Politics
5 ways to feel empowered about politics: Sara Price guest post on One of Many Blog
The moral roots of liberals and conservatives fascinating TED talk by psychologist Jonathan Haidt.
Think Tanks
A think tank (or policy institute, research institute, etc.) is an organization that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most policy institutes are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax exempt status. Other think tanks are funded by governments, advocacy groups, or businesses, or derive revenue from consulting or research work related to their projects.[1] Wikipedia
The Rise of think tanks in Australian politics:
“Over the previous two decades, a plethora of advocacy organisations have emerged seeking to engage and inform the public on political issues. Some of these entities, such as Get-Up, are self-funded bodies that are financed by supporter contributions.
Alongside these organisations exist an elite collection of think tanks that perform a similar range of educative functions but which have close links to the main political parties. What is further distinctive about these organisations is that they receive public disbursements.”
Some are politically aligned:
- The Green Institute – Australian Greens
- The Page Research Centre – The National Party
- The Menzies Research Centre – The Liberal Party
- The Chifley Research Centre – The ALP
Some are, or claim to be, unbiased and independent (decide for yourself if you think they are or not):
Fact Check RMIT/ABC
They say: “RMIT ABC Fact Check determines the accuracy of claims by politicians, public figures, advocacy groups and institutions engaged in the public debate.
It is jointly funded and a partnership between RMIT University and the ABC, combining academic excellence and the best of Australian journalism to inform the public through an independent non-partisan voice. RMIT ABC Fact Check is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network’s code of principles. The IFCN has an independent complaints process for readers who believe a fact-checking organisation has violated the code.
You can learn more about how Fact Check works in this video explainer on how we find and fact check claims.
Political Satire
The Daily Show (USA) Trevor Noah (previously Jon Stewart; Foxtel – Comedy channel. Obama says: Truly clever, funny political analysis and satire. They say: “It is currently the longest-running program on Comedy Central, and has won 18 Primetime Emmy Awards.”
Here’s Jon Stewart’s story – How the Fake Newsman Won Over America
Alex Jones Media Wars is not a fan of Stewart!
Ricky Gervais: “Equality Street” Brent and Johnson
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