Aaron Brooks

Columnist

Congressmen should not tweet during presidential speeches; it is disrespectful. Congressmen, you have not been elected by a majority of the American people, so even though you think you are better qualified to speak on such matters, your job title says otherwise. This does not mean I am unwilling to hear a rebuttal or statement of support, but if you so choose to comment, I want to hear something more eloquent than 140 characters. Tweeting rebuttals just makes you seem like an angry teen what cannot put his frustration to more constructive purposes. #growup.

Alyssa pracz

Columnist

I don’t think congressmen should tweet during the president’s speech because although you are keeping the public updated with what is going on, it’s kind of disrespectful. It’s the same as texting during a lecture or playing on a cell phone. As soon as the speech is over, I don’t think it will take too much time for newspapers and the Internet to get on top of it. I don’t think tweeting something about it immediately as it’s being said makes a difference.

Jack Baker

Columnist

I think congressmen should tweet during speeches by the president. Yes, it is a little bit rude, but it provides instant feedback and commentary on what the president is saying about the direction of our country. Also, it’s just good to know that they’re actually there and paying attention, which is rare, because most of the time they don’t show up unless there is a vote.

Martha Lueck

Columnist

We might think that tweeting is just like talking because it’s so common. Although we might occasionally tweet at inappropriate times, it’s a bigger deal when congressmen tweet during a speech. The biggest reason is that they know more about politics than we do. If they’re focused on both the speech and the tweets, it can lead to a misunderstanding for the public. While we want news fast, the facts need to be right. That’s why it’s more important for congressmen to take notes and pay attention. Even missing the littlest thing can affect the accuracy of our understanding about the speech.

Parker Happ

Columnist

While the information age is beneficial to politics in that there is far more transparency in government today with the introduction of Wikileaks and Twitter, American democracy is slow and is meant to be meticulously tedious sometimes. Tweeting during speeches further downgrades the importance of conversation and debate in Washington and promotes the idea of “bumper sticker” politics. What’s an example of bumper sticker politics? Michelle Bachmann promising $2 gas or President Obama’s hope, change and a new way in Washington. I mean, seriously, what more can you get out of 140 characters during a speech?