The Political Spectrum

Hi All,

Politics is everywhere these days. It's in the news, on the internet and television.  The radio has news about politics and it changes on a daily basis!  How can you keep up with all those changes every day?   And occasionally you'll hear a pundit or an announcer or a 'talking-head' discuss the left-wing or the right-wing or a centreist....

Just what exactly do these terms mean you might ask?  Great question - and I've got a bunch of answers for you!

What we are really talking about here is the political spectrum which classifies different political positions...Wikipedia has an extensive article discussing what the various terms mean.

Click here for some information on the Left-Wing,  Click here for some information on the Right-Wing.  Click here for some information on the Center-Wing. 

Another website - called I Agree to See - has even more information on the meanings of the phrase 'political spectrum'.  

For some perspective as to what various members of the political spectrum believe in on certain issues, click on this link from People-Press.org.  The article is titled 'Beyond Red vs Blue: The Political Typology'

Finally, if you're not sure where you fall in this 'political spectrum', you can take this quiz from People-Press.org to find out where you political persuasion lies.

Enjoy the links and the lively political debates!

Regards,
Stu

Ballotpedia.org: The Encyclopedia of American Politics

Hi All,

For those folks who are interested in politics I just learned about a website called Ballotpedia.  Click here to visit the site.  Advertised at the 'Encyclopedia of American Politics' the site has links to Elections (Ballot information, Elections Results, Election Analysis), Federal and State and Local Elections. Links to policy issues, links to 'Influencer's, and a section on Updates.

Visiting the Federal Politics link leads you to a map of the United States.  This part of the site includes Special elections to the 114th Congress, House of Representatives Elections in 2016, Senate Elections and the 2016 presidential election.

Other useful parts of the site is the Ballott Measures section.   Statewide measures, local ballott measures and unique reports can be found here. For example, local ballot measures discussed include marijuana, the minimum wage, fracking, law enforcement and more.

The 'Influencers' page is very, very insightful.  It includes 'influencers' on a national, state and local level.  Influencers are also organized by 'policy' for users to navigate more easily.

Whatever your political persuasion, there is something here for everybody on the site.  Enjoy Ballotpedia - its got unique information that is well organized, easy to find and interesting to read.

Regards,
Stu

Politics and Facts

Hi All,

Now that election season is starting to kick into high-gear, readers might want to check the facts that various candidates are talking about.  Forthwith, two unbiased, useful, and easy-to-use sites to separate the wheat from the chaff when politicians are talking.

RealClearPolitics
The 'About' page on the RealClearPolitics page says that it is 'the trusted, non-partisan, convener in a content-rich media environment; thoughtfully curating the best coverage from every angle of the day's most critical issues. As a destination for elected officials, opinion leaders and engaged citizens, RealClearPolitics provides a platform, elevating the best-of-the-best in journalism.'

There are links to Polls, Election 2016, Video, Articles and much, much more. 

FactCheck.org
The 'About Us' page on the FactCheck.org page says that it is 'a nonpartisan, nonprofit 'consumer advocate' for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.  We monitor 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.  Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.'

There are links to Articles, Ask FactCheck, 2016 Elections, Viral Spiral, Archives and much, much more.  The link to 2016 Elections has a drop down menu with links to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. 

Enjoy the sites and the information.

Regards,
Stu