Today marks 28 days until the the primary election day. Yes, that does make me think of a certain underappreciated Sandra Bullock movie. It also means that if I'm ever going to become a good blogger/Web guy, it had better start pretty soon. A friend of mine jumped on me about not being good about these things -- I'm going to do my best to listen to her.
Walking is tough these days, but also still wonderful. Five or more hours walking in 90+ degree heat can be hard on a guy. But the people at the doors make up for it.
I had two particularly interesting conversations yesterday. The first was with a 70+ year-old-woman who is really struggling to make it in retirement. Between the normal bills of life and the eleven perscriptions she takes, it gets tough, ya know? We spent over a half-hour on her doorstep -- culminating in two hugs (yes, this was an incredibly sweet woman).
Helping someone like Amy is exactly why I'm running. She's worked hard her whole life, raised a family, tried to be a good person -- and now skyrocketing gas and prescription prices are slowly killing her.
The other conversation was with a guy who wanted to talk about the Bible. Now, I grew up in the church and can talk Bible with just about anybody, but I try to keep my Bible and my politics as separate as possible. Not so for this guy. So we talked Bible -- agreeing on a few things and disagreeing on a few others. He won't be voting for me because I'm pro-choice, but I can live with that, and I'll still represent him as best I can.
Right now I'm getting ready for a phone conference, then I'll be walking until dark. Thank goodness for longer days!
See ya.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (cell)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Democracy for America Endorsement
Hi Everybody!
Last night was the endorsement for the Columbia chapter of Democracy for America. They endorsed me, so I'm feel pretty warm-and-fuzzy toward them this morning.
Honestly, it feels like the meeting has been a long time coming! I've been working for the endorsement since I entered the race, back in January -- there were lots of hoops to jump through. First, there was the on-line application. Then there was the candidate forum for their members (which was particularly fun, I must admit). Then there was last night's meeting, which involved candidate speeches in front of the membership.
Mary and Bob both did good jobs at the forum and last night. I felt pretty sure that I could get a plurality of the vote, but the kicker was that the winner had to get at least 60% of the vote or there would be NO endorsement. Ugh.
Thankfully, I ended up with 65% of the vote on the first ballot (leaving just 35% to be split between Bob and Mary), so it was over pretty quickly.
DFA is important to me because they are so grassroots -- and the endorsement should go along with quite a bit of volunteer support (a key to my winning).
Below is the release we sent about the endorsement. This is definitely an important step for our campaign.
Take care.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008
CONTACT: SEAN SPENCE
573-823-1308; seanspence@earthlink.net
DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA OF COLUMBIA ENDORSES SPENCE ON FIRST BALLOT, WITH AT LEAST 60% OF THE VOTE
“All three of us pursued this endorsement with vigor because it represents the progressive, grassroots base of our party,” Spence said. “There was an application, a two-hour debate, and then another meeting with speeches in front of 44 members of the organization. With so much effort on all of our parts, it is particularly gratifying to receive such an overwhelming majority on the first ballot.”
(Columbia, MO) Today Sean Spence, Democratic candidate for Missouri’s 25th legislative district, announced his endorsement by the Columbia branch of Democracy for America, an organization whose mission is to elect progressive Democratic candidates.
The endorsement process included online applications, participation in a two-hour public debate, and candidate speeches in front of 44 of the organization’s members. Endorsement required a yes vote from at least 60% of the members in attendance, which Sean received on the first ballot, leaving Mary Still and Bob Pund to split the remaining votes.
“This is a particularly important endorsement because DFA is about everyday people getting together to make our world a better place,” Spence said. “I look forward to working with the organization’s membership as we continue to take our messages to the voters of Columbia. DFA’s grassroots support will make a difference in this race that no amount of money can match.”
Spence, a 1993 graduate of the University of Missouri, runs a public relations and political consulting practice in Columbia. A part-time state employee, Spence is an advisor to State Auditor Susan Montee.
Spence is a progressive Democrat whose experience with the legislature and work with such leaders as State Auditor Susan Montee and former Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell will quickly position him for a key role in Jefferson City. His innovative approach and commitment to protecting MU and providing access to healthcare for all will make him a powerful asset for Columbia. More information is available at www.SpenceCampaign.com.
####
Last night was the endorsement for the Columbia chapter of Democracy for America. They endorsed me, so I'm feel pretty warm-and-fuzzy toward them this morning.
Honestly, it feels like the meeting has been a long time coming! I've been working for the endorsement since I entered the race, back in January -- there were lots of hoops to jump through. First, there was the on-line application. Then there was the candidate forum for their members (which was particularly fun, I must admit). Then there was last night's meeting, which involved candidate speeches in front of the membership.
Mary and Bob both did good jobs at the forum and last night. I felt pretty sure that I could get a plurality of the vote, but the kicker was that the winner had to get at least 60% of the vote or there would be NO endorsement. Ugh.
Thankfully, I ended up with 65% of the vote on the first ballot (leaving just 35% to be split between Bob and Mary), so it was over pretty quickly.
DFA is important to me because they are so grassroots -- and the endorsement should go along with quite a bit of volunteer support (a key to my winning).
Below is the release we sent about the endorsement. This is definitely an important step for our campaign.
Take care.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008
CONTACT: SEAN SPENCE
573-823-1308; seanspence@earthlink.net
DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA OF COLUMBIA ENDORSES SPENCE ON FIRST BALLOT, WITH AT LEAST 60% OF THE VOTE
“All three of us pursued this endorsement with vigor because it represents the progressive, grassroots base of our party,” Spence said. “There was an application, a two-hour debate, and then another meeting with speeches in front of 44 members of the organization. With so much effort on all of our parts, it is particularly gratifying to receive such an overwhelming majority on the first ballot.”
(Columbia, MO) Today Sean Spence, Democratic candidate for Missouri’s 25th legislative district, announced his endorsement by the Columbia branch of Democracy for America, an organization whose mission is to elect progressive Democratic candidates.
The endorsement process included online applications, participation in a two-hour public debate, and candidate speeches in front of 44 of the organization’s members. Endorsement required a yes vote from at least 60% of the members in attendance, which Sean received on the first ballot, leaving Mary Still and Bob Pund to split the remaining votes.
“This is a particularly important endorsement because DFA is about everyday people getting together to make our world a better place,” Spence said. “I look forward to working with the organization’s membership as we continue to take our messages to the voters of Columbia. DFA’s grassroots support will make a difference in this race that no amount of money can match.”
Spence, a 1993 graduate of the University of Missouri, runs a public relations and political consulting practice in Columbia. A part-time state employee, Spence is an advisor to State Auditor Susan Montee.
