Jeff Seemann For Congress '06

Sherrod Brown in my hometown

   This afternoon, my hometown of Canton, Ohio was the site of Sherrod Brown's next-to-last stop on his 4-day Senate kickoff tour.  The event was held at 3pm at Stark Dem HQ.  I figured that being a 3pm event on a Monday would equal a room with about 15-20 people in it, mostly the high-profile Democrats in the area.
   I was wrong.
   Just under 100 people packed the room to welcome Congressman Brown to Canton.  Yes, all the high-profile Dems in Stark County were there, but we were also joined by a handful of people whom I did not recognize.  Nice to see 11 months away from a mid-term election.
   Anyway, Sherrod was exactly how I knew he would be...eloquent, persuasive, a great speaker.  This guy is going to be our next Senator, and it'll be a pleasure to be represented by him.  I even made sure I picked up my daughter from school so she could meet the next Senator from Ohio.  Last Thursday she got to meet the next Governor, Ted Strickland, so she's having a pretty good week for shaking hands with the major political powers in the state (I'd like to say she has me for her daddy too, but let's wait until I'm actually elected first).
   All in all, today was a good day for the Brown campaign and the Stark County Democratic Party.  Having a turnout like that 11 months prior is a great sign.  Odds are we won't pack the room for a mid-term election like we did every day last year, but I certainly feel like the activism for the Dems is still in force here in Canton.
   Oh, and I got myself a Canary In A Cage pin!  Sherrod wears one everywhere he goes (and often tells the story behind it), and one of his staffers hooked me up with hers (thanks Melissa!).

Jeff Seemann

Coleman drops out, all but ensures Ted Strickland's nomination

   In case you didn't hear the news, Mike Coleman dropped out of the race for Ohio's Governor this morning.  Rumors had been swirling for a short while, but were quickly confirmed today.
   This all but hands the primary victory to Congressman Ted Strickland, a good friend to my campaign last year, and someone whom I'm sure it will be a pleasure campaigning with in 2006.  Strickland was the better man for the job on the day he entered, and Coleman's withdrawal was the wise and honorable thing to do.
   But the inside story is much deeper than the pleasantries of the day.  Coleman's campaign was in big trouble based on a failed field plan.  He had excellent people surrounding him, but nobody was watching the henhouse in regards to the field plan.  It was unfortunately outsourced to a company with a faulty business plan.  The stories that I have personally heard are shocking and not at all what one would expect from a progressive Democrat, especially one running for such a high seat. 
   Mike Coleman is a good man, but wasn't going to have a chance with this field plan in place.  He'll be back someday, but we can all be thankful that he is still the Mayor of Columbus, as he has turned that city around.  Hopefully next time, he'll hire more wisely.
   The lesson to any other Ohio candidate is simple...do your own field work.  Outsourcing it is a huge mistake.

My report on my week with the homeless

   OK, I know that there's people who are awaiting my final report on what my past week was like, and I am working on it.  However, like a student asking his professor for an extension, I'm about to give you a great reason why the report won't be written tonight.
   This morning at 6am, I got a phone call and had to pick up my daughter Charlotte.  Her mother needed to get to the hospital.  Under even normal circumstances, I'd jump at the chance to get the little munchkin a day early, so I was happy to do it.  My ex-wife is fine, so everything worked out.  But the end result is I have an active 7-year-old running around and it kept the day's schedule from staying in place. 
   So I need an extra day or two to finish up.  Sorry, everyone.  I'll keep you posted, though.

Jeff

Thanks to Johnny Wendell

   Just got off the phone for my interview with Johnny Wendell on KTLK, 1150 AM in Los Angeles.  Had a great time and I was happy to be able to discuss everything from my past week with him and the progressive people of L.A.  Plus, I got to do a second segment and discuss a few other issues that needed discussion.
   So my thanks go out to Johnny, Carolyn and everyone at KTLK.

Jeff Seemann

Happy Thanksgiving

   Have a happy, warm and safe Thanksgiving, everyone. 
   This afternoon, I went back out and shared a meal with a room full of people at a downtown shelter.  Now I'm off to January's house to do the same with her family.  But before you begin to wonder, I can assure you that just because I know I have a warm home and many people who will take me in if I ever need them to, what I just experienced has changed me forever.  No matter how small a gesture, I know I'll always do my best to help those in need. 
   When you wake up tomorrow, having had a wonderful Turkey Day, remember the people who didn't have such a nice day.  Now go get your leftovers and take them to someone who needs them.  Seriously.  Go do it.
   Then, next week, go buy a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter.  Make a mess of sandwiches and deliver them.  Should take up 2 hours of your time and it'll cost you about 5 bucks tops.  You won't be disappointed, and your reward is peace of mind.
   I'll talk to you all tomorrow.  I'm off to hug the woman I love.

