Twitter Can Open the Gates of Civic Engagement By U.S. Representative Michael Honda (CA-15) Financial Times[WEBSITE VERSION] March 3, 2009
Sir, Reading your article on Twitter ("Sweet to tweet", February 27), I wanted to comment on how Twitter and related technologies also offer the potential for improved policymaking.
The greatest natural resource of any nation is its citizens, and these new technologies allow government officials to more fully engage with our constituents. For example, today I asked my Twitter "followers" (people who read my tweets) to suggest which sectors of our economy the government should invest in to expedite our economic recovery. The responses have been insightful, profound and instructive. Undoubtedly, my policymaking will reflect these constituent contributions.
New media tools have the capacity to revolutionise government, and I look forward to finding new ways of engaging with the public in the pursuit of better public policy.
As a member of Congress representing the Silicon Valley region, as well as an appropriator serving on the commerce, science and justice subcommittee, it is exciting to help innovate new technology that can open wide the gates for civic engagement.
The more participatory our democracy, the more sound our policymaking, the more involved our constituents and the more equitable the political game.
And if Twitter can help us get there, all the better.
Michael Honda, US House of Representatives, Washington DC, US @repmikehonda