Spence is a progressive Democrat whose experience with the legislature and work with such leaders as State Auditor Susan Montee and former Lt. Governor Joe Maxwell will quickly position him for a key role in Jefferson City. His innovative approach and commitment to protecting MU and providing access to healthcare for all will make him a powerful asset for Columbia. More information is available at www.SpenceCampaign.com.
####
Saturday, May 3, 2008
USSR yesterday. Iraq today?
Running for state representative here in Columbia, there won't be many opportunities for me to influence foreign policy. But, as a citizen, I feel moved from time to time to address non-state issues. And, well, I do have this blog...
Do you remember the economic strategy we employed to cause the downfall of the Soviet Union? Basically, we accelerated the arms race and forced the Soviets to spend too much of their money on their military. It took a while, but economic collapse became an inevitability.
Notice any similarities with the present day?
According to the National Priorities Project (www.nationalpriorities.org), over half a trillion dollars has been spent on this war. Over $8 billion of that has come from Missouri taxpayers.
What could we do with the billions of dollars we are spending on this war?
In Missouri, alone, here's what we could have with our portion:
2,991,751 People with Health Care for One Year OR
6,956,094 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year OR
203,713 Public Safety Officers for One year OR
148,340 Music and Arts Teachers for One Year OR
1,090,274 Scholarships for University Students for One Year OR
885 New Elementary Schools OR
80,003 Affordable Housing Units OR
2,874,524 Children with Health Care for One Year OR
1,181,453 Head Start Places for Children for One Year OR
158,090 Elementary School Teachers for One Year
Beyond what we could do with the money, do we really believe we have a bottomless pit for war expenses? Can we continue to spend billions (even trillions), financed by the Chinese and other foreign nations? Am I the only one who thinks we may be falling victim to the strategy we used so effectively against the Soviet Union?
We all know what happens to those who don't know their history.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Do you remember the economic strategy we employed to cause the downfall of the Soviet Union? Basically, we accelerated the arms race and forced the Soviets to spend too much of their money on their military. It took a while, but economic collapse became an inevitability.
Notice any similarities with the present day?
According to the National Priorities Project (www.nationalpriorities.org), over half a trillion dollars has been spent on this war. Over $8 billion of that has come from Missouri taxpayers.
What could we do with the billions of dollars we are spending on this war?
In Missouri, alone, here's what we could have with our portion:
2,991,751 People with Health Care for One Year OR
6,956,094 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year OR
203,713 Public Safety Officers for One year OR
148,340 Music and Arts Teachers for One Year OR
1,090,274 Scholarships for University Students for One Year OR
885 New Elementary Schools OR
80,003 Affordable Housing Units OR
2,874,524 Children with Health Care for One Year OR
1,181,453 Head Start Places for Children for One Year OR
158,090 Elementary School Teachers for One Year
Beyond what we could do with the money, do we really believe we have a bottomless pit for war expenses? Can we continue to spend billions (even trillions), financed by the Chinese and other foreign nations? Am I the only one who thinks we may be falling victim to the strategy we used so effectively against the Soviet Union?
We all know what happens to those who don't know their history.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Bob Onder's Anti-Choice Legislation
Hi Everybody!
I don't usually post about a woman's right to choose because it is not an issue in which people are typically open to changing their minds. I suppose this includes me -- I am the first to admit that I am not willing to compromise a woman's right to choose in any way, to any degree.
I am willing, though, to talk about ways to reduce and even eliminate the need for an abortion. In my experience and from everything I've learned about the issue over the last 19 years -- the best way to reduce abortions is through birth control and comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education. These are the keys to reducing and eventually eliminating abortion.
Today, though, I got into the issue, and also violated my rule against blogging (on sites other than my own) at the same time (which I try not to do because so many in the blogging community are completely unreasonable and the majority insist on hiding themselves in anonymity).
Anyway, I got mad about the latest attempt by the anti-choice movement to encumber the process of getting an abortion, and posted on the Columbia Tribune's blog. Basically, I just said that I oppose Rep. Bob Onder's proposal to modify Missouri's "informed consent" law, but didn't give my reasons.
In the spirit of making myself more clear, here are my thoughts:
I don't usually post about a woman's right to choose because it is not an issue in which people are typically open to changing their minds. I suppose this includes me -- I am the first to admit that I am not willing to compromise a woman's right to choose in any way, to any degree.
I am willing, though, to talk about ways to reduce and even eliminate the need for an abortion. In my experience and from everything I've learned about the issue over the last 19 years -- the best way to reduce abortions is through birth control and comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education. These are the keys to reducing and eventually eliminating abortion.
Today, though, I got into the issue, and also violated my rule against blogging (on sites other than my own) at the same time (which I try not to do because so many in the blogging community are completely unreasonable and the majority insist on hiding themselves in anonymity).
Anyway, I got mad about the latest attempt by the anti-choice movement to encumber the process of getting an abortion, and posted on the Columbia Tribune's blog. Basically, I just said that I oppose Rep. Bob Onder's proposal to modify Missouri's "informed consent" law, but didn't give my reasons.
In the spirit of making myself more clear, here are my thoughts:
- In theory, it probably it sounds pretty good to make "coercing a woman to have an abortion" illegal. That sounds like a good thing, right? Of course it does, on the surface. But the fact is that most of the issues addressed by this legislation (coercion by stalking, assault, kidnapping, etc.) are already illegal. The real reason for passing this part of this largely redundant legislation is to provide one more tool to threaten physicians, other health care providers, educators and others who women might consult when making these decisions.
- Even more importantly, I oppose this legislation because it addresses much more than the coercion issue. Beyond using the boogeyman of coercion to frighten people, it proposes a variety of measures designed to make women change their minds (looking at pictures of unborn fetuses, offering anesthesia for the fetus, etc.).
Setting aside the question of constitutionality, Hank Waters is right in the most important ways (see his article at http://www.showmenews.com/2008/Apr/20080421Comm002.asp). This legislation is one more effort, in a long line of efforts, to undermine women's ability to choose abortion.
I'm ready to talk about reducing and eliminating abortion through education and birth control. To that extent, I'm excited about working with both Republicans and my fellow Democrats who are committed to this same end. And we will find wasy to compromise from time to time if we are willing to have reasonable discussion. But I will not support legislation designed to intimidate women, health care providers and others. And I will steadfastly and respectfully disagree with anyone who does, regardless of party.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
573-823-1308 (mobile)
100 Days Remaining
Hi Everybody!
It is hard to believe that I've been campaigning for four months. On one hand, it feels like there's no way it could be that long; on the other, it feels as though I've been campaigning for this seat my entire life.