Jeff Seemann

It's all over

   Hello all.  This is Jeff Seemann.  Yes, the real Jeff posting under his own screenname.  Jenn, Michelle and January have all been alerted.

   I'm all finished, as of 6pm Wednesday night.  72 hours into it, I had to go home.  Didn't want to, but had to.  I was approached by a police cruiser and was told that I had to go home or be arrested for vagrancy (originally, the charge was loitering, but the officer misspoke and clarified it during our conversation).

   The officer was very nice, and told me that I had to find shelter or I was going to jail right away.  I had checked with a shelter earlier in the day, and they did not have any open space for the night.  Yes, there were other options, but I wouldn't know if I could get in until about 10pm.  I explained this to the officer, and he told me that I would have to go to jail if I didn't already have a place to sleep inside.  I believe the police were doing a sweep of the streets.  They were not being aggressive, I think they were just getting everybody inside.  It's getting very bad out here tonight, LOTS of snow on the ground, and temperatures dropping fast.

   After a short discussion with the officer, my options were laid out in front of me.  Jail or a shelter.  So I told him what I was really doing out there.  He didn't believe me.  When I finally convinced him of my objective, he looked at me like I was a few bricks shy of a load.  Then he offered me a ride home.  I was only a few blocks from a friend's house, so I retreated there instead.

   He asked me not to return to the streets tonight, or the choice between jail and a shelter would no longer be up to me.  I'll oblige happily.  Yes, I did this for many reasons, but having a criminal record is not something I'm willing to get on my way to another election day.

   I'm going to spend some time tonight writing my final summary and I will publish it on Friday.

   However, I'm not done with my homelessness experience.  Tomorrow, I will go to a shelter at Noon for their Thanksgiving dinner.  But I'm NOT going as a politician in a suit or anything of the sorts.  I'm headed down, anonymously, to share dinner with people whom I shared the streets and the shelters with.  No attention, no stunts, no spotlight.  I can't quite sum up how I feel about my experiences at this time, so I'll just say that there's a new-found enlightenment and a concern for the homeless in my town (and everywhere else, for that matter).

   When I'm done with my dinner at the shelter, I'll head home, shower and shave, and go spend Thanksgiving with my family and January's family.

   One last request.  Enjoy yourselves on Thanksgiving, and make a promise to me.  Pack up that extra turkey and stuffing, put it in the fridge and save it.  On Friday, most of the glamour of helping the homeless on Thanksgiving Day will have worn off.  Take your leftovers out of the fridge on Friday or Saturday and go deliver them to somebody who is on the streets.  It'll take an hour or two of your day, and you'll never ever forget the feeling you get from it.

   Stay warm, stay safe, and never take what you have for granted.

Jeff Seemann

Day 4 - almost done!!!

