Organizing for America | Paula's Blog: REPOST "HEY, WHO DOES THIS GUY SERVELLE THINK HE IS?!"

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REPOST "HEY, WHO DOES THIS GUY SERVELLE THINK HE IS?!"

By Paula in Arizona - Oct 1st, 2008 at 12:07 am EDT

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PUSH BACK TIME There are audible grumblings along this line. “Hey, who does this guy Servelle think he is. He is using the Obama network to promote his own campaign for Congress. He can’t do that. We Democrats have already chosen our candidate for Congress.” Let’s break this down. BEFORE Obama became the nominee, who was supporting Barack? The local Democratic establishment stood shoulder-to-shoulder for almost anybody but Obama. The area Democratic clubs and office holders were lined-up early-and-often for Hillary. The early backers of Obama (I signed on to My.BarackObama.com in middle February of 2007.) were independents, new voters and disgruntled Democrats and Republicans. Although I am registered decline to state I spent every day, seven days a week, blogging for Obama. At MyBarackObama volunteers are awarded points for various activities and while more than 500,000 volunteers have earned some points, I am in the top 400 most active volunteers and have been awarded over 7,200 points for my work on Obama’s behalf. AFTER Barack became the nominee, the Party regulars started to make a variety of claims. One claim is, the Party’s nominee for Congress is supported by the Obama campaign. This is, put plainly, wishful thinking and a transparent attempt to cash in on the “Time for a Change” mood of the electorate. Data from Voter registrars is clear; voters are moving away from Party affiliation and are registering decline to state/independents. As Barack has noted all along, the Obama campaign is ABOUT US. It is about putting Party affiliation ASIDE and joining together in search of common ground. As an Independent for Congress, I continue without reservation my support and endorsement of Barack Obama for President of our country. I also, commit to searching for common ground, identifying the common good and using my common sense. If you believe in Barack as I do, I ask for your help in getting on the November ballot. And, know that Barack would never favor REDUCING our ballot choices. Now all the criminals in their coats and their ties Are free to drink martinis and watch the sun rise While Rubin sits like Buddha in a ten-foot cell An innocent man in a living hell. When I'm gone don't wonder where I be. Just say that I trusted in God and that Christ was in me. Say He defeated the Devil, He was God's chosen Son And that there ain't no man righteous, no not one. The Good, the Bad, the Ugly and the Beautiful I know that I changed the title to include “the beautiful”. It seems more even to me to have two positive and two negative characteristics. The GOOD This campaign was officially launched one week ago. It is using techniques that proved so successful in gaining the Democratic nomination for Barack Obama. The key elements of the Obama approach include: First is the very heavy reliance on interactive internet connection between the campaign volunteers and the campaign. And, second, is the heavy reliance on non-party activists. And, third, is the reliance on small contributions from many givers. This Independent campaign for Congress utilizes the same model: interactive internet + non-party activists + small contributions from many givers. To gather the large number of signatures required, a large number of supporters are pledging to collect a few signatures each. Thus, instead of tables set up at a few busy places, a lot of petitions are being passed around within a relatively small number of people. This strategy is “go after the low hanging fruit first”; instead of going after a lot of people that you don’t know, you go after those you already know. It is easier to volunteer if what you are asked to do make’s some sense. The BAD When I have attempted to go after “cold calls”, that is strangers in neutral places, it hasn’t been easy. It led me to post this blog. Where is Freedom of Speech ALLOWED Friday July 18, 2008 For all the lip service given to the principle of free speech, when you try to exercise it you often encounter resistance in the most surprising places. Public places are almost impossible places to practice Free Speech. Try to gather signatures on a petition that is issued by the county registrar of voters and permits the gathering of signatures in lieu of paying a filing fee to place a name on the ballot. When asked, the following said NO: US Post Offices; CITY Libraries, schools, Recreation Centers, and all other City building including City Halls. Throw in non-profits like private schools and all Churches and what is left for public discourse. Very little. So, I am left to exercise my free speech where I can. When, under Events Today, I say NEAR some public places you may have to look in the bushes, but I will be there, somewhere. You see it isn't always easy to exercise Participatory Democracy. Remember the American Revolution? -Paul And, this Paul My Rosa Parks Moment Saturday July 19, 2008 MY “ROSA PARKS” MOMENT Let me begin by saying that some of my best friends are librarians. And let me further go on record as one who believes that the PUBLIC library is perhaps the single greatest achievement of civilized people. And let me further attest to the fact that me