Image via Wikimedia Commons/(CC) Gage Skidmore

It was really just a matter of time until Michele Bachmann’s presidential race was over.  I had a sense that things were close when her children showed up with her on interviews right before the Iowa Caucuses.  When a candidate starts appearing with their extended family mid-campaign, it’s almost never a good sign.  Remember what happened when we started seeing Hillary Clinton’s mom and daughter Chelsea at election rallies in 2008?

Bachmann finished next to last in the Iowa Republican Caucuses last night.  And even though she said she was going to stay in the race for the South Carolina primary, no one was really surprised on the morning after that she announced she was dropping out.

Iowa-born Bachmann kicked butt in the Iowa Straw Poll last summer, coming in first ahead of all the men candidates.  But that was the high point of her campaign, even though many people thought those conservative “mama grizzlies” left over from Sarah Palin’s heydey would turn out for her.  But when the Congresswoman from Minnesota only ended up with a sixth-place finish and just five percent of the vote, barely ahead of Jon Huntsman who didn’t even campaign in the state, it was clear that her presidential dreams were at an end.

Whether you’re a fan of Bachmann or not, it’s hard to see the last woman in the race go.  One has to wonder whether Bachmann’s withdrawal from the campaign will cause women voters to feel less invested in the 2012 race now that the remaining events and debates will feature only men in suits.

Odds are that Bachmann knew the writing was on the wall for some time – she lost her advisor and political kingmaker Ed Rollins back in September, and then just after Christmas her Iowa Chairman defected for the Ron Paul campaign.  As the woman who created the Congressional Tea Party Caucus, when she didn’t convince Iowa tea partiers that she could win a race against President Obama there really was nowhere for her to go.  And one Iowa mom who caucused says ultimately Bachmann contributed to her own undoing because she was reluctant to take questions at campaign events and had little to say on the agricultural issues important to so many Iowans.

Bachmann spent most of her farewell speech waxing lyrical about the Founding Fathers, but she made sure to get in some jabs against President Obama and what she called his “socialist” ideas, saying that she would continue working to help repeal the Affordable Care Act, which she proclaimed had been the impetus for her to run for president.

So what’s next for the “Iron Lady” with the “titanium spine?”  Has anyone noticed she’s been going after the other Republican candidates except for Mitt Romney?  Don’t be surprised if you see her step up some lobbying efforts for some Romney/Bachmann 2012 bumper stickers.

A version of this was originally posted at iVillage, where I’ll be heading up their 2012 election coverage.

Welcome to the latest installment of BlogHer’s series Why I’m Political. I know lots of people steer clear of the world of politics or anything that makes you think about one more televised candidate debate! But the political means a lot of different things to different people, especially women. I learned that as I was writing Mothers of Intention: How Women and Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America and discovered the women writers who contributed their essays to show the world that women in general, and mothers in particular, are not only motivated by important causes and issues, but they are writing publicly about those issues and are getting involved to in various ways to make a difference.

This week, I was pleased to interview Ilina Ewens, who writes at her personal blog Dirt & Noise, and contributed to Mothers of Intention with her essay, “Purchasing Power of Women.” Ilina wrote her essay after having to explain to her two young sons the importance of President Obama signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law — so I wasn’t surprised that Ilina had a lot of things to say about being a politically minded woman!

What motivated you to become political and/or go public with your political views? Were you ever afraid of what your /friends/family would think?

I’ve never been one to shy away from controversy, though I don’t seek it out. I am confident in what I believe and think more women should feel free to speak their minds. So many women have told me what they think politically but don’t share because it’s different than what their fathers or husbands believe. It’s a tough position to be in. My political views and values are such a large part of who I am, so it wasn’t a conscious decision to write about politics. In fact, my very first blog post was about politics. It’s called “Feeling Blue.” I wrote about why I didn’t support George Bush and how I explained that to my sons.

What are the issues you most focused on now going into the 2012 campaign season? What issue do you think is important that the candidates aren’t talking about?

