WASHINGTON (CNN) - Four Republicans behind the House Republican New Media Caucus (@GOPNMC on Twitter) are aiming to set a technological example for their colleagues.
"It's like that old saying 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks,'" Ohio Republican Rep. Bob Latta told CNN, "Well, yeah, you can."
Latta (@boblatta on Twitter) along with fellow Republicans Rep. John Culberson of Texas (@johnculberson), Rep. Buck McKeon (@BuckMcKeon) of California, and Rep. Rob Wittman (@RobWittman) of Virginia are the co-chairs of the House GOP New Media Caucus.
Roughly 60 House Republicans have joined the caucus, according to Latta's office. The group plans to sponsor staff briefings every four to eight weeks where Republican staffers will have the opportunity to meet with representatives of technology companies like YouTube, Apple, and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion.
The caucus, which recently launched a Web site, is scouting social media services and other new technologies that might be of use to the rest of House Republican Conference in keeping in touch with the public.
Constituents "want to be kept up to date from us right now," Latta said, "They don't want to have to wait half a day, or a day, or two days later to actually get the communication," from a congressional office. So, the group is trying to identify "best practices" on social media services like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Qik, and UStream.
The four men are also using the technologies themselves, an effort to set an example for colleagues who may be reticent to try out social media.
The caucus is also functioning as a space for its members to have discussions and share ideas about technology policy. Latta, Culberson, and Wittman met last week in Silicon Valley with reps from several large technology companies including Facebook, Apple, UStream, Google, Yahoo, and Oracle, according to Latta. The meetings involved discussions of tax law issues, patent and other intellectual property issues, and immigration policy.
And the group is also keeping an eye on possible regulation of use of social media by the Franking Commission, the House body that has traditionally regulated how members of Congress communicate with the public.
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Related: Congress wades through 'tweets'
"I think we need to go before them and say, 'Here's the technology that we're dealing with today, here's what our constituents are using, here's what the business world's using, and here we are not being able to utilize it," Latta said.
A spokesman for the Franking Commission told CNN the body had no immediate plans to consider new regulations governing members' use of social media services.
"We continue to review and encourage the use of new communications technologies that assist Members in reaching and providing important information to their constituents," Kyle Anderson, press director for the House Committee on Administration, wrote in an e-mail to CNN.
In addition to keeping tabs on any new regulations, Latta's office says the caucus is also working with the Franking Commission to obtain approval for members to place paid Web advertisements in Google search results and working with House leadership to obtain official certification for Apple's iPhone, so that Members and staffers can get their secure, official e-mail on the device.(BlackBerry, an iPhone competitor, is already certified for congressional use.)
"Technology is changing, the world's changing as to how people communicate," said Latta - people "don't want their government to be living in the Stone Age."
From CNN Politics
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Oh good, the Republicans have new technologies to spread lies.
Fancy new gadgets. Same old tired message. Have a nice day.
They smell new contributions. They won't sit down with their co-workers and try to work on a bill but they won't to appear online. This makes absolutley no sense too me. There are more important things to be concerned about. The Republicans have lost touch with reality. People are going bankrupt over medical bills and this is what they come up with. Just a bunch of smoke and mirrors these Republicans are. I am not saying the democrats are any better but atleast they do try and do something for the average American.
Yippee! New ways for the GOP to spread lies and fear. I can't wait!!!
Good god. [R]s with technology........that vision of utter hypocrisy is astounding, seeing as the base of that party has been doing its best over the last 15 years to see that America slips back into the Dark Ages. These anti-science, anti-conservative drama-cretins should go back to rubbing two rocks together in a cave to get their desired 'twitter' sounds....and activity for which they are much more suited.
John McCain is looking into getting those new-fangled contraptions the telegraph and the gramophone. Have a nice day!
They just don't get it. Its not the way their message is presented, it IS their message. They are out of touch, and no amount of twittering will change that. They are still nothing but a bunch of old rich white men who don't have a clue.
Is that so? How about teaching them to:
- not lie
- respect the constitution
-realize that laws apply to the poor as well as the rich
- respect their President
- put their country first
Start there. Technology cn always be taught even to Totally Confused Morons.
Democrats seem to beable to spread lies too.