   Greetings everyone!  My name is Jenn, and it is my duty today to report to you from Jeff Seemann's campaign and tell you all about his fourth day on the streets of Canton, Ohio.  Jeff is having a better day today than last night, and he's very upbeat about finishing this 100 hours!
   First, I have some distressing news about the area he is in.  According to today's Canton Repository, Canton is the 30th most dangerous city in the country.  It has been rated more dangerous than New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami.  This was especially hard to read today, knowing that Jeff is out there right now.  He's been very fortunate so far, but his time is coming to a close.  The safety of those around him will remain in jeopardy, and that does not sit well with him.
   He has discussed his experiences of the previous 24 hours with me, and I'll relay them on to you.  I'll check in later tonight from a friend's house if anybody would like to talk.
   Last night, as you probably know, was not a good night at all.  The snow and wind was extremely rough, and Jeff did not have a warm place to sleep.  At some point during the night, he spoke with Michelle and decided to go to the emergency room.  He was complaining of frozen hands and aching bones, plus a rather nasty cough.
   I do not know what time he made it to the emergency room, but without any identification, it was not easy to get medical attention.  Jeff's intent was to get help, but he still remained "in character" (my words, not his), because he needed to see how difficult it would be for a homeless man to get the attention he needs despite not having ID.  However, they did do a workup on him, checked his BP, heart rate, checked for feeling in his fingers and toes.  Basic stuff.  But here's where it gets interesting.
   Two nurses performed the above process, and one of them left.  The remaining nurse whispered to him that he was fine and could leave anytime, but that the doctor would be in to see him "in a few hours" if he wanted to stay.  She smiled at him and then left, closing the door and dimming the lights.  This nurse was probably not permitted to do so, but in an ER that was not at all busy, she allowed him to get a few hours of sleep in a bed before sending him out again.  Jeff's refusing to disclose which nurse and which hospital for fear of her getting in any trouble.
   By morning, he was still sleepy, but felt better physically (and mentally) and headed back out.  He had a lot of stops to make, which mostly were dead-ends. 
   Job and Family Services were unable to offer any assistance to help him get out of homelessness, but emergency food stamps were available (Jeff refused, leaving them for someone in genuine need).  No emergency cash for a temporary residence was available at all.
   JFS is a first-come, first-serve agency, and arriving late did not help his prospects, but he was told that even if he was the first one in line, this was as good as it was going to get.
   Two other agencies that deal with mentally handicapped homeless people were very helpful, finding housing and medical assitance for people in this circumstance.  However, Jeff was not going to use up any intake resources and get a diagnosis.  he knew that the time spent with any case managers or evaluation therapists would be wasting their time, so he used these agencies as learning resources only.
   There is one wonderful source, the American Rescue Workers.  The have a group home on Market Avenue with free housing, but in order to earn your room you must work at the ARW warehouse.  It's basically a giant garage sale that goes on constantly.  They have great stuff, and Jeff furnished his 2004 office for very little money from this place.  People work there and can stay in the shelter for up to 90 days.  They also provide job training and help out any way they can.  It's a nice way to try and turn lives around, but without any additional assitance, it's woefully short of successful.
   Now comes the fun part.  The Salvation Army.  Or to put it in Jeff's words, The "Hello, how can I help you, oh I'm sorry, come back Friday" Army.  No help whatsoever, but they do provide a free meal some afternoons.
   Jeff tells me that he is not seeing any agency in town that provides any help beyond a single meal and an 8-hour bed.  It's all geared towards survival and nothing leans towards rehabilitation of lives or a much-needed boost back into society.  This is what is eating at his heart right now.
   He discussed with me an idea about a shelter which is geared towards digging people out of homelessness, but I'll leave the details of that up to him to describe at a later date.  He's actually energized by his ideas, having seen what works and what does not in this area.  He thinks he can incorporate what has been a success into his new plan, but doesn't want to roll out any parts of it until he discusses it with local leaders.
   Right now he's finding a little bit of warmth at a nearby agency and will head out looking for shelter soon.  It's in the low 20s right now with a light snowfall.  As of right now, he has about 30 hours to go and feels positive about finishing the task.
   One last thing to share.  Like many of you, he had his doubts about this.  But his initial hopes are being realized, as he experiences not only the conflicts of survival, but also sees first-hand the gaping holes that prevent any real solutions from forming.  With what he has learned already, he can begin to tackle the entire problem, rather than just plug individual holes one at a time.
   I've always known Jeff to be a guy who'll dive head-first into issues that others will ignore, but this is a new experience for him.  He's witnessing pain in others, and like I expected of him, he's looking for ways to end that pain.  I think he's capable of doing it.
   Leave him a message here!   Anyone interested can contribute to his campaign at ActBlue.

   Jeff asked me to leave you with this.  He knows some people want to know what he wants to do first when his 100 hours are up.  He says "hug his daughter", but he's out until 10pm tomorrow and she'll be in bed.  Second on the list is a shower and a shave, then to kiss his girlfriend January.  But high up on that list is watching his tape of Ohio State beating Michigan.  Again.
   Thanks for listening!

Jenn

Day 3

Hello everyone.  My name is Michelle, and I am blogging on Jeff's behalf.  By now you've heard the story of his homelessness experience, so I'll spare you the details.    I just spoke with Jeff about 20 minutes ago and he's not doing very well today.  He had a lot of problems last night (and today) and the weather is turning extremely nasty as we speak.  It's already snowing hard, the wind is bad and it'll dip below 20 degrees tonight.    Jeff has asked me to relay his experiences over the past 24 hours to you, so that's what this diary will be about.    From the way Jeff described the last 24 hours, I do not know how anybody survives being homeless.  I'm actually VERY concerned for his safety tonight and have urged him to call me collect if he needs ANY help.

