Congressman George Radanovich’s personal website demonstrates how members of the Congress show support and endorse the political party that they belong to. The website also shows how a member of the congress may be able to facilitate a collaborative communication line between him and his constituents. This essay will explicate how the two objectives (endorsing the Republican Party and opening up communication lines with constituents) of Congressman Radanovich was achieved through his personal website.
Congressman George Radanovich represents the 19th district of California, where he was also born and raised. At present, he is serving his 7th term as a member of the Congress. He is a member of the Energy and Commerce committee, under three subcommittees namely Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, Environment and Hazardous Materials, and Telecommunications and the Internet. The Republican Party runs the Energy and Commerce Committee, which Radanovich strongly supports.
The home page of Congressman Radanovich will immediately present the fact that he belongs to the Republican Party. This is evident on the icons and links that are found in the topmost part and the sidebar on the right of his website. One can read the “Ways you can support our troops” sign on the right, which states the obvious that he uses his personal website to gain support and endorsements from his constituents to support the programs and goals of the Republican Party. Moreover, accessible links that can be found in his biography page connects one directly to the website of the Republican committee on Energy and Commerce. Another icon on the side bar of his home page will link one directly to the official website of the Republican Study Committee where one can see the programs and aims of the party. In addition, one of his news releases talks about his stalwart support for the Republican budget.
The title of the news release is “Radanovich Supports Republican Budget.” The article introduces the decision of Radanovich to veto tax increase under the authority of the Democrat’s Budget Resolution. The remainder of the article was a statement by Radanovich himself that expresses strong disagreement to the Budget Resolution spearheaded by the Democratic Party. His stand was against the government’s approval of the resolution. According to him, the resolution would raise the taxes the American people would have to pay for the following years and increase the rate of expenditure. Moreover, the resolution does not concentrate on the predicament about entitlement spending and does not support the U.S. troops based in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Radanovich continued with the statement by presenting the budget that the Republican Party has authored and raises the advantages and benefits that the approval of the Republican budget would ensue. According to him, the Republican budget does not push the increase in tax rates and stabilizes federal budget. Moreover, the Republican budget will be able to fund the U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The said budget was said to save billions of funds due to the exclusion of pork barrel and improves the system of Medicare and Medicaid.
Although the issue does not concern the committee that he belongs to, he expressed his strong ideas against the Budget Resolution authored by the Democratic Party. This was his way of reminding the press and the American people of the negative aspect of the resolution presented by the opposing party, while at the same time building up the aims of the Republican Party. Moreover, he stresses that he is for the American people and that he supported a side that supports the welfare of the citizens.
The second objective of Radanovich’s website, which is to facilitate two-communication between him and his constituents, was the publication of his web log and the link where in one is able to contact him and a 1800 number wherein people may leave messages or comments. In his web log, he expresses his personal opinions and statements about different issues that people may read online in order for them to understand the goals and objectives of Radanovich as a Congressman of the 19th district of California. This is a great way for him to communicate, on a personal level, with his constituents. As based from observation, while comparing his website with four other personal website of Congressmen and Congresswomen, he was the only one who published a web log. On this note, I say that one of the objectives of his personal website was to open a way for communication that is two-way. Not only is he able to take messages and comments from his constituents but he is also able to answer or address them through his web log.
The information presented above proves that individual members are more popular than the institution itself. This is because there are many ways that a member may opt to stand out and introduce himself as himself, and not as a member of an institution. Although he chose to tie his website with the party that he belongs to, his thoughts and ideas on some other issues or aspects may still make him unique, thus, popular to the people. For instance, publishing his web log and a news release that speaks entirely of his personal statement, allows him to present himself as he is apart from being a member of an institution.