Forgive me for being just a little sentimental today. Every part of running this campaign really is an honor (well, maybe I could have done without some of the nasty blog postings...).
It is amazing to meet my neighbors across Columbia and talk with them about important issues. This happens every day, often on people's front door steps. Let me assure you, if you are standing at someone's front door and they are in the mood to talk, there is absolutely nothing they won't say. I've had people tell me about their health problems; about lost jobs; one woman told me about her daughter dying after losing her Medicaid coverage; and another told me about lead poisoning her entire family is suffering and her resulting concerns about environmental safety regulations.
Mostly, though, I've heard reasons for optimism -- stories about hopes and joys and all of the things that make Missouri great.
Just 100 days remain in the primary campaign. I can't wait to see what they have in store.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
It is hard to believe that I've been campaigning for four months. On one hand, it feels like there's no way it could be that long; on the other, it feels as though I've been campaigning for this seat my entire life.
Forgive me for being just a little sentimental today. Every part of running this campaign really is an honor (well, maybe I could have done without some of the nasty blog postings...).
It is amazing to meet my neighbors across Columbia and talk with them about important issues. This happens every day, often on people's front door steps. Let me assure you, if you are standing at someone's front door and they are in the mood to talk, there is absolutely nothing they won't say. I've had people tell me about their health problems; about lost jobs; one woman told me about her daughter dying after losing her Medicaid coverage; and another told me about lead poisoning her entire family is suffering and her resulting concerns about environmental safety regulations.
Mostly, though, I've heard reasons for optimism -- stories about hopes and joys and all of the things that make Missouri great.
Just 100 days remain in the primary campaign. I can't wait to see what they have in store.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Director of Sustainability
Hi Everybody!
Here is a press release I sent last week about creating a Missouri Director of Sustainability.
To me, this is an example of the kind of legislation that both parties should be able to support. The key is to create a position whose job is to save the state money by being smarter about the way we use our resource. Doesn't that just make sense? Universities and companies are saving billions (I thought it was hundreds of millions, but have been informed that it is much more) by doing exactly this. Shouldn't Missouri have the same opportunity?
My proposal is for a cabinet-level position -- someone who can really have the ear of the governor and with enough weight to interest the press corps.
Done even sort of right, this is the sort of proposal that will be worth far more to the state than what it might cost us (Duke University, for example, saves millions with a $30,000+ position).
Have a great Thursday!
- sean
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2008
CONTACT: SEAN SPENCE
573-823-1308; seanspence@earthlink.net
EARTH DAY -- SPENCE PROPOSES MISSOURI DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY
“In the name of saving money and saving our planet, Missouri should create a cabinet-level Director of Sustainability,” Spence said. “My favorite example of success in this area is MU, which saves over $2.2 million annually through energy conservation alone.”
(Columbia, MO) Today Sean Spence, Democratic candidate for Missouri’s 25th legislative district, proposed the creation of a cabinet-level Director of Sustainability, reporting directly to the governor. This position would be tasked with identifying “green” measures that would save the state money and contribute to environmental preservation.
Spence said that universities across the country are creating positions of this kind and should set an example for states. He pointed to the University of Missouri as paving the way for statewide programs.
He said the following quote from a 2004 article about MU’s cost-saving programs should be an inspiration to Missouri:
"Turning off a typical computer every night and weekend saves $60 annually, amounting to thousands when applied to the many computers used across campus," says Paul Hoemann, MU’s director of Energy Management. "Efforts like this don't cost anything."
“MU saves over $2.2 million every year because of the steps it has taken to conserve energy,” Spence said. “This doesn’t even address such areas as paper management, transportation, waste management and purchasing.”
Spence said that merging environmentally friendly policies with cost-savings is also taking hold in corporate America. “Companies ranging from Coca-Cola to Walt Disney are saving millions of dollars every year through their green efforts,” Spence said. “Shouldn’t Missouri have at least one high-level person who focuses exclusively on doing the same?”
Spence, a 1993 graduate of the University of Missouri, runs a public relations and political consulting practice in Columbia. A part-time state employee, Spence is an advisor to State Auditor Susan Montee.
####
Here is a press release I sent last week about creating a Missouri Director of Sustainability.
To me, this is an example of the kind of legislation that both parties should be able to support. The key is to create a position whose job is to save the state money by being smarter about the way we use our resource. Doesn't that just make sense? Universities and companies are saving billions (I thought it was hundreds of millions, but have been informed that it is much more) by doing exactly this. Shouldn't Missouri have the same opportunity?
My proposal is for a cabinet-level position -- someone who can really have the ear of the governor and with enough weight to interest the press corps.
Done even sort of right, this is the sort of proposal that will be worth far more to the state than what it might cost us (Duke University, for example, saves millions with a $30,000+ position).
Have a great Thursday!
- sean
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2008
CONTACT: SEAN SPENCE
573-823-1308; seanspence@earthlink.net
EARTH DAY -- SPENCE PROPOSES MISSOURI DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY
“In the name of saving money and saving our planet, Missouri should create a cabinet-level Director of Sustainability,” Spence said. “My favorite example of success in this area is MU, which saves over $2.2 million annually through energy conservation alone.”
(Columbia, MO) Today Sean Spence, Democratic candidate for Missouri’s 25th legislative district, proposed the creation of a cabinet-level Director of Sustainability, reporting directly to the governor. This position would be tasked with identifying “green” measures that would save the state money and contribute to environmental preservation.
Spence said that universities across the country are creating positions of this kind and should set an example for states. He pointed to the University of Missouri as paving the way for statewide programs.
He said the following quote from a 2004 article about MU’s cost-saving programs should be an inspiration to Missouri:
"Turning off a typical computer every night and weekend saves $60 annually, amounting to thousands when applied to the many computers used across campus," says Paul Hoemann, MU’s director of Energy Management. "Efforts like this don't cost anything."
“MU saves over $2.2 million every year because of the steps it has taken to conserve energy,” Spence said. “This doesn’t even address such areas as paper management, transportation, waste management and purchasing.”
Spence said that merging environmentally friendly policies with cost-savings is also taking hold in corporate America. “Companies ranging from Coca-Cola to Walt Disney are saving millions of dollars every year through their green efforts,” Spence said. “Shouldn’t Missouri have at least one high-level person who focuses exclusively on doing the same?”
Spence, a 1993 graduate of the University of Missouri, runs a public relations and political consulting practice in Columbia. A part-time state employee, Spence is an advisor to State Auditor Susan Montee.
####
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
My letter to the editor -- Columbia Daily Tribune
Okay, in terms of blogging, this is cheating a little bit, because I've already written about my prescription drug plan. But here is the letter I wrote to the Columbia Daily Tribune about it. Enjoy!
