Tonycurzonprice's Favorite Links on politics from Diigo

MAPLight.org | Money and Politics: Illuminating the Connection

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 09:17:43 -0000

MAPLight.org brings together campaign contributions and how legislators vote, providing an unprecedented window into the connections between money and politics. We currently cover the California Legislature and U.S. Congress.

Tags: macarthur politics

Posted by: tonycurzonprice

Study finds left-wing brain, right-wing brain - Los Angeles Times

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:24:06 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

Exploring the neurobiology of politics, scientists have found that liberals tolerate ambiguity and conflict better than conservatives because of how their brains work.

Tags: brain-mapping neuroscience politics

Posted by: tonycurzonprice

Slashdot | Japan Bans Use of Web Sites in Elections

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 02:11:10 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

a BBC article about Japan's choice to restrain political speech in the 21st century. The nation of Japan bans the use of internet sites to solicit voters in its upper house elections. Based on election laws drawn up in the 50s, candidates are restricted in the ways they can reach their constituents. Candidates are even restrained from distributing leaflets that will reach more than 3% of the voters. What's more, people who are trying to change the laws are failing. Despite heavy internet usage and a strong installed base of high-speed connectivity, young people just don't feel involved in politics. "In Japan, 95% of people in their 20s surf the web, but only a third of them bother to vote. Some, though, do not seem keen on politicians using the web to try to win their support. 'I believe that internet resources are not very official,' says Kentaro Shimano, a student at Temple University in Tokyo. 'YouTube is more casual; you watch music videos or funny videos on it, but if the government or any politicians are on the web it doesn't feel right.' Haruka Konishi agrees. 'Japanese politics is something really serious,' she says. 'Young people shouldn't be involved, I guess because they're not serious enough or they don't have the education.' There cannot be many places in the world where students feel their views should not count. Perhaps it is really a reflection of the reality — that they do not."

Tags: japan politics

Posted by: tonycurzonprice

Interview with Esther Dyson: Digital Philosopher and Digerati

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 02:08:14 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

MJ: There has been a lot of discussion about the power of the Internet to hold elected officials accountable.

ED: Yes, but there is a difference between being held accountable for doing something bad and this stupid attack stuff—because you misspoke your mother's name and that means you must not love your mother. Let's grow up and pay attention to whether the candidate delivered what he promised. That's what accountability is.

Tags: politics web

Posted by: tonycurzonprice

The European Union’s troubled birthday George Schöpflin - openDemocracy

Sun, 25 Mar 2007 09:25:55 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

The European Union is marking its half-century in celebration and self-doubt. It is a historic achievement, says George Schöpflin, but the EU now faces two great challenges: renewing its legitimacy, and facing globalisation.

Tags: politics

Posted by: tonycurzonprice

Citizen assemblies: radical common sense Ben Rogers - openDemocracy

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 14:34:01 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

The British Columbia experiment in particular shows that citizens are more than capable of picking their way through difficult policy issues. Having reviewed all the various options, the assembly proposed a well-argued recommendation for proportional representation. In the referendum that followed, their choice was endorsed by some 58% - only 2% short of the 60% needed to change the system.

Tags: democracy politics

Posted by: tonycurzonprice

Web Politics Poll Glance

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 04:11:04 -0000

Highlights and Sticky Notes:

OVERALL: 35 percent in this country say they look to the Internet for political news _ a number that rises to 43 percent among likely voters. Online political browsers are most likely to go to news sites such as those operated by the newspapers, networks and newsmagazine _ with almost nine in 10 saying they check such sites. More than one-third go to candidates' sites and almost half go to political sites.

Tags: demographics od participation politics web

Posted by: tonycurzonprice