see the petitions that are currently open (and sign some if you agree with them!!). The Obama administration has promised to be more accessible and transparent than any other presidency. What do you think about this method of communicating with the President? Do you think this is a positive step? How effective do you think these petitions will be? Finally, if you are interested, would you create a petition and what would it be about?
As always, feel free to comment on any of these prompts or respond generally to the We the People site. The key is to have a conversation with your classmates so respond to one another.
First off, I had no idea that the We The People site existed which I find interesting because I would guess that many of the petitions started are created by college students/young adults.
ReplyDeleteI think this method of communication with President Obama is a positive thing. I'm not sure all of the petitions created are worthy of the President's time but the fact that there is an outlet for citizens to discuss issues that matter to them with the President is a great way to gain supporters and trust. Having said that, just because you put together a petition and possibly attain signatures does not mean your cause will go through and changes will be made. Different issues are important to different people and we must work on the issues that cause harm to the greatest number of people.
President Obama has created a transparent relationship with those of a younger demographic. Being available on social media and addressing them through the We The People site shows that he is not old fashioned and he is connected to his supporters.
I agree, I've never heard of this site before but I know a lot of college students that would love to have a say and this is the perfect outlet
DeleteI agree, in part. I concur with your notion that the petition website offers people a great way of voicing their concerns to the administration. They've proven that they look at the petitions by responding to most, if not all of the petitions that have garnered over 25,000 signatures. However, these petitions have not led to any large movements or legislation as far as I am aware. It does help people get involved, and that can be nothing but good.
DeleteI disagree with you on the transparency aspect of the discussion at hand. He said he was going to have the most transparent presidency of all time, and I do not believe he has fulfilled that goal. Much of the critical information that the public and media has found out has been through gaffes (same sex marriage/immigration plans/sequester) or leaks (drone program/kill list). He has been just as secretive as Bush Jr. in my opinion, especially in regards to foreign policy and his ideas on monetary policy. I suppose he can't be blamed too harshly for the latter as the Fed is largely independent, but I digress.
In fact, Obama held a recent fireside chat and answered a related question below.
Obama's recent Google Hangout Chat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gU09bWifFo#t=35m07s
I should add something. If I did create a petition it would ask for the immediate withdrawal of our armed forces in Afghanistan.
DeleteI totally agree with Maggie like other people did. I did not know anything about the existence of this website and I think it is positive that people have a say, at least it seems like. You can talk about any concern you have and you also get a feedback about what other people are concerned of.
DeleteNevertheless, I am always a bit careful with websites like that, because they get your personal email address where they can always email you no matter what the purpose is. Unfortunately, many people sell this email address to other companies which happened to me in the past. I am also curious if the concerns are really going to be read by President Obama or if they do not change anything.
All in all it is always a good idea to hear people's opinion, because they are the basis of a nation. But, it is not always said that these websites are going to change something.
I knew about this website and even have an account, i have not been very active in signing petitions although.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a very positive method of communicating with the president, i think it is great that they are trying to give more voice and power to the people. Saying that i do also agree with Maggie, just because people sign a petition does not necessarily mean that any change will occur. I do appreciate the fact that he is trying to give citizen more power though.
If i were to create a petition it would probably be about giving more funding and help to elementary schools in low-income areas.
I would probably sign your petition i think low-income areas do need more funding but i would ask how you plan on getting it? and why just elementary and not high schools?
DeleteI also knew about this site a while back when a petition was started for states like Louisiana and Texas to secede from the union. I thought it was a joke website more than an actual functional piece of democracy but looking through i feel proven wrong and people are actually getting their voices heard.
