Congressional Websites (Psst...! Hey Nan...! Listen Up...)

My congresswoman, Dr. Nan Hayworth, is no doubt busy as all get out finding her way through her first full week as a Member of the United States House of Representatives.

I expect her to lead, not micromanage her office in terms of doing the People's Business, so just to be clear, this post concerning her official webpage(s) isn't meant to be a criticism as such, but rather a useful critique.

Nan... if you're reading this...

Your official website is nothing more than an official template. That'll do for now and certainly you're not alone - particularly when it comes to freshmen Members.

That said...

Put yourself in the position of a constituent pulling up your website in order to see what you've been doing - and what you plan to do in terms of actual legislation - now that you're no longer a candidate for Congress, but rather a Member of Congress.

Go to your homepage's "Media Center." Look under "In the News," "Press Releases," and "Speeches."

(*SHRUG*)

See what I'm saying...???

(Oh... and by the way, Nan... there should have been a statement from you on the front page of your official website within hours of the Arizona shooting; someone getting paid to pay attention better start paying attention to details such as these.)

Anyway, Nan, I'm sure your staff will soon get the hang of properly utilizing the website - making it at least as informative and interactive as your campaign website was - but before I drop the topic allow me to reiterate a past suggestion:

Nan. You need a blog.

The blog should be found "within" your official congressional Member's Website, but it should reflect your thoughts, observations and messages to your constituents and the nation - yours alone... not some staffers.

Perhaps at times you'll go days without adding an entry. Maybe you'll open the page to comments; maybe you won't. Even if you do you will of course be under no obligation to directly answer each and every public inquiry or even most of them assuming you get high traffic.

What you do need to do however is establish a method of bypassing media spin and the "editing" of your comments.

Note how I do it, Nan!

Everyone reading my blog knows where I stand on the issues.

Now if people (who care to) know private citizen Bill Barker's feelings on local, state, and national issues of importance, wouldn't you agree that people should likewise have a clear window available to them in order to gaze upon the thought process, feelings, and voting logic of Congresswoman Nan Hayworth?

That's it, Nan; my two cents worth for today.

(*SMILE*)

Keep reading my postings and availing yourself of my newsbites! (Again... "Barker's Newsbites should be required reading for your staff.)

* UPDATE...

Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about:

I just this moment received an email from "MegaVote" informing me that you have been recorded as Not Voting with regard to House Roll Call Vote #10 (1/07/2011) which approved the rules for debating H.R.2, the bill to repeal the 2010 health care law.

What gives...???

Not a word of explanation on your website as far as I can tell...

** UPDATE #2...

Just heard from Nan personally. She responds as follows:

Yes, I missed a five-minute vote on the rule last Friday. The rule was to allow the repeal vote for the Affordable Care Act. The way these votes on rules are done, two votes are made in quick succession. The first vote is on the Previous Question, and it simply means that we approve taking a vote on the rule. The second vote is the one that actually approves the rule.

I so clearly approved of the rule that I made a one- minute speech in support of the rule during the debate before the Previous Question was moved. The speech, which emphasized that the vote to repeal PPACA is not merely symbolic but in fact represents the true will of the American people, was remarkable enough to be picked up by national media outlets, including National Public Radio and the Los Angeles Times. After the debate ended, the first vote, for the Previous Question, was held and I voted yes. I proceeded to spend the next approximately 15 minutes discussing the vote with colleagues on the House floor, followed by voting on the question of resolving the issue of the delayed swearing-in of two fellow House Members.

So I was participating as fully as I thought possible, and I didn't realize that I had missed the second of a two-part vote. Given my newness to legislative process, I've been fortunate to have the counsel of our Legislative Director, Matt Turkstra, who ensures that I'm fully aware of the votes we're taking each day. However, on Friday Matt was home sick with a fever, so I didn't have him to advise me regarding the two-part vote.

We will be entering a statement into the Congressional Record regarding my intention to have voted yes to the rule, and of course I will not err on a two-part vote again.

I hope that this explanation will clear things up, and apologies to you and all friends for any inconvenience caused by my inadvertent omission.

Yep... I knew there'd be a good explanation!

Anyway, folks... there you have it.