GlassBooth

We have been getting a lot of feedback the last couple weeks, asking to see Libertarian candidate Bob Barr added to the site, and we couldn’t agree more. The Glassbooth crack research team has done extensive research on Mr. Barr in an effor to add him to the site. We are missing about 14 of Mr. Barr’s positions, and while the Barr campaign offered help to close this gap, they have not provided in weeks.

If you would like to see Mr. Barr on the site, please contact his campaign directly here and urge them to help.

Make sure to stop by charitybuzz and bid on 4 VIP passes to the Glassbooth/Do Something private party at the DNC.

59% of Americans say they know just some or very little on Obama’s foreign policy positions while 50% say they know very little on McCain’s same positions.

The crack research team at Glassbooth is currently working on adding Green Party nominee, Cynthia McKinney to the site. Stay tuned…

The Pew Internet & American Life Project released a new report yesterday titled “The Internet and the 2008 Election.” While so many polls into attitudes towards elections surface an underlying cynicism towards the entire institution - this release is largely testament to the Internet’s growing influence in elections and how it is being used. Of the more interesting findings:

- 46% of US citizens have used the Internet to get info, share info with others, or get involved this election cylce.

- To put “46%” in a historical context, this number has risen around 10% every election cycle dating back to 2000.

- While SMS technologies are fueling civic engagement globally - they have yet to show real impact in US elections. Of regular text-messengers, only one in ten have used SMS to receive political information.

- Watching videos online has seen the largest bump in activity. Today 35% of US citizens have gone online to watch speeches and political videos. The Pew poll makes a favorable suggestion that the increased interest in access to unfiltered political videos is a response to the decline in the mainstream media’s coverage of political events - or as Pew puts it: a “workaround of ’sound bite’ culture.” Similarly, the diffusion of video capturing technologies (mobile cameras) has been responsible for creating several election storylines - mostly political miscues.

The Internet is an alternative to mainstream media and it is new. There is great promise, but people are still uncomfortable welcoming this new medium for such sacred information. 60% of respondents, when asked, felt the Internet is full of misinformation and propaganda. While the openness of the Internet should never insure integrity - we should all be most interested in the available tools for sharing that surface those select information sources we can trust.

Ron Paul informed the world last night that he is ending his candidacy for president. Over the next couple weeks we will be researching the policy positions of Bob Barr - the Libertarian Party’s nominee for president - in the hopes of adding him to the online quiz soon. Stay tuned.

I was recently tipped off to DonorsChoose.org and the more I think about their work, the more impressed I am.

I am a public school teacher in an impoverished community. I want my students to have the same education as the nearby public school system in a wealthier neighborhood, but our budget simply doesn’t suffice. Specifically, I was looking to purchase a couple digital camcorders and Macs to teach my fifth graders how to capture their lives and share them through digital storytelling. Wihtout being able to personally afford the materials, I post the request on DonorsChoose.org, asking the online community to chip in any part of the $1,000 needed for the equipment. Within one week I have received enough in online contributions to purchase the cameras and computers and send the donors regular updates as to the progress of my students.

The hypothetical above is just one of thousands of stories that might be found on the DonorsChoose.org site. Beyond the amazing service is a business model designed for sustainability. When a donor makes a contribution through the site they are asked to contribute a “fulfillment fee” relative to the budget of the school that goes to support the general administration of DonorsChoose.org. This fee along with corporate sponsorship is enough to continue to grow this amazing service. Glassbooth encourages you to open your heart and support public education using DonorsChoose.org

Do Something is an amazing organization that supports the work of young people making change. Glassbooth is the May recepient of a Do Something Plum Grant which willl enable us to continue to provide our service for free and start to roll out our model into local and state elections.

There is learning about balanced budgets. There is paying taxes. There is collecting benefits. Then there is setting your nation’s budget priorities and taxing its citizens in a well thought out online simulation. Let’s call it Budget Hero.

The game - the product of a partnership between Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Serious Games - allows you to learn about the budget implication of government and the services it provides. From foreign policy to health care, the game puts you in the Oval Office as you cut budgets, wage war, and avert coming economic crises.

After tireless hours of research by the Glassbooth hack research team, Ralph Nader has now been entered in the Glassbooth quiz. You can take the quiz or access his positions directly in the Explore Candidates section.

We are still seeking a response from the Nader campaign to clarify some of Mr. Nader’s positions. If you feel compelled, please contact his campaign directly and ask they forward along the requested information.

Thanks,
Glassbooth Team