Dem ChatterBox

Friday, July 01, 2005

Candidates' Drunken Spectacles on TV?

I became instantly intrigued when I began reading about the digital divide on Capitol Hill. I had no idea there was such a dramatic chasm between the haves and the have-nots. But really, what does a spiffy website say about a legislator? Or does it simply reaffirm their legitimacy with the web-literate electorate.

Would you vote for a candidate that didn't maintain an updated, efficient website? How much slack are us Generation Next-ers willing to give elected officials? Some of our parents still cannot seem to send an email without a 45 minute tutorial (with us on the other end of the phone), but where is the bar set for elected officials?

Would you support the re-election of a Congressman that can't even find their websites without help? Or does it even matter? Personally, I think we need to hold elected officials to the same high standard on the internet that we do with other voter contact mediums, such as television and newspapers (print). Could you imagine a candidate going on camera in sweats, intoxicated and spewing racial slurs? Okay, my example might be a tad extreme; but it's a valid point, elected professionals must present themselves professionally at all times and in all media outlets.