Has the remaking of conservative infrastructure begun?
posted at 11:05 am on December 5, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
Share on Facebook | regular view
After the last election, many conservatives understood that the movement had not progressed in its adoption of communication technology. Already, some in the movement have begun working on grass-roots solutions to resolve the wide gap. One project, Top Conservatives on Twitter, hopes to harness the power and reach of the social networking tool to organize its members more effectively:
This list was first placed on the web on November 28, 2008. In the short time since then, it has become a bit of a rallying point for conservatives on Twitter. I think all of us who are on the list can conceive of many additional ways to improve the list to strengthen and grow the conservative community on Twitter.
You must primarily tweet on conservative themes and cannot be merely a “campaign profile” “political office holder profile” or a “radio or television program or publication promotional profile” to be on this list. New participants are welcome. Just nominate someone you follow or yourself and show that you are primarily on Twitter as a conservative.
To put this list in context, you will note that the #100 most followed person on Twitter has 9,000 followers, so we have a lot of work to do !
How exactly will this work? TCOT plans a series of Action Projects to attract and empower conservatives, keeping them constantly informed through Twitter, and presumably other tools as well. One Action Project already begun intends to raise grass-roots efforts to challenge Democrats in every Congressional district in 2010:
“Operation Conservative Republican Majority 2010″
Description
One of the fundamental errors the Republican Party made in 2008, an error that it has been making for many election cycles, is that it failed to aggressively contest ALL 435 Congressional races. Indeed, of the more than 220 Democrat incumbent seats, Republicans took a hard run at less than two dozen. That left fully 200 uncontested Demoratic seats !
We are going to change that in 2010.
We are going to start now, identifying candidates who want to take on entrenched Democrats. We don’t care if you don’t have any money now. We don’t care if the polls say you can’t win. We know what no one else knows.
There are thousands of netizen-warriors and community servant leaders in every Congressional District today who are ready, willing, and able to help Conservatives Republicans win in that district. We all believe that the Constitution and a return to limited government is a higher calling we are willing to devote our time, effort, and energy to see happen.
We especially want young people, aged 23 to 35 to think about volunteering right now to work on this Action Project.
This Action Project will ultimately have related 435 Action Projects, 1 for each Congressional District.
Rob Neppell and Michael Leahy have partnered to launch this, and that’s good news for conservatives. Rob knows how to build Internet efforts, and has worked for years to build on-line communities, first at Truth Laid Bear and then professionally at Kithbridge. In fact, it’s going so well that Kithbridge needs an intern to help Rob keep these efforts in motion, so be sure to contact Kithbridge if you’re interested.
I’m interested in how these social networking tools can help organize the movement. Newt Gingrich has done some parallel work at American Solutions already, and this could be more of a bottom-up approach. I’ve spent the last couple of days updating my Facebook site and exploring Twitter to get a better idea of the power and potential. I’m still no expert, but I’m definitely intrigued.
Update: How could I have forgotten the #dontgo Movement? Be sure to check that out as well, with its 28,000 members.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages:
Ed, there are all kinds of ways to “get the word out”. Twitter is a great internet item…. if you have a cell phone that will let you get the Twitters.
upinak on December 5, 2008 at 11:11 AM
What’s Twitter? Does it have something to do with Chris Matthews’s leg?
Akzed on December 5, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Sounds like a blog for pervs
tomas on December 5, 2008 at 11:13 AM
this isn’t about worshiping palin, or keeping mexicans out of the country, so it’s a liberal ploy.
eh on December 5, 2008 at 11:13 AM
First you have to remold every college kid’s brain from its present leftist bent to a rightist bent. Good luck with that one.
keep the change on December 5, 2008 at 11:14 AM
This whole Twitter thing seems to me to be pathetically narcissistic.
