A transparent and verifiable information resource for rating politicians' performance.

I've taken a look at the Reddit discussion.

Analysis: The creator of a chart grading Congress faced intense skepticism from users who demanded to know the methodology and data sources. Comments like "Trusted real-world data, such as?", "This post without a description of the criteria isn't useful," and "Yeah man, you're gonna need to actually cite your sources" highlight a strong user need. Users aren't necessarily against the idea of grading politicians, but they are deeply distrustful of data presented without a transparent methodology and verifiable sources. There's a desire to understand how our leaders are performing without the noise of news and media, but it's conditional on the trustworthiness of the information.

Product Opportunity: There's a clear opportunity for an information resource, likely a website or interactive platform, dedicated to evaluating politicians (e.g., members of Congress) based on explicitly stated, transparent criteria, with every data point and claim backed by verifiable, linked sources.

Specific Product Suggestion: A "Transparent Politician Scorecard" platform.

Key Features:

1. Explicit Criteria Definition: Clearly outline the metrics used for evaluation (e.g., legislative effectiveness defined by bills sponsored/passed, voting records on key issues, attendance, campaign finance transparency, alignment with constituent stated priorities).
2. Verifiable Data Sources: Each metric and resulting score for a politician must be directly linked to primary sources (e.g., official congressional records, FEC filings, reputable independent CBO reports, publicly available voting records).
3. Methodology Transparency: A detailed explanation of how data is collected, weighted (if applicable), and how scores are calculated. This should be easily accessible and understandable.
4. User Drill-Down Capability: Users should be able to click on any score or claim and see the underlying data and source links.
5. Non-Partisan Stance (or Clearly Declared Bias): The platform should strive for objective data presentation. If there's an inherent leaning in criteria selection, it must be declared upfront.
6. Regular Updates: Data should be kept current, reflecting ongoing legislative sessions and activities.

Expected Benefits:

1. Builds User Trust: Directly addresses the skepticism seen in the comments by providing the transparency and verifiability users demand.
2. Provides Actionable, Defensible Insights: Moves beyond subjective opinions to offer data-backed assessments of political performance.
3. Educates the Electorate: Helps citizens understand political actions and performance beyond media soundbites or partisan rhetoric.
4. Fills an Information Gap: While many organizations rate politicians, one that prioritizes radical transparency in its data and methodology could distinguish itself and gain significant user loyalty.
5. Potential for Civic Engagement: Could empower voters with concrete information to make more informed decisions and hold representatives accountable.