Once again another election year is upon us and its time to start thinking about issues. It is time to ask again what we want from our politicians, who are supposed to represent us. It is time to see if we can change the system. It desperately needs it.

There is a wealth of information that is out there on our elected officials. By law, federal and state and local laws, these people that represent us must let us see their campaign finances. For members of Congress, this information can be found at www.fec.gov. The Federal Elections Commission has information on who gives to whom and how much. Another place to go for information on some organizations and their funding is www.irs.gov. The IRS requires organizations like the infamous 527s and other nonprofit associations to list where they get their funding from.

And just incase you are tired of the same old same old, when election day comes around, you can always vote for a third party candidate. My recommendation is to vote for the Green Party. If enough of us decide to vote our conscience instead of who is likely to win, these third party candidates can actually win. After all, it isn’t a horse race.

Just think about the possibility for a second. If enough people were to vote for the Green Party, there could be a three way power struggle in Congress. In this scenario, the Democrats become a moderate swing vote. The Republicans are at odds with the Greens.