Factcheck.org

With the presidential race in full swing, it seems like every other commercial is either one candidate criticizing the other for faults in their plans, inconsistencies in policy, or even questioning each other’s motives.

Propaganda is heavy on both sides through e-mail, posters, rallies, and even goes on during official debates between the candidates themselves to the extent that it’s impossible to take anything said at face value. Here to clear up the confusion and hold the candidates accountable for their claims is FactCheck.org

Accepting no money from corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals, FactCheck.org is devoid of political lean.

In one recent article, the site delves into the many claims McCain and Obama made regarding each other in the third presidential debates. From McCain being outright wrong about Colombia being the “largest agricultural importer of our products,” (which FactCheck found to be Canada — Colombia appearing far down the list) to Obama’s highly exaggerated claim that he breaks ranks with fellow Democrats and reaches across the aisle to Republicans (with 97 percent of his votes coinciding with Democrats).

So the article goes through every inconsistency, lie, and misinterpretation given throughout the debate; it’s a long article.

Other news sources will have their own “fact checks” but the truly unique and priceless quality of FactCheck.org is that nothing is left out and nobody is favored. The icing on the cake is that they don’t attempt to take it upon themselves to level the playing field either. The site is about calling it as you see it.

So here’s the plan. Go ahead and use a prior “Web site of the week”, Hulu.com. From there, watch the vice-presidential and three presidential debates all the way through. Then visit each candidate’s official Web site, going directly to the page laying out the candidate’s policies (www.barackobama.com/issues/ and www.johnmccain.com/informing/issues/).

Finally, visit FactCheck.org and read through as many articles as you need to, so that when you do vote, you know the consequences of your decision.