Jeff Seemann For Congress '06

Happy Father's Day!

   Today is the sixth time I get to celebrate Father's Day, but I must say it feels like the first time all over again.
   Charlotte is 6 and a half years old now, and it's like she's a miniature adult.  She's intelligent and it's fun to have a conversation with her.  She understands everything and is a very loving little girl.  So this morning when she woke me up with a cheery "Happy Father's Day" greeting, it was adorable and heart-warming.  Of course, she then immediately demanded breakfast (or 'breaf-kast', as she still calls it....it's too cute for me to correct her).
   Today, we're off to pick up her friend Anthonie, and I'll take them to see "The Adventures of Shark-Boy and Lava-Girl in 3-D".  Possibly the worst name in the history of cinema.  I'll let you know if that name matches the storyline....but hey, I said she's 6 and a half.  She'll love this movie.
   Then, if the rain holds off, we have miniature golf planned, followed by a cookout at Anthonie's.  His whole family loves her very much and she always has fun there.
   Should be a good day.  Hope yours is too!

Jeff Seemann

The Nazis did it, so Americans should do it too??

Well, it's official.  We are allowed to torture prisoners because....get this....the Germans did it in World War II and nobody complained about it then! Think I'm kidding?  Nope, I'm not.  It's the latest argument to attack "do gooders" in my local paper today.

From the Canton Repository's Letters To The Editor (free subscription required, but you get to leave online comments as a member...HINT HINT)

I am getting sick and tired of reading the newspapers and watching the TV about how the American troops are committing all of these so-called atrocities. They are asked to fight a war with both arms tied behind their back.

Did anyone ever hear the old expression "survival of the fittest"? Where were all of these so-called do-gooders during World War II? As far as atrocities go, the Germans and Japanese committed their share of them.

Our soldiers are probably so confused now that they don't know if they should fire their weapons or not.

AL TORCASIO

NIMISHILLEN TOWNSHIP

Yes, you read that right.  The Germans and the Japanese did it, so why are the "do-gooders" complaining when the good old USA does it???

They've officially begun the argument that since the Nazis did it, we can too.

Jeff Seemann

Thinking about changing campaign strategies

   I had a short conversation yesterday with my former Communications Director, Tim Tagaris (the most brilliant person I had on my entire staff, and that includes you Amanda).
   He told me about a candidate in Pennsylvania who is going to run an open-source campaign, managed entirely by the internet community.
   Considering the tremendous support I picked up from internet users and the blogosphere last year, I think this would be an excellent idea for my campaign.  But I need additional ideas.  I'm spending the next few days brainstorming on how to make this work, and I'd love your input.  E-mail me at this address and tell me your thoughts....any idea you have, we'll see how we can incorporate it.

Thanks!

Jeff Seemann

I missed my 3-year anniversary!

   Relax, it's not an anniversary that will get me a rolling pin-beating because I forgot it.  Three years ago yesterday, I was at The Ohio State University protesting Bush as he gave a commencement speech to graduating students.  Here are excerpts of the words I wrote when I finally got close enough to a computer......

As I sit here before you, I must admit I am truly exhausted from a full day. I've read the thread about Ohio State on LBN, and I am here to tell you it is true...and then some. I'll try to hit all the details.

.........

Graduating students were told that they would be expelled and arrested if they turned their backs. they were alerted that dozens of staff memebers and police officers would be watching the stands, as well as the Secret Service. A few students asked for the definition of expulsion....did it mean removal from the stadium or refusal of their diplomas, or both? One of the persons at the front said "Both".

.........

We entered the stadium later with family and friends, and similar statements swirled around the crowd. "Please make sure you stand and loudly cheer our President. Our graduates have been requested to do the same, and have agreed to give a loud cheer for Mr. Bush", etc.....

.........

It didn't take long for our stomachs to turn....the first speaker (I believe the OSU President) began spouting about how proud they were to have Bush there. He said "We have a long tradition of inviting great men and women to speak at our commencements." I quickly responded "but since we couldn't get one, here's Georgie".

    That got the attention of the state trooper in front of us. His eyes were on me the rest of the time.

    The speech continued to mention that Chimpy was "a tireless worker in the field of education" and "a man who unified this country after the terrible events of 9/11". It was interesting to note that it took a LONG time for the 9/11 applause to turn into a standing ovation....they held out for that one, not continuing the speech intentionally.

    About 10 minutes later, Shrub was introduced to speak. Before he even got to the stage, we did our about-face. I looked over my shoulder to see how many graduates were doing the same. However, everybody was standing at that point, and in pure black robes, it was impossible to see who was facing what direction. Furthermore, over that same shoulder, I saw one of Columbus' Finest heading our way.

