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For Internet aficionado and Vermont resident "NationalJ," logging onto Governor Howard Dean's Web site is a form of electronic therapy.\n"Honestly, lately when it gets to be too much, I get on this blog and am lifted to know that here's a big community of people from all over the place that are trying every day now to change all that jazz," he writes, a reference to the circus that typifies American politics. "The blog is my therapy."\nNot a typical statement to find on a political candidate's Web site, yet "NationalJ" felt compelled to post it among similarly themed declarations on Dean's "Blog for America" page. Due in part to his adroit use of the Internet, Dean has catapulted from an arcane candidate to a top Democratic contender for the party's presidential nomination. More importantly, his ascendancy signals that the once inchoate might of the Internet might finally be unleashed.\nPolitics and the Internet are no strangers. From candidates' static brochure-like Web sites of the '90s to the prescient use of the Internet by Jesse Ventura and Senator John McCain in mobilization and fundraising, the buzz surrounding the potential strength of the Internet in electoral politics has been growing. For Meetup.com spokesman William Finkel, however, the Internet's time has finally come.\n"The Internet (in politics) is arriving this year," Finkel says.\nThe increasing role of the Internet in electoral politics raises questions about the possible inauguration of a more democratic phase in American politics. According to Dr. Christine Barbour, IU political science professor, the Internet is altering how people go about enacting change.\n"It is creating real communities of people who share interests and causes and work together to achieve them. Those are big democratizing changes," Barbour says. \nSome are hailing the Internet for allowing the people to enter an arena once dominated by party insiders. The MoveOn.org online presidential primary held in June 2003 is a prime example. MoveOn.org is a progressive political action committee formed in 1998 to oppose the impeachment of former President Clinton. \nAccording to Zack Exley, organizing director of MoveOn.org, the primary was enacted to allow ordinary citizens outside of Iowa and New Hampshire to weigh in on the nomination selection without writing a hefty check. More than 317,639 MoveOn.org members participated. Dean received the most support, with 139,360 votes. Roughly $1.75 million was raised for all candidates in the process. \nExley sees the primary as bringing a new dimension into the primary, making people factor in the grassroots organization and e-mail list size of candidates.\nYet within the parties' establishments, reactions have been mixed.\nIn 2000 Senator John McCain lost his bid for the Republican nomination. The centrist Democratic Leadership Council forewarns that the nomination of a progressive candidate will lead to an embarrassing Democratic defeat in 2004. Exley counters that this fear of a false insurgency is unfounded. \n"The Internet changes the equation," he reasons. "There is going to be a grassroots that can be tapped, that can be mobilized ... to elect a nominee even if he (Dean) isn't the nominee." \nBeyond challenging the status quo, the advent of Meetup.com has encouraged face-to-face communication to discuss candidates. Personal interaction rebukes a consistent criticism of the Internet that there is no real contact between users. \nTo this end, Barbour raises a red flag. \n"On the other hand, to the extent that people are closeted away, hammering on keyboards they are not interacting in person and real community may be diminished," she says.\nThe online hub attracts guests interested in a certain topic and facilitates a scheduled "meetup" with other like-minded users at a local venue. All nine Democratic candidates and President Bush now host meetups once a month. Dean leads the pack, with "Dean in 2004" meetups attracting a total of 34,681 fans across the nation. \nPolitical analysts see these meetups as wielding formidable influence. Participants not only discuss the campaign strategy, but have also donated funds to the campaign. \nMeetup.com spokesperson William Finkel is not surprised by the success. After Sept. 11 Finkel believes that the civic feeling was reawakened.\n"We filled the loop ... we took the last step," he asserts. \nRegarding politics, meetups have touched a nerve. \n"It seems like in recent times, politics has been about money," Finkel says. "Meetups fill the need to talk about a candidate. Do you want to debate with your neighbor next to you on why you believe in XYZ?" \nIn spite of the talk du juor of Democrats and the Internet, according to some sources, the Republicans have been dubbed more effective energy harnessers. Chad Colby of the Republican National Committee points out that the Republicans already use the Internet as a "great grassroots tool." \nAngel Rivera, IU College Republicans president, agrees, citing the Team Leader program. Inspired by the Bush/Cheney Team Leader program, the GOP Team Leader program was started two years ago. A Team Leader simply builds his or her own team of activists through e-mail, who each in turn builds his or her own teams. The cycle perpetuates itself, eventually creating a dense network. The Team Leader program now boasts over 327,000 participants.\n"The list eclipses all the people on blogs and Meetups of the Democratic candidates combined," adds Colby.\nYet the Internet and democracy are not quite synonymous. The existence of a digital divide leaves many Americans out of a possible transformation. The 2000 Current Population reports that 42 percent of households have at least one member using the Internet. Among households earning $75,000 or more, the percentage jumps to 79 percent. Compared to this figure, only 19 percent of households with incomes of $25,000 or less have at least one member using the Internet. Ethnically, 61 percent of white adults live in households with home Internet access, compared to 21 percent of black adults and 18 percent of Hispanic adults. \nMandy Carmichael, IU College Democrats president, sees the divide diminishing. \n"A lot of people don't have a computer available at home but they can go to computers," Carmichael says.\nLikewise, she sees the role of the Internet in campaigns bringing in younger voters who are familiar with the Internet, but perennially uninvolved. \nBarbour questions whether the existence of a divide discredits anything.\n"It may highlight the tendency of people lower on the socioeconomic scale not to be involved, but they are already not involved. Nothing is perfect, including democracy," she says. "Still, we take additional participation where we can get it, and hope that the new voices are reasonably informed and interested in the public good."\nAs with all major changes, only time will tell if this one is for good.