Cooper and Emily, this project is so exciting! I am awaiting with bated breath the

Voter Manifesto, asking the media and presidential candidates from all parties to answer real questions and address real issues. Let's help them by creating a template: the questions any candidate must answer if they want to earn our vote next year. If you could tell the presidential candidates what is most important to you, what are the top four hot button issues you would ask them to address?

If I were a betting woman...the top four issues would be...wow, I actually don't know. Can't wait to find out from the survey.

For what it's worth, for me, the issues are:

- How to Pay for Our Healthcare...sustainably
- The environment
- Iraq
- Lack of child care options, and huge expense of child care options

You women never cease to amaze me with the ways you use your power for good!

I'm Canadian and live in Canada, so I don't know how relevant my opinion is on issues for US presidential candidates to address. But I will chime in on the one global issue that I'd like BlogHer to support - global warming. I believe the time to act is now and I'd love to see BlogHer as an active part of that.

I think this is a GREAT idea! I was just thinking about the role the media plays in political campaigns this afternoon...

Let's create a Voter Manifesto, asking the media and presidential candidates from all parties to answer real questions and address real issues. Let's help them by creating a template: the questions any candidate must answer if they want to earn our vote next year. If you could tell the presidential candidates what is most important to you, what are the top four hot button issues you would ask them to address?

I think the number one issue the news media needs to do is...Start reporting the "news". I do not think that even one "attack" ad should be replayed on any news media as if it is an actual news story. These ads end up becoming totally free advertising for a candidate or party, simply because the "so called" news media is using them over and over again as if they are news. Just because these ads are being replayed on news stations, does not make them news. This is not journalism, it is propaganda - information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.

The news media needs to return to true journalism and investigative reporting...And not rely on being spoon-fed stories by candidates and campaigns. The media is doing a serious injustice to the American people, they must stop this practice IMMEDIATELY.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at Women 4 Hope and CatherineBlogs.com

Oh, I think daily health hindrance drag the U.S. has got to symbolize on of the prime four issues since the voter manifesto. It's seemly eerie what happens to people.

A organization of rabble believe suggested healthcare over our poles apart universal activism clock in to. So, my inquire into is: how fulfill we make active a difference in health care worldwide? I actually think it could be a great issue, because there are so many components to it, and it seems like there would be lots of ways to take action. Hospitals in Mexico

http://crunchycarpets.com/archives/218

So….what is the big thing for me. Everyday, the worlds news is filled with war, misery, murder, famine, genocide, persecution…..the list goes on. The media and the blogosphere is filled with talking heads blaming this person or that ……this evil organization, those monsters,….again…the list goes on.

All I keep thinking is they are all human. WE are all human beings first. We are all mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children…….it is pure luck where you end up on this planet. No matter what side you are on…..we are all human beings. We do at a root level care about the same things.

BlogHer represents around 11000 women bloggers. There are more out there. Is that NOT a powerful voice? Should not the LUCKY female humans of the globe do something to protect those women who are NOT so lucky. Those being beaten on the streets for not covering themselves up or not being escorted by a male family member. Can we not help those women who can’t feed their kids or get medical care for their families….or jobs or education. Should WE not speak up for those who cannot or are not being heard themselves?

Globally, women’s rights are in a sorry state. This is the 21st Century and discrimination and misogyny is rife across the planet.

Globally women’s voices should be heard. It should be a mighty roar.

The times need to change…..can we be the one’s to push that change?

Look for me at http://crunchycarpets.com or check out the ladies at www.wetcoastwomen.com

You are providing terrific leadership here. As I just commented, I am proud and excited to be a part of this action plan.

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Fantastic idea! My issue is treatment of the developmentally disabled. Here is my post:

http://thezenofmotherhood.blogspot.com/2007/06/bloghers-act.html

Cooper and Emily,

My post is blogged, tagged and linked.

The one issue I'll raise that I doubt anyone else will: boring but extremely important: Rebuilding our Infrastructure. We will all talk about it when the power failures, water restrictions, and road collapses grow in frequency.

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Deb's Daily Distractions

Hi Cooper and Emily,

I am fired up by your great idea and want to contribute. Can we leave our idea for the Number One Global Issue here?

Without a doubt, the global issue that we need to force into the public consciousness is nuclear waste contaminating our land and poisoning our bodies. This isn't just a theory or a fear of something that will happen in the future, this is happening right now in the pacific northwest. This issue reigns supreme over any other issue that I am also concerned with such as global warming, the war in Iraq, and social equity and justice. And the reason for my myopic focus on this issue is because I'm finding that most people are not even aware of this imminent and present danger. I blog about it here:

http://babywhisperingloudly.typepad.com/babywhisperingloudly/2007/06/thi...

and here: http://babywhisperingloudly.typepad.com/babywhisperingloudly/2007/05/ari...

and here: http://babywhisperingloudly.typepad.com/babywhisperingloudly/2007/05/peo...

