Shimkus, GOP using Twitter in protest
U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, has been helping out in the ongoing GOP House protest. Republicans are accusing Democrats of taking a break instead of doing the people’s business. GOPers, including Shimkus, want a number of things passed — including offshore drilling.
So they’ve been holding session anyway — though the session is technically in recess — to give their viewpoint. But with the lights practically off, the GOP has taken a new approach to get the world out: Twitter, a micro-blogging service that allows people to post quick 140-character updates on what they’re doing.
Shimkus is one of several congressmen who are using the service — through their mobile phones or laptops — to end-around the mainstream media.
Now I’m not the first person to comment on this nor is Twitter exactly new. But in the mainstream Twitter is pretty unheard of. The representatives are also apparently using Qik.com, an even more unheralded technology that allows live broadcasts.
Here’s a link to Shimkus’ Twitter feed.
Also, you can following the Post-Dispatch’s political twitter feed here and our Qik feed here. We’ll be using both at the political conventions later this month and next.
Enjoy.
The session ended, in “protest” some stayed, yet there is legislation to pass? Maybe some of the Republicans that have been voted out of office since the 2006 elections should have “protested” two years ago?