LEGISLATIVE & EXECUTIVE RESOURCES

UST LIBRARIES' DATABASES

Constitutions of the countries of the world. 
This resource will provide laws and constitutions from all over the globe.

Constitutions of the dependencies & territories. 
This resource will provide laws and constitutions for dependencies and territories.

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 GENERAL :: BACKGROUND

Print Resources

Editorials On File
Twice monthly compilation of editorials from over 150 North American newspapers. The comprehensive subject index is essential in using this and is in ivory section in back of binder.
Reference D 839 .E3

Gallup Poll Monthly
This reports the results of public opinion polls taken on a wide variety of issues and questions Reference HM 261 .At G34

The Public Perspective
This periodical reports the results of public opinion polls taken on a wide variety of issues and questions.
Reference HM 261 .P84

Websites

Policy.com
"Web's most comprehensive public policy resource and community. Drawing from its network of policy influentials, Policy.com showcases leading research, opinions and events shaping public policy on dozens of issues including education, technology and healthcare. Policy.com is non-partisan and free to users." See the "Issues Library."

UST LIBRARIES' DATABASES

CQ Almanac
Everything you ever wanted to learn about what goes on in Congress on every area of governmental endeavor. Browse by topic or choose a session.

CQ Weekly
CQ Weekly includes sections called: Vantage Point, a section of intelligence reports designed to give the flavor of the Washington power game; In Focus: CQ?s writers take you into the back rooms of official Washington. CQ Roundtable, will be a rotating column on critical issues of the day such as library digitization, courts, the law, etc. The Cover Story will occupy center stage of the magazine. The Weekly Report section will aggregate all the essential news and analysis from the week in Congress which includes legislative reports that tell you what?s in the bill, how it got there and where it?s going next. Every roll call vote in the House and Senate will follow. Finally, CQ contributing editor Craig Crawford begins a weekly back-page column, ?1600,? from his new station at the White House.

LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe
Lexis-Nexis Universe provides general U.S. and international news, company news and financial information, industry and market data, state and country profiles, biographical and directory information, and legal and medical information. Updates and coverage vary.

InfoTrac OneFile
Search humanities, education, business, science, current events, art, politics, economics, social science, law, health care, computers, technology, environmental issues, and general interest topics. Updated monthly. 1980- . 

OTHER PRINT RESOURCES

Statistics

Facts On File
Use the yellow pages in the back. Search by country name, then look at the subject breakdowns. Ref D 410 .F3

Statistical Abstract Of The United States
Excellent source for U.S. statistics; also has a section on comparative international statistics. Available both in print and online.

OTHER WEB RESOURCES

Government Info

Constitution finder
Provides a listing of constitutions, charters, amendments, and related documents for 211 governmental entities worldwide.

Council Of State Governments
CSG is the primary association for state goverments in the U.S.

Government Performance Project
This site provides comprehensive, independent information about state management performance. It evaluates each state on four categories: money, people, infrastructure and information from surveys. Each state is graded A through F.

Minnesota Legislature
Includes House Research publications, Session Weekly, Legislative Library and other useful links.

National Conference Of State Legislatures
NCSL is the key association for legislators and legislative staff in the U.S. Includes a helpful section called: "Policy Issues."

Thomas On The Web
Thomas is the key source for information on legislation at the federal level.

UC Berkeley Library's Congressional Research Tutorials
Presents tutorials in using Thomas on the Web and finding congressional documents. The University of California has created excellent tutorials on finding a bill, hearings, debates and other interesting factoids about Congress.

Statistics

Data On The Net
A searchable collection of data sites and catalogs brought to you from the University of California, San Diego.

Elections And Electoral Systems Around The World
Includes election results by country as well as links to other sites concerned with the electoral process.

The Gallup Organization
Much of this information is proprietary and requires a subscription. However, there are lots of snapshots of recently gathered data and some archival data that is public.

PollingReport.com
An independent and nonpartisan source of public opinion data. All of it is apparently available to the public.

Washingtonpost.com
Home to Votes database, this site includes voting records back to the 102nd congress. Detail by building designation, impeachments, nominations, speaker elections, treaties and vice presidential tie-breakers allow you to see voting patterns and records.

Other Web sites

Capital Eye
Money and politics are tracked here. The parent organization OpenSecrets.org present this newsletter. Articles cover such things as campaign contributions, lobbying in relationship to how Congress allocates the federal budget. Often covers stories that the main stream press omits.

Center for Public Integrity
The mission is to " produce original investigative journalism about significant public issues to make institutional power more transparent and accountable." Unlike FactCheck, these are substantive articles by journalist who investigate such issues as the lead up to the Iraq war, the influence of lobbyists and the presidential election.

FactCheck.org
This is a reliable site which helps you weigh the claims made by public officials.

Metavid
Video clips from the US Senate and House of Representatives. Searchable by name or topic.

OpenSecrets.org
Great charts and articles on money and elections. Want to see how much money was given by industry or special interest group there's a chart. Want to see to whom they have given the money, there's a list.

PolitiFact
The Truth-o-meter is designed to separate fact from fiction particularly for the 2008 presidential election. The meter ranges from True to 'pants on fire' with shades in between.

Election Sites

ANES: American National Election Studies
Core content includes 65 data sets on pre- and postelecton surveys of voter attitudes toward politics and related issues. Raw data is joined by surveys and data books. Graphs, charts, downloadable data and a substantive bibliography enhance the site.

Election Guide
IFES brings you information about the upcoming elections worldwide.

Election Resources on the Internet 
This is not just for the US, but includes the US. This reports on elections from all over the world.

Fivethirtyeight.com
The name of this site refers to the 538 electoral votes. The intent of the site is to accumulate and analyze election data and present charts and other visual means to help describe what is happening. Unlike Real Clear Politics, 538 manipulates the data with (among other statistical tools) weighting based on poll recency, sample size and pollster's past history for accuracy.

Guide to public opinion poll Web sites: Polling data from around the world
The Association for College and Research Libraries has brought together an outstanding list of web-based sources of information on polling. It includes information on how polls are designed and sites that have polling data.

Real Clear Politics
Very cool site for tracking polls and showing election information including taking more than a dozen polls and averaging them. Current and dense with political polling.

Librarian: Linda Hulbert (LAHULBERT@stthomas.edu) 651 962-5016
Updated 10/17//08