Buckle up bloggers! Time to sit back and enjoy everyone’s favorite past-time–politics!  

Hopefully, at least two of you will indulge my strange passion for politics and continue to read. On November 10, 2013 The Statesman released a story about 18^th District Representative Mark Patterson. The story focused on how the Ada Country Sherriff, Gary Raney, revoked Patterson’s concealed carry permit. The basis for action revolves around falsification of the application. Patterson failed to disclose a withheld judgment on rape charges back in 1974; a withheld judgment renders an applicant ineligible to carry a weapon.  

           

The next day, another story came out, in the Spokesman-Review. According to Idaho State Law, Legislatures’ are except from the concealed carry law, therefore Patterson doesn’t have to give up his weapon.

           
 We now get to the crisis…

 This newest revelation about lawmakers being exempt from the law comes on the heels of national uproar about Congressional exemption from Obamacare. Idaho Legislatures are scrambling. In the story four representatives came out denouncing the exemption and calling for the law to be repealed. Even the House majority leader spoke, “I don’t like the fact that there’s a double standard. I think everybody ought to have the same ability and right that the Legislature does.”

Lawmakers employ interns to monitor the media to listen for “hot topic” items. On the day the story ran in the Spokesman-Review, 55 people commented and all of them angry. The quick response to the comments shows that the lawmakers are tuned-in. This monitoring, of the pulse, of their constituent base allows for timely and intelligent responses to the public. Technology changed the way lawmakers and constituents interact. The fast paced movement of information demands quick, accurate, responses from lawmakers. As more people cry out for political reform and transparency re-election hinges on crisis management.

On Deadline, discussed how social media has taken away organization’s ability to control the message of a crisis. The key to managing social media is observation, planning, and quick response. One minute on the world-wide-web is now equivalent to one day pre-internet. Every second can result in several negative messages being posted, shared and liked. Allowing a message to morph, spread, and destroy often takes nothing more than a slow response.

The law in question is 23-years old. The man causing the commotion is a first and probably one time legislature. Is it a big deal? What happens to those who didn’t speak out against it, will it come back to bite them in the butt? Only time will tell, however what do you think? Also, Patterson hasn’t made a statement beyond accusations of a witch-hunt and his intention to appeal the suspension of his permit. What should he do to improve his image, or is he out of luck?

In conclusion, thank you. I know political discussions usually lead to glazed eyes, day dreams, and looking for the exits. However, due to the continued stupidity of our elected officials there is job security for crisis management teams in the wonderful sport of politics!