Justin Thorp envisions a world wherein online community managers are staffers for members of Congress and key government offices and personnel.  I like the way he thinks, What if a Congressman or Government Agency had a Community Manager?

What if a congressman or government agencies had a community manager? This would be a person that everyone in the community knew. On the Web site, there’d be a photo of them and every possible way to get ahold of them. They’d hang out at coffee shops, bars, churches, town squares, barbershops, or any public place where their constituency spent their time. I could easily walk up to them and talk to them about what my problem is or what’s on my mind.

Members of the House and the Senate have minions to respond to email, letters, calls, and faxes — they should have OCMs as well, of course.