This is serious, and it has been bothering me for awhile. Do bloggers help or hurt their MP's?
If I have an opinion, and I express it on my blog, does that potentially reflect on my MP? Should my MP care? Do your MP's even know if you have a blog and comment on their performance? I know one Liberal MP, Paul Szabo, is aware of blogs, because he kindly corrected me on an issue.
Garth Turner is a good example of a disruptive influence. I think he hurt himself more than anyone else, but I think he had the right to express his opinion on his blog. I remember reading the blogs of Monty and his apartment mate, Chuck Strahl, they were funny and refreshing. The minute they became the government, they were shut down. I wonder if that is why Monty left politics? Tow the party line or get out.
What can a MP do if a blogger targets them? Dare they complain to the CHRC? Wouldn't that be a hoot, a MP claiming "hurt feelings" because of a blogger.
Do our MP's even understand the power of blogs? When is the last time you heard from your MP? Did you get a newsletter? Did you read it, or toss it into the junk pile? I suspect the junk pile, unread, but even lefties come here, and read my blog. Bloggers are potentially more capable of shaping your opinions than your MP. We reach more people in a day than they can ever possibly hope to reach. Too bad many MP's are blind to the power of bloggers, they could use them to increase their exposure in their ridings.
Let me give you an example.
I record question period and then produce videos. Granted, my videos are always slanted towards the Conservatives because that is the party I support, but I could just as easily turn it around and only present a negative image of the Conservatives. Do our MP's care or do they even know what a blog is?
Does your MP have a website, or blog? Is it current? If you want to know what stimulus spending your riding is getting, can you go to your MP's site and find out? Can you find out where they will be if you want to meet them? Do you care?
Next election, whenever that might be, bloggers will play a huge role in getting the message out. I can reach way more supporters with one blog than they can by door knocking 100 doors. If your MP is blogger deaf, they are missing out on a great opportunity to get their supporters out to functions.
So, check up on your MP, find out if they have a current website, and find out if they are blogger friendly or not, sadly mine isn't. Is your MP blogger deaf too?
11 comments:
How fair is the question and how fair is the POST?
Hunter, as a Conservative, I too question my MP. I have revoked my offer to volunteer and now volunteer for an MP/riding many kilometres away from me and feel no remorse.
My MP, will win but not with my help....he was deaf!
I hope he reads this....conservatives in Alberta demand BETTER!
I wouldn't call mine deaf. Maybe just a little hard of hearing.
My MP is Hedy Fry and her comments are frequently so dumb and outrageous that they usually are covered by the entire MSM and bloggers. She has a blog, but reading it is bad for my health. I am sure that she reads the press, but she believes in representing only her own agendas and socialist supporters.
Our Conservative candidate is unknown in the community as yet, but I am absolutely sure that she reads blogs, as she is into social-networking.
imo, if you want to get the ear of your MP, directly, yah gotta do it directly, like in an email.
Blogs are powerful, and reach over the msm to the grassroots.
Considering all the trouble and time blog owners spend with trolls, imo, MPs should not allow comments, if they blog.
With the msm on 24/7 Cons scandal search, MP blogs could become just another source for gotcha.
My MP is Hon. Gary Lunn, Minister of State for Sport, (sorry no Olympic tickets) and is very good at responding to letters and emails. I don't know if he reads blogs but he is very approachable.
I "suspect" that all MPs look at the internet for "political information" and will tap into some of the noted sites and I'll bet that the CPC war room has a good handle on what is happening.
My approach to dealing with my MP that has worked very well for over 40 years of political interest, is to state your position, problem and the like, be positive in your suggested solutions and politely ask for a response. It is also wise to send notes of "congratulations" when something good happens. Lunn responded personally when I sent him a note after the last election - it wasn't a form letter because he specifically addressed some points made. He had just been "demoted" in cabinet but was excited to take on sport.
Living in a small community helps - I run into him around town and always say "Hi". Even Lizzy May now has a store front on the main drag and is pressing the flesh about town for the Greens. No Liberals or Dippers yet!!
Should candidates in the next election call on bloggers to help? Or would this give ammunition to the other candidates? Can they point to a supportive blog and use what that blogger has posted against the candidate?
The next election will bring the internet and blogs to the forefront and will be subject to greater scrutiny. At risk will be the time needed to clarify, refute or just to dismiss comments made by bloggers by the politician and if their are "legs to the story" then more time and effort will be given to that rather than actual policy messages. In other words blogging could muddy the waters somewhat.
A better option might be to go through the CPC web site under My Campaign - there would be better control of the message.
I don't for a minute advocate limiting free speech but during an election everything is tightly controled from advertising to appearances etc.
What I hope for in the next campaign is getting info on the various candidates in all ridings. We should know what kind of potential MP will follow the leader into the HofC.
Will the liberals nominate sacrificial lambs in AB, or someone who might have a chance. How about asking all the ndp guys/gals, will you just vote NO without reading or studying a bill or budget. If so, why waste money voting for a NO person.
Talking to the lib guy in our riding he said, I know I can't win, but we just want that 1.95/vote, so we have to have candidates.
(he was a relative and really didn't campaign)
In all honesty, how many voters have ever called their MP, or e-mailed the or visited their office. And worse yet, how many can even recognize them in a crowd.
Forgot in my first post to include a comment about my MP's web site - reasonably current, lots of pictures and comments, recent statements or answers in QP.
go to www.garylunn.com
Good points ladies! I see bloggers as an important part of the next election, and think MP's should use us as a resource to help them.
We will soon have many more ridings in AB and Ont, and BC. Maybe some others. So, get out your thinking caps, and get copies of your riding. See how they can be redesigned.
There is a committee in charge of this, and if you have an idea or request, a meeting is held in your area with the Judge and committee. You make your case. There are public meetings advertized.
Sometimes you win and sometimes you don't.
Monte Solberg was my MP, but we were at the far end of the riding. When we crossed the road, oops, another riding. When I had him out to a meeting to tour the riding, he agreed with me, we should move.
There was a large area affected, but with his co-operation, my MLA, and other organizations, we did the work. I was surprised when we had the meeting, the group had all the info re the riding, number of voters, census info, hutterite colonies. I was impressed. But, the public meeting only had myself, hubby, and 3 other people there. There was another group who wanted to be moved to another riding, but had not done their homework, and it was mainly for financial reasons.
We did get moved, and Monte and I have been good friends ever since.
So, to get more conservative seats, start your engine and get to work. Every new riding will have to be carved out of existing ones. In heavily populated areas, like Ont, someone has to study the results of individual polls from several elections.
At our meeting, I had letters of support from mayors, principals, doctors, individuals etc.
This is off topic, but we must be prepared.
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