Comments on: #TCOT Dome or a misinterpretation?

By: TeamWMD

TeamWMD — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:02:45 +0000

The Chairman of the RNC is not an “elected” position per se, but rather an appointment that is decided by the membership of the RNC. The Chairman is not under any obligation at all to respond to MPL or anybody else for that matter.

The beef that some of us have is that MPL seemed to imply that his views represent the “majority” of TCOT membership. He based that on a result of 82% finding in an online poll that only had 129 respondents. TCOT has over 1500 people in it…

MPL can say whatever he wants. It's still a free country. But he should NOT falsely represent the community…

By: TxSkirt

TxSkirt — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:21:12 +0000

I read MPL's blog and have watched this debate on twitter and frankly, I am confused by the hubbub. When I read MPL's blog, I never read anything into it other than it was his opinion. As for his taunting Mr. Duncan for not responding to his queries, I don't blame him. Elected officials need to remember for whom they work. I don't like it when my elected officials don't respond to me either. As a member of TCOT, I was neither offended nor saw any empirical abuse of power in MPL's statements. They were just what they said they were, his opinion.

Should TCOT decided to support a candidate or issue that does not jive with my values, I will simply quit. Are you suggesting that MPL run all his personal blogs and opinions past TCOT members first to make sure we approve of them? That is just wrong and not something I can support. MPL is entitled to express his opinions as freely as you and I are, regardless of the position he holds in TCOT.

By: TeamWMD

TeamWMD — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:03:36 +0000

They won't ask the right question if they do a poll…

By: bobdevore

bobdevore — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:16:04 +0000

Why don't they poll the group and find out what the majority really think?

By: Dana

Dana — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:14:18 +0000

"What I am suggesting is that #TCOT should never be used to take a stand during internal party debates or to endorse any one specific policy, candidate or ideological position other than conservatism as a whole and the use of technology."

However, this could be just as dangerous as presuming to take a stand for an unclarified majority.

I think #tcot should always side with conservatism as it is defined, no matter the circumstance, as it is the entire point of the website's existence: to stand up for a message and amplify it via social media. Social media is simply a vehicle through which to distribute information quickly and to facilitate connectivity between constituent and official.

I say this as someone who has been blogging since 2001: to make a message's means of distribution the sole or most substantive litmus test for a candidate's worthiness is counter-productive to what we're trying to do.

That being said, I strongly dislike Mike Duncan, but not because he doesn't give 140 character updates daily.

By: TeamWMD

TeamWMD — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:57:43 +0000

“i guess my concern is that the same people who elected Duncan are the ones who will make this decision”

That is why #TCOT ought to focus on the RNC members and NOT the RNC Chair. We need to fix the institution before we'll have any effect whatsoever on the leadership.

By: daltonsbriefs

daltonsbriefs — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:36:28 +0000

I'll agree that speaking for the majority of #TCOT is an overstretch by Micheal. We have no idea what the majority is, because the group is only three weeks old and still trying to determine it's importance and role. I do worry though if we, as conservatives, are afraid to ever stand against anything. We did lose, and lose real big to Obama and to Democrats using technology. It stands to reason that the structure should be changed, to be more grass roots and more transparent. i guess my concern is that the same people who elected Duncan are the ones who will make this decision.

Can't speak for everyone on RNC, but the three in my state, Indiana, won't even return emails ... couldn't tell you what facebook or twitter are ... when asked to do radio interview with largest conservative blog in state, didn't even respond much less admit they don't read anything but major media.

My indictment would be of the entire establishment of generally older, generally whiter, generally disconnected members of the GOP who keep re-appointing themselves to leadership and now keep losing elections.