CITIZEN EDUCATION GUIDE

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR DEMOCRACY

GLOBAL INDICATORS PROJECT • MEDIA GUIDE • LOCATE U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICES • USEFUL BOOKS • REGISTER TO VOTE

FIND A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION • FIND AN ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION

 THE CONSTITUTION AND DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Democracy does not just "happen".  Nor is it ordained by divine right.  It can only take place where a significant critical mass of a nation's people is willing to take the time to serve as citizens to govern themselves. Unfortunately, however, political apathy in the U.S. is at an all-time high.  Fewer than 50% of the American people bother to vote.  Far fewer than that take the time to participate in politics.

We believe this is an unconstructive and potentially dangerous attitude to take toward the American political process.  The U.S. federal government can be responsive if ordinary citizens take the time to make their voices heard.  However, finding the right channels through which to contact elected officials can be confusing.  We want to make it easier for citizens to become involved.  It is for this reason that we have compiled the following guide to the U.S. Government and political organizations and institutions.  This guide offers a non-partisan, listing of institutions and organizations that represent many different points of view, from Conservative to Liberal, from Democrat to Republican.

WORLD FUTURE FUND GLOBAL FUTURE WATCH INDICATORS PROJECT

The Nonpartisan Citizen's Action Guide is an integral part of our Global Indicators Project.  Visitors to our site can use this guide to learn how they contact their elected officials and make their voices heard.  Before speaking out about the issues, however, it is important that people educate themselves.  Our Global Future Watch Indicators Project is a crucial educational resource.  The project is comprised of over 250 indicators.  These indicators illustrate some of the most challenging socio-economic and environmental problems facing the world today.  The Indicators Project also shows solutions to those problems.

• WFF Global Future Watch Indicators Project Description 

• WFF Indicators Reading List

• List of Global Indicators

• Selected Indicators Charts

EDUCATION FOR DEMOCRACY: A GUIDE TO THE MEDIA

Democracy only functions properly when its citizens have access to information.  More than ever, information in American society is available via a variety of media.

• WFF Guide to TV News

• WFF Television Guide
   

• WFF Guide to the Print Media

• WFF Guide to Online Search Engines

• The Washington Post

• The New York Times

• Roll Call

• The Economist (London) This is one of the best news publications in the world.

LOCATE U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS

Contact your federal representatives directly using these guides and links.

• WFF Guide to the U.S. Government
   

• Access the The United States Senate via this link.  Click on the state of your residence to get in touch with the office of your senator.

• Visit the web site of the The U.S. House Of Representatives.  Enter the zip code of your residence in order to locate your representative.

• Voice your concerns to the President of the United States and offices of the Executive Branch via these links: The White House and Offices of the Executive Branch.

• Congress.org - In addition to providing a clearinghouse of information on local and state governments, as well as on Congressional activity, this site includes direct links to the web sites and telephone numbers of specific Congress members.  When you enter your zip code, a profile of your Congressperson or Senator will come up.  This profile provides information that will allow you to contact your elected official.  At the bottom of each profile page is a list of the Congressional committees on which that official sits.  This enables you to contact your elected official if he or she sits on a committee that is dealing with the issue you think is important.  Via this site you also can follow the votes cast by your representatives or learn how to write a letter to your Congressional representative.

• Project Vote Smart - Project Vote Smart is a "citizen's organization dedicated to informing American citizens where elected officials and candidates for political office stand on the issues.  Like Congress.org, Project Vote Smart provides information about which elected officials sit on which Congressional Committees.  You must enter your zip code in nine-digit form (xxxxx-xxxx) in order to find your representative.  A list of the committees on which that representative sits is available toward the top of each profile.  The voting records, biographical information, and contact information of those officials are included   Project Vote Smart allows users of their site to enter their zip code on the home page to find their senator or representative.

• Politics 1.com - This site offers a comprehensive subject by subject guide to political issues in the U.S.  In addition, Politics 1 supplies links to the web sites of American political parties.

