During the California recall election (which also had a proposition on the ballot) there was a top level banner "ad" telling voters how to vote on the issue (something like No on 54!).
Rock the Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization, founded in 1990 in response to a wave of attacks on freedom of speech and artistic expression.Rock the Vote engages youth in the political process by incorporating the entertainment community and youth culture into its activities. From actors to musicians, comedians to athletes, Rock the Vote harnesses cutting-edge trends and pop culture to make political participation cool.
Rock the Vote mobilizes young people to create positive social and political change in their lives and communities. The goal of Rock the Vote’s media campaigns and street team activities is to increase youth voter turnout. Rock the Vote coordinates voter registration drives, get-out-the-vote events, and voter education efforts, all with the intention of ensuring that young people take advantage of their right to vote.
Rock the Vote’s work doesn’t end when the polls close. We empower young people to create change in their communities and take action on the issues they care about. Regardless of whether youth are signing petitions, running for office, contacting their elected officials, or taking up a sign in protest, they are all rocking the vote.
There is a subsection of "issues". This does not appear to be a non-partisan clearing house of information on the issues. Look at the organizations that MTV-CBS-Viacom's Rock The Vote has linked:
Free Expression: Rock the Vote was founded to confront censorship and promote the right of free expression. Be informed of the issues that affect you and those you love. Use your voice to let others know how you feel. Call your Representative. Write a letter to your Senator. Let the President know what’s on your mind. Walk the vote, talk the vote and Rock the Vote everyday.Resources:
American Civil Liberties Union, www.aclu.org Freedom Forum, www.freedomforum.org
MoveOn, www.moveon.org
National Coalition Against Censorship, www.ncac.org
Recording Industry of America, www.riaa.org
United States House of Representatives, www.house.gov
United States Senate, www.senate.gov
The White House, www.whitehouse.govViolence: Every day in America 2,402 children are abused or neglected. A woman is raped every sixty seconds. In 2001 there were 12, 020 victims of hate crimes in the United States. What’s being done to make our schools and streets safer? Want a less violent society? Tolerate, educate and speak your mind.
Resources:
Children’s Defense Fund, Safe Start, www.childrensdefense.org
The Family Violence Prevention Fund, www.fvpf.org
National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, www.safeyouth.org
National Organization For Women, www.now.org
Pax - Real Solutions to Gun Violence, www.pax.com/speakupEnvironment: Climate change. Clean air. Pollution. Should we drill in Alaska? Will the world look the same as you get older?
Current News:
07/03/03: Help Save the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)
The Artic Refuge is among the last area of Alaska’s North Slope that does not allow drilling. The newest Energy bill before the Senate threatens to open up the tundra to oil drillers. Head to www.savearcticrefuge.org to sign a petition that lets Congress know how you feel.
Resources:
20/20 Vision, www.2020vision.org Center for Environmental Citizenship, www.envirocitizen.org
Environmental Defense Fund, www.edf.org
Greenpeace, www.greenpeaceusa League of Conservation Voters, www.voteenvironment.org
Rainforest Action Network, www.ran.org
The Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org
Student Environmental Action Coalition, www.seac.org
United States Public Interest Research Group, http://pirg.org/uspirgEducation: You’ve heard the saying that children are our future, but what kind of future are children being prepared for when they have to sit in overcrowded classrooms and lack basic supplies such as books and paper. And what about college? Is there enough aid for those who need it? Knowledge is power. Use your power to speak your mind and guarantee your right to an education.
Resources:
The Center for Education Reform, www.edreform.com
Children’s Defense Fund, www.childrensdefense.org
National Education Association, www.nea.org
People for the American Way, www.pfaw.org/issues/education
United States Student Association, www.usstudents.orgJobs and the Economy: The current job market is one of the worst in memory if you are a young adult. Whether you are leaving high school or college, jobs are scarce and debt is through the roof. Wages are low. Health care and retirement benefits are gone. If you ever doubted the impact of government policy on your life, look at the unemployment figures.
Resources:
AFL-CIO, www.aflcio.org
Campaign for America’s Future, www.ourfuture.org
UC Berkeley Labor Center Program on Young Workers, http://laborcenter.berkeley.eduDebt: The average college student has $2,700 in credit card debt by the time they graduate and that doesn’t include school loan debt. Do you have access to financial aid?
Action Alerts:
07/03/03: Repeal H.R. 685
Send an elected official an e-mail in support of H.R.685 which repeals the HEA Drug Provision. This provision denies federal aid to any student convicted of a drug offense. To learn more about this legislation and send your support, visit http://ga0.org/campaign/.
Resources:
Bank Rate, www.bankrate.com
FinAid, www.finaid.org
Jump Start Coalition for Personal Finance Literacy, www.jumpstart.org
Raise Your Voice, www.raiseyourvoice.com
U.S. National Debt Clock, www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
If Rock The Vote is a 501c3 non-profit charity then it is clear that they are in violation of IRS tax law. Just the link to the partisan PAC MoveOn.org is enough of a violation. Consider that a "non-profit" church could not put such pamplets on a table in the lobby. Of course I've seen the same sort of violations at Pacifica Radio (Green Party literature) and nothing is ever done to revoke their 501c3 status.