“Look at meeee!!!”
pseudonominus on December 5, 2008 at 11:15 AM
If the Republicans had been able to twitter “Obama pals around with terrorists” to eachother, they would have won the election.
e-pirate on December 5, 2008 at 11:15 AM
mimeograph machines were good enough for reagan. this twitter stuff is a rino ploy. KILL IT!!!
eh on December 5, 2008 at 11:15 AM
As an independent, I can safely say that you are not coming back. It’s too bad. It’s just that you’re so pig-headed you never want to be told differently. If you’re going to demand a fair recount of ballots in Minnesota, how about actually verifying that the man elected to be POTUS is in fact Constitutionally eligible? How about saying, for fricking once, “I don’t know what to think about issue A, how should we approach this?” In any case, keep believing Palin is the next Reagan (who couldn’t even live up to his own mantra about balancing the budget).
Good grief. The door of history is closing on your (conservative’s) ass.
indythinker on December 5, 2008 at 11:17 AM
why screw with it? the point of conservatism is to turn people to the Lord, not conservatism.
eh on December 5, 2008 at 11:17 AM
I know of at least one conservative blogger that uses Twitter, E.M. Zanotti (a great blogger BTW) over at American Princess.
Luthien on December 5, 2008 at 11:17 AM
I think every republican in Office should have to spend atleast Half of there time in office either going door to door or having town meetings.
tomas on December 5, 2008 at 11:18 AM
hmmmm….
keep the change on December 5, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Twitter is really cool, especially when you have a bunch of people to “follow”. Pick an assortment of organizations, ie, Heritage, RNC, and individuals (ie, bloggers – Red State, Hot Air). You’ll get news and blog posts really fast, and from sources you never knew about before. Lots of people you “follow” reciprocate. When they sign up to follow you, you can go through their lists and pick out people to follow from those. That’s how the network expands.
Mac users can follow and post right from your desktop with this brilliant little application:
You don’t need a cell phone to use it.
RushBaby on December 5, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Went to a meeting about using “twitter”…my God, do I want to twitter with these people?
If I ever go again, I am putting a wig, and mustache on so no one can recognize me.
There were two kinds of people:
those that ate all the donuts, and those that ate all the broccoli…
Those that rode bikes, and those that took their Prius
Those with Birkenstocks…those with their cycle shoes
Those with tie dies…those with T-shirts with stupid sayings
Those that had computers…those with iPods or Blackberry’s
Those with Apples…and those with Apples
Those without a life…and those who wish they had a life
Single…and should be single
right2bright on December 5, 2008 at 11:28 AM
Why the need to adapt to new technology? Very simple: if you don’t adapt, you die.
Who uses mimeographs anymore? Really!
And here’s the real jest of all this. Why do you think so few Republicans used new technology this year? Not because they couldn’t trust it. But who was going to use it? Because, here’s the bottom line: what’s the average age of a Republican Party official or worker? Hint: probably close to that of the Freemasons nowadays.
If I were a marketing executive conducting a research on consumer patterns and the GOP, I would surely find the one sentence that will surely kill the party: “My grandfather was a Republican precint worker/official/delegate.” Which is too close to the one sentence that marketing experts uncovered for Avon a few years ago: “My grandmother sold Avon!”
newton on December 5, 2008 at 11:29 AM
Twitter is blocked at work. I have a crap cell phone but I don’t want to pay the 300 to upgrade right now.
**sighs** One day I will be twitterpated.
upinak on December 5, 2008 at 11:31 AM
I kind of thought the Supremes ranked higher than Twitter, but I could be wrong.
This is a bit incoherent. How do these two issues relate? I’m not a Palin groupie but she is definitely an asset to any grass roots movement.
This might have been stated a bit more gracefully but I’m inclined to agree if the present GOP leadership isn’t purged. Their refusal to back a moratorium on pork says it all. Time for them to fish or cut bait.
a capella on December 5, 2008 at 11:34 AM
Look, I’m one of the biggest technophiliacs reading this blog and I think this is one of the stupidest, lamest, most useless ideas possible.