I suppose if you're on Twitter, etc. its okay to have archaic ideas, Republicans have no real plans to help this country...they are simply against everything...except those initiatives that help their well-heeled benefactors.
You Cannot teach an Old DONKEY New Tricks.
I wander what they are twittering about now? Do you think there are any tweets pertaining to the special prosecutor?
Old Habits Die Hard.
Republicans needs more tea kettles and deer horns than technology!!
YAWN.
TRY AGAIN.
REPUBLICANS are America's funniest video.
"I am not saying the democrats are any better but atleast they do try and do something for the average American."
Oh yeah, they try to do something for the average American alright. The Obama union thugs and ACORN goons go out and harass hard working average Americans who just want to shop at a store they love. That something the Democrats are doing is the reason why daddy might not be making it home tonight, such pacificsts aren't they?
Typical republican tweet:
OMG Insurance lobbyists are my BFF! They always have lots of cash 4 U! Tax cutz are gr8! LOL
Have a nice day!
Now they can disseminate the latest crappola from King in NY. What these people fail to comprehend is that the new administration is full of new, young blood. They are ready to restore America's lustre, and they are not endebted to old, bigotted, billionaire fogies.
Change is here. You break the law rich or poor and we're coming for you. Being an ex-anything will not make you immune. It's a new day to go hand in hand with y'all's 'new technology'.
ya you guys are DOGS so we need humans to run this country!!! GOP IS DONE
So now there getting tech savy to spread their lies and Mis Information same old same old lies and Fear out of that party!
Maybe they will let them twitter in prison,the sooner the better.hahaha
Huh?? Once they have these meetings and committees and learn these new tricks, what messages will they send?
Suggestions:
"Hey, I'm feeling all mavricky."
"This is a patriotic twitter. There are no details, but it is very patriotic."
"I'm Michael Steele – this is my hip hop message, with my cap turned sideways. Have a nice day."
"There is no evolution. Gays are freaks. Women are servants. Non-believers are evil. All answers are in the re-re-re-translated King James version of the Bible."
Yeah, its DEFINITELY about them needing to learn technology. THAT is absolutely why their archaic, greedy, white-privilege, anti-diversity, christian-only behaviors aren't being taken seriously!!!! (not)
Cheney is packing his bags as he's twittering.... making you think he's here when in fact he's trying to leave the country!
Once the the GOP masters twitter they will be able to spread fear, lies and bigotry even faster than with Fox news and the radio talk show blowhard entertainers.
be very afraid america
You can teach an old dog new tricks, but can you make them honest in the process, or just give them another outlet for their vitriol.
I'm on the side of the people commenting about new gadgets does not mean a new message. It doesn't matter how "up to date" you look, it is the message that you put on that gadget that matters...
I'm sure that there will be a lot of twittering about the special investigator, specifically. After all, they need to get their alibis, er, stories straight!
I hope that they remember that Twitters are admissible evidence....
The GOP will be able to spread fear, lies and bigotry even faster than with Fox news and the AM radio talk show blowhard entertainers.
Go on and continue your hateful little chattering, lib monkeys. 2010 is around the corner and history will repeat itself: 1994. Looking at the polls, it looks like the rabid left-wing monkeys are out of touch.
Republicans are a joke!!! Come back in 8 years WITH a plan and maybe the American People will listen.
At least CNN is accurately calling Republican OLD DOGS, for they are...the white, old, wealth class that's ideas are OLD AS THE HILLS, and whose theories have gone the way Jack Kemp did...they died.
Yeah, the "young blood" has really brought many changes. They only use scare tactics to frighten people into supporting social health insurance and into hating rich people. That's lustre you couldn't scape off with a wire brush.
I like using twitter to stay in contact with my men.Im a miner and without a union most of us would we dead by now.
"You put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig"
The Internet is amazing but limited. People can communicate more often, more easily, and in more ways than ever before. However, they're just as intelligent or just as ignorant as ever. It's almost a shame to call it communication. Maybe regurgitation is a better word.
This summer brought a significant shift in voter preferences in the Generic Congressional Ballot. As Republican Congressional candidates once again lead Democrats by a 43% to 38% margin this week, this is now the ninth straight ballot the GOP has held a modest advantage.
I thought i heard a birdie,but it was Ron Paul,twittling in the wind.
