Archive for February, 2009
Ohio “Fixer”
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009Jennifer Brunner, Ohio Secretary of State, Who Helped Barack Obama Announces Senate Run
RBO
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009The Real Barack Obama
“When a man becomes the nation, we have Stalin.”
Best Right-Leaning Politicians On Twitter
Tuesday, February 17th, 2009The thing that struck me coming up with this list is that it’s woefully short. Here’s my list, though:
@JimDeMint–Senator DeMint knows engagement. He mixes helpful links with the personal. He’s doing a good job.
@KarlRove–This man is a machine. He has embraced the Twitter technology. He joined Twitter a couple weeks ago, but got into the spirit of things. He follows back. He engages. He takes pictures to show you what he’s doing. He’s getting it. My only regret is that he didn’t get it sooner.
@MichaelSteele–Well, he’s on Twitter and sees the importance, he’s just not saying much. Seems like he’s got a new page, so maybe he’ll get up and running here soon.
@SaulAnuzis–The Michigan Republican Chairman gets technology. He is personable, engaging and shares information. He joins the conversation. It will be good to have him at the RNC.
@JohnCulberson–He is The Bomb on Twitter. He is also a Congressman from Houston. Engaging, informative, and chatty, he gets the technology. His personality shines through his Twitter account.
@TomCoburn–The Medical Doctor from Oklahoma unfollowed me on Twitter last week, but that won’t stop me from including him on this list. Unlike the other guys here, he is choosy about who he follows. I think that’s a strategic error on his part. Twitter is meant to be include big circles of influence. As a U.S. Senator, he has a big circle.
@MichaelWilliams –Michael Williams is the Texas Railroad Commissioner and he is a star, baby. He also gets it when it comes to new media. He’s on Twitter. Share’s information both personal and political. I hope he gets elected to the U.S. Senate–our side needs him. He’s fantastic.
From readers and/or followers Updated:
@mymanmitch (Governor of Indiana)
@governorperry (Texas)
It’s heartening that there are some Right-leaning politicians that are getting this. It’s time. Social media is free, open, and the politician controls his message. He can reach thousands of people every single day. He can connect to his constituents. He can build relationships with those who want to support him in his mission.
For more on Technology and the GOP: Join this Ning Group:
Idealawg
Monday, February 16th, 2009Your Act Your Social Status
And people can tell. [Been meaning to share this for a week.]
I Have Absolute Moral Authority And I Say The Government Should Pull Out Of The Stimulus Bill
Monday, February 16th, 2009I distinctly remember being lectured by Maureen Dowd about Ma Sheehan having “absolute moral authority” to suggest that the troops should pull out of Iraq because her son was killed on the field of duty. Well. By that logic, I have absolute moral authority to say that the government should pull out of the stimulus bill. Now!
I even have some slogans: Democrats Lied! Transparency Died! And/Or Obama Lied! Economy Died! Take your pick. Catchy, no?
Here’s why I have Absolute Moral Authority:
1. I’m a business owner. I pay taxes, a lot of them. People who don’t pay taxes should have no say. I mean, if you don’t have money that’s being taken away for redistribution, who are you to say what should be done with the money?
2. I’m a doctor. Over half the bill is medically related and most of it is worse than useless, it’s harmful. And I know what the provisions will do.
3. I’m a home owner. I actually pay my mortgage. I didn’t overbuy when the bank approved too much. I didn’t take some fancy schmancy financing. The Center for “Responsible” Lending didn’t help me.
Far too many people have opinions about this bill and they don’t own a business, don’t pay taxes, aren’t a doctor and don’t own a home. What right do they have to say anything? They don’t.
In the future, I’m going to start a Code Red group where I make signs, scream like a banshee because I’m not getting my way and if I get really drunk and in a mean mood, take off my clothes in protest. I will gather to myself equally offended men and women, mug for cameras and make this whole financial debacle all about me, because really, it IS all about me.
This is MY pain people. Living under this onerous government where Congressmen who’ve never done a damn thing to contribute to the economy besides give kick-backs and inflated government contracts feel free to take what’s mine and give it to who knows what special interest group. They are killing my livelihood. I’m subjected to and betrayed by amoral, unprincipled Republican Senators who just don’t give a damn about their constituents, their party or their country.
My children will pay for this mess and it’s not right and it’s not fair. Worse, it will be a living death. Because every day of their lives they’ll be working not for themselves but for the Slave Master that has become the U.S. government.
From now on, it’s wild, bulging-eyed, frothing-at-the-mouth Melissa. (I was going to say no make-up, messed up hair Melissa but that wouldn’t be much of a change.) I’ll weep dramatically for the cameras and lament the cruel hardness of our President. He won’t meet me. I asked!
The U.S. should pull out of the Stimulus Bill. It’s not too late. My name is Melissa Clouthier and my moral authority is absolute.
[This was a parody.]
P.S. You really can protest this mess here.
The Pressured Dating Game
Monday, February 16th, 2009My blog friend Robert Stacy McCain sent me a link to his latest article, where he admonishes a young man for his blown chance at a suitably smart hottie. He probably thinks I am never going to link his piece, but that’s not true. I’ve been pondering it, instead.
Robert’s article coincides with a dear friend’s search for a good man. I recounted how, at the end of her date on Friday, the guy leaned in to give her a good-night face lick. I am not kidding. And as if that insult wasn’t enough, the man requested that she bite his neck and scratch his back. He was divorced (huh, I wonder why), professional and good looking. What in the hell?
Perhaps with the advent of technology or the decline in formal social protocols or the increase and ubiquity of porn or the elevation of the pop culture, people have just lost the ability to know what to do on a date. Note to men: face licking is a no-no. In fact, I feel safe in saying that if you take face licking out of your whole wooing repetoire, no one is going to complain.
