Bush and Kerry Turn to The Beehive to Reach Low-Income Voters; Presidential Candidates Address Domestic Issues.

WASHINGTON -- In a groundbreaking presidential cyber-debate, President George W. Bush and Democratic Senator John Kerry are using The Beehive, a multilingual web portal that the Brookings Institution calls the de facto standard for online outreach to low-income communities, to address specific domestic issues important to low-income Americans.

Beehive editors presented the candidates with seven questions about wages, education, healthcare, violence, technology, homeownership and childcare. Bush and Kerry agreed to go on the record with written responses that were posted today at www.thebeehive.org, where low-income people also can access information and resources to raise their standard of living. More than three million people have visited The Beehive, which was developed and launched in October 2001 by national nonprofit One Economy Corporation.

When asked what he will do to help create more living wage jobs, Bush said, "I will not be satisfied until every American looking for work has found a job. My forward-looking agenda will strengthen our recovering economy and help working families secure better paying jobs. My agenda will also unleash American innovation to create better paying jobs in next-generation industries. My plan includes: making tax relief permanent for small businesses and families; improving education so Americans are prepared for the jobs of the 21st century; controlling health care costs; reducing burdensome regulations; reducing frivolous litigation; adopting a National Energy Policy; and opening new markets overseas." The full text of this and all of Bush's answers can be found at www.thebeehive.org.

Responding to the same question, Kerry said, "I believe that America's economy can do better. First of all, I will raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.00 by 2007. An increase in the federal minimum wage is well overdue. It has fallen further and further behind the cost of living, and the impact of the last increase has been entirely eroded by inflation. This increase will impact nearly 15 million American workers, helping families move another step towards the American Dream by ensuring that no parents working full time will have to raise their children in poverty." The full text of this and all of Kerry's answers also can be found at www.thebeehive.org.

This unique forum not only gives voters an opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison of the candidates' views on issues that directly impact their lives, but The Beehive also encourages them to cast their vote on Election Day.

"The Beehive is a tool for civic engagement on a daily basis," said Rey Ramsey, CEO of One Economy. "We're extremely pleased that the Bush and Kerry campaigns chose the Beehive as a forum to address domestic issues important to low-income Americans. The result is a unique means to engage people in the national debate and the presidential election."

More than 450,000 individuals use The Beehive each month to, among other things, access the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), find affordable childcare, get homework help, access financial services and learn how to start a business -- all in the comfort and convenience of their home. The Beehive is localized in 18 cities and one state and features content in English and Spanish as well as offerings in Russian, Haitian-Creole, Urdu and Chinese.

The candidates' responses, along with voter registration information, will be posted on The Beehive through Nov. 2.

About One Economy Corporation

One Economy Corporation is a national nonprofit organization that utilizes technology to help low-income people improve their standard of living. One Economy's strategy is to bring technology into the home, provide online multilingual content through The Beehive (www.thebeehive.org), and facilitate computer literacy. One Economy's recently launched national Bring IT Home campaign promotes state-level public policy change to make high-speed Internet connectivity a standard practice. Honorary Co-Chairs Majority Leader Senator Bill Frist and Minority Leader Senator Tom Daschle serve as Bring IT Home national campaign leaders. More information about One Economy, Bring IT Home and its other programs and partners may be found at www.one-economy.com.

The Beehive Candidates' Forum domestic policy questions and responses from Bush and Kerry can be found at www.thebeehive.org or contact Angie Dobrowski at 503-939-9310.