Yesterday, Jeff was referred to a church where he could sleep from 10pm-6am.  He went to the public library for a short period of time before he was to report to the church, but they closed at 9pm, so he had an hour to walk between the two places.     He was to arrive at the church between 930-10pm, but it was locked and all the lights were out.  Nobody showed up to let him in for the cot that he was referred to.  He used the last change he had (from a dollar he was given earlier in the day) to call the homeless hotline. They apologized for his problem and referred him to another church, just down the street.    Unfortunately, that church was nearly at capacity (small basement) and Jeff would not take one of the last cots.  He was told that people filter in up until 11pm, and there was a chance he'd be taking it from another person who truly needed it, so he left.    He did not tell me where he eventually slept.    Today, he went to a free meal at another local church, but in order to eat you had to attend a prayer service.  Jeff. in an attempt to test the system, told them he was Buddhist (he isn't) and asked if he could eat anyway despite not sharing the same faith.  At first he was told "no, you need to hear the word of God before you can eat", but another woman quickly intervened.  She asked Jeff about Buddhism and Jeff explained what he knew to this woman.  They had a 10-minute conversation about it, and afterwards the woman asked Jeff if he would listen to her talk about Jesus for the same period of time.  That was fair, Jeff thought, and they discussed Christ for 10 minutes, then ate together.    In order to test the system further and see if there is anything in place to help END homelessness rather than just provide help in survival, Jeff went to an employment source.  He explained that he was recently homeless and lost everything.  No ID, no resume, no residence, but can they help him find work so he can get out of trouble.  The answer was simple.....no.  He needs an ID and proof of residence.  He tried to reason with them, but they explained that they couldn't "sell" Jeff to any potential employers without the aforementioned documents. They gave him the number to the homeless hotline and said they would help.  Homeless hotline cannot help in any way like that.  Their purpose is to provide one night of shelter at a time, never anything permanent, and never any money to get anything back on track for your life.    Tomorrow morning, Jeff is supposed to be at Job and Family Services to try and get assistance.  Maybe emergency cash or food stamps to try and start anew, but it's doubtful.  By the way, Jeff will NOT accept any assistance, he simple is trying to find the ways to get the help so he can create a better plan to end homelessness in Stark County.    When I last spoke with Jeff, the wind was whipping around hard.  It was snowing sideways, and he doesn't yet have a place to sleep tonight. He sounded very weak and very tired.  There won't be any food for him until tomorrow, when a meal can be obtained at the Salvation Army.    I urged him to come home.  I tried to convince him to go to his friend's house nearby, or to go to January's house in North Canton.  He seemed determined to make it through the 100 hours, but I'm extremely concerned for his safety tonight.  I doubt it if I'll be able to sleep in my warm bed tonight, and I wouldn't be surprised if I found myself looking for him later on.  I know where he might go for warmth, and I might try those places.    He has asked me not to ask for any contributions with tonight's message.  He said it "just didn't seem all that important", and he wants everyone to instead focus on what they can do to help people who are in the same predicament as the people he is meeting this week.    Frankly, I can see his point.  However, I'll put it out there, and let you decide if you want to donate a few dollars his way.  10% of all contributions will get returned to this community to help alleviate homelessness and end it as soon as possible.  Go to his blog or to his ActBlue page and decide for yourself.    I'll be around to answer any questions.     Stay warm tonight everyone, and say a prayer to give thanks for what you have in your own lives. -Michelle

Permission granted

   We, Jeff Seemann's "internet team", have noticed a few other message boards and blogs are posting stories about Jeff's homelessness experience.  Two in particular, ProgressiveIndependent.com and PeopleForChange.net, have posted brief requests to republish the diaries published here and at several other locations.

   The answer is yes.  Feel free to post anything you find on this blog anywhere you like.  A link to this site would be appreciated in exchange.

-Michelle

Day 2

Hello.  I am writing this diary on behalf of Jeff Seemann.  As many of you know, Jeff is running for Congress in Ohio's 16th District, and he's trying a different strategy.  He believes that you cannot represent people until you truly understand their lives.     Currently, he is spending 100 hours homeless, in an attempt to better understand what life is like for people who have lost everything.  We all witnessed the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, but Katrina only magnified a problem that exists in every town on every day of every week.    I just spoke with Jeff, and he has asked me to relay the story of his first 20 hours to you and several other blogs.  The following is Jeff's entry;