Education. It’s abominable that teacher salaries are being cut and less money is spent on educating our children. We need to change our paradigm to view education as an investment, not an expense. The future of our country is on the backs of children today. We can’t leave them to fend for themselves with no skills to not just cope, but to succeed, in the high tech, global climate that awaits them.

Coupled with the lack of education focus is the lack of support for families in general. It’s an outrage to me that conservatives rest on their “family values,” when their policies harm families more than help them. Our kids can’t succeed if they are hungry, hurting, homeless, abused, latchkey, or without bare necessities and resources. The working poor need help. The middle class needs help. We need to restore a sense of security and long-term vision to the people. Providing and valuing a sound education is the only way out and up. This seems like a no-brainer to me because the whole community is lifted by an educated society.

I think one reason education is so sorely neglected and undervalued is because teaching is a profession that is largely female. As a nation we don’t put the same value on women (take our crappy maternity leave policies as an example). This palpable neglect and discrimination against women must end. That drives me crazy, and that is what no candidate is talking about.

How do you connect your political views or activism with your role as a mother? Did your views/approach to the political world change after you had children?

I’ve always been opinionated and active in politics, since I could vote. I’ve always seen the world as a place bigger than the space I occupy (literally and figuratively). When I became a mother, my perspective shifted to make me see things in a broader way. I no longer focused just on the here and now; I started focusing on the future. The concept of legacy is important to me, mostly because I have no sense of that myself. I have a fierce desire to follow the cliche to leave the world better for my sons. I also want to show them firsthand that every single person matters and that being engaged in the system is

paramount to changing the world.

I have taken my sons canvassing and have taken them with me to vote in all elections big and small. We have marched in protests against the re-segregation of our school system and watched presidential speeches on television. I openly talk to my sons about the issues that matter to me and follow up with what we can do about it. I don’t want them to feel helpless and overwhelmed. I want them to see that being informed, educated, and involved makes a big difference. And I hope they pass that on their children one day.

What motivated you to write the essay that was included in Mothers of Intention?

I think mothers’ voices have been ignored, but social media has allowed us to speak out and speak up. We are a force, politically, socially, and financially. I love the community of women who contributed to Mothers of Intention and am proud to have contributed to the book. It should serve as a wake-up call to politicians and their handlers to stop underestimating the power and value of mothers. We advocate for multiple audiences — children, our husbands, our parents, teachers, caregivers, women, teens, girls, the list goes on — so our voices are powerful and relevant.

Recently you’ve done some writing at your blog, Dirt & Noise, as well as The Broad Side, about the issues in the Penn State sexual abuse story? What prompted you to write about issues involving abuse and how we react to that socially/politically?

Though we don’t want to admit it, we live in a culture of abuse. It’s more than the Kitty Genovese Syndrome. We have come to accept that hubris and power trump human decency. Certain segments of our population, often the young and/or disenfranchised among us, are victims of abuse. Those victims have little to no recourse. Our values are simply effed up when grown men put their careers and wallets first. This mindset is not unique to Penn State. I’ve seen it in corporations, too. Abuse gets brushed under a PR machine’s rug, and the culture doesn’t change. By allowing abuse to continue and not protecting victims, we as a society are saying that it’s acceptable. We condone this kind of violence by ignoring it. It has me seething.

Would you ever run for office?

No way. Too many skeletons that I can’t bear to bare. Plus, it’s a daunting task to run for office. I have a family and my own marketing consulting business, and I can’t imagine how I would juggle it all. But most of all, I also don’t have the temperament or decorum to play political games. I’m better with the written word than playing word games with a poker face. However, I did desperately want to be president of the United States when I was in first grade. My teacher, in not such a kind manner, told me I could never be president because I wasn’t born in America. I was crushed.

Who is not running for office right now that you wish was running?

My husband. Seriously. He is extraordinarily smart and compassionate, with no ego to get in his way. He is a rare professional who operates with the ideal balance of heart and head. He hasn’t an ounce of hubris and truly wants to focus on bringing opposing sides together rather than pushing forward his own agenda. He has strong opinions and is incredibly articulate and well informed. I’d love to see him make a difference locally. I also happen to think I’d make a fine first lady.

Who do you hope will be the first woman elected president of the United States?

