Because the election of our new president, this nation’s  44th, is on the horizon and the 4^th of July is just around the corner, I think it’s time to take a look at  the branches of government charged with instilling and maintaining the democracy of our nation – the executive and legislative. I bring to your attention web sites that examine political transgressions, the development and enactment of the Civil Rights act of 1964, and data, documents, news conferences and public papers of presidents from 1929 forward.

First the “Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington”-  http://www.ctizensforethics.org/

 – is a watchdog organization whose mission is to hold public officials accountable for their actions. The cite provides news reports, court documents, and complaints detailing the progress of  an investigation or litigation of  an alleged impropriety committed by a government official or office. Another cite is the “Civil Rights Documentation Project” sponsored by the Dirksen Congressional Center, which is a non-partisan organization that though it recognizes much has been written on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, following its passage, little focus has been spent on the events leading up to its passage. The Center, http://www.congresslink.org/civilrights/index.htm  has created a timeline accessible by month and year  that describes the acts and responses of Congress to the introduction and amendments to the Civil Rights legislation as it worked its way through the House and Senate hearings and committees while set against the back drop  of  protracted demonstrations, racial tensions, and political confrontations. The “American Presidency Project,”  http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ provides an enormous archive of executive documents including messages and papers fro Washington through Taft, State of the Union addresses, and a broad range of public papers. In addition, there are audio and video clips of speeches, bill signings, and a variety of  audio clips beginning with Herbert Hoover. Also available are the audio and video recordings of  Lyndon B. Johnson’s television and radio remarks made on July 2^nd  1964 when he signed into law the Civil Rights Bill.

I think, by now, we must all be familiar with the two autobiographies published by Barack Obama. Dreams from my Father and Audacity of Hope have been on many bestseller and reading lists. In fact, the Ferguson Library has multiple copies of both these titles and even held a book discussion of Dreams from my Father.

This got me thinking about John McCain as an author. I checked the Ferguson Library catalog and Books in Print. What do you know; John McCain is just as prolific as his contender. He has published memoirs and inspirational alike. The library owns Worth the fighting for, Faith of my fathers and Why courage matters to name a few.

The two candidates have been written about endlessly and more reports and analysis is forthcoming. However, there is a rare insight, a unique understanding that comes from reading the words that candidates thought and felt.

If you haven’t and are looking for any of the titles mentioned above and/or want more reading or audio/visual material on either of these candidates, the Ferguson Library might be the place for you to go.

My latest online excursion has turned up some websites from the ridiculous to the sublime; Campaign Cola being an example of the former,and a recent N.Y. Times Review of Books article being an example of the latter.

The Big Project is a smorgasborg of election and political resources from across the Pond.

Hitwise.com’s Political Data Center is interesting because it tracks the amount of traffic on websites related to each presidential candidate.

We all look to the major media outlets for serious news and statistics on what maybe one of the most monumental elections of our lifetime. However, I like to get more than just data, I want to know what others like (and unlike) me are thinking and saying - that’s why I read the independent bloggers. In fact, one of my blogger friends got invited to the Democratic Convention based on his unique point of view. Some blogs, I found interesting are Election Geek and 2008 Presidential Election blog. If these don’t interest you, check out Technorati’s list for more election blogs.

What do you think of the Electorate rather than the popular vote deciding the next leader of the United States? Just in case you’re wondering, this is not an anomaly within the political organizational structure of the Federal government, oh, no, let me assure you it is indeed not the exception, but the rule.

Ok, that said, how, I ask you, did this happen? For the answer to this question and many more like it, I suggest that you click onto the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) web site, NARA About the Electoral College. Once you arrive, click the “FAQ’s.” Here you will discover that the Electoral College is the invention of the Founding Fathers used to devise a compromise between two voting bodies, the Congress and the American people. The operational framework that executes this end is supported by the Federal Laws, including: Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, 12th Amendment to the Constitution, United States Code, Title 3, Chapter 1 (3 U.S.C. §§ 1 - 21).

