First of all I’d like to admit that I did not watch Governor Strickland’s State of the State Address this year. At that time, I was teaching so I didn’t get to see what has apparently turned into a big scandal: members of the Ohio legislature tweeting during the speech. In today’s Columbus Dispatch, the House Speaker is quoted as saying:
“Tweeting or whatever else people are doing in their seats other than participating in the legislative discussion is not in accord with the decorum of the institution,” said the Beachwood Democrat.
Furthermore:
The speaker also said that giving members access to text messages and e-mails while in the chamber strengthens the power of lobbyists, some of whom have been known to silently pass along messages to members during House and Senate sessions.
In the House, lobbyists are restricted to the balcony, giving them no direct access to members during a session unless members step outside the chamber.
“The reason we don’t allow communications from the floor already is because we don’t want lobbyists communicating with legislators while discussion of various bills is going forward,” Budish said. “We will make sure in the House that that does not occur.”
I wonder if people are so concerned because they are uneducated on the various new media formats, including twitter? Is the Speaker truly worried about the action of tweeting or even texting detracts from the prestige of the job that they hold?
Is it any different, or less distracting, than when you turn on CSPAN and see senators in the middle of a roll call vote engaged in their private conversations with colleagues?
It doesn’t bother me and I am a user of Twitter. I think it brings great advantages to the political dialogue. Isn’t it beneficial to know what our elected leaders are thinking on an issue at any given time? And especially if it is close to the time of a vote?
Perhaps the speaker is more worried about these texts and tweets becoming public record.
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