Twitter, Facebook founders changing political, social landscape

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Leanne Jenkins----Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, has formed an alliance with Marco Rubio, Republican Senator from Florida who is often cited as a potential Presidential candidate, in order to reform immigration, as this newest foray into politics offers insight into the power of social media giants in framing political and social issues.

Zuckerberg was reported by Political Moneyline as working extensively with Rubio with his political advocacy group running ads in conservative areas.  The ads encourage voters to support a bipartisan Senate bill on immigration.

What would that bill include and what are the dimensions of immigration reform?  While Rubio has a Hispanic heritage, many of his positions have reflected conservative Republican ideas on what reform might be, many of which are in opposition to former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama have conceived, especially in the area of a path for citizenship for illegal immigrants.  Rubio's political positions are here, as related by On the Issues:

Immigration is a human issue AND a law & order issue. (Mar 2013)

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  Leave immigration to feds; 50 sets of laws is worse. (Jun 2012)

  
  

  
  


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  English is de facto official language; let's recognize that. (Jun 2012)

  
  

  
  


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  AZ ant-immigrant law demands papers like "police state". (Jun 2012)

  
  

  
  


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  OpEd: Claimed falsely that parents fled Castro in 1959. (Jun 2012)

  
  

  
  


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  Legal status, but not citizenship, to migrant's children. (Jun 2012)

  
  

  
  


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  GOP DREAM Act: visas for going to college or military. (Apr 2012)

  
  

  
  


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  AZ law may unreasonably single out some citizens. (Apr 2010)

  
  

  
  


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  Don't count illegal immigrants in the 2010 census. (Apr 2010)

  
  

  
  


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  Allow children of illegals to pay in-state college tuition. (Mar 2010)

  
  

  
  


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  No amnesty in any form, not even back-of-the-line. (Mar 2010)

  
  

  
  


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  Oppose amnesty in any reform. (Feb 2010)

  
  

  
  


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  Opposes granting amnesty to illegal immigrants. (Sep 2010)

  
  

  
  


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  Supports full implementation of current border security laws. (Sep 2010)

  
  

  
  

While Zuckerberg has expanded his interests into conservative politics, Twitter founder Evan Williams has been creating and expanding social media sites, that initially included his creation of Blogger, which he sold to Google, then Twitter and now a social media site called Medium.  His ventures are aimed at changing the news, especially to encompass the public both as customers and as creators.

Both Williams and Zuckerberg's creations have changed the landscape of communication and help to facilitate change through their ventures.  While Williams politics are not as public as Zuckerberg, he is located in San Francisco, one of the progressive's best known havens.

‘Unstoppable’ former Gov. Edwards of La. savors freedom

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Carol Forsloff - The last time I saw former Governor Edwin Edwards of Louisiana,  it was Mardi Gras weekend in  New Orleans when the newly-elected Governor was crashed on a couch inside of a grand house in the French Quarter, and yesterday he became a free man again in time to celebrate the good times ahead after nearly ten years in jail..

Edwards was released from house arrest yesterday after being sent to  jail two years after his conviction in 2000 for corruption.  He had been wheeling and dealing in the casino licensing business, getting his good old gambling boys special favors along with extra money in his pocket.  His prison sentence ended in January of 2011.  Since then he had been under house arrest.

The former Louisiana Governor had hoped to be released earlier, as he had asked for, and been refused, a pardon from George W. Bush before the former President left office.

In 1992 Edwards was at his peak, having run for Governor against David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.    Major entertainers, like Naomi  and Wynona Judd, declared their support for Edwards out of worries for the State of Louisiana and the prospect of its being governed by a former Klan official.    Ross Perot, having hinted at a run for the Presidency, gave his support to Edwards also, again out of concern for Louisiana’s reputation.

There he was, the newely-elected Governor Edwards,  two decades ago, as groups of folks strolled through the house,  to the great wide porch on which dignitaries danced to Louisiana’s musical best.  Al Hurt wasn’t playing but was dancing nearby, as this journalist moved to the beat without writing a bit about fun.  Harry Connick Sr. was among the guests too, as artists, musicians and political figures enjoyed private fun on Bourbon Street, where fun is the operative word.

Edwards, not a drinker, still stretched in repose in the house, as folks laughed a bit and went on with the gaiety still, as the old man snoozed away on that couch.   Governor Edwards had always been his own form of eccentric in a parade of political pomp, with the kind of colorful ways that had tarnished the state’s reputation.  His gambling addiction and fast-and-loose style were known far and wide in the state.  The voters were put in the worst situation, a choice of two men who stood for the worst, Duke and Edwards, in a high-profile contest that Edwards won mostly because of the black vote and New Orleans precincts as well.  The choice had been “Vote for the Crook” as campaign buttons pleaded that year.

He is free now, that old man,  Edwin Edwards, at age 84.   He is quoted as saying he’s “looking forward to it”  when asked about being released.  With a new fiancé, Tina Scott Grimes,  less than half his age, Edwards is said to be planning to go on a book tour with his biographer who says,  "He's still very dynamic...he's still a lot of fun to be around and at 84, he doesn't seem to be stoppable!"