On one hand it's old politics - digging up the dirt on your opponent. But it is also part of something new - and much bigger than just politics. Throughout the western world new systems have risen up whose job is to constantly record and monitor the present - and then compare that to the recorded past. The aim is to discover patterns, coincidences and correlations, and from that find ways of stopping change. Keeping things the same.
This is a false conclusion. The goal isn't to stop change. The goal is to embarrass a political opponent. Or intimidate them. Or make them worry enough that they'll be very careful not to say much (i.e. chilling effect). In extreme cases, such a weapon may render a political impotent, or end their career (or prevent their re-election, anyway).
So it really is just political crap, somewhat TMZ style. But to say the purpose is to maintain the status quo just doesn't follow.
On the other hand, it may be a "sunlight" or transparency sort of thing ... if a politician knows the public can / will see everything they say or do, this could lead to positive results. It's all in who does what with the information that gets recorded & archived.
This is a false conclusion. The goal isn't to stop change. The goal is to embarrass a political opponent. Or intimidate them. Or make them worry enough that they'll be very careful not to say much (i.e. chilling effect). In extreme cases, such a weapon may render a political impotent, or end their career (or prevent their re-election, anyway).
So it really is just political crap, somewhat TMZ style. But to say the purpose is to maintain the status quo just doesn't follow.
On the other hand, it may be a "sunlight" or transparency sort of thing ... if a politician knows the public can / will see everything they say or do, this could lead to positive results. It's all in who does what with the information that gets recorded & archived.