Facebook as a political "pressuring" tool...

[creeky]

I mentioned this in another thread and thought I would post what I have been seeing.

 

On Alexander's Facebook page they posted his determination to support the 2nd amendment. (Why?!?)

Because other older posts were being littered with comments from people about him not supporting the filibuster. (They saw this was becoming something they needed to address! That means a meeting, drafting a response, then watching to see if it has the desired effect.)

 

After posting that 20 hours ago they have gotten over 888 comments to that specific post. (That is almost 45 comments an hour!)

 

So what does that tell them? "Oh CRAP!! Not just smoke... We got a FIRE PEOPLE!!" So what do they do? Post another comment to help "clarify" Alexander's position! That was just 48 minutes ago and they already have an additional 52 comments!! (More than 1 a minute!)

 

Corker is having the same thing happening with his page.

 

Creeky's 5 reasons this is an important tool...

1. They HAVE to read the comments... Not part, not skim... ALL the comments. The reason is it has to be managed by someone. Usually a staffer or two. They have to read them to police them for inappropriate content; language, links to products, etc.

(My client struggles with this and employs "online Editors" that do nothing but manage their facebook pages for their different products.)

 

2. It's public... Everyone can see the comments. Including the media outlets and possible people who are wanting to run against them in primaries or general elections. They know this!

 

3. It can snowball... It's very easy to "share" a politicians post and send it to a friend and say "Can you believe he is saying this?!?". People reading comments they agree we can't help but "chime in" most of the time. This adds more comments that have to be viewed and checked.

 

4. The viral problem... a mis-spoken response from a staffer or a really good point made in a comment could go "Viral". This is something all companies really, REALLY fear!! If it goes viral it goes nuclear! Triple the comments, plus the press could pick up on it, then people NOT on facebook start hearing about it.

 

b. Staff morale... Staffers get worn down quickly having to answer phone calls and emails. It's emotionally and mentally taxing. After a while (I assume) you "zone out. You start seeing patterns with calls and emails and you can adjust to it. to a degree. You start skim reading emails, or just lumping them all together. Phone calls you sort of go into "call center mode" and repeat the same thing over and over. Facebook comments are different. They are more taxing... you can't allow mis-information, language, etc. to get in there. So it has to be managed in "real time". These people can only do this for so long then the complaints start. the senators will see the effect it is having on their people... the people they depend on!

 

This is NOT a substitute for calling and writing letters... not at all!! This however is another effective way to put public pressure on elected officials that should not be discounted.

 

If you feel like leaving them a comment, below are links to their Facebook Pages. (If you have a facebook account.)

 

Alexander's Face Book Page

Corker's Facebook Page

[Volzfan]

Good thoughts on the issue! I just posted on Former Senator Alexander's FB page!

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Since cloture is already upon us, they can say what they want, and vote against the bill, but it will still pass

unless some Democrats knock it down. There's where the betrayal is, I think. Alexander and Corker are two

cowards. The kind of backstabbing politicians who play the vote only to make themselves just maybe have

some plausible deniability. That is, if it only takes 51 votes to pass in the senate, now.

[Hozzie]

I got rid of Facebook or I would comment on their page as well.  I agree, it probably has more impact on them than an email or phone call, but I can't go along with Facebook's privacy policies.  I'm glad it is working though!

[timcar86]

From Alexander's FB page:

Yesterday’s vote was only a procedural vote on whether to debate gun rights and Sen. Alexander has said he’s “always ready to defend and debate the Second Amendment constitutional rights of Tennesseans” on the Senate floor against those who seek to infringe on them. A second procedural vote, which will require 60 votes, will be required before final passage of any legislation – Sen. Alexander has said he “will oppose any legislation that infringes on our Second Amendment rights.”

[Trekbike]

Creeky is right, FB should become our new method of pressure. It's makes their responses more public and accountable.

[Guest Cami]

Just left a snarky message on fb at both of their sites.  I do not believe in plausible deniability.  That is horse poopy.  They have risked all of our Constitution for political gain...  No mercy.

[Guest PapaB]

This is a tool to remember at election time. Social media has a big effect during elections and we need to use it to promote our cause and defeat rino's.

[Red Haired Girl]

It will be interesting to find out what Corker was promised while he was kneeling under the dinner table worshiping in the lap of Obama instead of standing with Rand Paul during the filibuster.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Red Haired Girl

[pitt2magic]

It will be interesting to find out what Corker was promised while he was kneeling under the dinner table worshiping in the lap of Obama instead of standing with Rand Paul during the filibuster.

I asked that exact question on his FB page.  

[mikegideon]

I read a bunch of Lamar's comments before I saw this thread. Nearly 900 pissed off folks. AFIK, they have another chance to filibuster this crap. One thing's for sure, they're getting a good idea of how they better vote from now on.

 

I haven't been able to bring myself to hit the Like button on Corker's page, so I haven't seen that one yet. Guess I should go ahead and do it. The comments on Lamar's page are a hoot.

Edited April 13, 2013 by mikegideon

[Chucktshoes]

I read a bunch of Lamar's comments before I saw this thread. Nearly 900 pissed off folks. AFIK, they have another chance to filibuster this crap. One thing's for sure, they're getting a good idea of how they better vote from now on.

I haven't been able to brink myself to hit the Like button on Corker's page, so I haven't see that one yet. Guess I should go ahead and do it. The comments on Lamar's page are a hoot.

Yeah, I think they might be getting the idea that they really screwed the pooch big time on this one. :lol:

[mikegideon]

Yeah, I think they might be getting the idea that they really screwed the pooch big time on this one. :lol:

 

You saw that I was trying to stir it up a little more :)

[Red Haired Girl]

This is one of the comments taken from Alexander the Traitor's FB page. I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read it.

 

"Tennessee expected You to stand up to Harry Reid. You stood just high enough to put your head up his butt. What a disappointment."