One of the problems with online dating is the false familiarity it can provide. A person can share intimate details, have good conversations in that format, but there’s no accounting for in-person chemistry. And then, once in person, there is a tendency to be over-familiar. The physical part of the relationship can be too much too soon. Just because one person on IM feels the vibe doesn’t mean the other person does.
I know of successful dating outcomes from online dating. In fact, I’m thinking of two happily married couples right now. So, the method works for lots of people and works well. There are advantages, too, to learning how a person’s mind works before seeing the body.
When a person meets face to face, the mind connection can get lost in the body chemistry data. The problem these days is that people don’t give themselves enough time in person to get to know the mind. More than a few relationships fail because the chemistry brought a couple together but that’s all that’s there.
So it seems like there’s a dichotomy. Guys like Robert mentions have trouble “closing the deal”, but why is there pressure? He meets her. He likes her. She likes him. They can continue the conversation…that’s all dating really is. In this rushed world, time pressure, business, activities of life interfere with relationship building. Ironically, the pressure to move a relationship into the physical realm often short-circuits the inherent pleasure of getting to know someone and connecting with them. Online dating can help or hurt this process. So can in-person dating.
Dating has always been challenging, but it seems that in the deluge of busy-ness and information, relationships often stay in the superficial realm. Relationships are treated as snacks to nibble on and a good full meal rarely gets experienced. That’s how you can end up with so many unmarried young women and so many men who have trouble “closing the deal”. There’s too much pressure–time, cultural, sexual–all the way around.
RNC Changes Direction With New Technology Approach–UPDATE
Monday, February 16th, 2009After getting our behinds handed to us throughout the last few election cycles, it’s evident that the Republican Party has many opportunities to grow and improve. For me, watching the Obama campaign win over and over in the technology arena was especially frustrating. The tools to influence and encourage, teach and reach out, raise money and awareness were there and our side simply couldn’t effectively utilize them.
Some things worked better than others. The McCain camp seemed very effective at getting a video response to some of the more egregious misinformation coming out of the Obama camp. Still, that is just one small part of technology as it applies to winning elections.
In addition, the message of the Republican party just didn’t resonate, either. So not only were the methods underutilized, the message just wasn’t cohesive, proactive and rooted in core principles. For a long time, some Republicans have felt increasing alienation from the party.
Well, the party leadership is changing under Chairman Michael Steele. Many of us are cautiously optimistic. Already, though, Chairman Steele demonstrates an understanding of these two issues–the message and the methods–being key to winning and he’s doing something about it.
On Friday, he held a Tech Summit in DC. Over the weekend groups were formed to put together the best ideas to help move the party in the right direction. Your help is needed. Your ideas will be considered and shared. You are welcome to comment here if you’d like to leave anonymous ideas. I will pass them along to the people who will be making the decisions.
If you would like to become more a part of the discussion, please consider joining these groups:
If you’re a member of Facebook, you can participate in The GOP TechSummit Facebook Group
Part of the problem, of course, is that only 11% of the people on the internet read blogs, only a couple million are on Twitter, millions more are on Facebook and MySpace. Technology isn’t just online, though. Nearly everyone has a cell phone and can receive a text.
How do we get the newbies–grandma and grandpa, mom and dad, who have the time and inclination but not the education–involved? They can be part of the technological revolution, too, but will need help.
Those outside the blog-social media world need their voices heard, too. I encourage you to email your friends and family this blog post and get their ideas and forward them.
Winning elections means winning in the world of ideas, first. But the best idea, insufficiently shared will die alone. Technology is, at its essence, a means to share information. We Republicans need to do it better. This is a start.
UPDATED: Hi guys, I know there’s a sense of being burned and wondering if things will really change. It’s a valid concern and only time will tell. Still, now is the time to put in your opinion. More thoughts by Aaron Marks at NextGen GOP.
College Republicans getting in on the action, too. We need young people!
More at the Save Jersey blog.
Fight, flee, or read. Do something.
The Washington Post is talking about the Republican Tech Summit:
By 12:30 p.m., close to 400 viewers were tuning in online. Newt Gingrich stopped by uninvited; he said he read about the get-together in blogs. Upon arrival at the Capitol Hill Club, fliers were handed out directing guests to do the following: “Share ideas at GOPTechSummit.Ning.com”; “Join us on Twitter @ Twitter.com/RNC”; “Watch us @ YouTube.com/RNC”; “Text ‘JOIN’ to 46708 for Mobile Updates”; “Meet 58,000+ fellow Republicans on our Facebook page”; and “Email eCampaign@gop.com for more.”
In other words, no new media tool was left unturned. Clearly, Steele, Anuzis and Krohn et al. had taken notes as Obama leveraged new technologies to victory last November.
“Campaign Obama recognized that there was a new generation of opportunity out there and they weren’t going to sleep at the switch, and they were going to find creative and innovative ways to reach every person they could touch. And I want to do that. But not only do I want to touch them, I want to invite them to dinner, and I want to have something on that plate for them that they’re not going to get indigestion from but want to gobble up and have more of,” Steele told the crowd in a seven-minute speech, which was posted on YouTube.
“When we get to 2010, I want my campaigns here,” Steele continued as he held up his BlackBerry. “I want whatever we’re doing to be within my thumb’s reach. I want to not only use the phone to call home, but I want to use it to download, upload, share, text, do whatever it needs to touch voters, to identify those voters and have something to say to those voters.”
You can help. Your ideas matter.
Righteous Rantings
Monday, February 16th, 2009Guns In Churches
I’m all for them everywhere. Seriously. Where shouldn’t they be?
