GradeGov.Com Lets You Grade the Poiticians

GradeGov.Com is the creation of a former Republican Secretary of the US Senate named Elizabeth Letchworth. It's a way for average Americans to let politicians know what they think of them, unfiltered by the media or Congressional staff.

According to the Politico:

"Gradegov.com will allow users to give individual members a letter grade, A through F. The site will display each lawmaker's average, as well as breakdowns by political party and by grades sent by voters who actually live in a member's district."

The front page of GradeGov.com has a news story, the top graded member of Congress and his or her stats, the lowest graded member of Congress and his or her stats, and those who are climbing and falling in the grading stats.

After registering, one can assign a letter grade to one member of Congress per day and send him or her a letter explaining the grade. Threatening or offensive language and profanity are not allowed.

The tag line for GradeGov.com is "They Work for You. Remind them."

As of this writing, Ron Paul, Republican of the 14^th District of Texas, is the highest graded Congressman, with a B+ average, which includes B from Democrats, and As from Republicans and Independents. The Congressman with the dubious distinction of having the lowest grade is Timothy Bishop, Democrat of the 1^st District of New York, with an F overall and an F from Democrats and an F from Independents.

The leadership of the Congress has Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a D-, House Minority Leader John Boehner with a C, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid with an F, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell with a C.

One of the great frustrations of the American political system is that while one might or might not like one's own member of Congress or Senators, it is often someone else's House member or Senator who can be the most irritating. Letters from outside the state or district usually gets trashed in a Congressional office. A Senator or Congressman from-say-New York doesn't have to care what someone from Texas thinks of him or her. Popular or despised in Texas, that fact will not have any effect around election time.

Of course if that politician has higher ambitions, say for the Presidency, then he or she might have to care. There is a story of how a young Congressman named Lyndon Johnson decided not to get too close to the oil companies, an eccentric view for a Texas politician, but one very sensible for someone with greater aspirations.

A failing grade of GradeGov.com will not directly affect any politician, except perhaps to provide some measure of pride (in a few cases) or of embarrassment (in more than a few cases.) Will the grades on GradeGov.com help to change behavior? Likely not. Only elections can do that. But GradeGov.com does provide a means for the frustrated citizen to express ire for politicians and might-just might-provide fodder for an election opponent.

Sources: GradeGov.Com

Website lets users rate Congress, Victoria McGrane, Politico, April 27th, 2009