on the internet: political season resources
The 2008 political season is in full force, and I thought it would be good to show everyone some resources that will help you as you try to muddle through the sound bites, talking points, mudslinging, and argument that is the hallmark of this season.
Since ZA is all about seeking truth, the first link is to FactCheck, an amazing resource that will help you determine what’s true and not true as you watch the ads and see the accusations fly. A similar site, PolitiFact, does the same thing but is a bit more user-friendly. And, as always, you can’t go wrong by checking out Snopes, which has a lot of the same information. My experience with the sites has shown me that it’s pretty even-handed. Some have accused them of leaning to the left, but they’ve never been able to substantiate that, so stick with em!
Next up is party platforms. If you’re going to rip on a party for an issue, make sure you’ve got the primary source in hand.
If you really want to go deep, check out OpenCongress, a splendid little site that documents every resolution that every senator has sponsored and co-sponsored. It also tracks votes and whether these resolutions have actually passed or not.
It’s good to keep up with the latest events. Though it can be a bit silly at times, the CNN Political Ticker serves up a lot of the latest political maneuvering in short, easy-to-digest bits.
Finally, while they’re not the most unbiased of sources, you can always the web sites of the candidates themselves.
ZA will not endorse a candidate - we’re not important enough that anyone would care anyways. But even if we were, we recognize the divisiveness that happens in the political process, and we don’t want to contribute to that.
All I ask is that your judgment is based on facts, not opinions and distortions. These sites will help you get the facts more than that chain e-mail and 30-second TV spot ever will.
Have fun!
Brendan