Though sharing the power between the Federal and State systems appears democratic, in reality the popular vote does not bear any weight on the outcome of a national election. We are reminded of the Presidential election of 2000, in which Al Gore captured the popular vote by over 500,000, but lost to the Electoral College decision of 271 to 266. The U.S. Supreme Court in Bush v. Gore, 521 U.S. 98 (2000) settled the disparate outcome thirty-five days after Election Day. For further discussion of federalism and the relationship between the courts and the political process, I recommend reviewing the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal and State Court systems and their differences at Findlaw:

http://public.findlaw.com/library/legal-system/federal-courts.html/.

Chances are that senator Obama will be the Democratic Party nominee for the president of the US. Then the presidential race will be between him and Senator McCain. There are some interesting statistics from Jonathan Martin’s article in Politico.

According to his statement we may have a democratic president again after 8 years.

Read the article in: Warning_signs_for_McCain

Here is something else to compare. It was interesting to read an article from Chicago Tribune that compares viewpoints, family backgrounds and the different positions on international politics of the presidential candidates McCain and Obama.

Chicago Tribune Article

The cost of this presidential election is just incomprehensible. How much does each candidate have, what kind of debt have they incurred, who donated to who’s campaign. These are some of questions that every voter will have. Opensecrets.org is nonpartisan guide to money’s influence on U.S. elections and public policy. On this site, I was able to find out who were some of the donors in my zip code, how each candidate spends their campaign funds. As a voter, it’s important to me that I know where and how the candidate I’m supporting is getting their funding.

In August and September the eyes of the world’s media will be focused on Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul when they host the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, respectively. From the moment the convention gavel drops, each city will find itself hosting approximately 45,000 delegates, alternate delegates, members of the media, and other guests for four days, and then suddenly the majority of this number will disappear as quickly as it materialized –Impressive! Sure, I find the politics, contention among candidates and, of course the commentariat fascinating to watch and listen to, but what really fascinates me is how in the world do these cities manage to provide for all these folks? I mean think about it, the housing, the transportation, the office space, the food,!!!!!! wow!!!!! And before I run out of breath, the cultural and fun activities, oh my! In short, this is absolutely mind boggling. I know the Republican and Democratic Convention planners wearing hats with mesh backing like those from Zazzle.com will feel cool throughout the fray, but nonetheless, at the end of the day, they’re entitled to make a few adjustments on the notches of their caps’ 17”to 24” band to accommodate the swelled craniums bred by success. Kudos to each of you!

However, if you wish to learn more about or play an active role in the Republican or Democratic convention, please take a look-see at the their convention web site: http://www.gopconvention.com/ and http://www.demconvention.com/. Click the FAQ on the menu bar and learn how to volunteer, get tickets, become a delegate, and so much more. By the way, the boon of guests will add about $160,000,000 to each city’s economy – Cool! Who said playing host doesn’t have its advantages?

Among the many interesting websites regarding the upcoming presidential and congressional elections, I came across two that have some valuable information and insights.

Politifact.com is sponsored by Congressional Quarterly and the St. Petersburg Times and as you might guess, checks the factual accuracy of statements made by candidates and also charges made by bloggers, who are usually unaccountable.

Another website I found interesting is Election Projection,which provides an election calendar of all the primaries and caucuses and projections for who will win the presidential race, as well as polling information. It also lists the red states and blue states and corresponding electoral votes. Let’s see how accurate the  predictions are!

Welcome to the Ferguson Library Election Blog! You’ll find links to voting resources, news articles, and more.

The 2008 election will be one for the history books with the (so far) tight democratic race and the use of social networks and new media. If you’ve been following the debates, you’ve noticed that CNN partnered with YouTube to deliver content to potential voters. Citizens could also interact with the candidates by posting videos with questions for the debate. YouTube has developed a portal called You Choose ‘08 that includes the debates, snip-its from various speeches, and feedback from citizens. As more mainstream news providers are using YouTube to share information, you’ll find links to their election coverage as well.

I like the On The Issues section, which highlights the candidates position on the issues affecting America today like the economy, immigration and health care. For Spanish speaking voters seeking to learn more, YouTube has a Spanish language portal with links to Spanish news affiliates and user generated content.