SDPB Website Posts Fun Political Widgets

It's Monday, you're at the office... you need an Internet break! South Dakota Public Broadcasting has a new Election 2008 page chock full of informative and interactive resources. Now when the boss or the IT spooks come looking over your shoulder, you can say you're not playing games; you're doing your civic duty to understand the great issues facing the Republic! Among the fun:

Budget Hero: This widget lets you take a swing at balancing the federal budget (or busting it, depending on your persuasion). On my quick test run, I crafted a budget that did the following:

• reduced the national debt from $8.4 trillion to $4.6 trillion by 2018 (once again, we Dems are more fiscally responsible than Bush and Reagan)
• delayed the budget bust from 2033 to 2049 (that gives us 16 more years to invent practical fusion)
• shrank the size of government from 20.0% of GDP to 19.4% of GDP.

The game offers a lengthy set of policy options to play. Alas, no socialized medicine; the closest option offered was "Offer gov't health plan to all"; price tag: $650 billion. (But remember how much you'll save on private insurance premiums... and peace of mind!) Try it out, and compare your budget with those proposed by your fellow citizens!

Idea Generator: Less widgety, more talky, just as thoughtful, this activity invites users to submit good ideas for the economy, health care, and "Preserving the American Dream." You can rate other ideas, leave your comments, and engage in some interesting conversations.

2008 Election Map: NPR provides an interactive map (Jason Heppler just found another reason to stay up late) that displays political analyst Ken Rudin's predictions for who will win the Presidential and Senate races and which states have key House races (South Dakota doesn't make that list... Chris Lien fans, submit your complaints to NPR).

There's also a great demographic treat: click on a state, and presto! you get state election news and a great little "Learn More About" link for the state, complete with links to sources (Yes!). Cool facts from the South Dakota page: We have the lowest unemployment rate, 2.8%, in the nation; we rank 6th in troops killed in Iraq per capita, 48th in CO₂ emissions, and 3rd in percentage of married folks, 53.2%.

So take a break at the office, serve your brain, and serve your country!