- sean
Missouri should negotiate better prescription deals
Published Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Editor, the Tribune:
Hundreds of thousands of Missourians are being crushed under the weight of uncontrolled prescription costs. Other states are finding market-driven solutions to this problem. It is time for Missouri to help our residents save money on their prescriptions.
One solution does not have to include lots of money. All we must do is look to Maine - as well as California and Hawaii, which followed Maine’s lead - and leverage the buying power of Missouri’s Medicaid program to negotiate better prescription drug prices.
Doesn’t that make sense? Isn’t negotiating better prices always a good idea? It almost seems un-American to suggest otherwise.
Missouri could negotiate better prescription drug prices. Maine does it every day. It tells drug companies, "Cut your profit margins on Drug X, or we won’t put it on Medicaid’s preferred drug list, which means fewer people will buy it and you will make less money."
The result is that hundreds of prescription drugs are discounted by an average of 25 percent for brand-name drugs and an average of 50 percent for generics.
In the "Maine Rx Plus" program, residents who make as much as 350 percent of the federal poverty level and don’t have prescription drug coverage qualify for the program. More than 100,000 Maine residents enjoy the program’s benefits.
The program has proved itself since 2004, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared it constitutional.
Doesn’t Missouri deserve a program that will cut drug prices without a massive outlay of taxpayers’ money? Don’t we need to do something?
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
10 S. Ninth St.
- sean
Missouri should negotiate better prescription deals
Published Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Editor, the Tribune:
Hundreds of thousands of Missourians are being crushed under the weight of uncontrolled prescription costs. Other states are finding market-driven solutions to this problem. It is time for Missouri to help our residents save money on their prescriptions.
One solution does not have to include lots of money. All we must do is look to Maine - as well as California and Hawaii, which followed Maine’s lead - and leverage the buying power of Missouri’s Medicaid program to negotiate better prescription drug prices.
Doesn’t that make sense? Isn’t negotiating better prices always a good idea? It almost seems un-American to suggest otherwise.
Missouri could negotiate better prescription drug prices. Maine does it every day. It tells drug companies, "Cut your profit margins on Drug X, or we won’t put it on Medicaid’s preferred drug list, which means fewer people will buy it and you will make less money."
The result is that hundreds of prescription drugs are discounted by an average of 25 percent for brand-name drugs and an average of 50 percent for generics.
In the "Maine Rx Plus" program, residents who make as much as 350 percent of the federal poverty level and don’t have prescription drug coverage qualify for the program. More than 100,000 Maine residents enjoy the program’s benefits.
The program has proved itself since 2004, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared it constitutional.
Doesn’t Missouri deserve a program that will cut drug prices without a massive outlay of taxpayers’ money? Don’t we need to do something?
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
10 S. Ninth St.
Article about my student support
Hi Everybody!
Here's a link to a story in The Maneater (MU's student newspaper) about my recent endorsement by several student leaders from the district's three campuses (Columbia College, MU and Stephens).
http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2008/4/1/students-support-spence/
I'm pretty excited about the story. Too many candidates and elected officials talk a lot about supporting our schools and forget about the students. The other day, there was actually a comment on a blog post, saying, "Seeking endorsements from students who don't even come from Columbia and probably won't even be here in the future seems irrelevent."
The poster later came back to say that his/her words were being twisted. But you can read them for yourself and it seems pretty plain what was meant.
http://blogs.columbiatribune.com/politics/2008/03/spence_touts_backing_of_democr.html
That viewpoint doesn't make much sense to me. How can Columbia reap the rewards of the student population and not give their opinions equal weight? I can understand that people who are older or who have lived here longer offer a different perspective, but that doesn't make it better than what the students have to offer.
So, I say thank you to all of the students -- leaders and everyone else -- who has gotten behind my campaign. I appreciate you, and you can be sure your opinions and needs will always carry weight with me.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Here's a link to a story in The Maneater (MU's student newspaper) about my recent endorsement by several student leaders from the district's three campuses (Columbia College, MU and Stephens).
http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2008/4/1/students-support-spence/
I'm pretty excited about the story. Too many candidates and elected officials talk a lot about supporting our schools and forget about the students. The other day, there was actually a comment on a blog post, saying, "Seeking endorsements from students who don't even come from Columbia and probably won't even be here in the future seems irrelevent."
The poster later came back to say that his/her words were being twisted. But you can read them for yourself and it seems pretty plain what was meant.
http://blogs.columbiatribune.com/politics/2008/03/spence_touts_backing_of_democr.html
That viewpoint doesn't make much sense to me. How can Columbia reap the rewards of the student population and not give their opinions equal weight? I can understand that people who are older or who have lived here longer offer a different perspective, but that doesn't make it better than what the students have to offer.
So, I say thank you to all of the students -- leaders and everyone else -- who has gotten behind my campaign. I appreciate you, and you can be sure your opinions and needs will always carry weight with me.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Environmental Policy
Hi Everybody!
I don't have a particularly cohesive, well-constructed message today (if ever). Right now I'm talking a lot with folks about the environment, about sustainability, about reconciling the needs of our planet with the needs of business (gee, wonder who's going to win that arguement?!?).
Ben Datema, President of Sustain Mizzou, posted an interesting article, which he wrote, on his Facebook page about Natural Capitalism. Now that I think about it, rather than rambling on about my disorganized thoughts, I'm going to post his brief article below. Under that, I'm also going to paste links to two article that I find very interesting, related to the greening of business (you might need to hold your nose for the one about Wal-Mart -- it pains me to post anything remotely positive about them, but it is a valuable article).
Here's Ben's article:
Business and Environmental Sustainability, by Ben Datema, Sustain Mizzou
It's business versus environment, right? If The economy is growing, the environment must shrink, and vice-versa.
Not at all!
Business and environmental sustainability are both about efficiency--both businesses and the natural world have limited resources. In both cases, we must strive to get the biggest bang for our buck (or load of lumber, or chunk of aluminum, or any other resource). If we are to reduce our negative impact on the environment and increase or positive impact, we must do so by fostering businesses and people, as well as the natural capital that businesses, people, and every other living thing depend on. This is the concept of Natural Capitalism--humanity is not at odds with the enviornment, humanity is a part of it. Supporting the natural environment is the same thing as supporting ourselves.
I found the 4 points below on the Rocky Mountain Institute website (RMI is a world leader in environmental sustainability advocacy and consulting--RMI.org).
The Four Principles of Natural Capitalism.
