‘Open States’: App Makes Staying Informed of Government Activities More ‘Approachable’
- Posted on March 15, 2012 at 7:09pm by
Liz Klimas
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States in green are considered ready, meaning the legislative data has been vetted and cleaned for a high-quality experience. For states in blue, the project has data but it is still being scrubbed. (Image: Open States)
Knowing what is going on in your state legislative process can seem daunting but one app seeks to make this information more accessible.
“Open States” is a free app that gathers legislative data from all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. Gizmodo reports that in addition to pulling together this wealth of inner government workings, it lets you know what stage bills are in the legislative process and provides the positions of politicians.
Here‘s why Gizmodo thinks it’s a worthwhile app:
Open States is a completely approachable yet still informative look at what our government is actually doing. They’re not always wearing power suits and shaking hands, you know? Like you know how pundits and talking head always cite a politician’s voting history? You can actually look up the legislator’s voting history yourself! Interested in stuff that deals with your state? Search for it. Open States is a seriously great tool for anyone interested in our country.
OpenSource.com reports that the original intent for the application programming interface (api) was to create one, uniformed place to access legislative information from all the states.
Screen capture of the Open States iPhone app. (Image: Gizmodo)
Open States recently launched its iPhone and iPad app version. Discussions for an Android version are also on the table.
There are several states that the organization still considers “experimental” for various reasons, such as processes inhibiting them from capturing legislators’ roll calls. It is currently working around some of these issues.
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Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on March 16, 2012 at 10:21amYeah – well –
To all of you…..
Stop talking about it and DO something about it.
Report Post »elvisroy0000
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 9:43pmLet me Know when the Govt has its going out of Business sale Big Ears http://youtu.be/4beeD3Vr9ro God Of This City http://youtu.be/7r_LZL-y_9o
Report Post »youdidthis
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 9:24pmRon Paul vs. HIS BIGGEST ENEMY: Electronic Voting Machines
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=pUs-DoeqI5U
youdidthis
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 9:13pmbtw,
Report Post »tornadoes in michigan.
youdidthis
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 7:45pmWhether or not you decide to participate in the upcoming elections, be aware that the system is rigged.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUTkavuPrv8&feature=player_embedded
Truthurts
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 8:47pmReally? So, what is your point? What are you suggesting, that we just stop voting? We know some of the elections are rigged, but they can’t all be rigged or else people like Allen West would never get elected. Don’t give up. Fight the corruption.
Report Post »youdidthis
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 9:03pmno the point is we are playing with a rigged deck…
how many fraud cases have gone on this year?
almost every state.
how can we have any type of honest election with this bs going on.
Report Post »youdidthis
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 9:06pmhow about make everyone show id.?
no more illegals , no more dead , or disney characters.
U.S. Election Management, Brought to You by Goldman Sachs
http://www.infowars.com/u-s-election-management-brought-to-you-by-goldman-sachs/
has got to be a better dam way.
Report Post »youdidthis
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 9:16pmallen west?
Report Post »the guy who voted for ndaa and the rest of the bs .
the guy who i love hearing talk, but hate when he votes.
that guy?
yeah , i feel good about that…sarc off.
elkfeva
Posted on March 16, 2012 at 1:35amYouDidThis, your a tool,
Report Post »elkfeva
Posted on March 16, 2012 at 1:37amRon Paul has a lot of things right… but he is an IDIOT if he things in this age and time we can not support Israel And he is a whiny biatch… he wont win
Report Post »youdidthis
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 7:44pmThe first video shows who is behind the election management system. This name should ring a bell – Goldman Sachs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pVS5TIppad8
This next video shows exactly how the electronic voting system can be manipulated quite easily.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pUs-DoeqI5U
justangry
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 8:50pmYeah man, we have those electronic voting machines in Ohio. I don’t trust them at all, but I don’t trust much.
Report Post »youdidthis
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 8:57pmsame in texas…
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 9:05pmJUSTANGRY
Here in Clermont county (directly east of Cincinnati, Oh) we have paper ballots that are read/tallied by an electronic machine.
Report Post »Are you in the north (above Columbus) part of Ohio?
justangry
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 10:54pmI’m in Columbus. I do like the paper votes. Heck I actually like a paper vote with a fingerprint on it, like we seen in Iraq. I wish we would caucus here.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 7:36pmwithout following the links yet…is there a Windows 7 desktop app?
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 8:51pmIphone – Ipad only……. whah!
Report Post »Obama Nation
Posted on March 15, 2012 at 7:31pmWashington Times: Forgerygate: Ignoring Sheriff Arpaio’s Obama Report is a Scandal in Itself
http://obamareleaseyourrecords.blogspot.com/2012/03/washington-times-forgerygate-ignoring.html
Report Post »