Tag: John Pritchett

For the past week, I’ve been instructed by a few Facebook friends to update my status by cutting and pasting a sentence or phrase that reflects their outrage of the current Debt Ceiling Impasse...

… or to email my Congress person…

… or to Tweet THIS if I want change…

… or to text someone that ‘I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.’

And after all that updating, and reposting, and retweeting, and Google+ing, what’s the result?

–  Debt ceiling impasse.

–  Unstable global financial markets.

–  Multiple stories about the inevitable downgrade from our AAA credit status and a coming stock market collapse.

Now, perhaps there are a few young congressional aides that are monitoring the ‘Facebook Status Update Situation’ and how many constituents actually posted the sentence of choice – but, really, is Congress listening?

Of course not.

Support or dissent from social media is like “American Idol” voting.  So silly – but since it’s so easy to participate… why not?

It’s just another reason I feel Facebook is worthless.  Superficial passion.  “My day was awesome!”  “My kids are the best students!”  “Here’s the greatest recipe for Apple Pie!”

On “American Idol”, viewers are urged to phone or text (standard text message rates apply) as many times as they can for their favorite contestant.  If you can’t get through – please keep trying!

Millions and millions of “votes” for Scott McCreary.  Millions and millions for Lauren Alaina.  Yet more millions and millions for Haley Reinhart (why, I’ll never know – don’t be hating me Haley fans – I just don’t think she’s talented).

And the winner is?  Oh, I don’t know… we don’t care.  The producers have agreed on… I mean, America has voted on… let’s say… Scotty!

You realize the votes aren’t counted, right?

If they actually did count the votes, the viewers would see those counts.  Because that would add an interesting dynamic.

But producers can’t do that because then they wouldn’t be able to kick off the contestants they don’t like.

The same thing applies when social media takes on politics.  When one person can re-post something a thousand times, it’s a superficial reading of what is really going on.

“Millions of emails have flooded the in-boxes of members of Congress.”  Yeah, millions and millions of  emails from three guys in Utah.  And all went straight to the Congressional Spam folder.

And every political party is doing it – which creates nothing but muddle.

I am fairly certain the Tea Party people are flooding their status updates with “Don’t Raise The Debt Ceiling At All.  Take Back America!”

And Republican Facebookers are pasting “Make Obama a one-term President.”

And the Democrats:  “Don’t let the corporate jet owners win again!”

Is there anyone counting who is updating their Facebook status the most times?  What do you think?  And what do they win if they post the most?  At least Scotty McCreary gets a record contract.  Social Media activists get… ignored.

We all know where the Debt Ceiling Impasse is headed no matter how many Tweets are Tweeted – and so does President Obama.  The U.S. will be kicking the can further down the road and a six month or one year debt ceiling extension that will accomplish very little and will be reluctantly signed on August 1st or 2nd.

Then Congress goes on vacation for the month of August.

The issue will be taken up again in early 2012 – two weeks or so before another possible default.  And the Facebook status posting and Tweeting will begin another cycle… just in time for the new season of “American Idol”.

Jill Kennedy – OnMedea