I find it interest that a commercial organization like the NYT is doing this. In the UK there are a number of projects like this, mostly headed up by one group

I find it interest that a commercial organization like the NYT is doing this. In the UK there are a number of projects like this, mostly headed up by one group. Mysociety (http://www.mysociety.org/ http://www.mysociety.org/) have set up sites to see what your MP does in Parliament, write to your MP, work with local government to get potholes fixed, etc. While it's good that the NYT are providing tools as well, I like the idea that Barrack might invest money in more small Web 2.0 style NGOs like mysociety.org in the U.S. to help get e-gov moving.