Monday, February 4, 2008

Interactive Democracy from a Newspaper, No Way!

As a relatively recent resident here in Chi-town, I'm frustrated by the amount I don't know about local politics. That's where the Chicago Tribune comes in to enlighten my civic duty.

Atop it's home page, the Tribune provides a nifty Voter Guide where I can find out who I'm voting for, their Web pages, and some information.

All I have to do in punch in my address and off to the democracy train! Basically the info provided on candidates is little more than sound bites...and for some candidates, the only supplemental information is who the tribune endorsed...

Newspapers, for better or worse, have always played a role in elections, sometimes vital and informative, sometimes propagandist. From the Revolution's print workshop to the 19th century party press, to yellow and watchdog journalism of the 20th.

Due to political parties' growing lack of resonance, the media has took on a new role as the filter for candidates, their reputations, their ideas. Where would we be without the horserace, Billary, Obama's snub?, Mitt's "conservatism," islamofascism, Brit Hume and Mickey Mouse?

For those of us in Chicago, check out the superfun live-action way to get your voting on. "Learn" from the Trib, print your choices off and take your guide to the polls Feb. 5. Just take the endorsements and information, or lack thereof, with a grain of salt.

For more info on voting, candidates, instructions, etc., check out the Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners. Find out where to vote here or call (312) 269-7900.

P.S. I miss the Isthmus-published League of Women Voters guides in Madison.

9 comments:

Jb said...

May I recommend the Reader's local Chicago politics blog Clout City. It will blow your mind ...

And the Reader itself is, of course, a must-read too

B. Broeren said...

Thanks for the tip, JB from Oshkosh. I'm aware of the clout city blog and have enjoyed its content. And Chicago's alt-weeklies (The Chicago Reader, Chicago journal, and New City) are good reads.

Anonymous said...

earth4energy -
earth 4 energy -
easy launcher -
easy system cleaner -
eatstopeat -
eat stop eat -
error smart -
evidence eraser -
evidence smart -
fatburningfurnace -
fat loss 4 idiots -
fitness model program -
fit yummy yummy -
flattenyourabs -
flatten your abs -
forex trading machine -
forex trading made ez -
get your exgirlfriend back -
google snatch -
governmentregistry -
government registry -
grow taller 4 idiots -
guy gets girl -
hcg recipes -
homemadeenergy -
home made energy -
how to break 80 -
hyper vre -
instant domain cash -
i software tv -
jamo rama acoustic -
linden method -
lose the back pain -
magni work -

Anonymous said...

gas 4 free -
get better grades -
golf swing guru -
governmentregistry -
government registry -
heartburn no more -
homemadeenergy -
home made energy -
hyper vre -
i software tv -
legit online jobs -
linden method -
london forex rush -
master word smith -
maternityacupressure -
maternity acupressure -
max pro system -
meet your sweet -
membership gold rush -
minute sites -
musclegainingsecrets -
muscle gaining secrets -
negative calorie diet -
one minute cure -
one week marketing -
pc on point -
pc tv 4 me -
perfect optimizer -
php link cloaker -
pick the gender of your baby -
profit lance -
public records pro -
quit smoking today -
recipe secrets -

Anonymous said...

win clear -
win spy -
yeast infection no more -







3d covers -
500 scrapbooking sketches -
acid alkaline diet -
acne free in 3 days -
advanced pc tweaker -
apple patch diet -
art of approaching -
auction inspector -
av advance -
build a nice store -
burnthefat -
burn the fat -
carb rotation diet -
catch spouse cheating -
chikara reiki do -
combat the fat -
conversationalhypnosis -
conversational hypnosis -
copy that game -
cure gout now -
dl guard -
dog training online -
driver checker -
driver robot -

Anonymous said...

drop shipping wholesalers -
earth4energy -
earth 4 energy -
easy backup wizard -
eatstopeat -
eat stop eat -
error fix -
error killer -
error smart -
evidence eraser -
evidence nuker -
ex girlfriend guru -
fatburningfurnace -
fat burning furnace -
fatloss4idiots -
fat loss 4 idiots -
final uninstaller -
fitnessmodelprogram -
fitness model program -
fit yummy yummy -
flattenyourabs -
flatten your abs -
flat to fab -
forex grid bot -
get google ads free -
get paid to draw -
get this off my chest now -
governmentregistry -
government registry -
heartburn no more -
homemadeenergy -
home made energy -
honest riches -
learn photoshop now -

Anonymous said...

linden method -
malware removal bot -
marketing on the fringe -
maternityacupressure -
maternity acupressure -
meet your sweet -
musclegainingsecrets -
muscle gaining secrets -
my online income system -
negative calorie diet -
no adware -
one minute cure -
one week marketing -
online pickup secrets -
partenon -
pc on point -
perfect optimizer -
perfect uninstaller -
pick the gender of your baby -
power cash secret -
profit lance -
publicrecordspro -
public records pro -
push button marketer -
quit smoking today -
registry easy -
registry easy download -
registry fix -
registry winner download -
reverse mobile -
reverse phone detective -
richard mackenzie direct -
rocket spanish -
rss power plus -

Anonymous said...

fitnessmodelprogram -
fitness model program -
fit yummy yummy -
flattenyourabs -
flatten your abs -
flat to fab -
governmentregistry -
government registry -
heartburn no more -
hippo jaw -
homemadeenergy -
home made energy -
honest riches -
hot video squeeze templates -
instant website creation -
jump manual -
keyword research pro -
linden method -
malware removal bot -
maternityacupressure -
maternity acupressure -
meet your sweet -
micro niche finder -
musclegainingsecrets -
muscle gaining secrets -
muscle gain truth -
my traffic strategy -
nasty dirty money -
negative calorie diet -
no adware -
pc optimizer pro -
perfect uninstaller -
pergola plans -
pick the gender of your bady -

Anonymous said...

the rich jerk -
the super mind evolution system -
turbulencetraining -
turbulence training -
vincedelmontefitness -
vince del monte fitness -
warp speed fat loss -
wedding speech 4u -
windo fix -
wrap candy -
zygor guides -
7day ebook -
360 fix kit -
advanced pc tweaker -
adware bot -
affiliate naire -
art of approaching -
beating adwords -
believe and manifest -
blogging in action -
body building revealed -
burthefat -
burn the fat -
carb rotation diet -
cheat your way thin -
cold sore freedom in 3 days -
conversationalhypnosis -
conversational hypnosis -
convert 2 ev -
cure for bruxism -
cure hemorrhoids -
digi cam cash -
digital media solution -
dl guard -