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ReplyDeleteLike Maggie, I was not aware that the We the People site existed but I think it is a positive step that the Obama administration has taken. The site creates another means for people to get involved in politics and have their voices heard. Part of what I like about the Obama administration is that they strive to be inclusive of everyone through various forms and this is a great way to reach out to young voters and activists. Although this site makes the administration more accessible I don’t think it makes it more transparent just because we don’t know how they will go about in responding to these petitions.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I agree with Maggie that perhaps not all petitions are worthy of the President’s time but I think they have addressed that problem by creating the 25,000 signature threshold. However, I do not like that once the petition gets enough signatures it will be sent to the “appropriate policy experts.” That statement is ambiguous and does not give us a good idea of what the process is like or if it will even reach the right people. Nonetheless, the site changed my view of the Obama administration for the better because it makes it seem like they are willing to listen to the people.
At last, if I were to create a petition it would be similar to what Stephanie mentioned on providing more funding for schools in low-income neighborhoods as well as creating a reasonable, immigrant-friendly path to citizenship for undocumented individuals in the country.
-Erik Martinez
The We the People website is a great idea and a way for citizens to make their opinions and ideas heard. After looking through some of the petitions that have recently been created, it is obvious that many of them will not make it through to the President. While this site is a great idea, a petition needs a lot of signatures to call for an official response; it must reach 100,000 signatures within 30 days. As I looked through the site, there were only a few that had hit that mark. If petitions don't end up getting 100,000 signatures, which it seems many won't, then I don't see this site as effective as it could be. I am curious to see if more petitions end up getting that many signatures, which really depends on how many people actually know about the We the People website.
ReplyDeleteThe We the People website is a great website for citizens to get involved and to know what is going on. It has to user, in a way, communicate with the president with the videos and petitions posted on the webpage. Like Jordan said, even tho these petitions are on the site, most of them wont make it through to the president. It's hard to get a petition signed if not many people know of this website, like me. I find this website to be a positive step to find information or sign petitions but I think it needs to be more advertised. Not many people know about this website, including me, so how could the petitions do anything if not enough people are signing them?
ReplyDeleteI think We the People is a great way for Obama (and his administration) to get the public opinion on a lot of things. It's a form of direct communication- you only need a certain amount of signatures before getting an official response. All someone needs to do to directly (and potentially quickly) get White House attention on an issue, all they would need to do is rally enough people.
ReplyDeleteEffectiveness of this tool, however, is limited. Not many people know about the website, and some people may abuse it. For example, the link below was a petition on We the People that someone started for the construction of a Death Star (yes, the Star Wars Death Star) in 2016.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/secure-resources-and-funding-and-begin-construction-death-star-2016/wlfKzFkN
I don't currently know if there's been a proven effect of the petitions yet, since they include a wide array of ideas and ultimately mixed responses. This, however, doesn't mean that We the People can't be effective in the future.
We the People is a great source to have and to actually put to use. However, this is the first time I've ever heard and even explored the website. The internet has become the vital source of communicating information and so the Obama Administration is getting the most out of it. But, there isn't a valid point in having such website where people can voice their concerns and opinions if the people don't know of it's existence.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, We the people has specific guidelines to follow so that petitions can be read by the admistration. And as I skimmed down the list, there is a large array of petitions that don't have the sufficient amount of signatures required to even be considered. And so what happens to those, are their concerns discarded as non-important because of the lack of signatures/support/attention?
Although, the website gives the impression that it's simple for citizens to start a petition, the thing that mainly concerns me is that regular private citizens may not have sufficient man power to fully launch a petition. This leads me to think that may be the website isn't so useful and in order to get a petition heard a person should join a political and or social organization that has a substantial amount of influence and that can attract a larger audience. To sum it up, a petition is not as simple as a click away.
I definitely think that this We The People site is a very creative, direct hands on approach to connect with the President of the United States. Like Maggie said, having this petition website part of our social media makes it that much more likely for the younger demographic to stumble upon, peak their interest and get involved. As seen in previous elections and statistics, Obama has done a better job on connecting with the younger generation and minorities. Seeing as how the younger generation will be the future, it’s definitely something that future politicians need to watch out for and possibly take a few notes from our current leader. Because this website is available on the White House webpage, it shows anyone who comes across this site, especially the younger minds, that this is a sure fire way to speak their minds directly to the President. It gives them the hope that if there is a specific position or idea that someone feels strongly enough, it may be heard by “big man”.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think this is a positive way of motivating others to be more connected with the government, I too agree with Jordan and think that many of these petitions will most likely never be seen or heard. Even though I think that this is a step in the right direction, I don’t believe this is very realistic in the long run because of the amount of signatures you need for the petition to move forward in a small amount of days. There are so many issues, different viewpoints and opinions, which will be very hard for 100,000 people to agree on one topic or argument. Like the debates and the topics passed through the House of Reps, someone is always going to have a bone to pick with something.