The GOP didn’t get its a$$ handed to it in the last two elections because people weren’t twittering. They got killed because of message. Obama’s stupid, insipid, useless, 110% Barbara Streisand message resonated better with voters. Because Hope n’ Change sounds better than “vote for us or gays will marry!” Even though that issue enjoys majority support (although I disagree with it), it doesn’t win national elections. It’s the economy, stupid. The GOP had no economic message at all, whatsoever. It was completely obvious McCain didn’t have the first clue as to what was going on with the economic crisis. Obama didn’t either, but he had the brains to disappear while McCain put his idiocy front and center in the national spotlight.
Want to win elections? Small and limited government. I’m OK with throwing some red meat to the social cons (especially at the state and local level, where this stuff belongs), but please for crying out loud realize that economics and national security win the White House. This Twitter crap is a bunch of arguing about what color deck chairs we need on the next GOP Titanic.
ErikTheRed on December 5, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Weren’t some congressional leaders using twitter to update the offshore drilling debates after Pelosi turned out the lights and went on vacation?
pmanley on December 5, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Good news for us!
Newt’s American Solutions was a good start. The action project orientation has been largely missing from our internet.
I’m slow to warm up to Facebook and Twitter. But I’ll need now to take another look.
petefrt on December 5, 2008 at 11:40 AM
You’re on Facebook? Will you be my friend?
:)
I’ll have to check it out when I get home. Can’t get FB from work.
Bob's Kid on December 5, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Conservatives relyed on an out-dated Karl Rove machine that the liberal’s effectively mastered in the last two election cycles. keep the change on December 5, 2008 at 11:14 AM has a strong point that we need a long thought out process to “de-program” the lemmings in the educational system, or at least produce a stronger voice. While the youth vote still remained fairly low, their “echo-chamber” resonated enough throughout the internet to reach the mainstream media, (the other enemy that still shapes the agenda). Conservative views still do not reach the masses or move the electorate effectively and demonizing the left has also failed. Organizations like Twitter may only be a small part of the equation/solution.
Rovin on December 5, 2008 at 11:41 AM
I’m #42 on the TCOT list in case anyone wants to follow me. My thing is mostly morale: to provide comic relief and moral support to my fellow conservatives who need some cheer. =)
Lincoln on December 5, 2008 at 11:45 AM
I still miss the smell, though.
JellyToast on December 5, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Whoops forgot the direct link: http://twitter.com/linc4justice
Lincoln on December 5, 2008 at 11:45 AM
You have a very good point. But, nothing wrong with better organization and communication.
JellyToast on December 5, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Bring a new generation into the party, and the technology issue will take care of itself.
Otherwise, the elephant will be euthanized. Prepare for the funeral.
newton on December 5, 2008 at 11:50 AM
The Obamanation has the most followers on Twitter I’m sure it didn’t hurt him. Twitter has also been lopsidedly liberal, and since it draws a large audience of youngsters, it’s important we utilize the value it offers and bring some balance to it.
The advent of the Internet turned out to be one of the few ways conservatives were able to get their message out. Don’t let the communist liberals take over it like they did the mainstream media.
Lincoln on December 5, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Here’s another thing we all should keep in mind: it’s more than new blood, new technology and new organizational structures. Think of the three most important words in politics: Money, money, money!
Read all of it.
newton on December 5, 2008 at 11:59 AM
How the heck did it paste twice? I just wanted to copy and paste two paragraphs as an addendum to the quote? Dang!
newton on December 5, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Well, here’s the thing. Organizations hate and fear change (kind of the opposite of people). When something is brutally, terribly wrong they’ll find some cosmetic triviality to play around with and then roll out their New and Improved Vision. GOP 2.0! Now, with more Twitter! It’s tough to steer a big ship. It takes smart, skilled, and charismatic people to do it. You see stuff like this front and center when that sort of leadership isn’t around (and it’s not).
I can absolutely guarantee you that there is a significant block of people over at GOP headquarters in Washington that think this will put them over the top and are breathing a huge sigh of relief and patting each other on the back now that they’ve made the changes necessary for success. This sort of thing will make everyone here long for the “good old days of 2006 and 2008″ after the next election…
ErikTheRed on December 5, 2008 at 12:03 PM
With the GOP and Steele using freely available web tools to get their message out; they are unbeatable!
lorien1973 on December 5, 2008 at 12:08 PM
I checked out Twitter months ago and thought it was a waste of time.
