Congress on Twitter: Yay, or nay?

Mon Feb 2, 2009 12:19PM EST

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A new Web site is tracking which U.S. House and Senate members have discovered the joy of tweeting—and which haven't. 

The L.A. Times tech blog has the scoop on Tweet Congress, the aptly named site that lets you search for Twitter-savvy House representatives and Senators by name or location.

You can also find out who's the most followed (John Culberson, R-TX, with an impressive 5,932 Twitter followers, and counting) and the most active (yep, ditto). Indeed, Republican tweeters outnumber Democrats almost two-to-one (41 to 24), while Independents—I'm looking at you, Lieberman—are still in the dark when it comes to the red-hot microblogging service. (Speaking of which ... click here for a quick Twitter primer.)

Pop quiz: Which state is leading the pack when it comes to best Twitter representation? If you guessed California, New York, or Washington state (home of Microsoft, right?), well, you guessed wrong. Instead, try South Carolina, with four of its eight U.S. representatives tweeting away. Up next: New Mexico (two of five) and Ohio (seven of 20). Among the many zilches: New York, the District of Columbia, Washington—and yes, Alaska.

Also interesting, but a little harder to quantify: Finding out which representatives are actually tweeting themselves, and who's just staffing it out. Rep. Culberson of Texas looks like he's really getting into it ("you will always be talking to me not staff," he tweeted last week). Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill also seems to be getting into the spirit: "What a game. Found myself pulling for the underdog", she Twittered during the Super Bowl.

On the other hand, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to loosen up, if her recent tweets ("On The Senate Passage of the State Children's Health Insurance Program [link]") are any indication.

Related:
Tweet Congress tracks politicians on Twitter, heckles ones who aren't [L. A. Times tech blog]

Comments on Congress on Twitter: Yay, or nay?

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  • 6 Posted by bessievesey on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think they are acting like a bunch of kids on the play ground without adult supervision the only difference these are supposed to be grown men women that we have sent to DC to manage this messed up government but instead they are joking for position. It really won't matter in the end because we will all go to heck any way if these dopes don't realize that it is not about them but the people who are really hurting in this country remember them. The people who sent you there too work for them not yourselves democrat and republicans.

  • 7 Posted by nortlandhomesteader on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:41PM EDT Report Abuse

    Does this mean that some politicians are talking to their employers -- and just maybe actually listening to them? That would be great. Then maybe they will act accordingly. I think you call that republican democracy.

  • 8 Posted by amarpateldc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    Twitter is a website of blogs. If you are 21 years old and dont know what Twittering is, then you must be really busy earning an education and not have time for this kind of stuff.

  • 9 Posted by drobinow on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    I can't quite remember what Twitter is. I checked it out a while back and it was so stupid I ignored it. It's something for children and illiterates.Forget about it.

  • 10 Posted by amarpateldc on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    ...and besides all you have to do is click on one of the links (those are the highlighted words).

  • 11 Posted by chfdave on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    did none of you read the writer's note that Twitter is a new "red-hot microblogging service?" I don't know much about it either because I refuse to be "plugged in" 24/7, but a simple search online gives quite a bit of info

  • 12 Posted by imkeener on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    Republicans do not need as many words to make their point. Dems are so accoustomed to the fillibuster that they require a much larger vocabulary. Best I can do with my limited vocabulary.

  • 13 Posted by pnkmdyfld on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    Or....could it mean..that some Republicans are for the birds? Changing a few vowels would make it vulgar...I agree, if the 'technoids' are to start using a new word, they should give us the definition. In Hi-Def of course.

  • 14 Posted by gundamorca1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:14PM EDT Report Abuse

    I suppose the republicans have time to kill these days. They have an easy job; just oppose and berate whatever the dems through out there. the house republicans have it especially easy; just vote opposite of the democrats and sit back and surf the net. darn I should get into congress if that's a typical work day.

  • 15 Posted by aelkins2812 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    Wow, did not realize how many non-techies read tech news.

  • 16 Posted by tycoonj70 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think I'm now dumber for having read this article. I have no idea what I just read.

  • 17 Posted by mpsanch99 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    Thank you! I was feeling very old and left out - I don't know what tweeting is either.

  • 18 Posted by mcduff76 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why is it that when we the average person fail to pay our income tax it is a crime. When you are a big shot that owes big money in unpaid taxes its a honest mistake. And all is forgiven for the good of the country.

  • 19 Posted by shrynkiewicz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    ok so I love the liberals on here...this is great! This has nothing to do with Church. This is about reaching out a message. Most voters are not informed on even the process of US Politics. Twitter is a site for blogging. or writting views, opinions and such. I suggest everyone to take a look and gain your own opinion on politics instead of listening to the news or reading the newspaper to gain someone else's view.

  • 20 Posted by joelucas2007 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    Then where the heck were they during the election period last year when Obama had 210,000 Twitters and McCain had way less than 6,000. What's the difference Congress isn't going to read them. They don't listen to any e-mails, snail mail or phone calls we send now! Obama's staff has abandoned it since he has won the election. Now would be the time for the RNC to get into the 21st century and start using some of the internet services available to us. I am 65 years old and use the net keep up on what is going on in the world including the gen X, Y and Z.

  • 21 Posted by drisbell on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    ...I agree on the "twitter" thing...best to just abbreviate it to "twit", a much better description of or Congress...

  • 22 Posted by intersin2001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    "(Speaking of which ... click here for a quick Twitter primer.)" has a link that TELLS YOU WHAT IT IS. Maybe everyone should read better instead of expecting the reporter to spoon feed you every detail. As for the "Republicans Twitter more...." comment: your attempt to be funny failed so hard. The largest word you used was the plural form of Republican in your feeble insult. GET A GRIP, TROLL.

  • 23 Posted by edzeppy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    Not only does the article not Define Twitter or Tweeting which sounds like a parakeet phrase and for the birds. But your correct in that the article may have been written in a 5th grade manner. Non-The-Less it seems that the article implies that the Feds are stalling all good hopes on an economic reform that will help the people of the Nation. Also, even if a plan were to surface to help the people of this Nation, it seems as though the Governors of each State have been instructed to tax the heck out of us anyway with it's own venues of eceonomic failures. So we as a Pople and a Nation are going to lose in the long run resulting to more Jobless, Homeless and financially reuined families throughout the country.

  • 24 Posted by jmsgoldsmith@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    maybe if yahoo threaten to fire the article writer he would be more though in his writing as he is now very unreliable would trust anything he writes

  • 25 Posted by spencer_leon on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    Twitter is a web site for posting SMS messages and created a public SMS network of friends. See twitter.com. You can use the service as a central point to publish SMS references to other content or just chat with your friends.

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