Political Climate

Hello Everyone!

With elections right around the corner, I thought this would be the perfect time for me to make a post about double-checking what different politicians are saying. I know a number of good sites that can help you decide who you want to support/vote for in this crazy, crazy world. I'm not taking any side...and neither do these sites. Check it out!

FactCheck.org
(brought to you by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania)

FactCheck.org allows you to see how different accusations are right...and wrong. They do not seem to favor anyone in their analysis of different races. I've used them for several years and have found them to be very reliable. Unfortunately, this site is not very useful for more local politicians.

VoteSmart.org
(brought to you by Project Vote Smart)

This one is relatively new to me, but I find it very interesting. It contains information on officials AND candidates on federal, state, and local levels. You can find out who your representatives are, as well as background information on them. You can see their education, professional experience, political experience, organizations, and committees. You can also find information about how to contact them. There is also a section that allows you to search a particular official's or candidate's voting record, issue positions, interest group ratings, public statements, and campaign finances. It does not make any comments or judgments; it simply gives you the facts.

PolitiFact.com
(brought to you by the St. Petersburg Times)

This one is not so much about the candidates...as it is about their statements. This site tells you which statements are true, mostly true, half true, barely true, false, and pants on fire. It can really help a voter out if he/she isn't sure what to believe.



There are many other sites out there that can be used to point you toward the candidate that is right for you; many of these have their own agenda. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. Organizations like the League for Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club have sites that offer support to candidates that are concerned with the environment. If this is an issue near and dear to your heart, check out those sites.

For more information on how to register to vote, where to vote, or registration deadlines, please check Vote411.org (brought to you by the League of Women Voters). And in the words of John Walsh, you can make a difference.

(Kudos to Howard-Tilton Memorial Library at Tulane University, where I learned about some of these links.)

Bunny Burnstein