The heart of the matter… Communication and Accessibility
Posted on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008
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 People’s 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 it’s 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.
Good post, Scott. The #dontgo movement is about restoring accountability.
Absolutely superb! This message hits home on everything we see happening here. Good stuff.
[...] Everyday people were directly connected to Congress. Congress was directly connected with everyday people. There was no more elitism. [...]
What I learned is that the representatives are not unapproachable. Once you make that first call instead of an email or a letter, and even if you don’t get the representative themselves, the members of all the staffs, yes even Nancy Pelosi’s, have been professional, and the enthusiasm seems to have been contagious.
The number of representatives who have made themselves available to smaller venues, such as the Blog Talk Radio shows, talking to the regular people has been very uplifting.
So whether it is mingling with the people who come to Capitol Hill or granting interviews in smaller venues there has been a real reconnection between the people and their representatives, at least the Republican ones. I am still trying to run down my vacationing Democrat rep but he is going to be at a health fair this weekend, that he is sponsoring, so maybe finally I will get a little face time with him.
I encourage everyone to call your representative, regardless of party or how strongly you feel on this issue just to let them know you are concerned about issues.
You just might be pleasantly surprised.
[...] Originally posted here: #dontgo Movement » Blog Archive » The heart of the matter& Communication and Accessibility [...]