Tuesday, May 26, 1998

Take Responsibility
By Mason Kong ([email protected])

It has been mentioned on the Motley Fool that the Internet has been a boon to individual investors. The proliferation of information has opened new doors and exposed new opportunities. This wealth of information is not limited to investors.

The California Primary Election is just around the corner. As has been the case in every election I have participated in, the government has distributed a sample ballot and a voter's information guide. Unlike any previous elections, the literature for this election is littered with URLs.

Whereas before investors had to rely on daily newspapers and the weekly periodicals for information but now can read press releases minutes after their announcement and discuss with fellow investors in real time online, voters now don't have to rely on paragraph-long statements in the voter's guide and 30-seconds long TV clips where one only have enough time to smear the opposition.

One can understand why smear campaigns are so common. Negative campaigns are more effective than positive ones. But if a candidate has something to say, I'd like to hear it. A website gives him or her ample opportunity to express what he or she stands for, perhaps more than their campaign funds will allow them to pay for in TV spots or print ads. All of the candidates' websites I have visited have done a good job of listing the candidates' positions. (They usually list several other standard items as well, such as bios, supporters, past voting record and news releases. Some even have an area for selling campaign paraphernalia such as T-shirts, caps and bumper stickers. Well, you can't blame them for trying.)

I appreciate having the chance to read more of what a candidate has to say. There is also plenty of opportunity for online chats so that concerned people can interact with the candidates and receive feedback.

For some states, I imagine that their primaries have already past. For others, it has yet to come. For everyone, there will be an election in November. Don't waste the resources available to you on the Internet in aiding you to make your decisions.

As individuals, we should take interest in our investments. As citizens, we should take interest in our society. Now get out there and vote!

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