[ Doug & Neely ]

Spotlight on transparency

Of central importance to functional democracy is transparency of government—so we the people can keep track of what our elected officials are up to. (Just ask Google and China.) The US federal government makes lots of information available if you know where to look, and two good starting points are the US Budget Page and USAspending.gov. Meanwhile our hats are off to independent organizations promoting transparency, especially the Sunlight Foundation.

Grand challenge: Finding sustainability

Our generation's greatest challenge is finding a way to live sustainably, beginning with understanding what that means. We have already sent props to the IPCC for their studies, but they are not alone. The journal Nature is spurring discussion with a characteristically well-written set of articles. At RealClimate you can see scientists banging out the details, and at Consumer Consequences you can get a straightforward estimate of how sustainable your own lifestyle might be. Particularly great: Yale Environment 360, with insightful articles and impressively well-informed discussions. Go read up!

Shout out to the CREW

Firm in the notion that democracy must be done by the people, we're big fans of governmental watchdog groups. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) has an established history of ferreting out corruption, including their recent action regarding the alleged quid-pro-quo involving Rep. Jane Harman, AIPAC, and Alberto Gonzales. See for yourself.

Required reading: the U.S. Constitution

If this country is great, the apex of its greatness is the United States Constitution. Concise and readable, this single document provides checks and balances, limits on governmental power, and an explicit Bill of Rights, just to name a few. From these few pages came a representative democracy that has stood for centuries. When was the last time you gave it a read?

Tax Policy Center on candidates' plans

Senators McCain and Obama have released the tax plans they would implement if elected president, which differ strikingly. The non-partisan Tax Policy Center boils it all down to a no-nonsense analysis of the two plans. Before you vote, do some reading—at least the introduction!

Making poverty history: the One Campaign

Did you know world hunger could be cut in half if just 1% of the US budget were used to fight poverty? The One Campaign, in partnership with a huge number of organizations including the Episcopal Church and nearly every other US denomination, works to fight extreme poverty and AIDS around the globe. Now is a great time to take action.

Science/politics, politics/science

Wonder what the presidential candidates have to say about energy, education, and other science-related questions? Physics Today posts candidates' various positions. While you're reading, check out the Union of Concerned Scientists. They offer no-nonsense information and well-informed advocacy about a myriad of social issues that hinge on science: clean vehicles, missile defense, global warming, political interference in science, and more.

Iraq War in retrospect

However our nation moves forward through the difficult situation in Iraq, we Americans must humble ourselves in the knowledge that our reasons for going to war were inaccurate at best. Lest we forget, the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity has compiled a detailed database of 935 false statements about Iraq made by top Bush administration officials in the two years following 9/11. We hope that next time war is proposed, the citizens of our nation will question their leaders with greater diligence and skepticism.

Climate change consensus from the IPCC

Awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the place to go for consensus, hang-your-hat-on-it scientific information about climate change. They gather and summarize worldwide knowledge, publishing only what is so scientifically solid as to be approved unanimously by all member nations (including the US). They continue to conclude that we humans are causing climate change. For charts and details, start with the summary of their 2007 report.

Straightening out candidates' facts: FactCheck.org

When you wonder whether the statistics your favorite (or least favorite) politician is quoting are actually true, FactCheck.org is a great place to find out. A non-partisan group, they accept no funding from parties, unions, corporations, or anybody else—literally. They just research and debunk the statements of politicians, separating truth from falsehood. Added bonus: our friend Jess, always a voice for voracious veracity, is one of the writers.

Straight facts on candidates: VoteSmart.org

Been thinking about how to vote in the 2008 presidential election? Getting the media to talk about issues instead of spin and popularity is like pulling teeth. Sidestep the hype with our first recommended resource: VoteSmart.org. They offer full voting records, biographical information, transcripts of speeches, endorsements, alignment with special interest groups, information about campaign funding—everything. Check it out. Real facts are powerful.