glassbooth.org

i don't pretend to know a lot about politics. but it has been sort of my resolution (no, not a new year's one) to become more informed and aware. i know - it's about time.

"let's forget the fact that you're coming a little late to the party and embrace the fact that you showed up at all" (west wing)

a friend told me about this website. while it by no means should be used as a sole source of political information, it does provide a good overview, and jumping off point) for less-than-knowledgeable voters.

how it works: it asks you to divvy up 20 points (based on how important they are to you) among issues like crime and punishment, drug policy, gay marriage, abortion and birth control, education, social security, etc. then, based on those point values, you will answer questions on a strongly oppose to strongly agree scale to see where you stand on those issues. the whole process only takes a few minutes. you are given results based on the candidate that most accurately matched your views.

what i like: the results are categorized by the specific issues that meant the most to you. it will show you how closely you match with each candidate on that specific issue. what i love is the "find out why" link. it will show you examples of speeches, books, or voting histories that led to the match (or mismatch).

here's a tip: the results feature the top three matches, but there is a drop down box on the side with the rest of the candidates. between my third and fourth matches was only one point. explore how you differed on issues with those who are close. you may find that the difference is negligible, or that someone in your top three has little chance of getting nominated (or elected).

also, when you are taking the quiz, they're may be some issues/question that you are unfamiliar with, or unsure of their meaning. they link you directly to wikipedia. the downside: it's wikipedia. let's not forget colbert's "wikiality."

what i don't like: people who expect this site to the be-all, end-all. i don't really like 5-point scales, i don't think it's quite enough to distinguish a persons point of view. it does make it quicker, and simpler, but it leaves more room for error.

as anyone who has ever done research on the internet knows, double-check all the facts. nothing on the web should be taken at face-value. critics of the site have said that there is a left-leaning bias in some of the questions, but most have agreed that the site comes off pretty neutral.

decide for yourself.