Newspaper backs 'political courage test' for candidates

As campaigns heat up, not only for president but also for the Pennsylvania Legislature and Congress, non-partisan information will become more important, according to The Mercury in Pottstown.

A nonpartisan group known as Project Vote Smart is having trouble getting politicians to take what it calls "the political courage test."

From the editorial:

The only way for a candidate to fail the test is to refuse to give voters this information. Unfortunately, the vast majority of candidates have been unwilling to give voters the information, according to a spokesman for the project.

But few candidates have been willing to provide public statements on where they stand on the issues.

About one-third of candidates for state legislative office have participated in the issues survey each year from 1996 to 2006. The highest percentage was 40 percent in the year 2000. Congressional candidate participation has ranged from highs of 71 percent in 1998 and 72 percent in 2004 to lows of 52 percent in 2002 and 58 percent in 2006.

If you're a candidate for state or national office and have not provided information to Project Vote Smart, what do you have to hide?

Read the full editorial, "Legislative candidates urged to take the political courage test," in The Mercury.