Would You Participate In a Direct Blog With Congress?

[leveymg]

Since we won the majority of both houses on November 7th, a whole new range of possibilities have opened to the progressive on-line community for monitoring and influencing Congress. We're all familiar with prominent Democrats and candidates posting on political blogs, and they have generally been well-received, even if the communication has been a bit one-sided.

Let's take that concept a step forward, and discuss the possibilities for on-line two-way communications between DU and Congressional Committees and staff. If the committees were to allow it, the technology allows for direct-blogging, and the real-time exchange of questions and answers between us, the on-line activist community, and them, Congressional Members and staff. I think that's a win-win.

What do you think?

Let the rest of us know by taking the poll and commenting, below.

What do you think of that idea? Would you participate in such forums, and how do you think it should work?

***

In the last few weeks, there's been a lot of discussion here about the Congressional oversight process. Many of us eagerly await the fireworks when the Republican Rubber Stamp Congress is finally replaced by a Subpoena-Weilding Democratic Congress. Many of us hope that the result will be Watergate Hearings for our own time, compete with several Sam Irvins chairing multiple, simultaneous investigative committees. Bring on the klieg lights and cameras.

Capitol Hill could get to be a very busy place, and keeping this thing on the rails will be difficult. Don't expect the mass media to get the story straight. Even on-line coverage -- unless Congress helps us monitor its hearings -- could prove to be a confused, if not chaotic, affair. That's where some prior planning, communication and cooperation could be most effective in preventing disappointment.

There's probably nothing more dangerous for a politician than failing to meet the heightened expectations of base supporters and Party actvists. Doubly so with the netroots, who have proven themselves to be force which no one, thus far, has figured out how to fully utilize. They probably never will.

In any event, here's a proposal to try to understand what happens when the Us Meets Them:

How Congress Can Help DU to Reach Them: A Pilot Project to Study Direct Blogging From Congressional Hearings

Here's a proposal to study closer coordination between the committees and netroots that I've recently submitted to key Committee staff.

]Re: On-line Strategic Communications Proposal

To: Chief Counsel and Staff Director

Communications Director

Dear Messrs. ____and ____ :

This is to follow-up on my cover letter of November 17th, and to expand on the proposal for services outlined.

The proposal involves the design, implementation of a pilot-program and follow-on assessment of a web-based communications program for the Majority Office of the ______ Committee. The program is to study and report on the impact of web-based communications between Committee Members and staff with the on-line activist community.

Specifically, this calls for the creation of one or more temporary full-time positions under the Majority Communications Director and working closely with the Chief Counsel and staff to carry out the duties in support of the following mission statement.

Mission Statement:

To study and enhance the level of two-way communication and cooperation between the Committee Majority Office and bloggers, on-line journalists and activists participating on high-impact websites.

Key opinion-leaders within the on-line community will be identified and offered an opportunity to moderate on-line discussions on issues of importance to the Majority Members and Staff. These persons will be invited to do “live blogging” from Committee hearings or other events. These moderators may also relay questions and comments selected from those participating in real-time on-line discussions. Members and staff may also choose to engage in discussions directly.

This enhanced dialogue may lead to follow-on activities, such as issues research through study groups, giving a broader community the opportunity to contribute to the record and the legislative process.

This mission statement will be carried out according to the following time-line:



PILOT PROGRAM TIME-LINE

Phase 1: Program Design (4 weeks -12/1/06 to 01/02/07)

Consultant to work with Committee Staff to identify candidate high-impact Democratic-oriented web sites and opinion-leaders for interactive communications, and panel of independent observers;
Selection from candidate list by Communications Director;
Consultant to contact selected candidates and site Administration to discuss proposed program;
Final selection of candidates;
Consultant to work with Communications staff to draft press release announcing pilot program

Phase 2: Implementation of Pilot Program (12 weeks - 01/03/07 to 03/03/07)

Consultant to work as liaison between selected on-line activists and Committee staff to coordinate on-line events, trainings, and forums;
Consultant produces daily record of on-line program activities and schedule of upcoming events;
Consultant produces weekly progress reports for Committee Counsel and Communications Director.

Phase 3: Assessment and reporting (4 weeks – 03/03/07 to 04/03/07)

. Consultant prepares and distributes assessment materials for program participants and observers.
Consultant compiles results of participant assessment and observer comments.
Consultant issues report to Committee Chief Counsel and Communications Director for consideration along with proposal for follow-on project.

CONCLUSION:

This pilot program promises to give the Majority Members a clearer picture of feasibility and impact of the potential for two-way, real-time communications with the community of Democratic activists. At the very least, it will give the Committee an opportunity to explore and assess the potential for new media political communications . I am confident that it will have long-term benefits for all involved.

Every activist connected by real-time communications to the Congressional oversight process becomes invested in legislative and electoral outcomes. The benefits to the Democratic Majority of coordinating with the netroots can be measured, and will prove to be enormous for all involved.

Thank you for your attention to this proposal.

Well, what do you think? What are the pros and the cons? Let us know.

[radfringe]

1. couple of pros/cons off the top of my head

PROS:
- allow rapid communication of info and not have to wade through the msm framing

- congress members would get virtually instantaneous feedback

CONS:
- how much time would a congress member have and/or be willing to spend on the blog? Would they just take their time to "frame" the issue before responding?

- since a congress person is representative of ALL the people in their districts, those with opposing views would also need to be allowed to post. Not necessarily a bad thing, but the disrupters would have to be controlled in some manner so as not to violate their right to free speech. With the DU and similar sites, the disrupter can be banned/tombstoned - with a site where congress members participate, banning/tombstoning could be a problem.

I don't think a registration process which includes some standard clause about disrupting posting in the terms of service will suffice.