About five years ago, State Sen. Philip Erdman began posting a daily column on his Web site, describing what is going on in the Unicameral from his perspective. He called it keeping the folks in his part of the state informed about his views and what the Legislature was up to.

Now they call it blogging. Erdman is likely the only state senator who blogs, with a daily personal report, though a few other senators offer weekly columns, written in the first-person blogging style, and sent out through e-mail or posted on a Web page. More Session 2005 stories

Erdman's daily report, which also goes out by e-mail to several hundred constituents, friends, and interested people, is a brief synopsis of the bills being debated that day, with a touch of Erdman perspective and humor.

On March 14, the senator from Bayard provided his view on allowing felons to vote two years after they have completed their sentence. He opposed the bill (LB 53), which passed, garnered a governor's veto and then was passed over that veto.

At the end of this blog, Erdman pointed out that most Americans are not disenfranchised because of external factors — like being found guilty of a felony, They are disenfranchised "from laziness or lack of interest," he wrote and added: "I pray that you are not one of them."

Several other senators have their own Web sites — Lowen Kruse of Omaha, Adrian Smith (under construction) and Mick Mines.  And a few use the Internet to distribute their personal views weekly. These electronic columns are less formal than most columns written by state senators or their staff for use by weekly papers.

Mick Mines sends out a short, clever weekly newsletter, generally focusing on one issue, by e-mail to about 1,500 friends and constituents on an e-mail list.

"It's my thoughts about the past week or specific events," said Mines, who is vice president for external relations for HunTel Systems Inc. The newsletter generally puts a light-hearted spin on an issue of the week.

Mines recently referred to Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers' filibuster fighting technique, using a homegrown acronym "ERNIES (Entirely Reasonable Never In Error Senator).

One week Mines described the death of a bill he introduced (LB 63), which would eliminate Nebraska's front license plate. The Transportation and Telecommunications Committee killed the bill soon after the public hearing on the issue.

"The committee trashed the bill faster than gossip travels through the lobby," Mines wrote.

Lowen Kruse posts his views of the week on his Web site through a "Krusin' The Capitol" column. Kruse, a retired minister, began the weekly column soon after he took office four years ago, as an inexpensive way to educate his constituents and the public.

He offers his own views on life in general as well as on specific legislative issues. It is "behind-the-scenes things and my personal perspective," Kruse said.

Kruse, like Erdman, wrote about the Legislature's override on the bill allowing felons to vote.  Kruse supported the measure, and in his column criticized the media for overplaying the veto.

"The media had a field day with hyped rhetoric, which I guess is their job. We read and heard on TV, the governor was hammered, defeated, slammed down, taught an early lesson, cut back in political clout, etc.

"Not.

"He politely pointed out his contrary opinion and we politely voted one more time. "End of story. Not a partisan fight."

Blogs are a new phenomenon on the Internet and among state legislators, according to an article in a magazine on state legislatures.

Blogs first appeared about a decade ago. But they gained prominence in the 2004 presidential elections as a vehicle for candidates and pundits reporting on the elections, reported an article in the March issue of "State Legislatures."

Erdman was blogging before he had heard of the word.

 "I wanted to give real time information to constituents," using the technology that was available," he said of his daily journal.

Erdman types out his blog daily, usually at the end of the day, while he sits at his desk on the legislative floor. He sends it out through an e-mail list, and a friend posts it on his Web site.

"These are just flat out my thoughts on what we are doing. They aren't flippant, but they are candid," he said.

Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks@journalstar.com.

Blog bits

www.philiperdman.com — for a daily report from state Sen. Phil Erdman (who was blogging before he knew he was blogging.)

www.lowenkruse.com — for a weekly report from state Sen. Lowen Kruse.