PSA: How U.S. Politics works (and who's who)

[CJ]

Hi all,

We're coming up, in just another few short months, to another U.S. presidential election. I know the forum counts many members who are not U.S. citizens (I'm one of those members) but, by and large, the forum membership consists of U.S. citizens in a sufficiently large proportion to warrant a Public Service Announcement (or, rather, Link) that will help people gain access to unbiased information regarding both the mechanics of American government as well as the stance of any given politician or candidate on any given issue.

I found a web site that's ideally suited to this purpose. It's called: Vote Smart (link). Please check it out and explore its many facets. It's a veritable gold mine of information. It's non-partisan. It's regularly updated. And it's tremendously enlightening. I especially loved the section on "Government 101." It cleared up a lot of mysteries and misconceptions for me. This site is truly a treasure for anyone interested in American politics, and not just U.S. citizens. Anyone. (As most of my online friends are American, that would include me, too.)

Just to satisfy the perpetually skeptical, here is Vote Smart's mission statement and mandate:

About Project Vote Smart

So different in background, so opposed in interest, you would not find our kind elsewhere on the earth or anywhere in human history. As a nation we have succeeded, not because we struggle with one another, but because we somehow have learned to recognize that the single issue that will always call us to arms is one that requires the defense of each other - a defense against the aggression that strikes at the heart of the American experience and endangers our freedom and ability to self-govern.

On common ground at a unique research center high in the Montana Rockies, a struggling group of Americans, who you are unlikely to know and will probably never meet, have begun a battle. A battle to protect all of us from the selfish interests that strip us of the most crucial component in our struggle to self-govern -- access to abundant, accurate, and relevant information.

Here at Project Vote Smart, Americans young and old volunteer their time, take no money from special interest groups, and have committed themselves to an extraordinary effort that, if successful, will provide their fellow citizens with the tools for a reemergence of political power not known for half a century. Their idea is one you may have thought of yourself. It is a deceptively simple concept but enormously difficult to achieve and would not be possible without the collaboration of citizens willing to lay their partisan differences aside for this one crucial task.

Picture this: thousands of citizens (conservative and liberal alike) working together, spending endless hours researching the backgrounds and records of thousands of political candidates and elected officials to discover their voting records, campaign contributions, public statements, biographical data (including their work history) and evaluations of them generated by over 100 competing special interest groups. Every election these volunteers test each candidate's willingness to provide citizens with their positions on the issues they will most likely face if elected through the Political Courage Test.

This project is an historic undertaking. Citizens come together, not in selfish interest or to support one candidate over another, but to defend democracy. It is an extraordinary gathering of people committed to one purpose: to strengthen the most essential component of democracy -- access to information -- even as it suffers grave attacks from candidates and political parties, many who are now willing to manipulate information and deceive voters.

In essence, what Project Vote Smart's interns and volunteers have done is ensure that tolerance will no longer be the only option available to the millions of us who are tormented by the issueless rhetoric and often misleading attacks that define contemporary American politics.

Most of us at Project Vote Smart are not paid and those who are receive only minimal salaries to cover living expenses. We will not accept funding from corporations, PACs or any organization that support or oppose candidates or issues. This effort will be financed by you and other Americans or not at all. Although we could sure use your help, YOU DO NOT NEED TO HELP US IN ANY WAY. Our programs and services are free to all Americans.

All of us realize that the mudslinging tactics once associated only with the crudest kinds of local politics now characterize virtually all campaigns and have stripped us of the most crucial component in our struggle to self-govern: access to abundant, accurate and relevant information about those who govern us and those who wish to replace those who do.

An Extraordinary Organization Has Some Extraordinary Rules

- No one can join the Project's board without a political opposite. People as diverse as former Presidents Carter and Ford, former Senators McGovern and Goldwater, former Governor Dukakis, former Congresswoman Ferraro and current Senator McCain have served on the Project's board, supporting the efforts of the Project's students and volunteers, and ensuring balance and strict impartiality in PVS programs and services.

- The Project refuses financial assistance from all organizations and special interest groups that lobby or support or oppose any candidate or issue.

- The Project operates much like the Peace Corps -- of the over 5000 people who have come to help by working at the Project, ninety percent received no pay and those who did received only minimal salaries to cover basic living expenses.

- Unlike other organizations, the Project strictly protects its members and supporters. We never sell or provide names, addresses, or other contact information of any supporter or contributor to anyone, at any time, for any reason.

There you have it. I know I'll be referring to the site often in the coming months. You should, too. Be informed. Vote smartly.

And, by the way, I will officially ask Jadeanne to lock this topic because it's not my intention that this thread degenerate into politically-motivated flame wars. I offer the link merely as a PSA.

Love,
CJ