Earn My Vote dotcom - 1

Who thinks it would be a good idea to focus on the issues in the 2008 Presidential campaign?

Good, everyone. So, here's an idea.

How about setting-up a website where candidates are asked to answer 10 or 12 questions (e.g. Do you think there is a problem with health insurance in the US and if so what would you do about it?). Of course candidates are always asked these kinds of questions and always talk a lot and often don't say much. So, naturally, we would need to place some controls and limits on the questions/responses. For example:

• Answers are limited to say 500 words;
• Several yes/no questions related to each main question must be answered at the beginning of each question response;
• After each 500 word response candidates must explain (in a separate entry), in say 100 words, how they would pay for their approach;
• Candidates can revise their answers once per month;
• Several recognized experts in the field (e.g. health care) would be asked to prepare their own responses to the questions;
• Maybe we would let the experts comment on the candidates' responses too (although they would have to be impartial experts - are there any left?);
  
• There would be a link to a page with comments and responses from the public to each question (although we don't want to create just another food fight).

It seems like the technology is out there and I think it would help focus candidates on the issues more than the standard campaign rhetoric. Anyone want to work on the idea?