Would someone be better off actually reading congressional resolutions and watching congress on CSPAN?
355068
Yes and no.  If you know how to interpret what you are seeing, then you can't get any more accurate than C-SPAN, but there are a couple of things to consider.\n\n1) You will have to watch A LOT of C-SPAN before you come accross something that might actually be important.  The rest is just congressmen shuffling about while the time runs down.\n\n2) C-SPAN doesn't cover everything.  They have only 2 channels, so if three important things happen, you miss at least one.  This happens a lot, by the way, because you will frequently have several congressmen giving press conferences as soon as a session ajourns.\n\nBut you will learn some stuff about how your government works, so if that's interesting to you, then C-SPAN rocks.  Usually the thing you learn first, however, is that the way government works is it emits powerful boredom rays that paralyse everyone who watches C-SPAN.  Then intelligence agents sneak into your house and take all the money out of your wallet and sell your stuff.
68144
I, like most Americans I would bet, haven't been paying enough attention. The few news sound bites and newspaper headlines is hardly enough to be making such decisions.  However, I still have enough faith in our elected officials to are sitting through hours of testimony and reviewing documents and such, to make the right decision.  So if they vote 'em in, the my answer to your question is 'yes'.
506238
I vote no ..... but CNN might like it.
85362
Restricting Internet access....hmmm...some congress members might not like that...
652926
You do what's right and legal. Otherwise, a trained monkey could follow the polls. It's called leadership, and it is sorely lacking in Congress today.\n\nIf you are more interested in popularity and re-election, you will never end up doing the right thing based on principle.
826892
No you don't have to have a degree in it to keep up with current affairs or politics. Just take some courses and keep studying on your own. Watch C-SPAN, CNN, Fox, and public broadcasting stations. Just read widely and you will do fine.
638808
Sorry, I can't agree with you. I like to listening to uneducated people speak on all subjects.  It's entertaining, like watching cartoons, the three stooges ,CNN or CBS.
855233
I wouldn't mind seeing it and I am a liberal--there is so much corruption on both sides of the fence, it makes me sick.\n\nI just feel my interests are best served by Dems. at this point because I am an unisured college student...and the Repubs. raised the interest on student loans and cut Pell Grants.  So, screw 'em!
215304
there ya go. americants in a nutshell. fukyou, i insaist on remaining stupid. i'll gloat & waddle in greed & gluttony. why make a true utopia through common sense & understanding when i could watch wwf, desperate housewives & american idol. education is stupid (unless its government endorsed).
881642
Reading it would be a good start in stead of looking for another persons view.  To answer your question the answer is NO, I could explain it in more detail but that should be left to your school to do.
881815
Look it is boring....try to hang in there. I only found solace in reading out of text books.....sometimes as many as 8 books per day....really. Do your best. I hated any class associated with government, civics, politics as Americans are brainwashed to know them (benefits of one smart Mother) and always sought to learn out of text the analysis of truth in all that I see seek and do. I trust few.\nMusic...now there is somoething that you can trust as you can feel it. Intangible. Brilliant ....for me anyway.
1031483
It is unnecessary to watch Faux News or listen to right wing hate talk radio.\n\nAll one has to do is read the messages posted on the Internet or listen to what their viewers or listeners say, and you will know what they said.\n\nFaux News viewers do not allow their brains to filter the information, they just pass it on as best as they remember it.
729059
Absolutely.  Just check out the dissent and repression on college campuses (especially Harvard) when more conservative leaning guest speakers are invited to address campus gatherings.
259019
Ummm... I would be very careul about what I read and more importantly, what I believe. The "Communist Party" isn't the only group to partake in propaganda.
747943
I asked a similar question yesterday.  And I think it only makes sense!  The idea is to ensure that the congressperson takes their vows really seriously.  He takes the Koran more seriously than the Bible.  I'd be more concerned about him *breaking* that vow--too many congresspeople have done it egregriously, after swearing on the poor ol' Bible.
1186190
Probably. Americans in general though have a very short attention span, especially for political issues so it won't last long. I don't think his aproval rating will get that much higher anyway.
545204
I think so. Some of them will be on the negotiating committee with the House over the final Bill.  You can let them know which parts it's 'OK to drop' in negotiations.\n\nYou should also let them know your memory is longer than 2 years.  They are counting on this 'dying down' by 2008, or their personal term limits.\n\nI hope your frustration won't keep you from contacting your Congressmen particularly in the House.  The House has the opportunity to not even let the Bill get to conference and that is exactly what they did last year with a similar House Bill the Senate Bill is based on.\n\nIf they do negotiate it, they have the ability to refuse to let it out of conference if it isn't decent.\n\nHowever, right now the Speaker of the House is saying he doesn't even see it coming out of conference. All he has to do is REFRAIN from appointing committee members.