By Tanene Allison
July 9, 2009
Dear Assemblymember Ammiano –
This is a follow-up to the last letter I wrote to you, back in November. Last time I wrote to congratulate you on your recent election and to encourage you to bring your unique form of democratic representation into the technological sphere.
Since then, you’ve rocked it. Last I checked you are at (what?!) 2251 Facebook friends, and counting! I think that’s the definition of supply meeting demand.
It’s been great to keep up on your work in Sacramento through my dashboard. Without your presence on Facebook, I’d be much less informed about the leadership you’ve shown in the Capitol.
One thing your Facebook account isn’t informing me of, however, are your thoughts on former Gov. Palin’s recent shotgun resignation. Or, for that matter, your thoughts on what a potential interaction between Palin and Harvey Milk would be like. Or what you thought of the changes to Bay to Breakers. Or how you would best tell the Governator how to address you.
No. For these life-enhancing tidbits of information, I had to hope to come across a quote in some paper or blog somewhere. Or, as I just did, spend way too much time scouring Google.
What I’m writing to say, Honorable Assemblymemer, is that Twitter still needs you! And we need you on Twitter. I mean, why should Sarah Palin and Meghan McCain have all the fun? (Answer: they shouldn’t! Also? Please have as awesome of a Twitter background picture as those two do.)
The demand for your presence on Twitter is strong enough that it appears that Adriel Hampton is already keeping a placeholder account in your name for when you make the leap.
Here’s the thing, I could make an argument for why you need to be on Twitter, but I think you’re the last person who needs to be told why broadcasting 140 character quips to a mass audience is a good thing. And so, I let you make the argument yourself. Below is a sampling of quotes of yours/potential Ammiano Tweets.
(Note: In my researching of these quotes, I discovered that the Bay Guardian runs their Ammianoliner updates of quips from your home answering machine. So, basically, you were Twittering on your home answering machine even before Twitter existed. OG.)
In conclusion, some examples of quotes that would have made stellar Tweets:
· “I can just imagine Harvey Milk and Sarah Palin: ‘Hate your politics. Love your shoes!’”
· “To the governor I would say, ‘Hey, it’s Mr. Girlie-Man to you, pal.’ ”
· “Hillary and Barack discuss the issues. Britney should keep her kids. Not.”
· “Did you know Sarah Palin has a PhD?…a Pentecostal hairdo…..aww, I’m just teasin’ for Jesus.”
· “Bay to Breakers goes puritan. Is that a stimulus package or are you happy to see me?”
· “California’s state budget is like Sarah Palin: bogus, phoney, a bridge to nowhere, Republican.”
· “We have our own gay patron saint, St. Francis the Sissy. For his miracle, he changed breakfast into brunch.”
In less than 140 characters, let me just conclude: I rest my case.
Come join the Twitterati, Assemblymember Ammiano. I can promise we’ll follow.
Sincerely,
Tanene Allison
The Hunger Site
July 10, 2009 at 3:38 pm
There are very few elected officials ( Jeff Adachi always being one of the exceptions) who could fill even one of Tom’s pumps. As for Newsom, he’s not even fit to lick Tom’s loafers.
July 10, 2009 at 10:07 am
http://tinyurl.com/n3cr97
July 9, 2009 at 2:31 pm
How do you tweet and work at the same time?
July 9, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Jokes and twitters are not enough. The state needs competent leadership in all branches of government.
We’re not getting it. Both the governor and the legislature have failed to deal intelligently with the current budget crisis. They have made California into the laughing-stock of the nation.
There’s only so much that one member of the legislature can do, so we can’t be too hard on Tom Ammiano. On the other hand, he claims to be in the vanguard of political progress.
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone in the vanguard made this admission? –
“All of us in Sacramento are parts of a failed status quo. It’s time to restructure state government. We particularly need to establish some professional qualifications for legislators and governors, just as there are professional qualifications for judges.”
Don’t count on any such admission soon. Otherwise, where would the state find enough used-up politicians to fill slots in the Integrated Waste Management Board?
July 9, 2009 at 1:06 am
It’s all good to have Tom making side ways cracks about folks, but right now I am pretty sure Tom is thinking more about how to keep us the less economically challenged folks from loosing what we have to rely on as a means to sub exist. Besides twitter is not for those older sweet tweets.