1. Radically Increase the Productivity of Natural Resources.Through fundamental changes in both production design and technology, farsighted companies are developing ways to make natural resources — energy, minerals, water, forests — stretch five, ten, even 100 times further than they do today. The resulting savings in operational costs, capital investment, and time can help natural capitalists implement the other three principles.
2. Shift to Biologically Inspired Production Models and Materials.Natural capitalism seeks not merely to reduce waste but to eliminate the very concept of waste. In closed-loop production systems, modeled on nature's designs, every output either is returned harmlessly to the ecosystem as a nutrient, like compost, or becomes an input for another manufacturing process. Industrial processes that emulate the benign chemistry of nature reduce dependence on nonrenewable inputs, make possible often phenomenally more efficient production, and can result in elegantly simple products that rival anything man-made.
3. Move to a "Service-and-Flow" Business Model.The business model of traditional manufacturing rests on the sale of goods. In the new model, value is instead delivered as a continuous flow of services—such as providing illumination rather than selling light bulbs. This aligns the interests of providers and customers in ways that reward them for resource productivity.
4. Reinvest in Natural Capital.Capital begets more capital; a company that depletes its own capital is eroding the basis of its future prosperity. Pressures on business to restore, sustain, and expand natural capital are mounting as human needs expand, the costs of deteriorating ecosystems rise, and the environmental awareness of consumers increases. Fortunately, these pressures all create business opportunity.
That's the end of Ben's article. Below are the two links (again, please forgive the Wal-Mart article -- even the devil has lessons to teach).
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/118/working-with-the-enemy.html -- about Adam Wehrbach, once the youngest president of the Sierra Club, now working for Wal-Mart
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/120/motorhead-messiah.html -- Johnathan Goodwin can get 100 mpg out of a Lincoln Continental, cut emissions by 80%, and double the horsepower. Does the car business have the guts to follow him?
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
I don't have a particularly cohesive, well-constructed message today (if ever). Right now I'm talking a lot with folks about the environment, about sustainability, about reconciling the needs of our planet with the needs of business (gee, wonder who's going to win that arguement?!?).
Ben Datema, President of Sustain Mizzou, posted an interesting article, which he wrote, on his Facebook page about Natural Capitalism. Now that I think about it, rather than rambling on about my disorganized thoughts, I'm going to post his brief article below. Under that, I'm also going to paste links to two article that I find very interesting, related to the greening of business (you might need to hold your nose for the one about Wal-Mart -- it pains me to post anything remotely positive about them, but it is a valuable article).
Here's Ben's article:
Business and Environmental Sustainability, by Ben Datema, Sustain Mizzou
It's business versus environment, right? If The economy is growing, the environment must shrink, and vice-versa.
Not at all!
Business and environmental sustainability are both about efficiency--both businesses and the natural world have limited resources. In both cases, we must strive to get the biggest bang for our buck (or load of lumber, or chunk of aluminum, or any other resource). If we are to reduce our negative impact on the environment and increase or positive impact, we must do so by fostering businesses and people, as well as the natural capital that businesses, people, and every other living thing depend on. This is the concept of Natural Capitalism--humanity is not at odds with the enviornment, humanity is a part of it. Supporting the natural environment is the same thing as supporting ourselves.
I found the 4 points below on the Rocky Mountain Institute website (RMI is a world leader in environmental sustainability advocacy and consulting--RMI.org).
The Four Principles of Natural Capitalism.
1. Radically Increase the Productivity of Natural Resources.Through fundamental changes in both production design and technology, farsighted companies are developing ways to make natural resources — energy, minerals, water, forests — stretch five, ten, even 100 times further than they do today. The resulting savings in operational costs, capital investment, and time can help natural capitalists implement the other three principles.
2. Shift to Biologically Inspired Production Models and Materials.Natural capitalism seeks not merely to reduce waste but to eliminate the very concept of waste. In closed-loop production systems, modeled on nature's designs, every output either is returned harmlessly to the ecosystem as a nutrient, like compost, or becomes an input for another manufacturing process. Industrial processes that emulate the benign chemistry of nature reduce dependence on nonrenewable inputs, make possible often phenomenally more efficient production, and can result in elegantly simple products that rival anything man-made.
3. Move to a "Service-and-Flow" Business Model.The business model of traditional manufacturing rests on the sale of goods. In the new model, value is instead delivered as a continuous flow of services—such as providing illumination rather than selling light bulbs. This aligns the interests of providers and customers in ways that reward them for resource productivity.
4. Reinvest in Natural Capital.Capital begets more capital; a company that depletes its own capital is eroding the basis of its future prosperity. Pressures on business to restore, sustain, and expand natural capital are mounting as human needs expand, the costs of deteriorating ecosystems rise, and the environmental awareness of consumers increases. Fortunately, these pressures all create business opportunity.
That's the end of Ben's article. Below are the two links (again, please forgive the Wal-Mart article -- even the devil has lessons to teach).
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/118/working-with-the-enemy.html -- about Adam Wehrbach, once the youngest president of the Sierra Club, now working for Wal-Mart
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/120/motorhead-messiah.html -- Johnathan Goodwin can get 100 mpg out of a Lincoln Continental, cut emissions by 80%, and double the horsepower. Does the car business have the guts to follow him?
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Teamsters
Hi Everybody!
The cool thing I had to wait to tell you about is a speech I gave to a statewide meeting of Teamsters Local leaders. I was invited to address today's meeting -- the only candidate from the 25th district who was invited and one of the few legislative candidates, period. I've been committed to the issues of working people for a long time, and have a history of the kind of grassroots action and activities they like, so they asked me to come in and say hello.
Here is the speech I gave:
****
Good afternoon. My name is Sean Spence. I’m a pro-labor, pro-Teamster Democrat and I’m running to represent Missouri’s working men and women in the Missouri Legislature.
I came here today so we could continue getting to know each other. I say “continue” because I first got to know Jim Kabell and other Missouri Teamsters in 1993, fifteen years ago, working to elect other pro-labor Democrats. I’ve also worked with Teamsters in 10 other states, and you have always, always treated me right.
But my history with Labor goes back much further, and is much more personal. It goes back to my grandfather, a hard working, small town man who didn’t finish high school. My grandfather worked in the Fenton, Missouri Chrysler plant and was a union man until the day he died. It was his union healthcare plan that paid his bills when he got lung cancer and his union pension that supported by grandmother for the 20 years she outlived him.
