election linkfest 1*

• Whose tax plan is better for you? (WaPo). 
• What the world will think if we elect McCain (Guardian). The world is anti-Bush. This election could make it anti-American.
• The educational background of candidates (Digg). If this doesn't tell you something about intellect, I don't know what will.
• Run your own paid media campaign (Open Left). Complete guidance on how to target voters with an inexpensive Google AdWords campaign. Great idea if you feel a need to be a little more proactive and don't think your party is advertising effectively.
• What small town America is saying about Obama (Salon). Not sure this makes me feel any better.

*I know I've swerved off-course from natural history to politics lately. While I always planned to do a few posts on the candidates and science-related issues, I have found this election too important to ignore.  Is this a forum where you want me to discuss my thoughts on the candidates and the election? Do you want me just to provide links to articles and issues I find interesting, as I did here, or also discuss some issues?  I don't feel too much of a need to preach to the choir, but are there some readers out there who are on the fence that I might reach (if so, suggest a topic, I'll wade in!). Thoughts in the comments...

Comments

[Rose Connors]

Keep the political posts coming. Your writing on the subject is some of the clearest, most logical stuff I've read. I'm not remotely on the fence, but I love how you put things.

[BerryBird]

I am interested in your political posts, as well. Policy has too big an impact on natural history and conservation to ignore it.

[Lenore]

Your political posts are great. While that's not why I started reading your blog, it always makes me feel better to read like-minded posts. Besides, if you convince just one person to change his or her opinion, it's worth it.

[noflickster]

As someone who is interested in many points of view on various aspects of politics, especially when it comes to election cycles (especially this one), I'm hoping more and more people will post their thoughts. It's tragic when most people learn about the issues and candidates from the spinmeisters, the 527s and attack ads, the canned stump speechs and soundbytes; it's tragic when people don't dig a bit underneath those blurbs to really understand the issues and people.

That said, I hope you will keep posting your perspectives and related links for information!
-Mike

[farlane]

I've swerved as well. It's something about the horror of it all I think.

Here's a cool comparison of the McCain/Obama energy plans.

[Cotinis]

As a (nearly) lifelong Democrat, and avid reader of this blog, I'm going to disagree, gently. I enjoy your writing on natural history and conservation, sensu stricto. (Of course conservation often overlaps with politics, but it is not a 100 percent overlap.) The politics is of less interest to me because:
1-I agree with you pretty much 100 percent. I believe you are largely preaching to the choir here--you certainly are for me. However many are going to disagree with you, and people tend to have very strong feelings about politics. If you step into politics in the blogosphere, you are going to get ugly comments--there is no avoiding that.
2-all the rest of the media are saturated with political coverage. This morning, I just finished reading a long, thoroughly researched, and highly critical article about Sarah Palin in the New York Times. I turned to your blog for some respite from the endless, and depressing, political discussions. I always look to your blog, and such ones as that of grrlscientist, for the latest commentary on science and conservation issues. (I feel, that she makes her otherwise excellent blog slightly not so excellent when she strays to broader issues that are outside of her focus.)

Of course, it is your blog, and you can, and should, write about whatever you want--that is the point of a blog--it is personal. I think you should just think about your focus and what makes your writing "extra" unique.

I remain, your devoted reader,
Cotinis

[bob]

I strongly believe it's time we all speak our minds and educated one another as to what the real issues are in this election - and where the respective candidates (and their running partners) stand.

I'm bright enough to read what you offer up here -- or what other blogs offer -- do my own research to validate what I've read, and then make my own decisions.

I'm interested in what Americans have to say with regards to the election -- it's that time of year.

Yes - I'm very interested in what you have say or offer up by way of cogent information for all of us to ponder.

[bob]

I strongly believe it's time we all speak our minds and educated one another as to what the real issues are in this election - and where the respective candidates (and their running partners) stand.

I'm bright enough to read what you offer up here -- or what other blogs offer -- do my own research to validate what I've read, and then make my own decisions.

I'm interested in what Americans have to say with regards to the election -- it's that time of year.

Yes - I'm very interested in what you have say or offer up by way of cogent information for all of us to ponder.

[jess]

Yes. Please. I really want to hear your thoughts. This is simply too important to ignore. And I'm always looking for links to harvest and send to my mom, who can't explain her support of Bush and her lean toward McCain. She simply can't explain it with any reason. "Bush brought dignity back to the White House" (ahem! cough cough! sputter! say what?) and "McCain has more experience than Obama" is about all she'll say...gawd.