and my children are believers in the magic power of books and where they are kept for all to witness their wonder. So I gain no pleasure in bringing the following charges against my own neighborhood PUBLIC libraries. Nonetheless, I must do so. One would, would they not, expect that our PUBLIC libraries to have a keen interest in free access to ideas. And further to have a belief that freedom of expression and assembly are cornerstones of our democracy. I have recently requested and been given from the Riverside County Registrar of Voters a “Petition-In-Lieu of filing fee”. By gathering signatures from registered voters in this District, I can earn the right to have my name placed on the November ballot as a third candidate for Congress in this District; one Republican, one Democrat and me as an Independent. But I need to gather signatures in a very small time frame; from early July through early August. And the signatures gathered are quite a large number; about 10,000. Surely, PUBLIC libraries would be able to accommodate a request of this kind; and to provide a small space inside. Uniformly, PUBLIC libraries say that such an activity is NOT permitted inside. I am told I must be at least 100 ft away from the front door. No matter if this places me in direct 100 degree + conditions. And, further, even from this spot open to the weather, I am warned to NOT engage in any conversation unless approached by someone with a question. This struck me as miles from protecting and promoting freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of expression as one might have expected. But today I allowed myself to be so mistreated. But tomorrow will be another day, and a different story. I am 65 years old and I cannot safely tolerate the heat. I have Parkinson and two middle school children; and I am not about to lay aside my belief in participatory democracy. Tomorrow morning I will set up my card table inside Palm Desert PUBLIC library and I will gather signatures on my Petition. And, if I am free to do so, I will set up my card table inside Palm Springs PUBLIC library in the afternoon. In both places, I will be respectful and quiet as I go about gathering signatures. I will, however, resist being forced to cease by gathering inside and I will not accept an outdoor location. I have no desire to be confrontational; nor do I intend to surrender by rights. -Paul The UGLY Foreclosed homes, up-side down mortgages, loss of jobs, high and increasing cost of everything we need (from gas, to food, to health care, to college attendance are all part of a very ugly picture for far too many Americans. A fellow blogger at My.DesertSun.com put I, “Is it not now true, not since the Great Depression have there been so many aspects of the national economy heading in the wrong direction, at one time? Lead by the crash of the housing market and spurred on by runaway fast rising oil prices and thus gasoline costs and the attendant fast rising costs of everything else deliverable, we have surely gone well beyond Recession and are teetering on economic disaster. Yet still our top leadership hints it wants us to expand our wars in the middle east in a vein attempt to control the oil fields of the world, the sources of black gold that have been raped already by the excesses of civilization and about to be massacred further by the needs of burgeoning third world and emerging world giant economies, without the so-called "restraints" of current leading countries. And from this debacle, a surprising few sit on their billions in profits while the majority are hurting, or are about to be slammed into a wall of debt and homelessness or worse, may die.” The BEAUTIFUL For me, the BEAUTIFUL, are those I love. There is my son, who moves on to PSHS this fall. When not honing his “board” skills, he is sharpening his computer design skills. He designed and wrote the program to create the web site for this campaign. And there is my little girl, turning 10 years old in one week. Being the actor, singer and dancer that she is, she lives for the stage. Led me to post this blog: No politics in this post; hard to believe, but true nonetheless Posted 7/20/2008 11:42 AM PDT on MyDesert.com On Friday and Saturday night, I had about as much fun as a Dad can have. The Palm Canyon Theater conducts a summer theater camp for area aspiring thespians. My young (soon to be 10 year-old) Ms.Diva just completed this year's camp; her second summer. The magic that the PCT produces in five weeks is something to behold. Truly wonderful in every way. You want laughs, there were a ton; most of them intentional and created by the whole ensemble. You want talent, the cast had it up to here, and then some. You want singing, dancing, strutting, and full cast musical numbers, it was present in bushels-full measure. My hat is off to everyone: the PCT, teachers, helpers, and cast. Special tip of the hat to that soon to be 10 year-old diva of mine: you were a scene-stealer to me. (Now, Dad, what are you getting all teary-eyed about; you're going to embarrass her!) WILL YOU HELP PUT ME ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT? WHO AM I? I AM AN INDEPENDENT CHOICE FOR CONGRESS VOTE PAUL SERVELLE An Independent Candidate for Congress I AM IN FAVOR OF FINDING COMMON GROUND, IDENTIFYING THE COMMON GOOD and USING COMMON SENSE I SUPPORT AND ENDORSE BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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