Now Hugh Hewitt and our techie Republicans are pushing it? Huh?
How about we just have good sites like this one spread the logic of what works, and that’s conservatism. We can also raise more money and organize through the internet.
I really don’t get Twitter.
toliver on December 5, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Twitter 101
RushBaby on December 5, 2008 at 12:08 PM
And let’s see, what message was that? Open-borders, amnesty, bigger increase in government than Clinton, bailouts galore, not sure what to do in the War on Terror, close Gitmo, chase ManBearPig…? These were all McCain positions (at least at one point or another). The GOP will do nothing but lose, lose, lose until it has a viable message and viable messengers to carry it. Infrastructure is meaningless if it’s misused. You can build the prettiest, safest, most magnificent roads in the world but it doesn’t help you much if you have nothing to drive on them.
ErikTheRed on December 5, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Yep. Searching for the silver bullet so they can still be in the game.
a capella on December 5, 2008 at 12:12 PM
<blockquotechecked out Twitter months ago and thought it was a waste of time.
Now Hugh Hewitt and our techie Republicans are pushing it? Huh?
They’re chasing it because it allows them to look like they’re doing something while avoiding painful and meaningful change.
ErikTheRed on December 5, 2008 at 12:13 PM
I’ll have to check it out when I get home. Can’t get FB from work.
Bob’s Kid on December 5, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Yes, facebook is cool, and it is just like MySpace. Should be able to get it at work.
sheebe on December 5, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Three of the four cnadidates for the head of RNC are active on Twitter. The most active is Saul Anuszi followed by Katon Dawson and then Michael Steele.
A few congressmen most notably John Boehner use Twitter.
This service came to life during August when the House Republicans refused to leave congress and were demanding that Nancy Pelosi not adjourn and instead take up the energy bill. The only method the Republicans had to get out their message during this time was through the use of Twitter since Nancy cut off the lights and cameras and instructed the Capitol Hill police to not allow tourists in.
It is a great way to stay in touch and you control who you follow or who follows you.
I encourage everybody to check it out. If it isn’t for you fine but warning it can be addictive.
Besides who wouldn’t be happy about getting a Tweet from Pelosi
(Tweet is what a post on Twitter is called)
Just A Grunt on December 5, 2008 at 12:14 PM
“There is no silver bullet.” – Bjarne Stroustrup (the hardcore techies know who he is)
ErikTheRed on December 5, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Thank you!!! That’s just when I got involved.
I just went through the TCOT and followed a bunch of them. New followers are coming in now (you get notified by email whenever someone signs up to follow you).
RushBaby on December 5, 2008 at 12:20 PM
This is exactly what our movement needs. Those who don’t “get it” will eventually see the value. We have lost the tech battle and youth. Now we will fight to get them back via networks like Twitter.
Daft Punk on December 5, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Silly Ed. I don’t think you can link directly to your facebook page, though you can link people to add you as a friend
Greenhelmet on December 5, 2008 at 12:25 PM
3 very smart young conservatives on how to close the technology gap
RushBaby on December 5, 2008 at 12:27 PM
I couldn’t get the point of it either for months on end, until I started interacting with other Twitter members. Depending on who you follow, Twitter could quickly serve as a virtual wire service. You can get breaking news before it even shows up on AP (read this article as an example.)
In addition it’s also very good for keeping track and participating in communiques revolving around a major event (like firefighters and volunteers coordinating efforts to fight the California fires)
It does offer value, it’s just a matter of knowing how to use it.
Lincoln on December 5, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Twitter and FaceBook are part of the technological infrastructure we need to utilize? Yeah, right. The bulk of the “information” passed around on these sites is meaningless dribble, and if anything they are more part of the problem than a solution. Want good information? Try reading a book instead of the tripe some high schooler is texting from his cell phone. I though FaceBook was the most annoying thing I ever saw until I tried Twitter.
