“average JoeOhio Tour” cont. We traveled to Parkman, Ohio, where we attended church at St. Edward the Confessor. Afterward we met Judy Chilhowski who is a Pro-Life advocate. Judy put a campaign bumper sticker on her car and then took us to breakfast at McDonald’s in Middlefield, Ohio, where we were introduced to the daily regulars who sit in the restaurant’s: “Corner of Knowledge.” Good group of “blokes,” as my wife Liz (who is from New Zealand) would say. We discussed many issues, including the exhorbitant amount of lobbying favors Congress people are able to curry. (With the tenor of this discussion, I decided on just the one patty sausage sandwhich — and not the platter — as a show of my committment to less ‘pork.’ Sorry.)… One of the “Corner of Knowledge” guys, Mathew Shannon, said he thought one of the biggest problems in the country is the breakdown of the family. We agree… I then talked with Middlefield’s Larry Lasich. He said with our advancing technology, people now sit watching television or are in front of the computer in temperature controlled homes for, well, most of the time. It has such a tremendous effect on breaking down the essence of community — getting to know one’s neighbors… To stay with the artificial theme, I then talked with Middlefield’s Robert McSween, who is a “natural health specialist” with the Natural Health & Education Center in Middlefield. He described how there are so many curative properties in natural medicine, etc., however few are recognized (not to mention ‘sanctioned’) by the AMA. This is because, I believe, lobbying groups to this body are dominated, primarly, by firms vested in selling synthetic medication… In a release to the Middlefield Post, I said I may well be tapping some of the “Corner of Knowledge” guys for my Cabinet. I also noted that, as a typical concerned Midwestern parent, I was concerned my children might not inherit an earth, because of rapidly increasing Global Warming. Note: Several weeks ago I participated in a News Conference with candidates vying for the Green Party nomination. (The Green Party, in my estimation, has the strongest platform when it comes to reversing Global Warming.) The following is a link to a video shot at the press conference: http://wilderside.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/daily-greens-press-conference-with-presidential-candidates/
8/2/07
I talked at a Peace and Justice group at St. Patrick’s Church in Kent, Ohio, tonight. Before the group, one man told me about falling off his bike and breaking some ribs. Luckily he has healthcare insurance. In Northfield, Minnesota, during Campaign 2004, I met a dishwasher who had fallen off his bike and broke a wrist. He didn’t have healthcare insurance — and wrapped his wrist in: Duck Tape… Tonight I learned St. Patrick’s group helps with Habitat for Humanity; collects hats, gloves and blankets for the poor; is helping sponsor the building of a health clinic in a village in Nigeria… What’s more, one of the group members has developed “Love Light” to provide meals for underprivileged children and they are developing an arm of the program to help children with physical and developmental difficulties. And St. Patrick’s group also sponsors an “Over the Counter Drug Drive” to help low-income people with over the counter medication. Note: The next day I told Dave O’Brien, a reporter for the local paper here, that it is groups like St. Patrick’s that form the unsung, grassroots backbone of this country.
8/1/07
“average JoeOhio Tour” cont: We stumped in Suffield and Hartville, Ohio yesterday. In Suffield, Joe Bruno (a smoker) said that nicotine is so tremendously addictive, and physically damaging, that most of our focus should be — on making sure those in the next generation don’t pick up. My daughter Sarah, 11, was standing next to me when Mr. Bruno said this. I hope she heard it… In Hartville, we had people say they’d seen one of a number of recent news shows about us. And they couldn’t have been more supportive! An HDL Delivery truck driver, who said he’d seen a Channel 19 News spot, immediately put a bumper sticker on the back of his vehicle. Hartville’s Pam Hefling, who owns the Creative Treasures General Store here said many of her store items are handcrafted by local artisans — “…who can’t compete with Walmart.” We have become addicted to cheap things, and in that the downtown stores are closing and the jobs are going overseas where workers are paid 30 cents an hour in sweatshop conditions… Catching up on loose ends: At a stop in Wernersville, Pennsylvania the week before last, we met with Chris Sullivan. He is co-director of the Mosaic House Tansitional Employment Program in Reading, P.A. The Mosaic House is a program that provides opportunities for people living with mental illness to live and work independently in te community. Mr. Sullivan said Mosaic House’s Transitional Employment Placements (TEP’s) are part-time — eight to 20 hours a week — and last 6 to 9 months. Mosaic House not only places the person in a local job, but a volunteer from Mosaic House works side by side with the person. Our platform calls for slowing our upward mobility climb, and get behind such programs like this to help the marginlized… In Norton, Ohio, we talked with David Kennedy who has a private legal practice here and a bumper sticker that says: Life Law. He said he is Pro-Life and 10% of his fees go to charities to support Pro-Life organizations. This amounted to some $23,000 for those charities last year. In Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, I saw a bumper sticker that said: It’s easy to be Pro-Choice — if you’re not the one being killed… While at home in Cleveland over the weekend, I saw a “Smart Car” Built by Mercedes Benz, the car is so short you can parallel park it perpendicular to the curb. A group of them are being driven around the country at present to generate interest. The driver of the car I saw said the car gets 60 to 70 miles a gallon in city driving. (See: www.dgraves.net) Note: I’m currently reading an alarming recent National Geographic article on global warming titled The Big Thaw. At one point, the article says it isn’t inconceivable that in the next century all the arctic ice in the northern regions will melt.