I've definitely heard of the We The People site, and I've seen links to petitions on several occasions via social media sties (usually tumblr). I think it can be a very powerful tool to spread awareness about an issue, even if it doesn't reach the 100,000 signatures in 30 days.
DeleteIn that regard, I think that requiring 100,000 signatures is actually a great idea. While it may be a challenge to spread the word and drum up enough support for your petition, there has to be a way of filtering through the petitions and prioritizing those that are most popular and urgent (i.e., gain the required signatures in the relatively short time frame). If every one of those petitions that reached a smaller number of petitions had to be sent through members of the Obama administration, that could really overload the bureaucracy.
Our government is already accused of 'not getting anything done', and asking that Obama and his staff review petitions that don't have a certain amount of public support could well be time-wasting.
If Jordan (who I think brought this topic up initially) sees this, or anyone else who wants to respond: if you think that 100,000 signatures in 30 days is too difficult to attain, what would your suggestion be to help filter less popular/important issues submitted via We The People?
The We the People website is a great website, however, I have never heard of it before. Like most of my classmates, they did not know about it as well. I think that if this website was more broadcasted, more people would use it. It is extremely user friendly and easy to navigate. There are a variety of petitions, and you are able to set up your own. This makes me feel like the government wants my opinion to be shared and heard. This is a great action on the behalf of President Obama and his party.
ReplyDeleteHowever, like Erik, I felt unsure when they said that they would send our signatures to the “appropriate policy experts.” Who are they? The website is optimistic in the hopes that our opinions and concerns can be addressed, but what happens once the petitions are signed and sent in?
If I was to create a petition, I would like to address gun control. I feel with all the media surrounding gun control problems and concerns, it would attract others to potentially sign my petition. I am unsure what I would write, but I feel like gun control would be a topic of interests.
-Caroline Yeager
My comment has more to do with the complete lack of substance on this medium. It upsets me that a comment for "Recounting the Election" could get 70,136 signatures. This just shows the utter lack of intelligence, class, and dignity of Americans. It is a complete joke. If that many people signed this erroneous excuse for a petition, I have to call into question the validity of the site. People are not serious about it, for if they were there would be meaningful contributions rather than hateful garbage. I understand if you disagree with political policies, I do not have any patience for public disavowal of the PRESIDENT's administration. Writing ignorant nonsense like this moves discussion backward, making us look like a bunch of kindergardener's fighting over which crayon is better. These findings were frustrating to me.
ReplyDeleteSites like this one are products of the modern age. A website that I believe does a much better job delineating pertinent issues is www.change.org. Organizer Ben Rattray had a vision of the online medium as a meaningful connector of different populations. He saw it as a way to bring up issues never before seen, and have them gain support by a diverse group of people. I suppose that the White House's site has been infiltrated by the political bigots, who merely want to whine about losing an election, they had no part in. The simple fact that our President set this website up has sullied its progress, as a reflection of the relentless hatred and resentment damaging our political system.
After first reading over all of the current petitions I agreed with you. I found it frustrating that there were six posts in a row calling for the president to recognize that “anti-racist means anti-white.” There were a lot of inflammatory posts that did not hold any practicality. There were also petitions that called for the president to interfere with situations he has no control over. One petition called for the government to “force” Korea and Japan into a treaty. Many times petitions cast aside actual reasoning into what can and cannot plausibly be done. After reading through all of the petitions I got the sense that the only people who publish on this site are from the far left and the far right. The lack of logical support behind many of the petitions I felt took away from the legitimacy of the website and what President Obama is trying to achieve.