I feel confident that IF ONLY PEOPLE KNEW what is really happening to the environment and all who inhabit it under the name of "national security" or "fighting the terrorists" or stopping other countries from developing weapons of mass destruction when we are on the edge of blowing ourselves up, people would compel our government to do something about it before it is too late.

Thanks so much for inspiring this effort,

BabyWhisperingLoudly

BabyWhisperingLoudly: listening to the *quiet voices* before they start yelling at me OR documenting mamahood while being purposely ambiguous

http://babywhisperingloudly.typepad.com/babywhisperingloudly/

Women could change the world if we changed the way we spent our money. We can have an immediate and enduring impact if we shift our spending to products with the biggest potential to protect the planet. No matter how much or how little money any of us individually has, collectively we wield enough consumer clout to create sustainable systems worldwide. Let's get BlogHer behind a campaign to show women how powerful the purse can be!

I offer a lot of ideas for shifting spending to make a difference at http://www.biggreenpurse.com. There's also an opportunity there to join the "One in a Million" campaign. By pledging to shift $1,000 of money you're already spending to environmentally friendly products and services, you and a million other women can together make a billion dollar difference.

The power of the purse: We have it. Let's use it!

If I was going to choose a broad topic, it would be “Accountability and Diplomacy”. If there is one thing lacking in present day political, social, economical, and environmental systems, it is our inability to make difficult decisions at cost of our individual inconvenience, but for the good of our children and children’s children. As an example of this complete lack of accountability or willingness to participate in diplomacy, please read how the current president of the EU Commision reached out to the G8 leaders, and what your president’s response was (quoted from BBC online news):

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel, hosting the (G8) summit, has set what is seen as an ambitious personal goal of persuading the leading industrialised countries to commit to cutting emissions by 50% by 2050.

She also wants them to increase fuel efficiency by 20% and limit the world's temperature rise to 2C. “

“… Mr Bush said that instead of backing the proposed emissions caps he favoured his own plan (bold print is mine) that the worst CO2 emitting nations, including the US, China and India, meet before the year is out to put together a new long-term strategy to tackle the problem. The United States can serve as a bridge to help find a solution…”

In my ears, Mr. Bush response is: blahblahblahblah, talktalktalk, words, no actions. It is very frustrating to hear this sort of suggestion from the leader of a country who’s not been active or cooperative in reaching diplomatic action (e.g. Kyoto agreement).

Isn’t there any way that we can influence these matters individually, as well as figuring out methods to make our leaders do so as well?

lia from luebeck, germany

Author of the media safe 101 page on the Red Tent Blog and the personal yum yum cafe

I would like more attention drawn to the issues of alternative education and student welfare.

Too often, people equate education with school. This ignores the vast amount of opportunities out there for people to learn, to explore, to be educated. Travel, volunteering, mentorships, projects, internships, jobs, homeschooling, unschooling, distance education...so many things! You don't have to conform to school to be happy.

This ties in to the often-forgotten issue of student welfare. Around the world, students are seen less for their personality, character, and passion, and more for their ability to provide grades. Their individuality is suppressed in the name of good grades/top uni/high-paying job. They're stressing themselves out, ignoring their health and sanity, just so they can succeed. And the teachers don't notice! They are only after numbers. The students lose out. Everyone loses out, because what then happens is the creation of a bunch of robots, unable to adapt to changing circumstances.

Students must be given the right to learn what they want to learn, the best way they learn. Not everyone is right for school or university. Not everyone has to do 20 years of schooling continuously; they may fare better with breaks in between. Some people flourish under alternative circumstances.

Students also need to be seen holistically, and not just as grade cattle. Their passions and interests must be noticed and met. They need to be engaged in their education, and the only way to do that is to recognize them as individual beings with their own wants and needs. Options must be provided for them to live their best. Their basic needs must be met.

We need to break away from the idea of "education = school" and look towards the idea of "education = life".

I write a blog about these issues - EducateDeviate. It's not easy finding other likeminded people, so I hope there will be other BlogHers that would be interested :)

My comment is on Britt's post: http://www.blogher.com/node/20505

Darfur is the issue I care most deeply about because the people of Darfur are dealing with so very much...genocide, poverty, rape, violence, starvation. It's a humanitarian crisis of the first order.

Other issues I care about are:

Education - I work at a school and would like to see the education system revamped. We've created a system that cares first and foremost about test scores and I think our children are suffering because of it.

Environment - I'd like the U.S. government to acknowledge the existence of global warming and to start taking action NOW to decrease it.

