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Visit the site that has all of Capitol Hill talking - www.ewg.org
By: Catherine Brosche
Date: March 1, 2002
Site URL: http://www.ewg.org
HotSite:
Someone once defined Congressional deliberations as the decisions about "who gets what". This site gives all the answers from down on the farm. The site lists every farmer that got subsidies from the US government - all 2.5 million of them - and how much. It's all here with names, addresses and amounts they received under each of the subsidy programs...for the last 5 years. Amazing stuff!
As co-founder Kevin Cook explains, "We figured the power of information alone would do more than we could accomplish lobbying or writing elaborate reports." And boy was he right! This site is being talked up as the site that helped to change the current discussion on the farm bill to focus on equity and the growing gap between the wealthy farmers being paid to grow commodity crops and the smaller farms that are being pushed out of business. (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/24/politics/24WORK.html?todaysheadlines)
The site is neat clean, and well laid out. There is an enormous amount of information here but it is easy to find. Content is king. In addition to the subsidy information there are news releases, farm bill info, industry archives for the chemical industry among much more and it is right at your fingertips.
Political Spin:
The site strength is the information itself and reflects Ken Cook's background with the Congressional Research Service where he learned the importance of analyzing government data and getting the information out to legislators. Let them see the stuff for real and make them know the right thing to do. The Environmental Working Group has created a site that is worth all of the attention it is receiving and more. A true advocacy site, this has 'changed the debate' by simply providing the information on who get what in a clear easy to find format.
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