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As you've undoubtedly gathered by this time, 2012 is an election year. And not even one of those total nonentity midterm election years.* It's a biggie. The Oval Office is up for grabs. In two days. So I've put together an extensive, if not comprehensive, post to help you navigate (and enjoy) the 2012 general elections. Be you decided in your choice or not.
*Totally kidding. All elections are important. But...you know...if you have to choose...don't be apathetic now.


Now Tex and I are admittedly a bit biased, but since we accept that not everyone has the same opinions we do, I'd like to direct your attention to I Side With.

I Side With lets you take a detailed political quiz and compares your stated views to those of the candidates running for President. Your results might end up surprising you (though mine didn't). And they might help you undecided voters know your own minds. I Side With also allows you to compare candidates to one another and has a very informative blog with break downs of all the candidates' positions on the election's hottest issues.


Fact checkers have generally earned their reputation for letting personal biases seep into their work. It's an understandable temptation. And it's what makes Glenn Kessler of the Washington Post such a rare find. As the Post's Fact Checker he's shown remarkable impartiality and is my go-to resource for the truth in all things political. As you can imagine, I've found him even more valuable during this seemingly interminable election season.

Kessler fact checks just about everything that happens on and around the Hill, which makes it especially helpful that he and his staff have separated out their posts on the 2012 election so you can shift through the various shades of rhetorical grey before voting. If you don't have time to sort through the myriad posts this election has generated, check the Cliff's Notes version: The Biggest Pinocchios of Election 2012. Then test your own knowledge of the issues with the Presidential Election Fact Checker Quiz.


Now we at TCKiT know just as well as anyone that an election can be fun even when it's serious, and this election has certainly spawned more than its fair share of mirth. From The Onion's increased coverage of our distinguished Vice President Biden to the recent spate of binder reviews on Amazon the Internets have never enjoyed an election more. Let's join them, shall we?


First up is Binders Full of Women. A relatively recent addition to the election-borne madness.

From a truly inspired collection of Halloween costumes to memes and photographs, Binders Full of Women successfully lampoons Romney's infamous affirmative action soundbite from the second debate.


Speaking of professional missteps, someone really ought to have talked Paul Ryan out of that awkward workout-inspired photo shoot for Time. Thankfully they didn't. And now both sides of the ideological aisle are taking advantage of this magnificent source material.

On the philosophical Right we have Hey Girl, It's Paul Ryan.

A neo-con iteration of one of my favorite memes, Hey Girl, It's Paul Ryan would surely make the VP-hopeful proud, and it never forgets to highlight his firm grasp of gun issues.

And in the other corner, weighing in for the Left, we have Mansplaining Paul Ryan.

Mansplaining Paul Ryan might trade in hyperbole, but it nails the Wisconsin Representative's penchant for condescension perfectly.


But my personal favorite is Arrested Decision 2012.

Pairing photos from the campaign trail with expertly selected quotations from Arrested Development, this site's commitment to nonpartisan ridicule is admirable in such a politically polarized atmosphere. Not only does it bring some much needed levity to an increasingly nasty election, this tumblr has the added benefit of getting everyone (even more) excited for the long-awaited return of Arrested Development. Who could ask for anything more?


All laughing aside, I know there there are a lot of emotional issues that play into this, and every, election. It can't all be cold, hard facts. Be your cause célèbre health care, taxes, employment, transparency, the economy, Iraq and Afghanistan, or marriage equality feeling can be a lot more compelling than stats when you get to the voting booth. Since that's the case, I just ask that you consider all sides of a question before doing your civic duty on Tuesday.

Also watch this mini West Wing reunion/random ad campaign, it's adorable and informative!