Mobile Voter - Txt:Politic

time to research the initiatives in depth, but I really got hung up on Prop. 80. 80 involves reregulating the California's energy market, and if you've read or watched "The Smartest Guys In the Room" you know what a mess the energy situation is out here.

You can always count on your local PBS affiliate to produce thought provoking, well rounded analysis of local ballot propositions. Usually they'll invite a panel of experts with varying opinions on the different initiatives into their studios. The time constraints of half hour or hour shows forces guests to be concise - the possibility of being immediately challenged on anything they say forces them to tell the truth.

Unfortunately, on the afternoon I'd set aside to vote the only thing our PBS affiliate was airing was reruns of 'Sesame Street' - actually I recognized the episode as one I'd watched back when I was a kid, which was a long time ago, and it looked old back then!

As a former TV producer, I actually think that TV is a fairly efficient way of distributing information. I did a google search for video clips for different ballet propositions and the only thing I could find was this website which was created by the League of Women Voters and the California Channel - a state channel created by the cable industry.

And then it hit me - somebody should license cheap local programming explaining local ballot issues and make it available as a video podcast. Or they could shoot it themselves. That way you could watch the podcast while you are reviewing your ballot, or at the gym, or on your commute home. Or you could lend it to a friend. And viewers could easily skim through issues or replay them later.

In any case something to think about for next year ...