All eyes are on Iowa this week, as the hodgepodge field of Republican contenders gallivants across that farm state seeking a win, or at least "momentum," in the campaign for the party's presidential nomination. But behind the scenes, a battle is being waged by Republicans -- not against each other, but against American voters. Across the country, state legislatures and governors are pushing laws that seek to restrict access to the voting booth, laws that will disproportionately harm people of colour, low-income people, and young and elderly voters.

ProjectDemocracy.ca launched yesterday and it is ready to play. Disclosure: It is totally separate from NOW but I am a projectdemocracy.ca co-founder and therefore a proud Momma. Now, we can all be election geeks together.

You can click on any riding in the country and find out how the race is shaping up there. The drop down menu let's you dial in the info you want to see. You can get previous election results or every one of the latest poll results and how they slice and dice locally, provincially and nationally.

It is election by numbers and it's fun or depressing, depending...

ProjectDemocracy.ca is here because right now, the numbers are stacked against us.

People who follow the news in British Columbia can see that politically the province is in turmoil. The current government, probably one of the most corrupt and destructive in recent history, is finally coming unglued. The only thing remarkable about that is that the public foolishly tolerated it for so long, either by voting for the government, or not bothering to vote at all.

One can sympathize with the non-voters -- the options at the polls have not appeared to be all that hot. Many people are disillusioned with politics, and given the performance of both the government and opposition over the past few years it is no surprise. Of course choosing to be a non-voter is a surrender to whatever fate delivers.

Suck it up, Canada: What are we -- shoppers or citizens? A portion of each, I suppose. But it's fatal to confuse the roles, as seems to be happening with all the whinging and whining over "another" election that "nobody" wants.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper was the first to moan in, right after Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff announced his intention to pull the plug on the Conservatives' minority government. Iggy had a list of plausible enough reasons that would more likely lead you to ask him Why did you wait so long? than What for? The PM's response was that he hasn't met "a single Canadian" who wants an election, which may only reveal the limited range of his contacts.