Make your opinion count with Countable

With the race for the White House in full swing and a continuous barrage of media coverage, political issues are likely on most people's minds. While it is easy to figure out the presidential candidates' stances on many of the bigger issues, it can be a bit more difficult to figure out what bills your congressional representatives are voting on and how they are voting. The thousands of bills that go through the House and Senate each year arguably have more effect on the average citizen's life than who is holding the executive position, and many of these quietly go through the process without a peep from the media, thus the results and implications remain largely unknown to the vast majority of the populace. Countable is the perfect solution to not only keep you informed of the issues and how your representatives are voting on them, but to let them know your opinion on the issues as well.

When you first download Countable and register, you will create a profile and then choose your interests - which issues you want to be kept informed of. For example, maybe you want to know what is going on with environmental issues but aren't terribly interested in the legality of marijuana. Once you've gone through this process, your home page will be populated with issues and news pertaining to your interests.

From your home page, tap on an issue to see more about it and vote on it if you wish. Once you open an issue you will see "Yea" and "Nay" buttons along with how many people have voted for each. There will be a brief summary of the issue followed by short arguments for and against the proposed bill. A "Details" section will tell you who sponsored it and will provide a more in-depth description and links to outside sources. The "Progress" section tells you the bill's current status in congress. You can see other people's thoughts on the matter beneath this section.

After casting your vote you can add a comment or endorse somebody else's comment if it has espoused your thoughts. One of the positive points of Countable is that there is no direct confrontation amongst the users - you can't respond directly to other people's comments, nor can you message them, so with Countable you don't have the inane bickering and name calling that bogs down so many political forums. If you are interested in somebody's opinion you can follow them, and of course you can and should follow your representatives.

Both your votes and your comments will be sent to your representatives (or at least their staffers) so that your opinion can hopefully be taken into consideration. You will likely receive emails from your reps confirming that they received your vote and thanking you for your input. In some cases you may even receive a more detailed letter, providing more information on a bill and updating you on its progress. Countable also offers a feature, if you feel so inclined, to send a video to your rep.

Whether you want to have your opinion heard or are cynical about the whole process, Countable at the very least is a great way to stay informed on various issues and how your lawmakers are voting on them - after all, as one of their constituents they are supposed to be representing you. It also gives you an idea as to what your fellow citizens are thinking. You almost certainly will be enlightened on some issues that you thought you had a clear understanding of. With all the fear mongering and spin out there, Countable does an excellent job cutting to the chase and is certainly worth a look.

Countable - Contact Congress and Vote on Bills is a free download on the App Store.