U.S. Government

Participatory Democracy: Rate Your Senators' and Representative's Web Pages

The Sunlight Foundation, the Center for Media and Democracy's partner in Congresspedia, has been doing some really interesting participatory journalism lately. Their current project is to get citizens to rate the websites of their members of Congress for transparency and accountability. So far 294 members have been rated and, in the wake of members like Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) posting their daily schedules online, the bar is getting higher for what citizens expect. The best part is that when the results are all in, we're going to post them on every member's Congresspedia profile so it can become part of their permanent record.

Here's the Sunlight Foundation's Bill Allison to explain the effort and how you can participate:

Fighting Terror with Comments on Arabic Blogs

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

"We just a few weeks ago, for the first time, engaged in Arabic on blogs," Karen Hughes, the U.S. Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy, told reporter Tara Copp. "We have what's called here a 'digital outreach team' ...

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Main Source: 
Austin American-Statesman (Texas), February 18, 2007
Topics: 
Internet
Public Diplomacy
International
U.S. Government

Pombo's Clear-Cut Path to the Revolving Door

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

"Former [U.S.] House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo has joined a lobbying and public relations firm that backed his attempts to rework the Endangered Species Act and open the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve to oil drilling," reports Josh Richman.

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Main Source: 
Contra Costa Times (California), February 21, 2007
Topics: 
Astroturf
U.S. Congress
Environment
Lobbying
Public Relations

Edelman's Contract for Ousted Thai Leader Worth $300k

Submitted by Bob Burton on

The global PR firm Edelman's six-month-long contract to help build international support for Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a September 2006 military coup, has been revealed as being worth $300,000. The contract is via Thaksin's law firm, Baker Botts.

No
Main Source: 
O'Dwyers PR Daily (sub req'd), February 13, 2007
Topics: 
Crisis Management
Democracy
International
Lobbying
Public Relations
U.S. Government

U.S. Agency Gives Vinyl Industry a Pass on Lunch Box Lead Content

Submitted by Jonathan Rosenblum on

Kids' vinyl lunch boxes often contain dangerous levels of lead, but government regulators have released to the public only the test results most favorable to industry, according to documents the Associated Press obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request. The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that 20 percent of boxes tested in 2005 contained unsafe amounts of lead--and several contained more than 10 times the safety level.

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Main Source: 
Associated Press, February 18, 2007
Topics: 
Food Safety
Children
Health
U.S. Government

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