Hello everyone.  After my first day out here, if I can give you any amount of wisdom, it will be this; don't take anything for granted.  You can always end up worse off than you are right now.    It hasn't been easy here.  The experiences and lessons I've learned already range from harsh to easy, but it's certainly been an eye-opener.    Last night, I tried to find a place to sleep.  It was dark by the time I got downtown, and being a Sunday, everything was closed.  I went into this experience blind, so I had no idea where any homeless shelters may be located, and I therefore decided to try a few churches.  No luck there, all the doors were locked at the 4 area chuches I could find.    I ended up by myself for the entire night, and found a bit of warmth behind the Palace Theater sometime around 10pm.  I had hoped to find somebody to help me locate a place to sleep, but again, no luck.    It was an awful night of sleep, if you can call it that at all.  The temperature was probably in the 30s or low 40s.  By midnight, I had a splitting headache.  It's amazing how many things we take for granted in our everyday lives...like aspirin.  I'm pretty sure I fell asleep a couple of times, but it was never anything that one could reasonably call sleep.    By about 7 or 8 am, I was chased out of my space by a police officer.  I've heard the words "move along" more times than I thought I would today.    This morning, I found myself a few agencies that can help the homeless, but they are few and far between.  So far, they've been helpful, but the people I've spoken to who benefit from these agencies tell me that the help doesn't last very long.    At one agency, I was told that I "picked a bad time to end up homeless" (as if there's a good time).  This is the end of the year, and the grant money has dried up.  Agencies don't have any money left to set anybody up with accomodations, and until January 1st, you're at the mercy of the streets.  Churches do step in from time to time, but that's usually for one night only.    I didn't know that a "homeless hotline" existed, but was advised to call them.  One of the agencies allowed me use of their phone, and the hotline referred me to Open Door, a shelter at the Turnaround Community Outreach.  I'm to report there tonight between 930 and 10pm, and I have to leave by 6am tomorrow morning.  It's an African-American church, and I've already been by there for a meal at 2pm today.  Very nice people, very comforting.    Tomorrow, they're also having a free meal at 2pm at Open Door, but in order to eat you have to attend a church service first.  I'm not willing to question this policy, but I wonder if they would still offer to feed the hungry if they were Buddhist, Jewish or even Muslim?    At today's meal, there were 28 people in attendance.  Almost all were homeless, but a few had homes but were well below the poverty line.  The ages ranged from 18 months old to 70+ years.  The 18 month old was a sweetheart.  Her mother lives near the church and has no money, so she does what she can to keep her baby fed.  The church gave her a few extra biscuits, and she slipped them in her baby's diaper bag (which was not really clean enough to handle food).    For the benefit of those of you concerned with whether or not I may be taking food or a bed from somebody who needs it more, I will gladly report that I waited until everyone had their plates of food before I approached the line (and was told that there was plenty if anybody needed more), and the cot I will sleep on tonight is not the last one.  They can fit many more than will attend tonight, so everyone who has requested a place to sleep will get it.    Also, no I have no money to make my situation any more comfortable than it is.  I have no ATM card, no pocket change, no photo ID, nothing.    If I was going to deprive anybody of anything during my experience, I will gladly give it up and go elsewhere.    It's only been a short period of time, and I'm only 25% of the way through this, but I can tell you that I've learned a lot.    For starters, there's a whole system you have to know and those who can work it best survive with the least amount of trouble.  There are a few phone numbers to call and get assistance, but most places can only offer you referrals to other agencies.  It's a messed up web that you have to maneuver through in order to get anywhere.  And I'm told that the funds are being slashed for 2006.    That half-eaten corn dog I saw on the ground last night....I was too proud to pick it up, a move I could later regret.  That bag of Fritos I saw in a trash can while walking down 12th Street...it might have had food inside.    Earlier today, maybe some of you stopped by Burger King or Wendy's.  Did you finish your french fries?  If not, I know of a few people who would love to have what you just threw away.  Man, just that small handfull of leftover fries or the pickles you took off your burger would be a wonderful gift to some people.    No, I'm not asking you to take some cold leftover food to people right now....but I am asking you to never again take for granted what you have.  Tomorrow, you may not have it anymore. Jeff Seemann    I'll be posting this diary in a few locations that Jeff has directed me to.  I'll try to answer any questions you have if I have the time.  In the meantime, you can help out Jeff's campaign - he's promised to deliver 10% of all funds raised to homeless shelters in the area.  Visit Jeff's ActBlue page or his blog.     And trust me, as his friend, I heard it in his voice that he's not having an easy time with this.  He's surviving just fine, but the people he is meeting are really eating away at his soul.  He's going to walk away from this a very different person, even more sympathetic than he is now. Peace be with you all, Michelle