The New York Times reports that ABC News and Facebook have partnered in the creation of a new US Politics application. The application, originally designed by Facebook as a simple way to find and support politicians who have created profiles (the sparse Canadian version is here), boasts charts, polls and interactive news features, with content supplied by ABC.

Reaction around the blogosphere is skeptical, with CNET's Caroline McCarthy wondering if a political news app will attract attention. Facebook, like other social media properties, is very interested in capturing meaningful election eyeballs, but they have had little success so far.

In the time I've had to explore the application, I've been impressed. While the app is anything but world changing, it is full of good information, provides a place for debate and discussion, and seems to respect the audience. No, this app won't compete with Zombies and Top Friends, but it is a good proof-of-concept for an application that provides real informational value.