Vote People Not Parties
Filed under: News, Red Alert Dossier, local politics
Iowa provides very fertile political soil. During my 33 years in California, I never experienced such a closeness to the people, political process, the politicians, and the parties. I’ve met Senator Chuck Grassley enough (at technology events no less) that he remembers me now. This closeness and awareness to the political process means that it’s a bit easier to take a quick political pulse.
Overwhelmingly, I get the message that people are going to start voting for people…not parties.
There are many in the Republican Party (National/State) that are amazing conservative leaders so don’t mistake the People’s feelings as all-inclusive indictment. However, I do see that even R’s viewed as conservative have problems (as they should) because they too are guilty of aggregious acts of political debauchery including voting for various Bush items that were far from conservative, pork project awards, etc. Few current R’s are immune to their histories.
Representatives like Kent Sorenson (R-IA District 74) are asked quite often by citizens, “Why are you a member of the Republican Party when you’re clearly an Independent?” Please contact Kent for his answer as my summary won’t do justice. I hear this over and over again throughout the state. “I vote for people not parties” is the rally cry of a huge percentage of voters on both sides of the isle now. This is the way it should be right? However this doesn’t sit well with the Republican party for obvious reasons (donations, influence, power of majority, etc.)
A third party (or 4th or 5th) has not really been an option for sometime now…but as our citizenry increasingly votes for people not parties, I do believe the landscape is about change…for the better.
To Early to Tell Who’s Winning the Twitter War?
Filed under: News, Red Alert Dossier, Social Media, twitter
The oh so unbiased news outlet *snicker*, Newsweek, posted an article a while ago about the Twitter war between the left and the right. While interesting, the article was flawed and missing some key conclusions. I’ve always based my opinion of Twitter accounts on the quantity of Tweets, quality of Tweets, quantity of Followers and quality of Followers. I think this is very good data in determining who is truly effective at Tweeting. Newsweek claims it’s too early to say so let’s take a look at the facts they used to decide to be indecisive.
“TweetCongress.org, a directory of members of Congress on Twitter, lists 101 Republicans on the site and just 57 Democrats.”
There are nearly twice as many from the GOP tweeting than from the left. They meet the first quantity test as a group. They are more active on Twitter, simple as that.
“The five highest-ranking Republicans on Tweet Congress, led by McCain, have a combined 1.3 million followers. The top 10 Democrats, have about 72,000.”
Here we are again, the top 5 of the GOP is beating the top 10 of the dems by 99.9%. If that’s not dominance in quantity I don’t know what would be.
“Tweet Congress shows that members from both parties are largely using the site to promote their legislative goals and accomplishments. But conservatives tweet more provocatively, and they draw more notice as a result.”
GOP tweeters are more active and from my own personal experience they actually engage the audience. They create discussion amongst their following. Best of all, they make the news in an environment where the drive-by media ignores the truth on a regular basis. Newsweek reports this active tweeting is out of desperation or a survival tactic because they’re in the minority. While I’m not so naive as to think that there aren’t any GOP politicians tweeting merely for personal gain, this is not out of desperation, rather, out of duty to their constituents and American to communicate. When PBO gets an obscene number of followers it’s change & hope and hope & change; when it’s Sarah Palin it’s a fluke or a plan contrived from hell along side Satan and the other “GOP demons.”
Hands down, conservatives own Twitter. Don’t try and take this one from us Newsweek or we’ll all block you for your pages of inane conjecture. I’m not saying there aren’t any from the left that are using Twitter very effectively. I give props out to those that are. But don’t waste my time with an article that doesn’t even make sense.
Newsweek said, “Twitter strategies on both sides of the aisle are radically different, and the way liberals have been using the service may turn out to be more effective in the long run.”
Just like the looming national health care plan…full of talk but no clear answers, Newsweek’s “journalist”, Aku Ammah-Tagoe, doesn’t extrapolate on a few key things most amateur journalists would have after such a presumptive statement.
- How are the strategies radically different?
- What are the strategies of both parties?
- Why will the alleged strategy of the Dems prove more effective?”
- Who are the ones employing any particular strategy?
- When did these strategies first get employed?
Pretty basic questions he DIDN’T EVEN ASK AFTER STATING THEY ARE RADICALLY DIFFERENT AND THE LIBERAL METHOD USED MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVE! You failed to ask and answer EVEN ONE!!! Seriously, Aku, leave online branding to the marketers, and journalism to the journalists. I know that leaves you out of the picture, but, oh well. The only radical difference in strategies I see is that one is succeeding and the other, collectively, is a complete and utter failure.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=91c20256-0328-4016-bd4b-de6ea63c84bc)
Red Alert Hour Interview with Tom Blaskovich – Conservative Local Leader
Filed under: News, Red Alert Hour Webcast, local politics
I spent an hour with Tom Blaskovich, a Des Moines native who was a catalyst for my move to Iowa four years ago. We talk local issues, politics, and discuss what will happen when conservatives take back both Houses and the Governor’s office. Will THEY be the responsible party when they have the power?
Interview with Iowa State Republican Representative Renee Schulte from ABI Convention
Representative Linda Upmeyer Confirms for Operation Red State Launch Event on April 15
The momentum just keeps on rolling folks. With pride we’d like to announce another attendee, Representative Linda Upmeyer from Iowa District 12. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on. If you’re a conservative leader, member of Congress, or are considering a run at public office, you can’t be without Operation Red State.
See you at the event Representative Upmeyer and we can’t wait to meet you.
-
Social Media
