|
& Friends
Activist Information |
|
Following are some websites that we have found useful in terms of finding information and inspiration
toward participating in our governmental process. Growing up in this country, I'm realizing I've
taken a lot for granted and I admit I had grown pretty lazy about having my own voice heard in the
government many fought and died for so that I can participate. And I've learned a valuable lesson.
If we get lazy and let others do it for us, what we end up with is a government that does not represent
us at all. And that is a far more dangerous thing than I could ever have imagined.
Bye Bye Bush!Available for you to download FREE!
Project Vote Smart
Confused about the rest of the people on your ballot? Feel that you don't really know who they are or where they stand?
This is the place to go. Project Vote-Smart is a lifesaver for those of us who want to be an informed electorate, but
don't have a clue where to start. Project Vote Smart, a citizen's organization, has developed a Voter's Self-Defense
system to provide you with the necessary tools to self-govern effectively: abundant, accurate, unbiased
and relevant information. What would you like to know? As a national library of factual information, Project Vote
Smart covers your candidates and elected officials in five basic categories: biographical information, issue positions,
voting records, campaign finances and interest group ratings. It's simply an invaluable tool.
Democracy for America
Inspired by the presidential campaign of Howard Dean, Democracy for America (DFA) is a political action committee
dedicated to supporting fiscally conservative, socially progressive candidates at all levels of government - from
school board to the presidency. DFA fights against the influence of the far right-wing and their radical, divisive
policies and the selfish special interests that for too long have dominated our politics.
DFA has a long-term goal that looks past November 2004. This organization will rebuild the Democratic Party from
the bottom up - it will take time, but we must start building a base now for the future.
True Majority
This is a great service that keeps its subscribers informed about what our representatives are voting on, so that
we can call and weigh in. They even provide phone numbers and make writing and calling our representatives so easy.
True Majority was founded by Ben Cohen, Co-founder, Ben and Jerry's. It is a grassroots education and advocacy project
of Priorities, Inc., a non-profit, non-partisan, tax-deductible, 501(c)(3) corporation. Once you register, you can
go to our "Take Action" section and send faxes on the issues we all care about, to members of Congress and national leaders.
MoveOn.org
When there is a disconnect between broad public opinion and legislative action, MoveOn builds electronic advocacy
groups. Examples of such issues are campaign finance, environmental and energy issues, media consolidation, or the
Iraq war. Once a group is assembled, MoveOn provides information and tools to help each individual have the greatest
possible impact.
MoveOnPac.org
MoveOnPAC's campaign contributions provide financial support to congressional candidates who embrace moderate to
progressive principles of national government. Our intention is to encourage and facilitate smaller donations to
offset the influence of wealthy and corporate donors. With the Congressional balance of power hinging on the outcome
of a few key races, the candidates endorsed here are crucial to maintaining the balance of power in Washington.
PACs are federally regulated entities that allow businesses, organizations, or groups of concerned citizens to
contribute money to candidates. By law, business and organizations are not allowed to contribute directly to candidates,
but through the formation of a federally regulated PAC, they can do so.
KPFK (Pacifica Radio)
Tired of listening to corporate sponsored radio and T.V.? Want to hear the news and stories they're not telling you?
This is where you want to go. A marvelously progressive station that provides information and insights that the
corporate media manages to overlook (or keep under wraps). There are many brilliant shows to listen to with guests
you don't always hear in corporate (or even NPR) media (like Noam Chomsky and Arundati Roy among countless others).
Take a listen to: Democracy Now, Beneath the Surface, Uprising, Radio Nation, just to name a few.
Mark Morford
I don't know where to begin. Mark is one of the most enlightened, most interesting columnists around today. I adore
him beyond the telling of it. Here's how he describes that voodoo that he do so so well : "Mark Morford is a
columnist and editor for sfgate.com. He is also a yoga teacher and fiction writer and an outstanding parallel parker
and fervent wine devotee and former smoker and former LA rock-god wannabe and careful insinuator and occasional
unfair mudslinger and frequent skeptic and sporadic true believer and paradoxical contrarian and tattooed love-monkey
and vehement non-conservative and casual coffee drinker and ardent dog lover and medium sleeper and comparison
shopper and funky subtle prurient neo-pagan gleaner of screaming delicious naked nuances." The Christian Resource
Network describes him thus: "[A] misguided, lost and carnal individual... filled with vexation and ignorance of God
[who will] gladly cheer the anti-christ." What's not to love?
Rabble Rouser
A wonderful site to get real information about personal experience with the Patriot Act. This columnist is everything
that is supposed to be "safe" in our society: he's white, male, heterosexual, from a Christian tradition (Quaker )
and a professional. And he has been victimized horribly in the past few years in the name of the Patriot Act. His
columns are brilliant, scary and very, very important.
Michael Moore
A wonderfully useful website from the documentary film maker who brought us Fahrenheit 911, Bowling for
Columbine and Roger and Me. Besides his commentaries, there are a lot of useful links to voter
registration, volunteer opportunities, and his up-to-the-minute (sometimes literally) reports about what kinds of
things our elected (or appointed) government officials are up to.
Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of ten books. Originally from Greece, she moved
to England when she was sixteen and graduated from Cambridge University with an M.A. in Economics. In 2003, she
ran for governor as an Independent in California's recall election. Her populist grassroots campaign was widely
praised for putting the media spotlight on the corrupting influence of special interest money on American politics.
Her New York Times bestseller, "Pigs at the Trough: How Corporate Greed and Political Corruption are Undermining
America", was published in 2003. Her latest book, "Fanatics and Fools: The Game Plan for Winning Back America"
(April 2004), offers both a scathing portrait of our contemporary political landscape and a bold, inspiring, yet
practical approach to restoring America to the promise envisioned by our greatest leaders. Arianna is especially
interesting because she was a true believer in "Compassionate Conservatism" and the Republican Party. She is now
seriously progressive and has written about the corruption of those she once believed in with an insider's eyes.
|
Gigs, Etc 
Links
Gallery
Bye Bye Bush
To Purchase: |
