Elana Levin

TheMiddleClass.org: Your Toolkit for Holding Congress Accountable

Dream with me for a minute. Imagine that we-the-people could easily find out how our members of Congress voted on the bills that are most important to us. Imagine that there was a place that explained clearly and simply how those votes really impact America's current and aspiring middle class.

And, while we’re dreaming, imagine that Congress knew that Americans of all walks of life could keep an eye on them, comparing their rhetoric in favor of strengthening and expanding the middle class with their votes.

Wake up and smell the Web 2.0 glory.

The Drum Major Institute is launching TheMiddleClass.org, a new website that lets you do all those things and more.
For years, the Drum Major Institute has released an annual scorecard grading every member of Congress on their votes on legislation of significance to the current and aspiring middle class. Users like you have made the DMI Scorecard a wild success by reading it, sharing it, blogging about it. And that's why we decided that once a year just wasn’t enough. We need to give you updated information year-round.

With TheMiddleClass.org, you can check throughout the year for our signature DMI analysis of key legislation as members vote on it. You can track the scores of each member in the lead-up to the release of their final 2007 specific grade. And, you can easily build a custom widget for your own website, where you can share the information that matters most to you.

For example,
Want to learn more about the SCHIP bill? Click here.
Want to know how Montana's state delegation voted on it? Click here.
Want to know how Senator Max Baucus voted on this bill, and others? Click here.

Below this post you will find blog posts about each piece of legislation analyzed in the 2007 scorecard. I hope they help generate further discussion about the legislation chosen for the scorecard.

TheMiddleClass.org is more than a way to follow what Congress is doing. We're putting the power in your hands. Using our custom online tools, you can build your own scorecard to post on your web site or blog!
Visit TheMiddleClass.org today (and tomorrow, and next week…)

Elana Levin: Author Bio | Other Posts
Posted at 8:09 AM, Oct 30, 2007 in Drum Major Institute | Middle-class squeeze | Progressive Agenda | Progressives
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