Can someone DU this and tell me all about it?

[babylonsister]

Our local news just talked about this site, but I can't participate because I don't have a epresentative since DeLay bugged out. I'm curious if it's useful; might be a good site to send to folks if only for a reminder to vote.

http://www.intelligentvote.com/Default.aspx

[ClassWarrior]

1. You have to either know the bills by name...

...or you have to do an awful lot of reading to vote accurately.

I'm not impressed.

NGU.

[Tempest]

3. If you click on the bill titles it will give you a summary

There's enough information to make a decision on whether you would support it or not.

For example:

Index: 7
2002 U.S. Debt/Borrowing Limit
Bill I.D.: S2578 June 2002

Bill Summary

A bill to increase the allowable amount that the U.S. Government can borrow.

Bill details include, but are not limited to (1):

This bill would raise the nation’s borrowing (debt) limit to $6.4 trillion from $5.95 trillion, a $450 billion dollar increase. The Bill is a result of continued annual budge deficits – spending more money than what is coming in.
Without such an increase, the government would not be able to meet its financial obligations including debt payments, social security and medicare payments and funding of certain government operations.

[ClassWarrior]

8. I understand that, but the OP suggested using it as GOTV...

...but only fairly committed voters would go to all the trouble. That's all I'm sayin'.

NGU.

[Tempest]

9. Only committed voters would go to the web site in the first place

Fairly or otherwise.

You won't find uninterested or unconcerned voters going anywhere, including the polling booth.

[Tempest]

2. You can pick any representative as a test

It seem to do a good job of comparing my votes with those in my district and statewide.

As I already knew, my votes coorisponded with Boxer and Feinstein, and were in direct conflict with Bill Thomas' (who is thankfully retiring).

[AlCzervik]

4. if you're looking for voting info i use this site all the time

http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

[babylonsister]

7. Thanks for that! nt

[TexasLawyer]

5. R or D???

The most pertinent piece of information, the elected official's party, is not provided on the site, at least for the Texans. That makes it immediately non-useful in my book.

Also, you need to know the ins and outs of the legislation that is listed, and a "no" vote to a bill may have been because of something that was tied to the bill, as with the minimum wage bill.

I give thumbs down on this, mainly because it is hard to use and fails to offer analysis.

[babylonsister]

6. OK, thanks for the help! Guess I'll scratch this one off 'the list'. nt