I’d totally vote for you, Joanne! I find it astounding that India had a woman leader before the United States (I say this as an Indian woman who was raised in the U.S.). I met [U.S. Senator from Maryland] Barbara Mikulski once many years ago. She left a lasting impression. I think she’s got some Paul Wellstone spirit in her, and American politics is missing that kind of earnest passion. I would love to see her in office. I would heartily support [U.S. Senator from New York] Kirsten Gillibrand, too. I love her commitment to social issues and her understanding of how social issues integrate within the larger scheme. I bet we have a lot in common as we navigate raising compassionate, responsible boys. And I would love for her to Skype with my six-year-old son

so he could practice his Mandarin. What a leg up she has on the global stage with that skill!

What advice do you have for women online and other bloggers about how not to fear writing about important or controversial issues?

What’s most important is the tone you take. Write confidently and passionately. Tell a story to depict your position, rather than point fingers and call names. I admittedly can be snarky, but my voice still reflects my beliefs in a heartfelt, positive manner. Write for yourself and your main audience; don’t write to please the masses. I also reiterate to my readers that I use my blog and my voice to opine, not to report. Authenticity is important so share both your joys and heartaches. Controversy is easier to digest when it’s presented in a thoughtful way that clearly reveals the writer’s opinions and values. A little vulnerability can be a good thing to open up dialogue. There’s a big difference. In the online world everything is open to controversy. I even got jeers on a post I wrote about grilled cheese! I wrote about using your voice here.

What advice do you have for women who are thinking about doing more writing at their blogs that involves issues important to them, but who are wary about dipping their toes into potentially dangerous waters?

Start with something local. Write about what’s happening in your community. Make a call to action for a food drive or shed light on an issue others might not know much about. You don’t have to tackle the pro-choice debate on your first post. Write about what you know. You could even write about a topic that you want to explore more, and present your readers with some questions to garner their opinions. You don’t have to present yourself as an expert on every topic that moves you. It’s okay to present a mix of opinions and facts, because you’re sharing your ideas and values, not presenting objective news content.

Ilina Ewen is known as “Mommy” to two sons ages eight and six, affectionately called “Bird” and “Deal.” She’s a creative spirit with business sensibilities and a love for all things culinary. Ilina is a seasoned marketer with over 20 years of experience in branding, communications, advertising, and consumer research. She believes in the power of community and spends her time advocating for causes that touch her heart or ruffle her feathers. Ilina is a lover of words and has an affinity for Audrey Hepburn, the Oxford comma, and Meyer lemons. She writes about her musings and rants at Dirt & Noise (home of the weekly feature 5:00 Fridays, where you can find a new cocktail recipe and the story that inspired it), TypeAParent, and Technorati.

Cross posted at BlogHer.

Even before she was a candidate, Hillary Clinton was painted as the bad mom who didn’t like to bake cookies.  Sarah Palin faced criticism when she ran for vice president because she still had small kids at home, including a newborn with special needs.  More recently, Congresswoman and DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was portrayed in a New York Times article as a harried mom in a pink sweatsuit before the piece got around to mentioning her power position in the Democratic Party.

If there’s a mom involved, the political world likes to take a swipe.

So where is the criticism about Rick Santorum? The dad of a special needs daughter who’s only three-and-a half.  Is he getting a pass on parenting responsibilities  or should he be taking some heat like political moms usually do?

I’ve got something to say about that this week at my column at Babble Voices.

Welcome to this month’s edition of the Why I’m Political series. Don’t run off! I know the word “politics” can be scary and conjure up images of never-ending presidential debates. But that’s not what this is about. It’s about thoughtful women from both sides of the political aisle sharing what motivated them to take the leap into writing publicly about issues important to them — and what they’re focused on as we enter the 2012 election season.

Some of the women in this series are contributors to my recent book, Mothers of Intention: How Women and Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America (Bright Sky Press) , which explores the rise of women’s voices online.