I’m not against technology. I’ve been in the IT field for over twenty-five years, but to suggest these services as a solution? Why don’t we just post lolcats for the completely illiterate?
dinobalz on December 5, 2008 at 12:34 PM
Can we get a midget to grasp the broom of reform and sweep the GOP clean?
He ain’t lyin’!
LimeyGeek on December 5, 2008 at 12:36 PM
…The liberal definition of “diversity.” That’s got to be what Hell is like. With friends like these, who needs pitchforks?
Seriously though, I think conservatives must be outnumbered a hundred to one on these Internet “anti-social networks.” I think you’d end up with practically nothing but Trolls and Mobys.
Every community has a Chamber of Commerce, and you shouldn’t have to look too far for a Federalist Society chapter. When you meet people in person, you can at least tell whether they are bathed and at least potentially employable. That eliminates 90% of the moonbats, and the rest will make themselves known after about three seconds of conversation.
Trolls don’t exist in the real world — where you’re not allowed to Google, spellcheck, and edit out all the “like”s and “dude”s before you say a word.
logis on December 5, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Ok you young’ns, isn’t Twitter just an open com-link? A giant chat room? I’ll tell you what I’d do with the damn thing, turn it off. I don’t need something beeping every twenty seconds telling me someone wants my attention.
God bless rotary phones.
Limerick on December 5, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Public officials, government agencies, and The White House are now on Twitter. You can find a comprehensive list of government officials by going to
http://twitter.pbwiki.com/USGovernment
RushBaby on December 5, 2008 at 12:56 PM
The liberal indoctrination starts well before college, though. As a former high school teacher, I can tell you that education is an uncomfortable field for conservatives. You’re very often the only one. And if you’re not, you and the other conservative teacher most likely carefully keep your political views to yourselves — either out of fear of retribution from your colleagues or out of a sense of professionalism. I kept my political views to myself primarily for the latter reason. I always thought it was unprofessional to pick political fights in the teachers’ lounge, or worse, impose my political views on the students. But conservative teachers are much more likely to present kids with both sides of the story and let them decide for themselves than liberal teachers are. Liberal teachers are generally not shy at all about spouting their political views in class. So we’re at a disadvantage numbers-wise, plus we’re generally more conscientious about when and where to talk politics. It means the kids get a very skewed perspective from their teachers 8+ hours per day. Plus they’re young and stupid, so voila! Young liberals are molded by the millions.
And yes, they’re on Twitter. The young liberals are vicious when they sense any conservative movement gaining traction, like the pro-drilling #dontgo movement a few months ago. They did everything in their power to ruin that. They know it can be powerful, and they don’t want conservatives playing in their sandbox.
aero on December 5, 2008 at 1:02 PM
Read last night on Drudge that social networking systems are a prime target for hackers looking for personal information. He had an article about a virus on Facebook called Koobface that has been causing a lot of trouble. I would have thought that Facebook would have had better security. This sort of thing acts as a deterrent for me, don’t know about y’all.
jeanie on December 5, 2008 at 1:03 PM
Sadly, I think it would win us back a significant portion of the youth vote if we did that. I’m totally not kidding.
aero on December 5, 2008 at 1:05 PM
So long as the Left keeps a lock on public education, we’re all in the proverbial handbasket, rolling quickly into a very real hell.
Vouchers now. No more waiting.
philwynk on December 5, 2008 at 1:06 PM
I can’t say I’ve been impressed with Twitter: it seems the most superficial of all social networking sites.
But, if it works….
irishspy on December 5, 2008 at 1:09 PM
At first I thought Twitter was interesting. Now, I think it is obnoxious and a waste of time.
Blake on December 5, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Twitter and other social networking tools are just that — TOOLS. If your impression is that 95% of users are using the tools for superficial, inane pratter, that’s fine. But recognize that it’s the current dominant users are are superficial, not the tools themselves. Don’t write off what can be a free, effective way to rebuild confidence and interest in the conservative “brand.” Twitter can be incredibly useful and powerful; I’ve seen it used substantively for good causes several times.