7/27/07
“average JoeOhio Tour” cont: The Review in Alliance, Ohio, noted that I take global warming seriously. So much so, I cut my grass with an old wooden, engine-less push mower, the article noted. It also noted that I am vying for the Green Party nomination. One of the reasons, I said during the interview, is because I believe the Green Party has the best platform, by far, for reversing global warming. One of their “Key Values” is decentralism. That is, a reversion back to much more small town interdependency that revolves around local production for local consumption… We did a whistle-stop event in Warren, Ohio. In a nearby park for a town lunch event, a band played “I was born in a small town…” by John Cougar Melloncamp. Almost as if on (decentralized) cue… I was interviewed by both Youngstown and Warren’s newspapers today. Fox News came out to do a piece as well. I wore an Ohio State Buckeyes shirt for the event. Well, when in Rome…
7/26/07
“average JoeOhio Tour” cont: I talked at a Catholic Church in Alliance, Ohio, this morning. Fr. Mike here introduced me by saying he’d seen the Channel 5 News spot the other night, and hoped I’d do well. “And then, well, here you are,” he smiled… A story in the Canton newspaper appeared about our stop in Massilon the day before. The tag line read: Hillary? Rudy? Fuggettaboutem! The headline then read: “Average Joe Wants Your Vote” I liked that. And although my spell check is telling me ‘fuggettaboutem’ is not a word — it is in Cleveland… We did a whistle-stop in Alliance, Ohio, today. A reporter fromt he Alliance newspaper asked what was driving me. I said “we used to be concerned about our kids doing OK in English Class. But now we’re more concerned about them being shot to death in English Class.” A news team form Channel 19 out of Cleveland drove an hour and a half to film the whistle-stop event in Alliance. The reporter asked me what I thought was the most significant current issue. I said I thought global warming was. She immediately leaned in and said: “But Joe, were in a war!” I said if there was no world left, being in a war (one way or the other) would be a mute point… We then headed on to Warren, Ohio.
7/25/07
“average JoeOhio Tour” cont: In Massilon, Ohio, I talked at St. Mary’s Church. I said I believed in a “Consistent Life Ethic,” which means I’m against abortion, poverty, pollution and anything else that can end life prematurely. We then did a whilste-stop event in downtown Massilon. Reporter Joseph Gartrell, from nearby Canton’s newspaper, had a cast on his arm. He told me he’d broken his wrist recently and just one trip to the osteopath to have the cast put on cost a whopping (in his estimation, and mine): $900. Healthcare costs in America are just getting nuts… We then headed on to Alliance, Ohio, where I talked in a downtown Four Square Church called: The Mountain of the Lord. I said we as a society have become so unplugged from the reality of, well, sin. I said to the congregation that several years ago I’d given a talk to a graduate level theology class at Bluffton University. During the talk, I said that if one is standing on a street corner with their spouse, only the most morally decensitized individual would intently stare at a scantily clad person walking up the street for more than, say, a few seconds. (Liz would slap me if it were longer.) Yet we think nothing of sitting down with our spouse for hours staring at scantily clad men and women through a TV screen, during prime time. And the difference is? Note: Rev. Philip Shepard and his wife couldn’t have been more welcoming. What’s more, Rev. Shepard told me he’d be participating in a oval track race that weekend called: “Faster Pastor.” And if that wasn’t enough, the beginning of his e-mail address is: revumup@ — and I don’t think he’s just talking race cars.
7/23/07
“average JoeOhio Tour” cont: We are back in Ohio… Early this week we stumped in downtown Wadsworth during an outdoor town basketball tournament. We then went to nearby Silver Creek Park where we talked with a group of older couples who had come here to exercise. Healthcare became the predominant part of the conversation, with several people expressing dismay that the AMA in general, and most traditional physicians in specific, aren’t more accepting of natural medicines. For instance, one woman said she uses red rice yeast — which is recommended by some homeopaths — to help with her cholestoral level… The next day we stumped at a park in Barberton that hosted Silver League Softball. This is for adults age 60, or older. And judging by how most of these guys still get around the bases, it’s apparent some of them are taking red rice yeast… We did a whistle-stop in Barberton, Ohio, the next day. A reporter from Channel 5 News out of Cleveland mentioned to my wife Liz that it was apparent we didn’t have the same budget as the rest of the more high-profile candidates. Liz responded that the last presidential campaign topped $1 billion — for the first time. Liz said she thought that money could be better spent on, say, children sleeping on inner city streets or children starving in the Third World. The reporter said that was a good point… We then stumped with a group of Kiwanis who were gathered in a nearby park in Barberton. One man said that we have lost almost any semblence of common sense in D.C. I said: “Yep.” …The next day a story appeared about us on the front page of the Akron Beacon Journal with a headline that read: White House or Bust… (That’s on the back window of our campaign vehicle, done with white shoe polish.)
