California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is heading to Twitter’s headquarters in San Francisco today to do a live streaming webchat with co-founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone. Oddly, Twitter hasn’t posted about it on its blog, but much of the company is atwitter (see what I did there) over the arrival. And so is the Governor, who tweets, “If you want to send in questions for my webchat at twitter hq with @ev and @biz, now is the time. You snooze, you lose.”
So what’s the purpose behind the Governor’s visit and the webcast? Well, Schwarzenegger has just launched a new Twitter-based site for California, MyIdea4CA.com. Yes, he’s using the social network to crowd-source ideas for how to run the state. Here’s the way the site describes how the process works:
Ideas are submitted to the website through your Twitter account when you include the hashtag #myidea4ca along with your idea in your tweet. MyIdea4CA.com centralizes the Twitter conversation by indexing the #myidea4ca tweets so they can be searched, sorted, and ranked and extends the conversation by allowing users to vote and add comments.
So basically, it’s Digg meets Twitter — to help run the state of California.
But has the idea already gone to pot? Right now, the top three vote-getters by far on MyIdea4CA are all about legalizing marijuana in some way. All of the other most popular suggestions are about overhauling the education system. I’m not sure which seems less likely to happen.
I’m also not sure where the Governor’s live stream will be held, so I’ll update when I find out [Update below]. He should be at Twitter HQ any minute now judging from the tweets.
Update: It’s worth noting that when then President-Elect Obama, launched a similar “Idea Generator” with Salesforce.com, the top vote-getter was also to legalize pot.
Update 2: Schwarzenegger has tweeted out that the conversation is now going on live right here.
[image: Tri-Star Pictures]
When he leaves, I be he says, “I’ll be back”.
Why are legalizing marijuana and overhauling the education system ideas that you dismiss as meaning “the idea [has] already gone to pot”?
I get your clever pun, but these are two very important issues that apparently a lot of internet savvy people who pay attention to politics are interested in seeing attacked.
I would say that this site is working just as it should.
I didn’t look at the ideas posted there, but if there are any _good_ ideas then I would call it a huge win.
Get to the chopper!
Half the state already smokes it and with the huge amount of both legal and illegal growing being done IN STATE there are tens of thousands of people profiting off of it, almost completely untaxed.
Legalization being at the top shows what’s on a sect of the states mind and in my opinion proves that this is a good move by Arnold. He’s getting real information, even if it isn’t what everybody expects to hear.
Besides, all you doubters out there.. isn’t Shriver a Kennedy? Arnold doesn’t have to answer to you!
And this coming from someone who absolutely hates twitter… (me)
Great idea.
“Solve the world’s problems in 140 characters or less. Next up Medicaid reform, balancing the federal budget, and rebuilding the economy.
Ideas? Submit yours! (remember 140 characters or less).”
Mine:
“Stop Sucking So Hard!”
Mine for you, Keren? Grow a brain. How many other governors are running similar schemes to actually know what people want? This is ideal. Nobody said anything about saving the worlds problems in 140 chars or less.
Actually less than 140 — given #MySuckyIdea4CA takes up some chars.
Here you go MG,
Will be going on any minute with @biz and @ev. Watch live at http://tweetcast.in
#MyIdea4CA Shut down Skynet now!
(i.e. close down the evil Twitter network)
Its live right now.
yep, updated with link.
tweet with me, if you want to live.
perhaps the governor can ask them why they haven’t fixed the massive security hole that *will* turn twitter into the world wide web’s biggest malware distribution network if not fixed -STAT.
Someone would have though that he’ll be heading to MA along with his wife, whom I assume is already there to render her emotional support, but instead he’s going to Twitter’s HD?
If it is from MG, I simply ingore the post – too much emphasis on sensationalize than putting efforts on the actual content itself. I have been TC reader for four years, so in general I know what I expect from the posts. Hope this is taken in a positive way by MG and the TC team.
I passed him on 101 today. They had firemen on the overpasses saluting him
Very interesting idea — the site itself looks kinda like someone whipped it together in a few hours, but if it engenders good feedback, Californians should be happy.