Twitter, Facebook Posts Will Help U.S. Rep. Compose Floor Speech

Twitter, Facebook, Internet, lend me your ears.

U.S. Rep Maxine Waters, D-Calif., on Friday called on her Twitter followers and Facebook friends to use social media to craft a speech on the economy that she will read from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

To participate, people must follow Waters on Twitter or like her Facebook page, and then use a hashtag, #ourspeech, over the Oct. 14 weekend to send their comments to Waters answering the question, If I could give a speech on the House floor about jobs and the economy, what would I say?

She suggests that her followers can share a small business idea, a reform to the tax code, figures, facts or frustrations. Anything used will be credited to the user and will be part of the permanent Congressional record, according to Waters.

Social media has offered us all a way to expand democracy, Waters said in a statement. Now I want to bring it to the floor of Congress to let Washington know exactly how you feel.

Waters' staff will compile the speech, which will be read on the week of Oct. 24.