Although the Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns benefit some from online access, it's a drop in the bucket compared to their multimillion dollar advertising budgets. But for smaller parties and advocacy organizations, the Net can be a life saver. The Rainforest Action Network is particularly innovative in its use of the Net. Consider the group's fax campaigns, which can be terribly effective. For example, RAN is sponsoring a boycott of Mitsubishi products because, it alleges, the company's logging operations are destroying rainforests in North and South America.
Users can either fax a form letter or their own and have it delivered immediately via the Internet.
It has compiled an impressive list of links to more than 1,100 Web sites espousing a variety of social causes including civil rights, labor, social justice, human rights, and family issues. Granted, I'm a sucker for liberal causes. But lefties aren't the only ones to use the Web. Nor should they be. People who watched the convention on TV heard very little about the Grand Old Party's platform.