Health Care - It's insane to me that I can live in what many consider the most powerful country in the world and we still have a health care system that most can't afford and that many can't access at all. Basic health care should not be a privilege in this country--it should be a right for every citizen.

Voting - Voter apathy is a real problem in the U.S. I would hope that each of us would do whatever we can to encourage our fellow citizens to vote. We cannot create any real change without voting power.

I have posted about my issue - educational freedom and reform - on my blog here:

http://phatmommy.com/2007/06/08/bloghers-act-educational-freedom/

Shannon
PHAT Mommy

I've just read Birdie's post here:

http://www.blogher.com/node/20498

...and just wanted to say that I love the idea of focusing on an issue a month. Wondering if in addition to the year-long focus of one primary issue, the voter manifesto could be expanded. Why not create a manifesto with 12 issues (there's no shortage of issues we feel passionately about!) and ask BlogHers to blog about each of them once a month on a designated day? I think there could be incredible power in that! The manifesto could be a handbook of the issues that we, as a group, feel passionately about, and it would give the candidates a heads up of the issues we're going to bring into the voting booths with us. We could still focus our energies for an entire year on a primary issue, but we could also spotlight many other issues via a monthly blogging blitz.

Sexual exploitation of children is a multi-billion dollar industry. The most effective way to deal with this issue is to take away the demand. I have left a BlogHers Act post on this issue. My blog tinystars.wordpress.com is all about this issue and what can be done about it. Because I am new to blogging I am not sure if I successfully tagged my post. :) The date of my BlogHers Act post is 06/10/07.
Please tell me if I have done all I need to do to have this topic considered. It is to important of an issue to miss out on this amazing opportunity.

http://tinystars.wordpress.com/

The following link is to the Tiny Stars website (which is not mine). It is full of information about human trafficking, especially the trafficking of children for sex.

http://www.tinystars.org/index.html

Hi Gloriasone: we did indeed see your post and add it to the list for the survey. Thanks for participating.

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer and Worker Bees
elisa@blogher.org/elisa@workerbees.biz

BlogHer is all about being empowered. There is power in the pocket book and a written letter (or blog post).

I would like to see women unite to create future empowered women, one letter and one purchase at a time. I would like to see us combat, in an organized way, the hidden messages in most of today's women's magazines. It affects how we feel about our bodies, ourselves. I hate to hear how young women are dying their hair and getting nose jobs.

As women, we will earn less than our male counterparts. Where are we supposed to get the disposable income to pay for all these enhancements? We should be saving for our future, and making a smart investment instead. There are too few such messages for young women.

If we are to tackle any of these deserving issues with BloHer ACT, we must first address raising up the next generation of advocates. It would be natural for all women, parent and non-parents alike, to address the negative messages our popular media send us. This is an issue that affects us all. What if the SF-based organization, About Face, could implement their program across the continent, not just in one city or country? If we chose a U.S. election issue, we rule out the potential to engage our sisters abroad, the global potential for change. It would also tie-in well with your burgeoning ad network.

My two cents. Thanks for reading along!

Teri Tith
Blog Owner
Purple Women & Friends

This is a continuation of Gloriasone's comment. I would like to help Tiny Stars in any way, and hope they can be considered for the survey.

Tiny Stars is a non-government agency dedicated to expose and stop commercial sexual exploitation of children by catching child predators. We work with federal law enforcement to capture American child predators.

Objectives:
Raise awareness and educate key identifiers
Expose the magnitude of the commercial child sex trade industry
Give a voice to the vulnerable victims
Partner/collaborate with government organizations and coalitions
Support and enforce policies and legislation that serves to protect children from predators
Create model communities for which to replicate throughout the US

We women all have such wonderfully diverse opinions of what issues are important, but something I think we can all agree upon is the necessity of encouraging women to become active and informed citizens. Women today are so busy with career and family obligations that it's easy to "tune out" politics. We need to do a better job of paying attention to issues that affect us and our families. We need to make our voices heard on every level from our local communities to global ones.

My BHA post can be found here.

Definitely healthcare -- perhaps the biggest immediate crisis facing this country. Please see http://www.diabetesmine.com/2007/06/blogher_communi.html

For me, one of the most important global issues is literacy. It has been shown that where women in particular can read and write, then infant/child mortality rates reduce, education levels rise, and the earning power of people increases.

I also heard a saddening statistic a few years ago, which I hope isn't true. Only 2% of Americans read 5 or more books *a year*.

Can we not promote reading within our own communities, and also arrange for reading and literacy to be promoted in communities less well off than our own?

My blog entry is here: http://sorchaogle.wordpress.com/2007/06/12/33/

http://sorchaogle.wordpress.com/