Social media changes face of Middle East and maybe in Orland Park

Social media like Twitter and Facebook are the foundations of the social change being used to unseat dictators and tyrants in the Middle East. The Tweets and Facebook friend posts have forced many presidents-for-life to leave office before they retire or are carried out on their backs.

That's also rare in Chicago's suburbs where many elected officials remain in office until the very end, dragged out even with their fingernails scratching the chalkboard after they die and go to that big patronage haven in the sky.

But at least one candidate for public office in Orland Park is using social media in a big way. That's Steve Williams who is running on the Fiscal Voices Party (backed by Cook County Commissioner and anti-tax hike champion Liz Gorman) for Orland Park Trustee.

Not only does he have a Facebook page but, he is also using Facebook advertising which is very effective and easy and low cost when you know how to use it. Here is his link to his Facebook page.

Click here to view his Facebook Page.

Williams can purchase the ad that runs on the pages of anyone who designates on their Facebook account that they are from Orland Park. That is how Facebook Ads can target people so effectively. People who don't live in Orland Park won't see the Ad which saves huge money.

There are other candidates with Facebook Pages, including from the opposition, like Trustee Ed Schussler.

Click here to view his Facebook Page.

I couldn't find one for his running mate and incumbent Pat Gira. And I looked for and found one for Carole Ruzich, too.

Click here to view her Facebook Page.

I checked for one for John Fotopoulos. Like Rhode, Fotopoulos is a "friend"among my list of contacts. (John is a friend, but not everyone who friends is a real friend, but someone who wants to connect. They should create a category and split it to designate real Friends and the rest would be Connections. But who am I to tell the guy who made billions on the Internet how to do his job?)

Click here to view his Facebook Page.

Steve William's running mates are Molly McAvoy Flynn and John Brudnak.


Click here for Flynn's Facebook Page.


I couldn't find one for Brudnak, but maybe this is his relatives. Click here to check that out.


I couldn't find a Facebook Page for Tom Cunningham.


All of the candidates should have one, but not all do. They should have campaign web sites, too. And they should have a Twitter account. They all help.


Social media brought about dramatic change in the Middle East. Maybe we can see the same thing in Orland Park.


-- Ray Hanania