The .ORG Community prompts a higher level of involvement in the 2008 Election
The U.S. Presidential elections are getting coverage beyond traditional news sources. A group of non-partisan organizations are informing voters to a greater degree than ever before. At the center of it all is the .ORG Community, playing an important role in the election process.
While many claims are made on the campaign trail, the members of the .ORG Community are investigating the facts behind the claims, the history behind the positions, and the special interest group motivations. Further, the traditional media has begun to rely on the investigative organizations as backup to their own reporting.
If you plan to vote, you ought to check out these sites to better inform your decision.
1) Voter registration and turnout. Front and center, we all need to participate in the election process. WhyTuesday.org – a non-partisan organization founded in 2005 to find solutions to increase voter turnout and participation in elections. WhyTuesday? Also brings attention to the problems with our current voting system and identifies solutions that can directly improve the voting process, increase registration and drive turnout.
2) Are these claims Fact or Fiction? FactCheck.org - a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. FactCheck.org monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. This organization’s goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
3) Is campaign money motivating this candidate’s position? MAPLight.org illuminates the connection between campaign donations and legislative votes in unprecedented ways. Elected officials collect large sums of money to run their campaigns, and they often pay back campaign contributors with special access and favorable laws. This common practice is contrary to the public interest, yet legal. MAPLight.org makes money/vote connections transparent, to help citizens hold their legislators accountable.
The .ORG Community is also going beyond just investigative journalism. There are also special interest organizations that track the relationship between the candidates and their issue of choice.
4) At the PewForum.org, review the forum’s polling, publications and events which focus on the influence of religion and religious organizations on political behavior, including voting and campaigns.
5) DividedWeFail.org (an AARP.org project) urges candidates and elected leaders to commit to working in a bipartisan way to provide Americans with actions and answers on the U.S. domestic issues of affordable health care and long-term financial security.
What .ORGs are you turning to for detailed information on issues that matter to you, during this election year?