This month, I interviewed Jaelithe Judy from The State of Discontent and MOMocrats about her essay, “Cynthia Davis is Right: Hunger is a Motivator,” which is about her experiences with childhood hunger. She was prompted to write that essay when Davis, then a Missouri State Representative, advocated that Missouri programs to help feed hungry children in the summer should be shut down to save money, suggesting that kids could just get a job at McDonald’s where they would get free food as employees.

Not surprisingly, Jaelithe had a few things to say about that, in her always thoughtful and eloquent style. Her post is extremely moving. I read an excerpt from her essay at a recent conference where I was speaking on a panel about storytelling, and I saw at least one person crying as I read Jaelithe’s words about the difference between being hungry and going hungry.

Jaelithe, who I have the honor of knowing through our work at MOMocrats, was very gracious about taking time out of her already overloaded schedule to chat:

What motivated you to become political and/or go public with your political views? Were you afraid of what your readers would think?

I’ve been interested in politics since I was old enough to begin to understand it. I was just a freshman in high school when I won a school-wide essay contest with a piece on the value of cultural diversity in schools.

As the child of a working-class, divorced teenage mother, growing up in one of the most dangerous and economically segregated cities in the country, I had a lot of school of hard knocks lessons early in life on just how personal politics can get. I know I was incredibly lucky to rise from those circumstances to the position I enjoy today as a college-educated, middle class person, and I also know that even though I worked like hell to get myself here I could not have done it without help — from neighbors, teachers, family and my country.

So I feel a responsibility to speak up about politics. I feel compelled to speak out on behalf of other Americans who have not had the same opportunities I’ve had to make my voice heard.

Of course I was scared of how the people who read my work would react. I still get scared all the time. But it’s scary to write about anything that’s important. If I’m not scaring myself now and again as a writer, I’m not working hard enough.

What are the issues you’re most focused on now going into the 2012 campaign season? What issue do you think is important that the candidates aren’t talking about?

Obviously, if you ask random Americans off the street what the most important campaign issue is right now, the answer you’ll hear again and again is, “It’s the economy, stupid.” Which of course is true. But it drives me absolutely bonkers when politicians say, “I’m going to create two million jobs in my first year in office,” and then do not elaborate in any meaningful way as to how they plan to do such a thing.

I view our struggling economy as a symptom of a whole set of bigger systemic problems. The economy is tied up with environmental and energy policy. I live in a state that’s been hard hit lately by natural disasters fueled by climate change, and you can bet that has not helped the economy. The economy is tied up with education. Our public education system is a disgrace, and it’s failing to produce good doctors, scientists, and entrepreneurs. There are more honors students in India right now than there are students, period, in the

United States. Is it any wonder that our jobs are being shipped overseas?

But of course the biggest reason our economy crashed so dramatically in 2008 is that there just wasn’t enough government oversight of financial institutions. You know, I don’t want onerous regulations that make it hard to do business. But I do think that corporations should be required to play fairly with consumers. If I swindled one of my neighbors the way some people have been swindled by banks in the past few years, I could be prosecuted for theft or fraud. Why should a bank get away with things a citizen can’t?

How do you connect your political views or activism with your role as a mother? Did your views/approach to the political world change after you had children?

Motherhood absolutely and permanently revoked my privilege to give up on the world in despair. The future is no longer an abstract place to me. It’s a real world my son will live in someday — hopefully for a long time after I’m gone. Becoming a mother made me so much braver about speaking up for what I believe in, because I simply have to be. Come what may, one day, when my son is an adult, I want to be able to tell him truthfully that I tried to make the world a better place.

I think a solid commitment to protecting the future is something mothers across the political spectrum have in common, actually, and I hope that gives mothers a special talent for finding common political ground.

Describe your additional writing that you’d call “political” since you wrote your incredibly moving essay about politics and hunger.

Lately I’ve been writing a lot about food policy at Care2.com. The way we eat is connected to so many very important political issues. Choosing a salad over a cheeseburger can change your carbon footprint. The cocoa in your hot chocolate may have been sustainably harvested, or it may have been doused in pesticides and picked by a starving child laborer who earns 40 cents a day. What kids are served in a school lunch program can affect their standardized test scores. Food choices matter, a lot more than many people consider, and I’m trying to illuminate some of the ways that those choices matter.

