Over the last few weeks, we have seen another jump in the conservative, social media universe. And we seen it shunted to ground. I have also seen numerous elected officials, and candidates for elected office begin following me on Twitter. Unlike some folks, when someone follows me, I make every effort to respond in kind and send a personal note to them thanking them for their interest in what I have to say. I am not always successful but I try.
There are a couple of things that really irritate me. One of them are “autoresponders” on Twitter. The whole basis and idea of Twitter, and in fact SOCIAL MEDIA is to interact. With your network. Grow or maintain your network by creating conversation. Autoresponders completely defeat that purpose and in fact, in my opinion, weaken and dilute the “social media”.
The other thing that irritates me is when I do respond to someone, either by @ reply or DM on Twitter. It goes completely unanswered.
When that happens, I usually go to that person’s Twitter Feed and start reading their updates. And if you read carefully, you are able to discern a pattern. It doesn’t take long to identify those that are actively conversing with folks and those that are simply broadcasting over Twitter and have no desire to initiate a conversation. It’s those I usually block from my Twitter updates.
I have blocked TWO Republican elected officials for just this. They are broadcasting and not interacting. I am getting ready to block a third one soon if I don’t see a remarkable change in behavior.
Back in August, when the #DontGo Movement first got legs I wrote the article below. It is still just as applicable, if not more so due to the results of November 4th.
If you are involved in Social Media, then be involved in social media. If you are just flitting about hoping to gain a vote or a client. You are doing more harm than good. There are some of us who actually believe in being social on social media. The rest need to clear the bandwidth.
I was reading the various blogs I frequent this morning and ran across this article by DCH on Bearing Drift, from August 8th. As I was reading, it was obvious it was a report from the floor of the Peoples House and a visit by the author there.
There have been several reports of this type throughout the blogosphere over the last couple of weeks. And I am glad to see them!!!
Someone, and I’m sorry I don’t remember whom, sent me a Twitter message the other day saying that the Republican Revival has drawn people in to politics, at least watching and discussing, those that in the past have shown no interest whatsoever.
I believe the same can be said for our Representatives. At least the ones on the floor during the recess. Those who have been content to ride along in the past are now energized and taking an active role in the leadership of this country.
DCH opined this:
The members I heard were obviously having fun with the audience. The lights were still off. The microphones were still off. There were no cameras. But, one after another, members of Congress were literally preaching to the crowd and, even after a long day, they were clearly enjoying the opportunity to take their message directly to the people. -=SOURCE=-
And there is the heart of the movement. “…they were clearly enjoying the opportunity to take their message directly to the people.”
This is the part of the process that I think had been lost. And its a two way street. In the past, the Representatives had positioned themselves in Washington, D. C. and largely forgot how they got there. In the process, the people didn’t feel they had a personal representative in Congress and therefore just sat back and let them do what they wanted, based on communication with the elite.
That all changed on August 1st, 2008. When Representative John Culberson started using a Web 2.0 social networking and micro blogging site to communicate from the floor of the House.
Everyday people were directly connected to Congress. Congress was directly connected with everyday people. There was no more elitism. And this charged and energized the members as they were getting positive feedback directly from their constituents. And the constituents were charged and energized as they were getting direct personal communication from their Representatives.
The principles of the #dontgo Movement did not start the movement. They simply gave it a name and a public facing front. Eric Odom, Allen Fuller and others have simply channeled the energy into a display that allows people, everyday people and Congress-people, to see what is happening in one spot.
This is truly a grassroots movement that feeds off the energy of communication. That communication is the key.
I would hope that if the members of Congress have learned nothing else from this incredible revival, that they have learned that frequent, concise, non-political communication with their constituents is one of the greatest tools available.
And equally, I would hope, that the people they represent have learned, that communicating with their members of Congress is critical to the process of leading this country.
Originally posted here: #dontgo Movement » Blog Archive » The heart of the matter& Communication and Accessibility
