Brain-Jockey

Intervention for the Tweetless: Top Reasons They Don’t Twitter

Written by Audrie Zettick on December 4, 2008

I created a Twitter ID last Spring but didn’t understand how to cut through the clutter.  Even in 140 characters or less, I didn’t have time to hear that someone was changing the cat’s litter box or had broken up with a boyfriend.  I started tweeting again recently and wow…now I “get it.”  (Follow me at AudrieZettick). 

 

In a recent column, Hugh Hewitt discussed his adoption of Twitter and why he viewed the medium as important.  The first several comments to his column were caustic.  Some excerpts here:

 

• “bush lied and boys died”  ”if the glove dont fit you must acquit”   two good examples of lies that consist of under 140 characters. nice. now we have a convenient mechanism to get out short messages for people with short attention spans.  

• More likely it is no attention span, no discernment, no intelligence and, as some say, an open mind.

• Twitter is ideally suited to marketing campaigns which aim for endless repetition of short, memorable slogans. Its pretty useless for any sort of reasoned argument. Its fine for demonrats who just want to send the talking point of the day to people who can hardly remember back as far as yesterday, but not very good for a political philosophy that requires thought and actual understanding.

 

Uh huh…. 

 

These people need an intervention.  I am assuming they fall into these categories:

 

You’re A Brain Dead Luddite.   OK. Not much I can do for you there.   

 

You don’t think anything worthwhile can be said in 140 words or less.  In the last week, via Twitter, I’ve joined with thousands of people in signing petitions to stop EPA regs and in support of a Tax Holiday instead of an auto bailout.  I’ve worked with others to get information out on who is running for RNC chair, among other things.  Links were sent to me leading to detailed platforms of candidates for RNC chair, useful info on the “fairness doctrine,” the card check initiative and inspiring quotes.  Well, I did find out where the Wii Guitar Hero bundle is selling for $69, which is vitally important too.  I have a teenager.

 

You don’t have time.  Granted, Twitter can be a massive black hole, sucking away your time. But it needn’t be.  You don’t have to be glued to your PC or mobile phone.  To start, just fit Twitter in when it seems appropriate–once a day at the very least–and follow some streams of conversation of interest to you and “tweet” on these issues to form relationships.  There are numerous tools  to help you manage your “followers” and issues you follow, if you choose.  You can also subscribe via feed to hashtags for groups you follow.

 

You have no idea how to set up an account.  (check here then)  

 

You’ll never find friends to follow or follow you.  With regular use and some time invested up front to research who tweets about conservative politics (and then “follow” them), I am developing an extensive network of people from whom I learn, who respect my opinion and who want to join with me to regain conservative principles and “creds” for the Republican Party.  Find someone you like and see who they follow.   (Check out Smart Girl Politics where some more people in my network blog).

 

Everyone’s on equal footing.  I’m “following” some of the RNC Chair candidates and some are following me.  Saul Anuzis and Katon Dawson are both in my network. So are many state and federal elected officials from around the country, including Bobbi Jindal. (I have to admit, Saul outdoes himself each day.  The man is a maniac with letting our conservative twitter network know what’s going on).  Most importantly though, is keeping in touch with the “everywoman and everyman” out there who are interested in where our country is going.   

 

You already think you know everything.  As I’ve gotten to know some of the people I follow, I’ve come to respect them as sources.  One twitter friend regularly posts his research and reading for the day via a Delicious bookmark (Flap’s stuff).  

 

There’s a start at an intervention for the Tweetless.  If you are a conservative starting out on Twitter, try following the folks from the Top Conservatives on Twitter.   If you’re Al Franken, go stuff eat some ballots.

 

Hiding the Republican Principles

Written by Audrie Zettick on November 13, 2008

As much as I prefer to stick to issues, it’s impossible to observe the attempts at “remaking” the Republican Party and not chime in.   

 

Pre-election, I commented with disgust to close friends that I didn’t know what it meant to be Republican anymore.  An old adage comes to mind: practice what you preach.  For the most part, the GOP talked the talk but didn’t walk the walk of smaller government, personal responsibility, etc.  A U.S. News and World Report pre-election article  by Tom DeLay validated my feeling.  It just didn’t resonate, in spite of all the “code” phrases (”liberals run amok,” smaller federal budget, and the like).  Yes, I agreed with the issues raised in his article but still it didn’t resonate.  Why? Except for a few “sound bite” phrases at the beginning of the article, it lacked meaningful focus.  Also, the deliverer of the message–a Washington insider, ex-congressman with his own baggage–made me cynical about what I was reading.

 

As a college instructor of marketing, my first thought was: what the heck IS the Republican ”brand” anymore?  If we knew that, then we’d know (we hope) how the party would respond given any particular issue: how they would select judges or respond to an economic crisis. 

 

Michelle Malkin’s dislike of “rebranding” is justified, but a discussion about the damage the outgoing administration, Congress and others have done to the “brand” is valid.

 

RNC’s new “Republican for a Reason”  is on target for creating an online engaged community, but NOT as a vehicle for “voting” for what comprises all things GOP.  In marketing, the RNC online initiative would be classified as “promotion” or customer relationship building; to be successful, it must be built on their organization’s mission and objectives–their guiding light.  Surely, other than the 2008 platform, there must be a mission statement or  principles somewhere to guide Republicans.  Surely the RNC would promote such principles.

 

Thanks to a search engine (and not the RNC’s navigation structure), I found a page on Republican Principles.   At the bottom of a page.  Deep into the section on History.  In small type. 

 

In other words, buried. 

 

While many within the GOP will continue to disagree where all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, let’s haul out that list and see what we agree on.  Apply them to current issues and begin the debate.  Let me start: which applies to the financial bailout?   1) “I believe that the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations” or perhaps 2) “I believe free enterprise and encouraging individual initiative have brought this nation opportunity, economic growth and prosperity. ” 

 

Or maybe we need to add some principles to the list.  Here’s a start:

 

I believe no one is above the law and all elected and appointed officials have a duty to abide by local, state and federal laws and regulations.

 

I believe the best way to national prosperity and a free country is to stick to these principles and not rush like lemmings to the sea in an attempt to imitate democrats. 

 

Just a thought.