And if that isn’t enough to let you know how important the Labor movement is to the Spence family, then you need to know about my big brother Paul Spence, another lifelong union member. My brother is mentally challenged, but he’s supported himself for over 20 years, stocking shelves in a grocery store. About five years ago, Paul developed a digestive condition that was literally eating away his insides. For two years, he missed work and ran up six-figure medical bills. But let me tell you what, thanks to his union-won benefits, Paul’s medical bills were covered and his job was waiting for him when he got better. My family still thanks god for that union – without it, my brother would be dead, or my family would be drowning in medical bills, or both.
So I’m here to tell you that I’m with you. I’m with you like you are my blood family – a room full of my own brothers and sister, because without the men and women of labor, I can’t tell you where the Spences would be today.
And one way or another, I’ll stay with you. I’ll stay with you in the fight for the rights we have all earned as working men and women. I’ll stay with you in the fight to ensure that every Missourian is educated, employed and insured. Just like you have been there for me, you can count on me to be there for you.
I’m Sean Spence, running to represent working Missouri in the state House. Thank you.
****
As you can tell, working with the men and women of Missouri's Labor movement is very important to me. They are the ones who too often get forgotten, or are targeted by one interest group or another. Helping them have the voice they deserve will be a key feature of my time in the Missouri House, if I am lucky enough to be elected.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
The cool thing I had to wait to tell you about is a speech I gave to a statewide meeting of Teamsters Local leaders. I was invited to address today's meeting -- the only candidate from the 25th district who was invited and one of the few legislative candidates, period. I've been committed to the issues of working people for a long time, and have a history of the kind of grassroots action and activities they like, so they asked me to come in and say hello.
Here is the speech I gave:
****
Good afternoon. My name is Sean Spence. I’m a pro-labor, pro-Teamster Democrat and I’m running to represent Missouri’s working men and women in the Missouri Legislature.
I came here today so we could continue getting to know each other. I say “continue” because I first got to know Jim Kabell and other Missouri Teamsters in 1993, fifteen years ago, working to elect other pro-labor Democrats. I’ve also worked with Teamsters in 10 other states, and you have always, always treated me right.
But my history with Labor goes back much further, and is much more personal. It goes back to my grandfather, a hard working, small town man who didn’t finish high school. My grandfather worked in the Fenton, Missouri Chrysler plant and was a union man until the day he died. It was his union healthcare plan that paid his bills when he got lung cancer and his union pension that supported by grandmother for the 20 years she outlived him.
And if that isn’t enough to let you know how important the Labor movement is to the Spence family, then you need to know about my big brother Paul Spence, another lifelong union member. My brother is mentally challenged, but he’s supported himself for over 20 years, stocking shelves in a grocery store. About five years ago, Paul developed a digestive condition that was literally eating away his insides. For two years, he missed work and ran up six-figure medical bills. But let me tell you what, thanks to his union-won benefits, Paul’s medical bills were covered and his job was waiting for him when he got better. My family still thanks god for that union – without it, my brother would be dead, or my family would be drowning in medical bills, or both.
So I’m here to tell you that I’m with you. I’m with you like you are my blood family – a room full of my own brothers and sister, because without the men and women of labor, I can’t tell you where the Spences would be today.
And one way or another, I’ll stay with you. I’ll stay with you in the fight for the rights we have all earned as working men and women. I’ll stay with you in the fight to ensure that every Missourian is educated, employed and insured. Just like you have been there for me, you can count on me to be there for you.
I’m Sean Spence, running to represent working Missouri in the state House. Thank you.
****
As you can tell, working with the men and women of Missouri's Labor movement is very important to me. They are the ones who too often get forgotten, or are targeted by one interest group or another. Helping them have the voice they deserve will be a key feature of my time in the Missouri House, if I am lucky enough to be elected.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Heads up
Hi Everybody!
Check back later this evening. I'll be doing something cool later in the day that I can't talk about until it happens. But I should be back to a computer and able to write about it before too late. No, it not HUGE deal, but it is important and kind of fun and worth the three minutes of your time it will take to have look.
Until then, have an awesome Monday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Check back later this evening. I'll be doing something cool later in the day that I can't talk about until it happens. But I should be back to a computer and able to write about it before too late. No, it not HUGE deal, but it is important and kind of fun and worth the three minutes of your time it will take to have look.
Until then, have an awesome Monday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Reducing prescription drug prices
Hi Everybody!
As you know may know by now, I was diagnosed with MS in 2003. This is part of the reason I feel qualified to talk about the need to overhaul our health care system -- because I live with its faults every day. One of the problems I see is the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs. Each week, I have to take injections of a drug called Rebif, which slows the progression of my MS. If I was not enrolled in the state health care plan, my prescription would cost me $1300 per month.
Last year I got a phone call from the drug company, letting me know that my co-pay had just gone up from $50/month to $500/month. No warning. If I wanted my medicine, I needed to come up with the money or go without.
We absolutely have to do something about the cost of prescription drugs.
Not one to sit around and wait for a solution (guess that's why I'm running for state representative), I've found a solution that , while not perfect, can provide a lot of help to an awful lot of people. And it is not a subsidy -- there will be some relatively minor adminstrative costs, but this isn't a big money program.
In simplest terms, the plan leverages the muscle of a state's Medicaid program to negotiate drug prices for a large group of the uninsured population (my suggestion, and the way they do it in Maine, is people up to 350% of the poverty level). The state essentially goes to a drug company and says, "Lower the cost of this drug for a defined group of people or we won't put you on our Medicaid program's preferred drug list, and you won't sell as much, and you'll make less money."
Pretty simple sounding, huh? Well, that is happening right now, with a couple of variations, in Maine, California and Hawaii. Millions of dollars are being saved by folks who most need to be saving that money. Every state could have done this years ago, but the pharmaceutical companies convinced states that they'd be sued and lose if they did it. Guess what? Maine was the first state to implement a plan like this; they were sued; and the case went all the way to the U.S. Supremen Court, where the plan was found to be legal. States can use their Medicaid programs to negotiate prescription drug prices. Simple.
Missouri needs to do this. Every state needs to, really, but I'm pretty focused on Missouri these days.
For more information, here are a couple of good links:
http://www.policychoices.org/reports/CutDrugCostsExecSumFINAL.pdf
http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/library/report.php?ID=50
Please, learn more about this program and tell people about it. If I'm elected, I promise I'll do everything I can to see that it becomes law. Too many people need help; we can't sit around and do nothing for them; Democracy is not a spectator sport; get in the game!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
As you know may know by now, I was diagnosed with MS in 2003. This is part of the reason I feel qualified to talk about the need to overhaul our health care system -- because I live with its faults every day. One of the problems I see is the skyrocketing price of prescription drugs. Each week, I have to take injections of a drug called Rebif, which slows the progression of my MS. If I was not enrolled in the state health care plan, my prescription would cost me $1300 per month.