• Democracy Net - Democracy Net is a project of the League of Women Voters.  It is a non-partisan resource that enables citizens to understand where their representatives stand on a variety of political issues.  Users of the web site can access current and past ballot initiatives, register to vote, and see a schedule of what issues are coming up for votes in Congress.  By entering your zip code on Democracy Net, you can see what ballot initiatives are planned in your Congressional district.

• The Thomas Guide to Legislative Information on the Internet - The Thomas Guide provides easy access to Congressional Bills and Legislation.  Users of this site can read Congressional Committee reports and refer to the Congressional Record.
• Status of FY-2008 Appropriations Bills - Appropriations bills are the legislative mechanism by which Congress appropriates federal funding.  This link allows users to follow the progress of appropriations bills through Congress.

USEFUL BOOKS AND REFERENCE MATERIALS ON U.S GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

• Capitol Advantage - Capitol Advantage offers an online citizen action tool called Capwiz, which increases grassroots participation by connecting citizens to their elected officials.  For those starting up a political website Capwiz allows you to communicate with lawmakers via targeted e-mail, letter, fax, and more.  Capitol Advantage also offers extremely useful publications like Congress At Your Fingertips, Who's Covering Washington, Washington At Your Fingertips, The Congressional Series.

• The Almanac of American Politics - This book by journalist Michael Barone provides information on every member of Congress and their district, 535 U.S. Senators and Representatives in all.  This book is essential for any individual or organization seeking to contact their Representative or Senator.  To buy this book at Amazon.com click here.

• Politics in America 2008 CQ

EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE: YOUR DEMOCRATIC RESPONSIBILITY

The following organizations are concerned with ensuring fair elections, promoting electoral reform, and registering new voters.

• The Center for Voting and Democracy - The Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to research and action on voting issues.  They are "dedicated to fair elections where every vote counts and all voters are represented."  Election reform is a subject of specific interest to the Center. 

• Rock the Vote - This youth-oriented organization encourages informed voting and political activism among citizens and potential voters between the ages of 18 and 30.  Rock the Vote's informational campaigns combine the efforts of popular music and movie stars with those of politicians in order to inform and entertain about political issues.

• The Youth Vote Coalition - A non-partisan group dedicated to bringing young people into the political arena, The Youth Vote Coalition lists resources for becoming politically active.  You can register to vote on The Youth Vote Coalition's web site.

• Federal Election Commission - Created by Congress in 1975, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) administers and enforces the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), which is the statute that governs the financing of federal elections. The FEC is an independent regulatory agency, which discloses campaign finance information, enforces limits and prohibitions on contributions, and oversees the public funding of Presidential elections.

FIND A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION

Using these lists to find an organization that deals with the issue that is of concern to you. The organizations on this list represent many points of view (Liberal, Conservative, Democrat, and Republican).

• WFF Guide to Public Interest Groups  Access to the web sites of numerous interest groups and political parties.

• WFF Guide to International and Military Affairs  Find institutions and organizations in the U.S. and abroad that deal with foreign and military affairs.

FIND AN ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Because of our concern about the environment we have created this collection of links can be used for reference and educational purposes.  These links include the web sites of governmental agencies non-governmental organizations:

• WFF Guide to U.S. Government Environmental Offices  This guide  lists the web sites of the Environmental Protection Agency and of the Congressional committees that oversee the EPA.

• WFF Guide to Environmental Organizations  This guide lists a large number of non-governmental organizations concerned with the environment.

• WFF Guide to Renewable Energy  A guide to organizations specifically concerned with renewable energy.

• WFF Guide to General Ecology  A guide to organizations dealing with general environmental and ecological issues.

• WFF Guide to the Environmental Media  These media outlets deal specifically with environmental issues.

THE CONSTITUTION AND DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
UNDERSTANDING AMERICA'S HERITAGE

As we said in the beginning of  this report, democracy did not just "happen".  It did not appear out of thin air.  Enclosed are a set of links to better understand America's political heritage.

WFF Links on Constitution
WFF Links on Declaration of Independence

GLOBAL INDICATORS PROJECT • MEDIA GUIDE • LOCATE U.S. GOVERNMENT OFFICES • USEFUL BOOKS • REGISTER TO VOTE

FIND A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION • FIND AN ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION