It's been a long-running joke that Republicans don't understand technology, what with United States Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) trying to describe the Internet as a "series of tubes" and President George W. Bush referring to "the Internets."
However, a new generation of Republicans is not only learning to use technologies such as Twitter and YouTube, but is doing so to attack the Democratic-led Congress after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) adjourned it last Friday.
The #dontgo movement -- as in "don't go home" -- is now tagging its Twitter posts with #dontgo so they can be found more easily. The movement also has a website with news, links to videos, a FaceBook page, and all the other requisite information and links that one would expect to find on a Democratic activist page, such as one against the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
"The #dontgo Revolution all started on Friday when House Republicans refused to go home after the Democratic Majority shut down the House for a 5 week recess," the website explained. "Going on without microphones, cameras, and sometimes even lights, Republicans have been demanding that the House reconvene to vote on offshore drilling. Republicans gave speeches until 5pm on Friday and are continuing all week on the Floor."
But the actual issues involved -- whether offshore drilling would actually help Americans at the pump -- and Pelosi's adjournment without a vote on the matter, are taking a back seat to the demonstration that Republicans are embracing technology that some had thought they were unable or unwilling to learn.
Twittering Republican representatives thus far include John Boehner (R-Ohio), Christopher Shays (R-Connecticut), Dan Burton (R-Indiana), Denny Rehberg (R-Montana), Eric Cantor (R-West Virginia), John Culberson (R-Texas), Pete Hoekstra (R-Michigan), and Rob Wittman (R-Virgina).
Presumptive Republican Presidential nominee John McCain has reportedly also said he will come off the campaign trail to support the movement.
It is unclear whether the Republicans -- some of whom are up for re-election this fall -- plan to continue throughout the entire five-week recess. Exactly what the group hopes to achieve is also not clear; it describes its goals as "to achieve a tidal shift in American politics from the ground up, utilizing the great potential of the grassroots movement. On a multitude of issues, from energy independence to fiscal responsibility, we plan to return the country back onto the right path."
According to CNN, the movement also inspired MoveOn -- one of the seminal Internet-based activist organizations -- to hold a rally in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.