Two years ago, the Personal Democracy Forum attracted about 600 political bloggers and their ilk to an assembly room in the basement of the City University of New York. Under bad lighting and in somewhat breathless tones, they talked about harnessing technology to launch a revolution in government.

This year, PDF drew nearly twice the crowd and was expanded from one day to two. Not only that, but the conference moved up-town to the decidedly swankier Rose Hall.