Republicans to Live Stream Opening Session of Congress on Facebook

Later today you'll be able to keep up with what's happening in DC via Facebook. House Republicans are going to live stream the opening session on the Pledge to America Facebook page... So far I like most of what I've heard from 'our' guys. I wasn't exactly impressed with their actions during the lame duck session. I think there was a lot of typical game playing going on, I think they used it as cover to make compromises they wanted but knew they wouldn't be able to get away with in the new session.

It's always hard to judge motivation and reason for their actions from way down here in Fayette County, away from the games, away from all the insider trading that goes on. I always wonder who got what in exchange for their vote.When I think of what goes on behind the scenes my lip automatically curls. Bleh, it can't be good.

I was talking with someone yesterday about the Tea Party, other efforts to make some REAL change in Washington. I'm 100% behind efforts to clean things up, clean out the chaff, make big changes. But I also realize that the reality is we're battling a system that's taken a long, long time to perfect. The institutionalization of favor swapping, covering each others backs, knowing how to get things done, compromise, political power protection and all the rest of the behind the scenes stuff is going to be tough to change. It's like trying to clean up mercury (isn't that the stuff that beads up, separates, slides around?). I'm picturing it -- you go to touch that blob of silver to clean it up and it splits up, slithers around, attaches and hides in another little blob over to the side. Hazmat needed.

We can shine the light on one area of corruption or wrongness and they'll move into the shadows for a time or  find a way to do it differently. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that it's all bad or that everyone up there is rotten. There are good people in Washington and I know compromise is needed at times given the number of divergent opinions and beliefs.

I guess the only way to really make the change is to be there. I understand it's difficult once you're there though unless you're a strongly principled individual, someone who can't be co-opted. Of course, then the system works to boot you out so they can keep their status quo. Heck, we get mad at some of those principled people when they step on an area we support. Tough situation, going to be tough to make a long-term difference.

However, there's a new awareness, a new caring, a new involvement from the general public. I think the guys in DC are going to find that we'll keep shining the light on them. It's not the 'good old days' of 3 networks feeding the party line to the masses. With the Internet, blogging, Facebook, Twitter and numerous other ways to communicate, we're able to get together and voice our concerns, affect some change. Ha, just thought of the old saying "Power to the People". Different meaning when it was said, but heck, I'm all for the current kind of power to the people!

Wow, did I get off track. I started out simply to share the following bit from John Boehner (rec'd yesterday, tweeted yesterday, @readmylipstick, but didn't have time to blog) about the new way Republicans are sharing. I think it's cool. You can probably watch it on CSPAN also, but this allows you to be at work and keep up, too.

Republicans to Live Stream Opening Session of Congress on Facebook

Tomorrow House Republicans will live stream the opening session of the 112th Congress - including the swearing-in ceremony and remarks by Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-OH) - on the Pledge to America Facebook Page. The House will convene and the stream will go live at 12:00 p.m. ET.

This is the first time an opening session of Congress has been broadcast live on Facebook where visitors can interact and discuss the event with others, and offer feedback directly to elected representatives.

The new Republican majority has pledged to change the way Congress works – to lead by listening to and reflecting the will of the American people. Together with new rules demanding new levels of online disclosure and transparency (including requirements that all bills online at least three days before a vote and committees broadcast their hearings online), this event is another example of the new majority’s commitment to making Congress more open and accountable, and to finding new ways to connect with citizens online and off.

Click to “Like” the Pledge on Facebook. And be sure to tune in tomorrow at noon and join the conversation.

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BTW, if you're tweeting we have a number of Twitter accounts:

@readmylipstick is my political opinion, rabble rousing account
@FayetteFP is the Fayette Front Page
@GAFrontPage is Georgia news and politics
@artsacrossgeorgia is all about Georgia arts

We have more... personal one for my Hummingbird Hollow Pottery, then more Fayette Front Page / Georgia Front Page accounts: one for readers, a business Twitter account with business news, a music focus account, gardening, food and restaurants, history, plus there are some I handle for local charities. If you'd like the rest, let me know. TweetDeck, Seesmic and Hootsuite are great tools if you have multiple Twitter accounts, allows you to post from one account to the other, line them all up side by side, have a reply column so you can see who's answering. Lots of benefits to using one of those free platforms even if you only have one account. It sure makes Twitter easier and a bit more logical looking .

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Happy new year! Hope each and every one of you has a good year, one that makes you and those around you happy. Stay healthy, take care of yourself and keep up the good fight.

Facebook group forms to stop HR 1388; massive expansions in volunteerism bills

The new group Stop HR 1388 has formed at Facebook for the purpose of derailing HR 1388 as it heads to the US Senate after marching its large body through the House of Representatives. The bill is a massive social program that many libertarians and conservatives believe will not only once again contradict the U.S. Constitution, but also create yet another expensive, ineffective program at a time when taxpayers are levying heavy criticism at administrations past and present. The bill makes bloated social programs of the past look stick thin. Hundreds of people have signed up; the group was formed one day ago... (click link to read the rest of the article)

U.S. Report: http://www.theusreport.com/the-us-report/facebook-group-forms-to-stop-hr-1388-massive-expansions-in-v.html

Twitterwhaty?

Twitter what? Whatza twitter? Tweeting? Whatcha talkin' about???