Plus, remember that the voters who decide elections are the uninformed, superficial types you so deride. WE didn’t decide the election — the highly informed, plugged-in partisan types are always solidly on one side or the other. Obama won because Facebookers and Twitterers thought he was cool. Obama lovers were incredibly active and effective on Facebook. We can’t and shouldn’t cede that battlefield because we see ourselves as intellectually above it.
aero on December 5, 2008 at 1:21 PM
In this county in the recent election, two-thirds of the elected offices were uncontested Democrats, and in this state, too many state positions were uncontested.
Twitter? I’m in a lather. I passed twittering a long long time ago. Uncontested? Says a lot about the ossified GOP organization in this state.
Get back to the basics…nail down the Principles…curry, select, promote, raise up candidates who have shown by their actions they understand the basics, the Principles, and are more than willing to walk the talk.
Then…get the message out, daily, several times a day, long long before the election cycle starts to ratchet up…base all of it on simple basic Principles. Cull our ranks of those who claim to be GOP or Conservative and act like they are direct from the salons of the Dem fiefdom. Broke no stupid antics, either, among GOP candidates. Have a GOP candidate running in your district who can’t keep his fly closed? End his candidacy immediately. Put in a replacement who actually walks the talk. Same with those who live on earmarks and spend too much time with lobbyists instead of their constituents.
Then, we can scrap the mimeographs, adapt to more pervasive technologies, and start winning at the local and state level and along the way claw our way back to the national level.
Technology without Principles, and candidates who are clearly on target, on message, is nothing but cheap entertainment, and lousy entertainment at that.
coldwarrior on December 5, 2008 at 1:22 PM
There are good eCampaign people at the RNC, but I’m pretty sure they don’t see Twitter as a magic bullet. I bet they’re watching to see how it turns out. The Twitter phenomenon is powerful because it’s organized from the grassroots.
The Twitter effort is about building a communications infrastructure needed to compete with the Left. Without such an infrastructure good messages (which are sorely needed) won’t be communicated. When it comes to communications vs. message it’s not either/or it’s both.
seanhackbarth on December 5, 2008 at 1:24 PM
http://www.modernconservative.com
(specifically, anystreet.org)
Mommypundit on December 5, 2008 at 1:31 PM
I am on Twitter. I want conservatives to succeed. But please, other than the convenience/facility of text messages, I don’t see how this is a breakthrough. Specifically, how many tweets can one sanely, practically follow in a day? If suddenly dozens or hundreds of people are announcing stuff and/or attempting to communicate with you, nothing will get noticed. Please tell me why I am mistaken.
ParisParamus on December 5, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Well, yes. But it’s how a whole lot of people under 30 communicate with each other, and receive information on what’s going in the world. Traditional media just doesn’t cut it anymore.
meltenn on December 5, 2008 at 1:40 PM
If anyone feels the need to follow me on Twitter, here I is.
It's Vintage, Duh on December 5, 2008 at 1:51 PM
For me the biggest advantage to Twitter is not so much the ability it has to communicate a message quickly, which is powerful, but rather it makes people aware that the so called Silent Majority ain’t going to stay silent anymore and somebody better pay attention.
Conservatives by their very nature are not the type to show up on the street with fancy signs and slogans and giant puppets while wearing ghastly pink costumes like the liberals do. Tools like Twitter allow interaction but it will remain to be seen if it can be turned into something to influence policy or politicians.
I don’t get tweets on my cell phone, no need for that. I left it just as web program.
Just A Grunt on December 5, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Hah – “indythinker” thinks being alone is a sign of independence. He/She/It needs to look up obnoxious and shunned :)
rhodeymark on December 5, 2008 at 2:03 PM
Republican party:
Yes, if we just wire up those Deck Chairs on the Titanic, it will solve EVERYTHING!
Want to really get this whole Conservative thing back on track?
