In New York, the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy has undertaken an incredibly impressive mission. Today, DMI issued a comprehensive scorecard grading the state legislature on issues impacting the state's middle class. It's not your standard scorecard, which is typically focused on an individual issue like the environment, labor, or gun control. Rather, it's a much more comprehensive look at the issues impacting New York's middle class and how legislators are responding to them.

Votes examined for the scorecard include everything from card-check recognition of unions and an estate tax exemption to predatory mortgage lending and subsidized daycare. Each legislator's votes are compared to the middle class position and a percentage score is tabulated which is then translated into an easily understood letter grade. For each bill, an overview is also given, describing the legislation, giving key facts and figures about it, and grading each legislative body as well as both political parties.

Take, for example, a Senate bill proposing an expansion of daycare subsidies for working families. Overall, the state Senate failed, with only 39% support. Senate Democrats overwhelmingly supported the bill, earning a 91%/A- grade. Senate Republicans were given an F, with 0% support.  DMI coded the middle class position as a yes vote, citing the fact that families who already qualify often do not receive any assistance because the program is not adequately funded. In explaining the topic, they offer quotes from experts from the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the Greater Upstate Law Project discussing the issue. They also post statistics like the number of children who would benefit from the bill and the number of families who qualify, but don't receive funding, as well as costs associated with daycare.

Beyond the fact that this is an incredibly valuable resource, DMI is using an interesting tactic to promote it. Rather than simply telling you about it, it's worth seeing it in action. The Speaker of the state Assembly is Sheldon Silver, a Democrat from the 64th district. Google him. If you look at the 'Sponsored Links' to the right side of the search results, you should notice that he's earned an A- according to the Drum Major Institute's scorecard. Try it with any other member of the state's Assembly or Senate -- they're all there. (Or just take my word for it, as we don't want to run up massive charges on DMI's account.)

To me, this is brilliant. What better way to get relevant information to people looking up their state representatives than a Google AdWords campaign? Unfortunately, they're only running the ad campaign for 30 days, which I'd assume is a budgetary matter. I really hope this is something they revisit, perhaps for a few weeks leading up to primary or general elections. After all, that tends to be the time when most people are interested in what their representatives have been up to.

I've made no secret of the fact that I think the states actually hold the key to future progressive innovation and power. But within the states, more tools are needed to help politicians move a progressive agenda forward. This is why a group like PLAN are so important. But equally important, especially in states that are already ostensibly blue, is a mechanism to make sure legislators know their voting records are being scrutinized. At least in New York, DMI's outstanding legislative scorecard fills that role and provides a solid model I hope will be emulated elsewhere.