Project Vote Smart offers another free tool for voters

Project Vote Smart is out with its latest “Voter’s Self-Defense Manual” for 2008, detailing key votes and interest-group ratings for members of Congress.

Decide for yourself, but the guide can be a handy reference tool. It has substantial links to interest-group ratings that go back a few years on a slew of issues and links to public statements by public figures. It links to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics’ site at www.opensecrets.org for federal campaign finance data.

To check out the nonpartisan Vote Smart’s data go to its web site, www.votesmart.org, to look up your member of the U.S. Senate or U.S. House. It also has background and bio information on candidates.

The group works hard to maintain its nonpartisan image, refusing money from organizations that lobby or advocate for candidates. It says its board must be balanced and at one time included former Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis as well as present Republican candidate John McCain.

It appears that Vote Smart is still waiting on responses from incumbents and challengers for Washington’s nine U.S. House seats to its Political Courage Test. The test is a survey that asks about two-dozen questions about their positions on numerous issues ranging from abortion rights to budgets, taxes, health-care, crime, the environment and international relations.

For a paper copy of the group’s manual, which does not list challengers to incumbents, call 1-888-Vote-Smart or 1-888-868-3762. It is free and the group says requesters will not end up on unwanted mailing lists.