Last year I got a phone call from the drug company, letting me know that my co-pay had just gone up from $50/month to $500/month. No warning. If I wanted my medicine, I needed to come up with the money or go without.
We absolutely have to do something about the cost of prescription drugs.
Not one to sit around and wait for a solution (guess that's why I'm running for state representative), I've found a solution that , while not perfect, can provide a lot of help to an awful lot of people. And it is not a subsidy -- there will be some relatively minor adminstrative costs, but this isn't a big money program.
In simplest terms, the plan leverages the muscle of a state's Medicaid program to negotiate drug prices for a large group of the uninsured population (my suggestion, and the way they do it in Maine, is people up to 350% of the poverty level). The state essentially goes to a drug company and says, "Lower the cost of this drug for a defined group of people or we won't put you on our Medicaid program's preferred drug list, and you won't sell as much, and you'll make less money."
Pretty simple sounding, huh? Well, that is happening right now, with a couple of variations, in Maine, California and Hawaii. Millions of dollars are being saved by folks who most need to be saving that money. Every state could have done this years ago, but the pharmaceutical companies convinced states that they'd be sued and lose if they did it. Guess what? Maine was the first state to implement a plan like this; they were sued; and the case went all the way to the U.S. Supremen Court, where the plan was found to be legal. States can use their Medicaid programs to negotiate prescription drug prices. Simple.
Missouri needs to do this. Every state needs to, really, but I'm pretty focused on Missouri these days.
For more information, here are a couple of good links:
http://www.policychoices.org/reports/CutDrugCostsExecSumFINAL.pdf
http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/library/report.php?ID=50
Please, learn more about this program and tell people about it. If I'm elected, I promise I'll do everything I can to see that it becomes law. Too many people need help; we can't sit around and do nothing for them; Democracy is not a spectator sport; get in the game!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th House District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Health Care; my media mistake
Hi Everybody!
It has been 14 days since my last post. Yes, I'm going to get better at this!
The campaign is going well. I have some big news (to us, anyway) coming up in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned.
Right now, I'm spending a lot of time thinking about health care. I'm working on an idea that I can't really talk about until we release it, but that will be soon. My steering committee has been great -- helping me develop ideas and create something truly valuable for Missouri.
The other day I got into something that I should have been able to steer clear of (as someone who has worked with the media for, essentially, my entire career). I was waiting for my breakfast at Kaldi's (turkey sausage omelette on an everything bagel -- mmmmm) when my phone rang. It was a reporter with a local TV station, writing a story that was kind of negative about one of my opponents (their angle, from the beginning). All of the questions the reporter asked me were pretty biased and leading, but, well, I answered them. I used to teach corporate executives how to deal with reporters and this is EXACTLY the kind of thing I warned them about every time. Total rooky mistake on my part. (Turns out I'm not perfect, Mom.)
Oh well, the story ran and it included a paraphrased quote from me, sounding like I was bashing my opponent. That wasn't my intent, but it sounded that way. So I apologized to him (yes, against the advice of some of my more hard-core campaign friends) and we are all moving on.
From the beginning, my policy regarding my opponents has been pretty simple -- don't say anything about them at all. Hopefully, I'll be able to do a better job of that as we move forward. This race should be about issues and everything each of us says should be about ourselves and what we believe/want to do. My message is simple -- that Missouri should be educated, employed and insured. To the best of my ability, that is what you will hear about from me.
Have an awesome Wednesday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th State House District
http://www.spencecampaign.com/
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
It has been 14 days since my last post. Yes, I'm going to get better at this!
The campaign is going well. I have some big news (to us, anyway) coming up in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned.
Right now, I'm spending a lot of time thinking about health care. I'm working on an idea that I can't really talk about until we release it, but that will be soon. My steering committee has been great -- helping me develop ideas and create something truly valuable for Missouri.
The other day I got into something that I should have been able to steer clear of (as someone who has worked with the media for, essentially, my entire career). I was waiting for my breakfast at Kaldi's (turkey sausage omelette on an everything bagel -- mmmmm) when my phone rang. It was a reporter with a local TV station, writing a story that was kind of negative about one of my opponents (their angle, from the beginning). All of the questions the reporter asked me were pretty biased and leading, but, well, I answered them. I used to teach corporate executives how to deal with reporters and this is EXACTLY the kind of thing I warned them about every time. Total rooky mistake on my part. (Turns out I'm not perfect, Mom.)
Oh well, the story ran and it included a paraphrased quote from me, sounding like I was bashing my opponent. That wasn't my intent, but it sounded that way. So I apologized to him (yes, against the advice of some of my more hard-core campaign friends) and we are all moving on.
From the beginning, my policy regarding my opponents has been pretty simple -- don't say anything about them at all. Hopefully, I'll be able to do a better job of that as we move forward. This race should be about issues and everything each of us says should be about ourselves and what we believe/want to do. My message is simple -- that Missouri should be educated, employed and insured. To the best of my ability, that is what you will hear about from me.
Have an awesome Wednesday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th State House District
http://www.spencecampaign.com/
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (mobile)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Blogging for the MyMissourian.com
Hi Everyone!
MyMissourian.com is a collection of blog posts sponsored by the Columbia Missourian. From now on, some or all of my blog messages will be posted there. At some point, I expect my opponents will do it too. Pretty cool, huh? A big part of my goal in this race is to set a new standard for constituent communications -- more, better, more direct, in more ways. Anything I can do to get voters more informed and involved is going to happen.
Today I was talking to a voter about a variety of concerns. One was that he lives near one of MU's farms (used largely for research and teaching). Both his home and the farm are on a gravel road (yes, the 25th district has large stretches of gravel road -- it isn't all colleges and downtown Columbia!) and, particularly in the Spring and Summer, there is often a great deal of traffic going to and from the MU farm. As a result, a not-so-minor dust storm can be created that envelopes the voter's front porch and yard. Very unpleasant, as you can imagine. Apparently, there is a slightly less convenient but paved road that also leads to the farm that the voter says could be used instead of the gravel road, eliminating the "cloud 0' dust" problem. The voter says he has asked for this to be done, and has gotten no cooperation. He also says the county can't even treat the road with sealant (to dramatically reduce dust) because there is not enough traffic to meet county requirements for this kind of work.
Okay, now that I've layed out what the voter told me, let me say that I don't have any idea what the University's or county's perspective is -- but I'm going to find out. The commitment I've made to the voter is to gather information and let him know if I can help or have any suggestions. Who knows what I'm going to learn? I may or may not be able to help when I learn more; heck, I may not even think helping is the right thing to do when I get more facts. But I've promised to do some digging and report back on what I find. Then, if I think I can help, I'm going to try.
