7 great apps for political junkies
With this free app, you can organize your news feed by issues that matter most to you, whether that means crime, education, national defense or civil rights.
iCitizen also provides a way to engage with politicians within the app: You can call and email them, or take daily opinion polls that are delivered to your representative. And stay in-the-know by tracking real-time updates from all parties. Available for iOS and Android.
Political Tracker
Promising “accountability for all,” the creators of the Political Tracker app say it delivers “verified, unbiased political information from the federal to the local level.” With this free mobile app you can “track” or “untrack” bills or the latest political buzz from top news channels. You’ll need to open an online account for access.
PolitiFact
Lies and broken promises go on record for all to see with the Android and iPhone-friendly PolitiFact app, which earns major credibility points thanks to the collaborative effort by Poynter and PolitiFact (funded by The Knight Foundation and a project of the Tampa Bay Times).
The star feature of the $1.99 app is the “Truth-O-Meter,” which measures the accuracy of politicians' statements. Quotes are ranked either "True," “Mostly True," "Half True," "Mostly False," "False,” or the ever-popular "Pants on Fire."
PolitiFact also keeps track of politicians' flip-flops.
Politomix
Are you one of those people with too many web tabs open at once? The Politomix app aggregates and delivers top political news headlines to you from 40 web sources. Color-codes help identify each site’s political leanings (red, blue, or black for mainstream media), and you can share news via the integrated social media support.
The free app for iPhone and iPad also features a built-in podcast player for those too busy for headlines.
The White House
Go straight to the source with direct access to the White House via its official app, free for iPads, iPhones, and Androids. You can browse the latest pictures and videos, get news updates from the briefing room and blog, or tune into live streaming events from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
BuyPartisan
Does your ketchup fall on the red or blue side of the political spectrum? The free BuyPartisan app lets you feed your political appetite while you shop, revealing the political contributions tied to our favorite brands. Scan a product’s barcode and you’ll see whether an item’s CEO, Board of Directors, employees and and others within the company have donated to Republican or Democratic causes.
Read more about BuyPartisan and see it in action here.
Congress+
The Congress+ app scores high user ratings, and it means serious business. It delivers Capitol Hill happenings and legislative activity and serves as a virtual directory for members of Congress, for a $4.99 fee for iPhone and iPads. Check out Congress member and Senate bios and links to their active social media accounts. The app features an official THOMAS Database, which gives access to need-to-know bill information.
There's also a free version for iPhones and Androids, which offers a little less.
—By Beth Lisa Goodbaum