From: tom@ssd.csd.harris.com (Tom Horsley)
Subject: Project Vote Smart Information
Organization: Harris Computer Systems Division
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 02:51:20 GMT

This is the periodic posting about Project Vote Smart which will appear
weekly in various politics related news groups until November 3rd (or until
people ask me to stop :).

Project Vote Smart is a project of the Center For National Independence in
Politics (CNIP). CNIP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.

Project Vote Smart is intended to provide voters with a source of unbiased
factual information about candidates.

   Call 1-800-786-6885 to ask a question and get a response from an operator.

   Call 1-900-786-6885 to request written information (The $3.50 charge
                       covers printing and mailing). This includes the
                       "Voter's Self-Defense Manual", a 12 page booklet
                       explaining Project Vote Smart and containing advice
                       on how to evaluate candidates and media coverage of
                       the candidates.

Information is available on 1992 presidential, congressional, and
gubernatorial candidates. [Information is available only after the primaries
and runoffs - the operation is not yet big enough to cover the number of
candidates who participate before the primaries or to cover local
elections].

[Note for all you computer types out there: Most people reading this posting
will certainly be asking the question: "Is this database available on the
internet or via dial-up lines?". The answer is, unfortunately, no (for this
election). Apparently there are some sort of political problems (not
technical or monetary ones) with putting some of the information online, but
they hope to have it available online by the next elections in 1994.]

Information available includes:

   * Biographies
   * Campaign finances
   * Voting records on key issues
   * Performance evaluations by competing special interest groups
   * Candidate responses to a standard "political awareness test" covering
     taxes, program spending/revenue priorities, national debt,
     unemployment, trade, defense, health care, education, drugs, the
     environment, abortion, anti-crime/gun control, legislative priorities.
   * County election office addresses and phone numbers

CNIP accepts no donations from organizations, PACs, or corporations. It is
supported entirely by contributions from individuals. The 21 staff members
consist of Ph.Ds, attorneys, and other professionals working for minimal
wages or no wages at all. The staff is supplemented by 140 other interns and
volunteers.

To become a member of Project Vote Smart, call one of the numbers above,
or send in the following information:

   Membership:

   General($35)_______  Supporting($100)_______   Sustaining($250)_______

   I am enclosing an additional tax-deductible contribution of $_________

   I am enclosing names and addresses of others who might help. _________

   Name: ________________________________________________________________

   Address: _____________________________________________________________

            _____________________________________________________________

(CNIP does not sell or allow anyone to use its membership list).

Mail to: CNIP/Project Vote Smart
         129 NW Fourth St. #204
         Corvalis, OR  97330

[I am posting this information because it seems like a good idea to
broadcast as widely as possible. I have donated money to CNIP, but have no
special relationship with Project Vote Smart (yet, anyway ;-). Information
in this posting was extracted from various bits of literature CNIP has sent
me, and any errors are mine.]
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