Rapid Response

One of the more interesting uses of new technology in the political world I've seen lately sadly (or, well, maybe not so sadly) did not get to be implemented. (At least not yet, anyway.)

In the run-up to the Senate nuclear option, PFAW asked its members to sign up for text-message notification at the exact moment that Frist pulled the trigger. The messages would have included the Senate switchboard number, and with a push of a button, PFAW members would have been immediately linked to their Senators' offices, ready to register their opposition to the Republican majority's actions.

Having worked with the software that many advocacy groups here in DC use for their email Action Alerts, I can understand why PFAW decided to look for new technology for this particular need. Depending on the complexity of the message (how many pieces of information like the name of the recipient's Senator or a phone number that have to be pulled from a database and matched by zip code) it can take up to 12 hours to send 120,000 email messages. Moreover, many people only check their email once or twice a day. As long as the "rapid" in "rapid response" means "in the next week or so", email can be an effective way to mobilize an interest group's members.

However, PFAW clearly needed something quicker. The key events of the nuclear option were going to happen quickly, within a few hours, and PFAW needed to show how many people felt strongly about preserving the filibuster within that time frame. The use of cell phone text messaging, with an automatic link to the Senate switchboard, was an inspired use of technology for political communication.

Too bad we didn't get to see it in action...