How have your political views impacted your relationships with your friends and family, if at all?

I have absolutely lost friends over politics. When I started writing for MOMocrats back in 2007, there were definitely a few other bloggers who just stopped talking to me. It makes me sad because I myself appreciate diversity in thought; I like listening to other people’s points of view — as long as they are well thought out, educated points of view. So I don’t generally want to stop being friends with someone just because we think differently on a political issue.

Some of my in-laws just don’t read much of what I write, on purpose, so they won’t get annoyed with me. But my mother absolutely approves. She even wrote a guest post for MOMocrats once! She’s never explicitly said so (gee, thanks, mom) but I think she’s really proud of me for growing up to be a bit of a professional rabblerouser. I definitely learned rabblerousing from her.

Would you ever run for office? If so, which one?

I think I would make a terrible politician. I was never the popular kid in school — I’m a major nerd, on purpose — and the idea of being famous sort of terrifies me.

I would also have a really hard time toeing a party line. I’ve always been much more interested in the policy part of politics than the partisan part. I care more about outcomes than who gets something done. When I was just a kid I had this sudden revelation that a typical partisan’s support of a political party bears an uncanny resemblance to a sports’ fan’s support of a favorite team, and that just seems ridiculous to me. Politics is much too important to be treated like a sport. Every time I vote, people’s lives may literally hang in the balance.

Who do you hope will be the first woman elected president of the United States? Why?

Elizabeth Warren. Because I think she’s like me — she cares more about policy than partisanship. And because she’s smart as hell, and willing to stand

up to anyone. She wasn’t afraid to criticize the president after he appointed her. I think that’s fantastic. A good president needs advisers who are willing to say “I think you’re wrong.”

What advice do you have for women online and other bloggers about how not to fear writing about important or controversial issues?

I don’t think there’s any way to totally banish that fear. What I did, personally, is put my fear into context. Am I more afraid of possibly offending someone, or more afraid of what might happen if no one speaks out on an issue that I find to be incredibly important? And really, are political controversies that develop in the blogosphere any worse than other sorts? People will argue for days over the best way to start tomato seedlings, or the merits of cloth diapering. I think we Americans need to get over this silly idea we have that it’s not polite to talk with friends about politics. If we don’t talk rationally to one another about politics, how will we ever get anything done?

Jaelithe Judy, mother of one, is a writer, editor and search engine optimization consultant who lives in St. Louis, Missouri. Jaelithe works on SEO at Cool Mom Picks and Cool Mom Tech, writes about sustainable food for Care2.com, is a semi-regular guest on the MOMocrats MOMochat Blog Talk Radio show, and occasionally remembers to write at her personal blog, The State of Discontent. In her spare time, Jaelithe grows far too many tomatoes, writes poetry that she never shows to anyone, and volunteers one day a week as an unofficial librarian at a school for children with special needs.

Originally posted at BlogHer.

Image via gapersblock.com

I am so glad I don’t have to worry much anymore about how to get vegetables into my daughters diet — I just need to have her eat more pizza and fries at school!

Well, at least that’s what some Republicans on Capitol Hill would like us to believe.  Trust me — I’m all for some tasty pizza or fries (the second new vegetable!)  when the mood strikes.  But in our age of childhood obesity that’s reaching epidemic levels, why is Congress fighting against proposed new guidelines that would get more fresh fruits and vegetables into school lunches, especially for kids who rely on those lunches as their one “decent” meal in the day?

That’s what has me a little riled up at this week’s PunditMom’s Spin Cycle at Babble Voices.  Come over and tell me what you think!

Where is Jamie Oliver when you need him?

Herman Cain now has four women accusers saying he sexually harassed them and at least one recent story suggests that the number may rise. While Cain claims he’s not getting out of the 2012 Presidential race and that he’s in it to win it, how much longer can he survive, and is sexual harassment in work settings something that women just have to expect in the 21st century?

Those are questions I had a chance to discuss with iVillage’s Chief Correspondent Kelly Wallace as we’re getting warmed up for a new online show we’re going to be doing together!