DeleteThere were however, several well thought out and highly supported petitions. WE must keep in mind what this site is actually doing. This point of this website is to allow President Obama to hear the American people directly and see what is upsetting the people. A petition on this site in not necessarily going to lead to a bill or any actual change, there is no promise or guarantee of that. It only says that with enough votes it will be given to the president and the people will receive a response. This site allows President Obama to hear what is important to the people and gives him a chance to respond, and possibly if it is large enough, respond with legislation and legal change. After the election there was a petition calling for the annexation of Texas. Was Texas ever going to leave? Probably not, but Obama was given the knowledge that many people in a concentrated area were very upset and it allows him to adjust his politics to the people. He can either try to get back in their good graces or just work for support somewhere else. The less knowledgeable petitions on this site should not diminish from those that could actually make a change.
To hold a transparent office as president is a very good thing in the eyes of the country. It shows that the president is honest and open with his or her people, which is great for public opinion and public approval, and generally contributes to the popularity and legacy of the president. It is true, the Obama administration promised to have the most transparent administration in the US to date. However, I question that transparency with the Benghazi scandal that took place late last year, which in my opinion was very significant.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the "We The People" petitions that the Obama administration launched, I find it to be a creative way to communicate with the president and it shows an accurate sign of the times as we are in the age of technology. It is a kind gesture that Obama has presented to the people to show that he is indeed open, which contributes to his popularity. However, I'm not so sure how effective this method is because it is relatively unknown, and hard to gain the necessary amount of signatures needed for validation. And once you even receive the appropriate amount of signatures, some things just won't happen. For example, the Texas Succession petition, since Obama's reelection, has successfully gained 80,000 signatures, and only 25,000 are needed in order to receive an official response from the White House, which I don't believe has responded (I could be wrong). Will Texas really succeed from the Union and become an independent country? I highly doubt it.
If I were to create a petition, I would first and foremost create one having to do with solving the deficit in a balanced and responsible way, in order to prevent an economic crisis in the near future.
I agree with Thomas here about the We The People website as a tool for transparency. It feels more like a "gesture" than a real attempt at transparency. I don't think Obama's administration has been particularly more transparent than other recent presidents, but the way he frames his administration create an image of transparency.
DeleteIt's like a magic trick: one hand shows the audience what the magician wants them to see while the other one pulls off the illusion. Obama shows off his "fireside chats' and social media sites while we carefully observe, but inevitably things are going to happen behind the scenes that we can't or aren't supposed to see, for whatever reasons.
I think this is one of the most affective ways to enhance communication between the citizens’ needs and the Obama administration. It is clear to see this is encouraging more president-citizen communication. I think the administration does a well job when showing Americans that their opinion does matter. For example, the way the petition for the president’s limo to have plates that said “No taxation without representation” during the inauguration got enough signatures for an official response.
ReplyDeleteEven though I believe this is a great website to voice your opinions, I agree with Caroline, I had never heard of this website before and I feel that is a lot of Americans. Maybe this is done on purpose because if everyone knew about this site, everyone would be trying to make and sign petitions for everything. I think the intended audience is someone who keeps up with politics on a daily basis. Also, I agree with Eric, who is the “appropriate experts” and who decides this?
When I started watching the video, I thought this was a really cool and up to date way to share a petition. If I were to make a petition it would be for funding low- income after school programs. Many of the times, these low income programs get cut from the budget because they are “not meeting requirements” but how does the government expect programs like these to fulfill the needs if they are limited in resources. These kids need support and love to, and cutting or reducing the budgets shouldn’t be an option.
