Abiding by Conscience
“They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions,” said Atticus, “but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.” —Atticus Finch, in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee.
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?
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!
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.