Now the morons want to twitter. So our tax dollars will go to pay for that instead of a days work working for the people. We can call it "Twittering against Obama, a Republicans day at work."
When the old media fails to do its job another means of communication will pop up. That's the beauty of a capitalist democracy, and it could be a reason why liberals hate capitalism and democracy so much.
too little, WAYYY too late old guys
Just remember that you will be leaving a written record. Not always a good thing for politicians, unless of course they can try to claim Executive privilege or I'm above the law.
I hope Rush will be able to twitter from prison to his minions of mindless morons.
Republicans forget, "it's not how they are passing their message to the people, it is their message."
Maybe the GOP should stop playing with their toys and start trying to do something about health insurance reform besides blocking it. Just a thought.
It will be hard ........many GOP's are used to computers that use vacuum tubes and punch card readers. Lets hope that this will assist our Conservative Family the ability to stay apraised of the actual needs of all our citzens are...............inclusively.
1) I will not vote for president Obama again if he doesn't
get to it. I dont care what the republicans want. They can
all move to Alaska & declare Palin, the polle dancer, their
president.
2) He has my vote to pack Chaney, Bushwhack & their entire
entourage to the Hague, Guantanamo or a Kansas jail.
3) As for WHOLE FOODS- I have done a survey of what my
family & friends spend in their stores per MONTH-over $12,000.
WE WILL NOT SPEND ANOTHER PENNY THERE until they fire
their CEO scumbag. BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT.
Funny! The GOP is trying everything to change its image! To entice Americans back! LOL!!
The GOP still have not learned the very painful lesson of 2008! Which is that Americans REJECTED their VILE politics of hate..... lies....... fear and division! As long as they continue with their Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity, and the rest of the haters we, the People, will vote for the other team!
Ouch! That hurt! NOT.
GOP is INCORRIGIBLE –
Rush Limbaugh is and Anti-Obama and Anti-Democrats Propagandist.
Wrong, Illogical and Imprudent Propaganda can be very harmful for the Person who spreads Propaganda, than any Advantage or Benefit.
Whatever Rush Speaks is Absolutely Insane and Lunatic. His criticism of Obama is like “Kindergarten Name-Calling”.
Rush Limbaugh is an Illiterate and an Uneducated person. GOP is using him as their Spokes Person.
There is an old saying, “A Foolish and Idiot Friend is more Dangerous than an Intelligent Enemy”.
GOP does not realize, the more Rush Limbaugh speaks, the more People Hate GOP.
It is like, Rush is Digging the GOP grave even Deeper. Good Luck Rush and Good Luck GOP.
Republicans are packs of "old dogs".
The GOP has set its old and irrelevant ideology in stone.
Doesn't matter what technology they use. A dinosaur on life support that can text just is not a pretty picture.
Revolution means:
1. The process of incompetent getting automatically eliminated.
2. Just like in the Competitive Market, Products that are Good, will Sell.
3. Revolution is not happening by choice, it is a happening by necessity.
4. Obama is not making the Revolution to Happen. Obama is the end result of the Revolution. Obama was elected as the President, because of the Revolution against Bush and the incompetent GOP.
5. Revolution is not caused by Obama, rather Obama is the result of the Revolt of the People against GOP.
6. Obama is the Outcome of a Revolution, he is not the one who brought the Revolution.
7. The real Revolution is yet to Come, when GOP will be Extinct and Perished.
What a joke. These GOPers actually think they should be given another chance to screw things up again by their constant obsessions with power instead of governing.
Republicans can forget about 2010/12 until they address their lies, hypocrisy, fear-mongering, birthers/deathers, xenophobia, C Street cults, etc. No amount of "new media" is going to compensate for that nonsense.
Dems may not be perfect, but at least they're trying to work for average Americans instead of these Republicans with their party first approach and corporate greed. No thanks.
When the Bush administration sold out Valerie Plaime, they violated the very thing that right wing nuts are suddenly opposed to. Cheney and Peter King stand for what is wrong with the GOP.
Republicans are "old dogs".
Proving once again that they are way behind the times. Time for the old gezzers to get the heck out of Washington. Republicans are do-nothings!!
I dont think the GOP can be taught to tell the truth or put the American people before Corporate Fascism.
Tweeting must be a good way for elected republicans to pick up women, as that appears to be the only thing that wing nuts are interested in.