I think that Obama has done an outstanding job becoming more accessible to the American people. The internet is hands down the easiest and most efficient way to accomplish this and this website is a very effective way to let the people have there own "little piece" of the President, so to speak. Another example of something Obama has done is when he was still running for re-election he tweeted that he would be answering questions on the new and popular website Reddit. He took 30 minutes out of his day and answered 10 questions from people all over the country. This was a way to have people have an issue addressed by the President that was pressing and personal for those people. The post had 1,333 comments in approx. 15 minutes. This, along with his Twitter account where they tweeted pictures of him doing everyday things like napping or eating, was a powerful way to make the President feel like he was just an average man like the rest of us and was able to accommodate the normal population.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of this website before this class and although I think it is a fantastic idea in theory, however it really does not work if few people know about the site. If the majority of the population knew what the site was and it was a regularly viewed page by the population, it would be very effective and many more petitions would be able to make it to the oval office desk. I also feel that 100,000 signatures is too many to get, especially if this site continues to lack serious popularity that number seems ludicrous.
If I were to make a petition it would be to support animal shelters that house dogs and increase the living conditions for the dogs being housed there.
I too did not know a site like this exsited. I think this is a great idea and very creative, it give's american's a sense of hope thinking/knowing that the president is looking at these petitions. The site is also easy to get to becuase its on the white house website, I think that's a plus. The fact that the Obama administration created a site for petitions is great, because a lot of the younger generation is very opinionated this is an opportunity for us to let our voice be heard.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with pretty much everyone on the blog, some of these petitions are not worthy of even reading. I dont know maybe it's just me, but I really don't know if Obama is even reading these petitions. He might have people reading them for him. The fact that there's a website where people can make petitions about things they wish could be voiced is enough for them to think the President is reading these. Again, who knows if he is or isn't. But like Justin said, maybe if there was more media attention to this site, some petitions would get more than 300 votes and draw attention to the president. If I were to create a petition it would probably be along the lines of meter prices going up.
I think that this is an extension of the various other ways that Obama has attempted to be more accessible, especially to young people by using social media as Maggie pointed out. I think this can be a somewhat powerful tool because I think it can raise political efficacy with younger voters who often think their voice doesn't matter, because they know that if enough people think like them, there's a chance the President can see their ideas. I see this as a positive step for the current administration because they're trying to reach out to the thoughts of the American public to try to gain perspective, which I don't recall being the case in any other Presidency. I will say there are negative aspects of sites like this, especially when people have outlandish petition ideas like Ben pointed out, but I think the good vastly outweighs the bad in terms of reaching out to Americans. All in all, I think the petitions will have some effect down the road, but not a huge impact because massive number of petitions that are on the site already. I personally don't know what I would make a petition on, just because I think that the issues that I really care about are being addressed right now in immigration and gun control.
ReplyDeleteI think that this website is a great idea. As a young student, I know that many of us want to have a say but are unsure of how to past voting. This website is a great way to get to know what issues are being addressed right now as well as get your ideas out there.
ReplyDeleteI also like how the site searches petitions that are similar to the one that you propose. That way you can sign other peoples' petitions and make sure that there aren't a dozen similar petitions with only a few signatures each.
The government needs to be more open to hearing the peoples' ideas (after all the government is created BY the people, FOR the people) and this website is a great way for individuals to have a chance to have their voices heard and get an actual response from the government.
I think this is a great idea. President Obama has always been about opening up to the younger crowd. He has always utilized social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. He hired Kal Penn during his reelection bid last November in order to connect more with the younger portion of the country. So making something like this digital is the right move in order to attract what is his biggest fan base is the right idea for his administration. As Jen said above, the government is, "created BY the people, FOR the people," and because of this, the government needs to make an effort to reach out to the citizens and give them an avenue to voice their opinions on government and changes that bodies of peoples in this country will want to carry out. By creating a simple and modern website for people to form, sign, and submit petitions, the Obama administration has opened a voice to the people and connected with the younger generation that dominates their followers.
ReplyDeleteI think this is such a great site. People can atleast attempt to get their voice through to the president, and he is making it easier through this site. Obviously not many will get to him, but it is worth a shot. People feel like its hard to get their voice heard in our government, but using this site if you feel strongly about something, and you know others do as well you can try to get you voice in their attract. I feel like this will make more Obama supporters and if the democratic party as a whole keeps being so reachable and friendly then I feel like younger generations will switch parties or be more loyal to the democratic party. the younger generation like to feel like they have a say, and this is just a great way to get their voice. in.