So what will you need to know to decide who to vote for in the upcoming primaries? Are conservative women better at grassroots organizing than their liberal sisters? Which women do you wish were running for the White House? We’ll be dishing on those issues and more in the weeks to come! I can’t wait to tell you more as we get closer to the show’s launch!

What are women voters thinking about for the 2012 election — when they’re not being bombarded by stories about Herman Cain’s lady troubles or Rick Perry’s very own Howard Dean moment?  It shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’re focused on other more important things.  So BlogHer asked me to talk to some impressive women from around the web in a new series they are featuring called “Why I’m Political” to find out what’s on their minds and what prompted them to stick their toes into the sometimes murky waters of writing political essays.

As some of you may know (I hope you know), I recently wrote a book called Mothers of Intention: How Women and Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America, which explores the rise of women’s voices online and features essays from over 50 great writers. I’m going to interview some of those terrific contributors again to get their thoughts on what prompted them to take the leap into those sometimes-dangerous waters, and how they’re viewing the 2012 election season.

My first featured contributor is a wonderful writer you may know — Shannon Lowe from Rocks in My Dryer. While she doesn’t do as much blogging now as she used to, Shannon wrote two amazing posts that were included in Mothers of Intention — “Why I’m Pro-Life” and “The Southern Girl’s Guide to Proper Political Discourse: What Your Momma Should’ve Told You.” Shannon’s essay about how her thinking evolved on the issue of abortion is a powerful one, so I wanted to talk with her more about how she came to write it and what she’s thinking about now as we head into the 2012 campaign season:

1. What motivated you to become political and/or go public with your political views? Were you afraid of what your readers would think? In hindsight, would you write these posts again?

I was never a political blogger — I only wrote about politics publicly a handful of times. So yes, it was a bit of a personal leap for me jump straight into the hot topic of abortion. I don’t regret doing it, though. I find it frustrating that there is so much “shouting” over this issue (on both sides). I wanted to speak my piece in a way that was reasoned and calm, and I think I accomplished that. At the time, I received some very kind feedback both from those who agreed and disagreed with me, thanking me for sharing my experience. For all the rancor that can appear in this debate at the public/political level, I think there’s actually room for courteous, respectful dialogue at the more personal level — at least, that’s been my own experience.

2. What are the issues you most focused on now going into the 2012 campaign season? What energizes you? Drives you crazy? What issue do you think is important that the candidates aren’t talking about?

Thankfully, I think most of the candidates are talking about the right issues — like most Americans, I’m focused on economic issues in this election. I’m glad to see candidates tackling the hard questions such as how to offer incentives and freedom to small business owners and other entrepreneurs so that job creators can get back to creating jobs.

3. How do you connect your political views or activism with your role as a mother?

I want my kids to grow up to be adults who are responsible, self-disciplined, and innovative. And honestly, I hope they inherit a government that is also responsible, self-disciplined, and innovative!

Please read the rest of the interview with Shannon over at BlogHer!

Netroots Nation panel 2009

A recent study entitled, “Mom Bloggers Voices and Votes Influence State of Union” comes to the conclusion that women online have a huge impact on politics and social issues.   The graphics proclaim “Mom bloggers vote!” “Mom bloggers care!” Mom bloggers are “motivated!”

To that I say, ya’ think?

Now, I’m not a pollster and I didn’t conduct any statistical analyses when I wrote Mothers of Intention: How Women and Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America.  But when I was looking for essays to include in the book, it didn’t take me long to find a whole lot of smart ladies writing online about the issues they care about, so it seems to me that most of the revelations of this new study have been pretty evident to anyone who’s been paying attention.

So, is the study a stunning revelation or are people just now tuning in to what’s been going on for years?  You can read the rest of what I think about this study over at PunditMom’s Spin Cycle at Babble Voices!

Image via Joanne Bamberger. All rights reserved.

Yup, that's me there with Nancy Pelosi!

If someone asked you to take a day out of your life to help mothers and children who are the poorest of the poor, who need the things we take for granted every day – enough food to feed our children, vaccines to prevent diseases, medicines to keep our families as healthy as possible – would you do it?

