Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the guest blogger and those providing comments are theirs alone and do not reflect the... View Article
Continue readingToday in #OpenGov 9/20/2013
National News The MPAA is trying a new strategy to improve their often rocky relationship with the technology industry. The... View Article
Continue readingToday in #OpenGov 9/19/2013
National News Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington announced their latest report on the “most corrupt members of Congress.”... View Article
Continue readingRecommendations for Stronger Crime Data
Releasing crime data is important to keeping the public informed about what is happening where they live, work, and play. The information from crime reports, specifically, fuels a wide variety of news stories and apps that keep people updated on important public safety issues. Improving the quality and format of crime data releases would help encourage the continued creation of these kinds of stories and apps and maximize their impact, keeping the public better informed about an issue that many local governments already closely track.
There are several steps those who control crime data could take to improve the quality and formats of the information, especially related to crime reports. Many of these ideas, outlined below, can be found in our Open Data Policy Guidelines.
Continue readingEnding Spending readies air war in Virginia governor’s race
Ending Spending, a group bankrolled by Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts that spent $13 million in the last election, is gearing up in the Virginia Senate race.
Continue readingPolitical Party Time turns the tables
After a half-decade cataloguing political fundraising invitations (nearly 18,000 and counting!), the Sunlight Foundation decided to throw a bash of our own Tuesday to celebrate the fifth anniversary of our Political Party Time site.
Some of Party Time's most loyal fans -- dozens of journalists and civic activists who use our data to shine light on money and influence in politics -- joined us to toast Party Time and tell favorite war stories.
"I'd like to thank Political Party Time for making sure I can never visit the city of Charlotte, N.C. ever again," quipped Andy Sullivan of Reuters, referring to the site of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. "Thanks to the data you provided, I wrote a story that so angered the host committee of the DNC (Democratic National Committee) that I'm no longer welcome there."
Continue readingToday in #OpenGov 9/18/2013
National News
- In non-election years many political committees have the option to file FEC reports twice a year, although they can file monthly if they so choose. Most committees picked the first, resulting in slower disclosure. (Roll Call)
- USAID official Stephanie Grosser sat down with FedScoop TV to talk about the potential for open source technologies to lower the cost of government. (Fedscoop)
- A broad survey of the Federal inspector general community shows that the watchdogs are concerned about the ramifications of the sequester and continued budget cuts, but are hopeful that new technologies and data analytics will help them continue to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. (Government Executive)
- The U.K. took a big step forward on its data policy last week when it began releasing an inventory of previously "unpublished" data. (Tech President)
- This month, government officials in Romania are meeting to discuss how well they have implemented their OGP National Action Plan commitments. The main goal is to assess the first datasets to be publicly released and plan for updates. (European Public Sector Information Platform)
- Lobbyists and contractors sometimes play a big role in local elections by donating to candidates. In New Haven, Connecticut's Mayoral election, the race is coming down to a candidate with strong backing from contractors and lobbyists, and one who hasn't received a single donation from those groups. (Huffington Post)
- New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is looking to go deep for a candidate in his home of Hoboken, NJ. Manning and his wife are hosting a football themed fundraiser for Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer later this month. (POLITICO)
- The Virginia Governors race had the potential to be a close race, but due in part to the money game, Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe has settled into a consistent lead. McAullife has significantly out-raised his Republican opponent Ken Cuccinelli. Cuccinelli has recieved significant outside help, but McAuliffe isn't far behind in that category. (POLITICO)
Come to Ladies who Code DC!
Ladies who Code (like the name suggests) is a gathering of ladies who code. Ladies Who Code, which already has chapters in Manchester, New York and London, recently opened their DC chapter and the first Meetup will be hosted at Sunlight’s DC offices.
What: Ladies Who Code DC Meetup
Where: Sunlight Foundation, 1818 N St. NW Suite 300 Washington, DC, 20036
When: September 19, 6:30pm
Sign up: http://www.meetup.com/Ladies-Who-Code-Washington-DC/events/139227392/
Continue readingThe U.S. Constitution as Open Data? Not this Constitution Day.
By Daniel Schuman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and Matt Rumsey
Today is Constitution Day. On this date in 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention met to sign the document they created. We live in the world’s oldest continuous constitutional democracy, and our written constitution — as interpreted by the courts and fleshed out by Congress — governs us still.
How has the Constitution been interpreted over the years? Congress charged its library with publishing an explanation of the document as it has been interpreted by the Supreme Court. This legal treatise, known as The Constitution of the United States, Analysis and Interpretation, or simply Constitution Annotated, is published as a full volume once a decade, with updates released every two years. The legal research behind the Constitution Annotated goes on continuously, and a website maintained inside Congress — available to staff only — is kept up-to-date in real time.
We believe the public should have the benefit of these ongoing updates - and Congress’ Joint Committee on Printing agreed.
Five years of Political Party Time
We’ve told you before about the innovative ways our elected representatives raise cash: from assault rifle raffles to March Madness fund-a-thons to swanky out-of-town retreats. But taking a step back from all the invites shows some interesting trends. Check the graphic below, and see more dataviz on our 18,000 political fundraising invitations after the jump!
Continue reading
59063