ReplyDeleteAccording to most on this blog, the website is appealing. It tends to give one that sentiment of being heard and having an opinion. The fact that one can get a response from an official is pretty cool. Some people have argued that it is not genuinely transparent but it is a start though. Whether your opinion is in favor, or not in favor of Obama you can still feel like you have a say.
ReplyDeleteThe only way you know its a start is because people propose only general things and because of this officials can respond in the same way. They can respond with a feel good answer adequate enough to satisfy the citizen. On the other hand, if you're anti-Obama then any answer will always be unsatisfactory. All in all nobody has seen this or heard of this before which makes it new and intriguing. I still don't believe it is a true form of "Freedom of Speech" but it is something accessible.
From treating horses right to protecting an open internet, these petitions are all people have in mind. Hopefully it can help Obama to cluster the ones that have some common ground issue so that he may address it. It is true though that feasibly the President would never be able to help everybody out.
I also had never heard of this site, but I do think that it is rather amazing. Thinking about how petitions, without the internet or social media, would mean going door to door and only having the word out about your cause in your local area makes this site make so much more sense! While I agree with Bisera above me that I'm sure that some of the petitions are nonsense, the site should be able to weed out some of the more nonsensical ones, although I suppose that could potentially difficult considering freedom of speech, etc.
ReplyDeleteAs far as relating to Obama's presidency, I think that it does make the law making process a little more transparent and gives the people a chance to have their ideas directly viewed by the federal government, which could potentially create change that we all want to see happen. And I think that going beyond just that, while perhaps a person who starts a petition on We the People might not see it come to fruition in the precise way they envisioned, the idea still may spark interest and it could come to be a bill in a different way but still addressing the original issue.
If I were to create a petition, it would be one of two things: 1. Loan forgiveness for college students! Whats going on with loans is crazy and they are putting kids who have worked hard to get to a place our society tells them they must get to in order to be successful and then putting us in complete debt hindering this success indefinitely! 2. Though I know this is a complicated and nuanced topic, I think it would be great to get something in motion about correcting the socioeconomic classes in our country and getting underprivileged areas back on track with the social justice they deserve.
I agree that implementing the We the People online is a more effective modern way to do petitions. Also,I believe that by doing petions this way can even reach a wide range of indivduals all around the United States with similar views and beliefs which creates a sense of unity of opinions depending on the topic.
DeleteI am learnig that I need to be more aware of the things that are being implemented into the Obama presidency because I had no idea that We the People existed until now. I believe this is a positive step in the Obama presidency. By creating this form for the people to communicate their views of changes that should happen in America shows how Obama is considering the thoughts and opinions of citizens of America. This communication form represents how Obama stands as President but wants to incorporate the ideas of the people in his presidency. I like this idea of We the People because it shows how the even more how President Obama is leading his Presidency for the overall well being for America.
ReplyDeleteThe petitions might be effective depending on the issue that the petition is focusing on. I believe if issues are more prominent and focused in America society in the present I believe they might be answered more effectively than other. However, I believe that all petitions will be reviewed and analyzed if they have enough signatures which show that Americans views and thoughts are considered.
I think that later on in my career I would create a petition on a prominent issue in education. However, I want to consider getting all the necessary information before I create a petition so I can fully carry it out if it is considered by the government.
I already heard about We the People, before this blog, but I didn’t know it was this big. I think it is a very good idea. It is a good way for the people to be heard. The government made the system very reliable by setting a minimum amount of signatures a petition needs. I think these petitions are very successful, since the signature threshold is very high. When a petition reaches an amount of 25,000 signatures, it is fair that the president takes a look at it. Especially in this internet era, an initiative like this was necessary. This is a perfect way of expressing your opinion.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same position as Jan. I heard of it through my sisters, but I did not really pay much attention to it. I also believe it is a great way for people to be heard. When there is a certain number of signatures, the President has the choice to see what is being petitioned. Expressing opinions through this act is great because it shows how the people can influence the government.
ReplyDelete