Wikipedia and Legislative Data Workshop
From the post:
Interested in the bills making their way through Congress?
Think they should be covered well in Wikipedia?
Well, let’s do something about it!
On Thursday and Friday, March 14th and 15th, we are hosting a conference here at the Cato Institute to explore ways of using legislative data to enhance Wikipedia.
Our project to produce enhanced XML markup of federal legislation is well under way, and we hope to use this data to make more information available to the public about how bills affect existing law, federal agencies, and spending, for example.
What better way to spread knowledge about federal public policy than by supporting the growth of Wikipedia content?
Thursday’s session is for all comers. Starting at 2:30 p.m., we will familiarize ourselves with Wikipedia editing and policy, and at 5:30 p.m. we’ll have a Sunshine Week reception. (You don’t need to attend in the afternoon to come to the reception. Register now!)
On Friday, we’ll convene experts in government transparency, in Wikipedia editorial processes and decisions, and in MediaWiki technology to think things through and plot a course.
I remain unconvinced about greater transparency into the “apparent” legislative process.
On the other hand, it may provide the “hook” or binding point to make who wins and who loses more evident.
If the Cato representatives mention their ideals being founded in the 18th century, you might want to remember that infant mortality was greater than 40% in foundling hospitals of the time.
People who speak glowingly of the 18th century didn’t live in the 18th century. And imagine themselves as landed gentry of the time.
I first saw this at the Legal Informatics Blog.