7/19/07
After finishing up at the Green Party Convention, we decided to do a “Keystone State Tour” through Pennsylvania. In Lewistown, my son Joseph and I played basketball on a Sunday afternoon with a group of high school students. They were, by far, some of the most respectful, well mannered youth we’ve come across in the country. I have often talked about the degree of civility in general (and youth respect for adults in specifics) that we’ve lost in this country. The next day I told reporter that, not only have we lost civility, but we’ve lost a good deal of common sense. Fr. Bateman at Sacred Heart Church here has a bumper sticker that shows a little unborn baby in the womb with the words: “At 24 days the heart starts beating.” To think this is anything other than a small human being is, well, so tremendously devoid of common sense. I also said that in the face of global warming, I looked at the environment as a Pro-Life issue as well. “No environment, no life,” I said… In Dubois, Pennsylvania, I told ABC News that Liz and I are running as “concerned parents” who want to make sure there is an environment (read: world) left for our children. What sane parent wouldn’t? The next day during a whistle-stop event in downtown Dubois, I told a reporter from the Courier-Express newspaper that we must cut back on our fossil fuel use exponentially (read: sacrifice) and in tandem increase exponentially our use of solar, wind, geothermal and other forms of clean, renewable energy.
7/15/07
We traveled from the debate in D.C. to the Green Party National Convention in Reading, Pennsylvania. The three days at the Convention were a whirlwind for us. I had declared to vy for the Green Party nomination among a field of some 10 (or more) candidates. Our platform (with a few exceptions) lines up closely with such Green Party “Values” as: grassroots democracy, social justice, decentralization, community-based economics, diversity… Another value is ecological wisdom, which we believe, in the face of the mounting global warming crisis is key to making it through this stage of history. And the Green Party, by far, has the sanest plan for reversing global warming, in my belief… The first day of the Convention, our family was interviewed by Reading’s newspaper. The next day a story appeared saying that this “family from Cleveland” strongly backed many of these values. What’s more, the story carried a cute picture of our four-year-old Jonathan passing out information… Later in a press conference, I said that our administration would not only push for Americans to cut back dramatically on their fossil fuel use (in tandem with phasing in much more clean, renewable — wind, sun, geothermal… — energy; but I would turn the White House “green,” with solar panels, a wind turbine and a perma-culture in the front yard. “I would then sell organic tomatoes through the fence to spend down the national debt,” I joked (sort of)… The Convention was replete with a number of good workshops. Of the ones I attended, I particularly liked Greg Gerritt’s: Green Economy Primer for Candidates. The premise is that “prosperity is only possible in a world in which ecostystems are being restored to health, violence is being eliminated, and justice and democracy are real rather than phony.” Gerritt said we have to think “holistically,” as opposed to our currrent rather myopic system that, for the most part, revolves around money and ideas. There must be a tangible “greening” of the economy, he said. One of the participants explained some 60 towns in Sweden have gone to ‘green economies’ where there is, for instance, friendly competition in “who can cut their carbon dioxide emissions the most…” Note: During the Candidate’s Forum Friday evening, I said I was your “average Joe concerned Midwestern parent.” And what I was most concerned about was, in the face of catastrophic Climate Change, whether our children would even have a world to live in in the very near future. That is starting to ‘play well in Peioria these days.’ As it should.
7/12/07
In the last entry, I talked about participating in a debate among independent presidential candidates at the National Press Club in D.C. One of the questions dealt with each candidate’s stance on abortion. Green Party nomination candidate Kent Mesplay said he didn’t personally like abortion and saw it, to a degree, as “violent.” This, in turn (and to a degree), would seem antithetical to the Green Party’s belief in “non-violence.” However, Mr. Mesplay also said he believes, ultimately, that it is the woman’s right to choose. Our campaign carries a “Consistent Life Ethic” that sets us against abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, poverty, pollution, nuclear proliferation… and anything else that can end life prematurely. Note 1: While I disagreed with Mr. Mesplay’s stance on abortion, I found him to be thoughtful and well versed on many of the “Green Party’s 10 Key Values,” many of which we line up with as well. Note 2: Early into the debate, Daniel Imperato (an international businessman) said he was so committed to his run that he “flew in from London” just to attend the debate. I told him I could trump that. I said I was so committed that I’d driven in from Cleveland with three young children in a small motor home to attend the debate. Point: Schriner.