We are now the outcasts… we are NOT the Establishment, the Dems are… we need to promote ourselves as REBELS… in the same vein as Washington, and Jefferson, and my fav, Benjamin Franklin.
Next generation is all about Freedom… we just need to equate that with Liberty… because they are NOT HAPPY with the PC status quo.
Slow down the Social Con agenda for awhile… bring back limited government, and the next generation will be conservative.
Romeo13 on December 5, 2008 at 2:06 PM
Ron Paul? Just a guess.
btw, I am definitely with you on the lack of attention to Obama’s Constitutional eligibility.
If this were to be broken (I don’t know if he’s eligible or not, but why don’t we KNOW?), then we are officially no longer a nation of laws. It was debatable before, but no longer if this happens.
There’s a Pulitzer waiting for someone…Bueller? Anyone?
btw, for the first time in my adult lifetime: I looked at a check that I received from a client yesterday and thought of ways to not tell the government about my income.
To see our future and get a reality check: read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I liked it so much I’m ordering up a hardback copy from my kiddies for X’mas. I want to be able to make notes.
Who is John Galt?
Let’s roll.
ex-Democrat on December 5, 2008 at 2:08 PM
Ed, you guys need to set up a Hot Air fan page on Facebook
IU_Conservative on December 5, 2008 at 3:46 PM
For those concerned about Republicans attracting younger folks I encourage you to go out this site The New Republicans which has been started by a law student at the mostly hated Univ of GA.
He is on Twitter also and creating quite a buzz
I say mostly hated because I am a GA Tech fan.
Just A Grunt on December 5, 2008 at 3:52 PM
You can use all the fancy online tools like Twitter you want. But until you have the current crop of ‘installed’ representation walking the talk, all the talking in the world won’t help.
Till you have a clear path and track record in regards to your message, worrying about delivery is a waste of time.
Dr. Dog on December 5, 2008 at 4:50 PM
why must I agree with this? to twitter or not to twitter is a dizzying conundrum. Who is the idiot that thinks all roads to victory flow through twitter and text messages instead of through the fundamentals?
Are we really supposed to believe that conservatives aren’t using the internet and technology to get their message out? I refuse to believe that a loss equates total incompetence and lack of connection with current trends.
however, I do agree that old idiots should move aside and let the younger generation take the reigns.
anti-boomer on December 5, 2008 at 11:45 PM
The Dems didn’t win due to social networking. It did not substantially increase voter turnout among young people. Twitter is really a small group of people trying to be relevant using 140 characters or less. They impress themselves with their own importance very easily because they can interact with some “name” political folks. They are talking to each other in a vacuum, most voters don’t even know it exists and could care less. Reaching the voter base, informing them of the issues and getting out the vote will require hard work at the precinct level, glib one liners won’t rebuild the party.
Done That on December 6, 2008 at 8:54 AM
Agreed. It won’t matter what tool we use to get out the conservative message if the guy at the top of the ticket is one who’s made his name over the last 10 years figuratively pissing on conservatives and conservative ideas, then tries to tell us on the right that it’s just rain. Our problem started in NH, when people from the surrounding, leftmost-leaning states were allowed to come in and basically hand-pick a stooge who could be defeated in the fall with minimal effort – because he’d simply keep the Republican base at home. And if you look at the tabs on exit polling and post-election polls, that’s exactly what happened. 2008 was just 2006 writ large, with the actual conservatives staying home thinking we were unwanted. It is, of course, our own fault in that we had a handful of almost-conservatives to pull for in the primaries, and those guys split the conservative vote so finely between themselves that it was a virtual lock for Rhinocrat Mac to take the nom, but that simply points to the fact that we need to become more involved at an earlier stage of the game – from local politics on up. The thing that Done That said at 8:54AM is the only way we can fix this – pure grassroots effort and the hard work that demands. That’s the kind of thing that I thought we conservatives are supposed to be all about – or did we lose something since the days of Reagan and Goldwater?
Blacksmith on December 6, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Comment pages: