Government Information 101: Part 2, Gov Resources

In the previous post, I discussed the basics of U.S. government (its levels, branches, and how to approach finding government information). Now I'll list some of the best places to find government information, both by government branch and with a list of popular documents. First, here are a few places to start a search for […]

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Government Information 101: Part 1, U.S. Gov Basics

New to the U.S., or just need to brush-up on some government basics? Here's a quick run-down of U.S. government at various levels and how to find government information. (I'll be writing two follow-up posts that tell where to find primary source information for each branch of government, and show an example of a gov […]

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CRS Reports: Valuable Sources

Looking for in-depth, expert research on current issues? CRS Reports are a great resource! The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is an arm of the Library of Congress that exists to keep members of Congress informed about issues related to pending legislation. CRS staff are subject experts in a variety of fields and they produce nonpartisan […]

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Finding Campaign Finance Information

There are a number of independent groups, government boards and commissions who provide information and data on campaign finance and individual political contributions.  The following are just a few of these fantastic resources from the Campaign Finance Research Guide: Federal Election Commission (http://www.fec.gov): The FEC administers and enforces the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), which […]

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Ginger Statistics & the Death Star Cookie Jar

Ginger cookies are always a favorite (Death Star Cookie Jar featuring Pepperidge Farm gingermen!), and did you know that the price received per pound of U.S.-grown ginger root nearly doubled from 2007 to 2008?  You can find this and many other freely available agricultural statistics at the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service.  […]

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SOPA Bill Text from the Library of Congress

Interested in reading the full text of the SOPA bill?  Try Thomas at the Library of Congress, which provides legislative information.  Search for bills, resolutions, committee reports, and more.  And check out the Bills to be Considered on the House Floor digital repository from the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives.  For more […]

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Thanksgiving Day – Facts for Features

Did you know? the forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2011 has Wisconsin in the lead with 430 million pounds the retail cost per pound of a frozen whole turkey in December 2010 was $1.38 there are 15 townships and places in the U.S. with Turkey in the name Find these and other holiday statistics […]

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Statistical Treats for a Happy Halloween!

Did you know? 1.1 billion total pounds of pumpkin were grown in the U.S. in 2010  there are an estimated 41 million potential trick-or-treaters in the U.S., ages 5-14 California led the nation in the number of chocolate and cocoa manufacturing establishments, with 135 Find these and other fun holiday statistics at the U.S. Census […]

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