    We never got to see how many students participated. We were being led out of Ohio Stadium. To the officers' credit, he realized there was a 3-year-old in my arms and was not at all hostile. I asked him if I was under arrest, and he did not answer me. When we reached the exit, I asked the SS man why we had been ejected, and he told me we were being charged with disturbing the peace. If we chose to leave, the charges would be dropped immediately.

    With our daughter in mind, we chose not to fight it. I am sure we will regret it someday when Bush's fabulous economy strikes us and we need a few million in a lawsuit. But our daughter did not need any more irritation on this day.

    On this day, June 14th, 2002, I came to the realization that we no longer live in a free society. This is rapidly heading in the same way Nazi Germany headed. Questioning our leaders is no longer the most outrageous crime you can be charged with. Not paying attention to them is.

    As you take in this message I give to you, I would like to add a footnote.
    Next time, I will not leave quietly.
    Next time, I will not allow you to intimidate my fellow Americans who wish to speak out.
    Next time I will not be so blind when I confront you.
    Next time we meet, I will have more people with me to oppose you.
    Next time, I will have brought voter registration cards for people whose eyes I will open to your oppression.

    And next time, I will have a babysitter.

   Happy anniversary to me.  Since that day, I founded a Peace Coalition, we protested Bush and Cheney a combined 33 times, and I gained the votes of 101,812 people in the 16th District of Ohio.  That day seemed like a very dark chapter in my life, but in fact, it woke me up and I have since become a VERY vocal activist/politician.  I grew up someone who didn't like to rock the boat.  I've since learned to stand up for myself and the standards I believe in...and it'll take a pine box and six feet of dirt to pull me out of the path I've since chosen.

   So a VERY Happy Anniversary, I say.

Jeff Seemann

The greatest Democrat you never heard of

   Ray Denczak is not a name that you'll hear often.  He doesn't hold high office, and he doesn't draw excessive attention to himself.  But he is perhaps the greatest Democrat I have personally ever met.
   After 32 years as the president of the Canton City Council, Denczak is stepping down.  According to this story in today's Canton Repository, Denczak has been offered his "dream job" instructing pilots with a charter airline in Detroit.
   I've only personally known Denczak for a few years, but every time I see him, it's memorable.  He's a very funny, very warm person whom cares deeply about the constituents he serves on Council.  And of you've ever been driving down 38th Street in Canton, Ohio during election season, that's his house that has all the Democratic signs in the front yard.  He never fails to post a sign of a true blue Dem in his yard.
   We'll miss you, Mr. Denczak.  Best of luck to you in Detroit.  You've earned it.

Jeff Seemann

Can we NOW call them Nazis??

   Most people get really bent out of shape when they're called Nazis or compared to Adolf Hitler.  Rightfully so....being compared to history's greatest mass murderer is not something that most people would care to hear about themselves.

   But when it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's a freakin' duck, OK?  So, here is the latest from the LEADERS of the Christian Coalition.....

Christian Coalition - Gays should wear warning labels

The leader of a conservative Christian lobby group appears to suggest that gays should be required to wear warning labels, although he denies that was his intention.

"We put warning labels on cigarette packs because we know that smoking takes one to two years off the average life span, yet we 'celebrate' a lifestyle that we know spreads every kind of sexually transmitted disease and takes at least 20 years off the average life span according to the 2005 issue of the revered scientific journal Psychological Reports," Rev. Bill Banuchi, executive director of the New York Christian Coalition told the Mid Hudson News.

<snip>

The issue of labels is particularly sensitive to gays. In Nazi Germany they were forced to wear the pink triangle to differentiate them from other internees at concentration camps.

   To those who would be offended by the comparison of this behavior to Nazis' behavior, stop and take a look at what is being suggested here. They're pushing for gay people to WEAR LABELS.  Why stop there? Let's tattoo their wrists with individual serial numbers, and make the Jewish homosexuals adorn their labels with a yellow Star Of David.

   This is the behavior of Nazis, folks.  We vowed "never again" when we won WWII.  Do not let these people have ANY form of power, or you can forget about that promise.  People who advocate labels on human beings also think Hitler didn't go far enough.

Jeff Seemann

P.S.  Oh, and by the way....the heterosexual lifestyle spreads every known STD known to man as well.  How convienent for them to ignore that during their hate-mongering.

PTSD - the future of our military

Over at Daily Kos, I've just left a diary about how our military is in a serious danger of becoming an army filled with victims of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, primarily because of a complete lack of concern from our leaders.