What if that meant going to Capitol Hill and becoming a lobbyist for a day?  Sounds a little scary, doesn’t it?  OK, maybe it sounds a lot scary.  But I’m here to tell you it’s not as bad as it might sound at first.

When someone says “lobbyist,” the first thing that probably pops into your head is a guy in a suit who wines and dines other guys in suits to influence the lawmaking process on behalf of some giant corporation.  And that happens.  A lot.  But at the end of the day influence is never just about the martinis or the lobster dinners.   An effective lobbyist has to be good at face-to-face conversations about something he or she believes in.

That’s why mothers are naturals at the art of lobbying and activism.

Most people would likely scoff at that notion. (One person has actually laughed in my face at the idea).  But talking about what’s important for kids and families comes naturally to moms.  Moms “lobby” on behalf of their children every day – with teachers, doctors and anyone else who’s making important decisions that will have a lasting impact on their families. So as it turns out, moms inherently have the makings of being amazing lobbyists.

And that’s what I saw when I was asked to participate in a day of advocacy on behalf of ONE, the non-profit organization founded by U2 lead singer Bono, that’s committed to ending extreme poverty and providing vaccines for preventable diseases.  A group of ONE Moms who traveled with ONE to Kenya this summer to see the impact these programs have on the poorest of the poor recently took to Capitol Hill to meet with their elected representatives to use the power of constituency to ask that the federal dollars that help fund the programs ONE supports not be cut in the upcoming federal budget negotiations (less than 1% of our federal budget goes to international aid programs).

We were prepped and given lots of stats and facts about the amount of federal dollars that go toward programs overseas that ONE supports, like providing HIV/AIDS vaccines to mothers to lessen the chance that they will transmit the disease to their babies when they’re born, and what a big impact just a few cents can have in the campaign to create a healthier world.  I was worried I would never be able to keep all that in my head to make a compelling argument to the staffs of my senators and congressman.  Fortunately, people are just people, even when they’re sitting in those power suites in Washington, D.C.  And once we started talking, it was clear that the potential impact didn’t come so much from the exact statistics we used or the facts we recited.  What mattered was that we took the time to personally express our views, rather than expecting and assuming that our representatives would vote on certain budget issues in the way we hoped.

Of course, not everyone can make a trip to Washington, D.C., or even a state capital, to let lawmakers know what’s important to them.  But the people we met with were clear on this – they pay attention to what their constituents take the time to say, whether it’s in person or not.  A letter, e-mail or phone call can carry just as much weight as an in-person meeting.

So with the 2012 campaign season upon us, what are the issues you’d be willing to become an “activist” for?

Of course, you can read more about women becoming online activists in my book, Mothers of Intention: How Women and Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America (Bright Sky Press, 2011), which explores not only a look at the rise of women and social media, but also features the work of over 50 amazing women writers from around the web.

Image courtesy ONE/Lauren Balog

Originally posted at iVillage

Welllll, I’ve been launching a new project I think you’ll enjoy called The Broad Side.  It’s a new online magazine that will feature the best women’s commentary from around the web. Just in time for the 2012 campaign season, but it will be about much more than politics.   Oh, and we’ll have a few cool guys contributing, as well.  I hope you’ll check it out!

I was on Capitol Hill lobbying — yes, lobbying — with the ONE Moms.  Did I mention I got to meet Nancy Pelosi?  And Congresswoman Nita Lowey?  And staff for Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Barbara Mikulski, and Ben Cardin?  I’m not sure I could do this for a living, but being a lobbyist for a day to advocate for children who need food and vaccines was a pretty good way to spend part of the week.

I was getting a little wonky over at POLITICO’s Arena talking about Eric Cantor’s apparent realization that being mean isn’t the best political asset, as well as what’s going on with Rick Perry!

And I’m working on a new, super-exciting , but still a little secret, project with Kelly Wallace over at iVillage.  Trust me — this is going to be FUN!

And I’m part of a new Babble series this week called Babble Conversations, where we’re talking about whether women really become more socially and politically active when they become moms.  Does it really take a mom to change the world?  You can probably guess where I came out on this one!  But please go by and be part of the conversation!