FedStats     Statistics on a variety of government functions and programs.  With search engine.

On the Issues has brief background pages on the following issues:

Abortion
Budget/Economy          
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime   
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Government Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Jobs
Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
Technology
War and Peace
Welfare/Poverty

 

Newsbatch.com, written by an Administrative Law judge in California contains summaries of 32 issues including:

Abortion
Africa
Americas
Arms Control
Corporate Resp.
Civil Liberties
Death Penalty
Drug Policy
Econ. Inequality
Education
Elec. Dereg.
Environment
Globalization
Gun Control
Health Care
Immigration
Iran
Iraq
Israel-Palestine
Kashmir
North Korea
Political Reform
Race
Religion
Sex and Policy
Social Security
Stem Cells
Tax-Budget
Terrorism
Tobacco
Tort Reform
Welfare

Citizen Joe  also has more detailed background papers and primers, but they haven’t been updated since 2009:

Health

Health Care   http://citizenjoe.org/node/77
Abortion and Family Planning   http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/95
Small Business Health Plans   http://citizenjoe.org/node/183
Medicare Prescriptions Drug Act   http://citizenjoe.org/node/83
Avian Flu    http://citizenjoe.org/node/90
Mad Cow Disease    http://citizenjoe.org/node/91
Mental Health  http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/87
        Obesity    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/94

Jobs and Welfare

Jobs      http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/98
Welfare    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/108
Poverty     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/107
Social Security    http://citizenjoe.org/node/121
Minimum Wage    http://citizenjoe.org/node/176
Unemployment    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/106
Retirement    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/113

 

Business and the Economy

The current economic situation     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/436  (2009)
Food   http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/78
Housing Crisis    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/254
Economic Stimulus Plan    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/364
Doha and the World Trade Organization    http://citizenjoe.org/node/93
Trade (facts)     http://citizenjoe.org/node/89
Farm Subsidies    http://citizenjoe.org/node/99

 

Crime and Justice

Crime and Justice Overview    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/101
Medical Malpractice    http://citizenjoe.org/node/110    http://citizenjoe.org/node/112
Illegal Drugs   http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/53
Prisons   http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/115
Identity Theft    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/142
Guns    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/140
Death Penalty     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/50
Civil Litigation    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/109

 

National Security

Armed Forces Overview    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/126
Homeland Security    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/137
Iraq    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/215
Intelligence    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/201
National Missile Defense   http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/244
Nuclear Plant Security    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/141
Enemy Combatants and Terrorist Trials   http://citizenjoe.org/node/235
State Grants and First Responders    http://citizenjoe.org/node/145
Terrorism    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/229
Dubai Ports Deal and Port Security   http://citizenjoe.org/node/143

 

Energy and the Environment

Global Warming    http://citizenjoe.org/node/236
Gas prices    http://citizenjoe.org/node/233
Fossil Fuels   http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/207
Price Gouging at the Gas Pump    http://citizenjoe.org/node/252
Clear Skies Act    http://citizenjoe.org/node/225
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge  http://citizenjoe.org/node/230

 

Education

Education Overview   http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/127
English Language Learners     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/144
No Child Left Behind   http://citizenjoe.org/node/65     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/63
Head Start    http://citizenjoe.org/node/116
Higher Education Overview     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/146
Literacy    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/151

Social Issues

The Disabled      http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/246
Faith and Religion     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/248
The Homeless    http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/250
Immigration     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/175
The Media     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/197
Race and Ethnicity     http://www.citizenjoe.org/node/196
Stem Cell Research   http://citizenjoe.org/node/102
Same Sex Marriage   http://citizenjoe.org/node/194
Internet Neutrality    http://citizenjoe.org/node/100

 

Government and Politics  (These are issues that affect the efficiency and quality of government itself)  Go here.

To check seemingly sensational political rumors or stories. (You can also check out scams at the home page. ) http://snopes.com/politics/politics.asp