Fans of civic engagement should be delighted by the continuing constructive dialogues about Deval Patrick's new website. Since I posted last week, there's been a number of fixes to the site. Kate Donaghue, a Democratic party activist I know, made a post on the forum (and on Blue Mass Group) chastising anybody who was criticizing the website: "when opponents choose to focus only on the challenges, they are siding against the people and our opportunity to let our voices be heard."

I voted for Patrick at the state convention, in the primary, and in the general election. And I'll defend the people who didn't vote for him. But I'd can't say that it's very productive to accuse them of siding "against the people" and democracy. (I've asked Kate for a clarification).

Let's take ideology out of the equestion by comparing Patrick's web experience with that of another progressive in state politics: Jarrett Barrios, a State Senator who represents parts of Cambridge, Allston, Somerville, Revere, Chelsea, and Saugus.

In a state where politicans have historically came from the molds of Brahmins and Irish-Americans, Patrick and Barrios have been fresh faces. Both are non-white-males of modest means who came from outside Massachusetts, coming here by way of a Harvard scholarship. Both worked in development overseas; both became lawyers; both became electoral "firsts" in Massachusetts (first black Governor; first Latino and openly gay State Senator) through their charismatic personalities and grassroots campaigns.

The one key difference has been their political paths: Barrios was first elected at age 30, and has now been a legislator for eight years. Patrick has been governor for three months, and was beset by a series of mini-scandals as he adjusted to his new role. On March 8th, the Globe reported that he was even starting to lose faith among his fervent strong supporters in the liberal blogosphere. The story then explained: "Later this month, Patrick will relaunch his political committee and an accompanying website and plans a fund-raiser." One gets the sense that the website's launch may have been timed to change the topic.

And there's nothing wrong with an politician doing that. It's just that sometimes the topic's not the one you want to change it to. (Just ask the President of the United States.)

So let's compare their websites:

Readers of Civilities know me not to be a blog triumphalist– to conclude that simply because a person uses a blog it's going to solve their problems. Constructive media proscribes building the right technology tool for the job. And blogs often fall short in scaling effectively.

To that point, Senator Barrios had the right idea: start small. A politician starting a blog these days barely registers these days. Technorati reports 9 links back to the Barrios blog (6 are spam or duplicates).

More important: Barrios is directly addressing the issues of the day: gang violence, the havocs of the sub-prime lending market are front and center in the Boston Globe. Barrios also provides the text of bills he has filed, or will file.

By contrast, Governor Patrick has four statements on his policy page. They are not dated; there is no explanation of where or if they are in the legislative process. Furthermore they exist in their own universe, apart from the press releases of the governor's office, which addresses many more current issues. But what about the issue of the $11million funding for the Shannon anti-gang program? That just happens to be missing not only from Patrick's policies, but from the 391 issues posted on the popular list. (are most of the posters to he website suburbanites who aren't really touched by gang violence? Would be nice to know that).

As for the people's issues, they should be tied to concrete bills (and spending cut proposals) as well. And furthermore people should be able to vote yes or no. That would be the best way to harness the "power of the people."

Ultimately, we need new technology: we really need to do know where each of our elected officials stand on the issues that are at any stage of the legislative process: Whipster.

*Update, April 2, 2007 — What the leading issues of the day according to Globe are of course subjective. And it's true that the Globe (and Barrios) have a constituency that is more Boston-focused that the state as a whole. And it may well be that the media is more sensationalist and spotlights personal tragedy. But at least the convention of a periodical or a personal blog is that the headlines change week-by-week. DevalPatrick.com has the potential risk of just growing too stale if the leading issues don't change.

On March 31st, a "J.G. of Boston" (not me, the post was signed "Juris Grauds") posted to DevalPatrick.com an issue asking the Governor to support the Shannon Community Safety Initiative. Sixteen people have joined it, which does give it second place in the crime category. But it has one-tenth the "votes" of the first-place issue, No more gun control in Massachusetts (which appears to argue that no addititional gun control laws are needed).