Because of the length of that diary, I'd like to link to it from here.  Please go read it, it's well worth the time.  What our doctors know and what our politicians are willing to admit are WAY too far off from each other, and our entire military structure could be indanger of falling victim to PTSD because of negligent and potentially crminial pre-war planning.

Read my diary entitled "Is our military a walking PTSD timebomb?"  I'd like to say "I hope you enjoy it", but frankly I hope you hate it and decide to speak out about it.

Jeff Seemann

Ralph Regula killed Elmo and Big Bird

Yeah, you read that right...Congressman Ralph Regula killed Elmo and Big Bird.

As Chairman of the House Appropriations SUBcommittee, Regula "approved a $142.5 billion spending bill Thursday that would cut federal funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting by 25 percent next year and possibly end federal support by 2008.

Regula claims that he "had to do it" and that "nobody is out to get" public broadcasting.  He also said that there was "no pressure" to slash funding for the CPB.

Bullshit.

Regula likes to claim that he only has so much money to spread around in appropriations....he likes the phrase "I'm only playing the hand I've been dealt."  Folks, Ralph Regula isn't playing the hand he's been dealt....HE'S THE DEALER!  He's the 10th most powerful Republican in the House, and HE is the one who gets to call the shots in this spending bill.  And it's HIS decision to eliminate funding for public broadcasting....the same TV stations that we grew up on, watching Sesame Street.  The best place on TV to send our kids to learn the alphabet before school, and Ralph Regula wiped it out.  Sure, there's kids' programming still out there....but only if you pay 40 bucks a month for cable TV and then watch your kids grow up learning that every toy on the commercials is the greatest thing ever and they HAVE to have it.

I'll say it again...Ralph Regula killed Elmo and Big Bird.

Furthermore, his claims that "nobody is out to get" public broadcasting....pure lies.  And Ralph knows it...the right wing has been after CPB for decades, and Ralph took his shot at them when he could.  For proof of their efforts to end funding for CPB, see below.

- “

CPB

for 25 years has been run by Democrats and liberals. It needs to change itself or go down." - David Horowitz

- "NPR's "news" programs ought to be replaced by Rush Limbaugh reruns for about a decade" - Tim Graham, National Review

- "One of the things we're going to do is to zero out the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which has been eating taxpayers' money" - Newt Gingrich

There's LOTS more, but Ralph's claim that "nobody is out to get" CPB is a lie and he knows it.  Ralph delivered the dagger to Elmo and he's going to actually have to take responsibility for this one.  No hiding anymore.

Jeff Seemann

Time for another blogging sequence

OK, I'm done slacking off.  As discussed in my previous post, I have valid excuses.  But scrap those excuses, it's time to actually WORK on this blog!

Therefore, starting today I will begin another 7-day series of consistent updates.  It'll help jump-start my need to have frequent entries into the blogosphere.

Jeff Seemann

Back on track...hopefully

   OK, so here's the story.  And I'm sticking to it.

   I've officially moved.  It took about four days to get everything loaded up and get the old apartment cleaned up, but I think the task is finally complete.  Over the years, I've accumulated many things that I no longer need, and they ALL seem to be very large items.  Sometime this summer there will have to be a garage sale, so I can clean out the garage that is now stuffed to maximum capacity.  In the meantime, I'm rearranging the heck out of my new digs and finding time to spend with loved ones.

   But the beat goes on.  Yesterday at Noon, a small group of us delivered petitions to Congressman Ralph Regula's office, demanding that he fire Tom DeLay from his leadership post in the US House.  Ralph's been in Congress a LONG time, and in 2004 he felt the heat of an opponent for the first time in a LONG time.  But 2004 was also the year that he took money from DeLay's PAC (TRMPAC, which by the way, is now under indictment in Teaxs).  It was also the year that he GAVE 5 grand to DeLay to defend himself from such "outrageous lies", like the ones that TRMPAC is now under indictment for.  Now is the time for Regula to actually STAND UP and do what he swore he'd do 33 years ago when he first ran for US House....clean up the House from corruption by the special interests.  DeLay is knee-deep in corruption and he has become what Regula always swore he'd fight against.

   Time to prove it Congressman.  Like I said to the media yesterday, "if Ralph Regula cannot separate himself from the corruption of Texas' 22nd District, then he must separate himself from leading Ohio's 16th District."

   They slightly misquoted me in the local media with that line today, but the story was accurate and Melissa Griffy is an excellent reporter, so I'm content with the piece that she wrote.  No correction necessary.

Jeff Seemann