Everyone seems to be talking about Twitter all of a sudden.

There are people who specialize in helping you market your business on Twitter. Most news shows have set up Twitter accounts. Politicians are tweeting to constituents throughout the day keeping them posted on bills, hot button items and where they went for breakfast. There are untold numbers of side applications to make Twitter easier and more manageable.

When I first set my account up on Twitter (Read My Lipstick), it was somewhat daunting. I had a blank page and 140 characters of space I could use to talk to... no one. I found Top Conservatives on Twitter, figured out how to follow some of them and pretty soon my blank screen was a hotbed of activity. Things blipped down the page at unreadable speed.

Luckily one of the first people I followed saw my plea of ignorance and sent me to some Twitter for Dummies type documents.

Now I'm set up on TweetDeck, have my blogs titles and links posting to Twitter and have it set up so everything I tweet pops over to my Facebook account.

I have met some fantastic people and I get news that many never see. It's great to share thoughts with like-minded people across the country and even the world.

When Facebook shut down my conservative account a few days back, the first place I went was to Twitter. A few minutes after I set up my new account and tweeted the name, I started getting friend requests. Twitter friends sent messages to their followers on Twitter and Facebook. What a great group of people and a great conservative community! Pretty soon I was bombarded with friend requests and well on my way back to previous friendship levels.

Today I was scanning through the Georgia Front Page and Fayette Front Page inboxes looking for news to post and came across the following. It just goes to show you how prevalent Twitter is becoming, and how fast they've infiltrated every aspect of our culture! (emphasis in article is mine)

Westin Bonaventure Offers Instant Tax Relief with “U.O.Me” Weekends

Landmark L.A. Hotel to Give Away 200 Weekend Room Nights through April 18,
20 Rooms Reserved for Twitter Users Only

Officials of the Westin Bonaventure today announced the property will be giving away 50 room nights every weekend through April 18, a total of 200 room nights, as part of its “U.O.Me Tax Relief” promotion. Five room nights each weekend will be awarded exclusively through Twitter. The promotion also includes the “Westin Tax Credit,” a coupon given at check-out for 10 percent off dinner at L.A. Prime, the property’s New York-style steakhouse. Winners who book a second consecutive night with the property will receive a 20 percent off coupon to the restaurant.

“In this recessionary climate, several states, including California, had to temporarily delay sending out tax refunds,” said Michael Czarcinski, managing director at the Westin Bonaventure. “While California has now resumed payments, we wanted to help relieve the stress even a temporary suspension may have caused and invite anxious taxpayers nationwide to spend an evening at the Westin. We’ll foot the bill. It’s our form of an in-kind tax refund.”

U.S. residents over 21 years of age can enter to win a “U.O.Me” through Twitter or the Westin Bonaventure website, www.westin.com/bonaventure. Rooms will be given out on a first-come, first-serve basis—the first 45 website entries and the first five tweets will receive a room night. Eligible dates: March 27 and 28 and April 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18. Entries for March 27 and 28 will be accepted between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. PT, March 17, via the website and Twitter, hashtag #U.O.Me. For all other dates, entries will be accepted between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. the Tuesday before the desired weekend. Winners can choose to spend Friday or Saturday night based on room availability. All winners must present a form of credit upon check-in for the purposes of incidentals.

The New Republicans

Ning sites seem to be the latest Internet wave... We have one set up for the Fayette Front Page (http://fayettefrontpage.ning.com/), there's one for the Read My Lipstick Network which I run (http://readmylipstick.ning.com/ - unfortunately I'm not doing much to promote it so it's slow going), and then there's the one that is catching tons of media attention, Team Sarah (www.teamsarah.org). I'm a member of a number of other conservative ning sites, I won't bore you with a list!

Joining the growing ning movement is another great group I wanted to let you know about, The New Republicans (http://thenewrepublicans.ning.com/). I posted a letter to the editor on here a month or two ago from its founder, Steven, a college student here in Georgia. He is now everywhere. He's chatting on Facebook, Twittering and probably has a MySpace page. He's pumped and he's starting a movement!

I'm really excited about the wave of conservative enthusiasm that is erupting across the country. I'm even more excited about the ages of those catching the conservative bug. The faces we typically see on the talk shows and news are considerably older, wearing suits and looking, well, like the stereotypical image of a Republican.

The New Republicans is geared toward young Republicans. All of the sites I'm involved with or run are made up of all ages. I couldn't begin to pinpoint the ages of the majority with any certainty, but there are a lot of young parents, college students, 20-somethings, and a smattering of older conservatives. Maybe the relative youth of the various participants has to to with the medium we're using, the Internet.

I will have to say that a few of my new friends are older, too. Some are going on-line for the first time.

I hope you'll go out wandering on the Internet and get involved in some of the groups that are sprouting. If you're looking for a good starting place I'd suggest going to www.readmylipsticknetwork.com. Visit the link page and start wandering.

Also, check out Twitter. It looks intimidating when you first set up your account, but it's really a breeze. Once you sign up, go visit www.topconservativesontwitter.com and start "following" some of the Twitter accounts listed on there. Pretty soon you'll be a-twittering with the best of 'em.

Here's a link to Steven's page on the site: http://thenewrepublicans.ning.com/profile/Steven

http://thenewrepublicans.ning.com/