That, my friends, is what I think a state representative -- or any elected official -- is supposed to do. If I'm elected, my job will be to try to get the facts when a constituent asks for help, offer that help when I can, and admit the truth when I can't help or think I shouldn't try. That's the commitment I made to this voter, and that's the commitment I'll make time and again if I'm elected.
On a separate note, here's the question of the day (inspired by the aforementioned conversation):
Should farmers be required to tag their animals (cattle, particularly) with electronic ID tags? If so, should their be limits or restrictions? Anything else that needs to be done related to this?
Thanks for reading. See ya!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308
MyMissourian.com is a collection of blog posts sponsored by the Columbia Missourian. From now on, some or all of my blog messages will be posted there. At some point, I expect my opponents will do it too. Pretty cool, huh? A big part of my goal in this race is to set a new standard for constituent communications -- more, better, more direct, in more ways. Anything I can do to get voters more informed and involved is going to happen.
Today I was talking to a voter about a variety of concerns. One was that he lives near one of MU's farms (used largely for research and teaching). Both his home and the farm are on a gravel road (yes, the 25th district has large stretches of gravel road -- it isn't all colleges and downtown Columbia!) and, particularly in the Spring and Summer, there is often a great deal of traffic going to and from the MU farm. As a result, a not-so-minor dust storm can be created that envelopes the voter's front porch and yard. Very unpleasant, as you can imagine. Apparently, there is a slightly less convenient but paved road that also leads to the farm that the voter says could be used instead of the gravel road, eliminating the "cloud 0' dust" problem. The voter says he has asked for this to be done, and has gotten no cooperation. He also says the county can't even treat the road with sealant (to dramatically reduce dust) because there is not enough traffic to meet county requirements for this kind of work.
Okay, now that I've layed out what the voter told me, let me say that I don't have any idea what the University's or county's perspective is -- but I'm going to find out. The commitment I've made to the voter is to gather information and let him know if I can help or have any suggestions. Who knows what I'm going to learn? I may or may not be able to help when I learn more; heck, I may not even think helping is the right thing to do when I get more facts. But I've promised to do some digging and report back on what I find. Then, if I think I can help, I'm going to try.
That, my friends, is what I think a state representative -- or any elected official -- is supposed to do. If I'm elected, my job will be to try to get the facts when a constituent asks for help, offer that help when I can, and admit the truth when I can't help or think I shouldn't try. That's the commitment I made to this voter, and that's the commitment I'll make time and again if I'm elected.
On a separate note, here's the question of the day (inspired by the aforementioned conversation):
Should farmers be required to tag their animals (cattle, particularly) with electronic ID tags? If so, should their be limits or restrictions? Anything else that needs to be done related to this?
Thanks for reading. See ya!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Obama activities
Hi Everybody!
I've just returned from the "mass meeting" where local delegates were chosen to go to the next electoral level to vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama (some will eventually go on to the national convention). Sort of unexpectedly, I was chosen to chair tonight's process for the Obama people (I've been a supporter of his since almost the beginning -- since long before most reasonable people thought he had a chance to win). I say "sort of unexpectedly" because the possibility did not come up until last night, when I was contacted and asked if I would accept if nominated.
At that point, I thought it would be uncontested, so I agreed. Then, we got there tonight and a pretty heavy hitter/former elected official decided to run against me. Had I known he wanted the job, I would have bowed out because, well, one contested election is enough for me right now. But by the time he was nominated, it was too late to stop my folks from nominating me. To be honest, I assumed I was about to lose the election for this ceremonial position -- but I won. And presiding over the election of delegates and alternates was pretty cool. It was nice to be a small part of the process.
Why am I supporting Barack Obama? I made the decision after reading one of his books, "Audacity of Hope." If you haven't read it, you should get up right now and go get it. The long and short of it is that Barack Obama represents the very best of what this country should be. Do I have a problem with Hillary? No. I like Hillary. I've been a fan since she first hit my radar screen in 1991 or so. I'll work my backside off for her if she is the Democratic nominee. But I'm an Obama guy. He is my generation's JFK, and I could not be more proud to support him.
By the way, I need to point out that I'm no longer posting my walking results. I'll still talk about it, but I won't continue putting up how much I've walked. I've completely gotten into a daily groove and am even increasing my daily amount, but it occurred to me that the average voter doesn't care about that nearly so much as my opponents do. What you really need to know is that I'm working as hard as I possibly can to represent you. I am doing more to create contact and real relationships with voters than most folks are used to, and that's the attitude I'm going to bring to this office, if I win it. You can count on me to create as many opportunities as possible to get to know you and to be accessible when you need help.
That's it for tonight. Tomorrow is busy, but includes the next round of movies in the True/False Film Festival. Leigh and I went to one of the films tonight, and even met the director, which was awesome. I can hardly wait to see the next one (we are seeing eight movies, in all, over a period of four days; yay!).
See ya.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (Sean's cell)
I've just returned from the "mass meeting" where local delegates were chosen to go to the next electoral level to vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama (some will eventually go on to the national convention). Sort of unexpectedly, I was chosen to chair tonight's process for the Obama people (I've been a supporter of his since almost the beginning -- since long before most reasonable people thought he had a chance to win). I say "sort of unexpectedly" because the possibility did not come up until last night, when I was contacted and asked if I would accept if nominated.
At that point, I thought it would be uncontested, so I agreed. Then, we got there tonight and a pretty heavy hitter/former elected official decided to run against me. Had I known he wanted the job, I would have bowed out because, well, one contested election is enough for me right now. But by the time he was nominated, it was too late to stop my folks from nominating me. To be honest, I assumed I was about to lose the election for this ceremonial position -- but I won. And presiding over the election of delegates and alternates was pretty cool. It was nice to be a small part of the process.
Why am I supporting Barack Obama? I made the decision after reading one of his books, "Audacity of Hope." If you haven't read it, you should get up right now and go get it. The long and short of it is that Barack Obama represents the very best of what this country should be. Do I have a problem with Hillary? No. I like Hillary. I've been a fan since she first hit my radar screen in 1991 or so. I'll work my backside off for her if she is the Democratic nominee. But I'm an Obama guy. He is my generation's JFK, and I could not be more proud to support him.
By the way, I need to point out that I'm no longer posting my walking results. I'll still talk about it, but I won't continue putting up how much I've walked. I've completely gotten into a daily groove and am even increasing my daily amount, but it occurred to me that the average voter doesn't care about that nearly so much as my opponents do. What you really need to know is that I'm working as hard as I possibly can to represent you. I am doing more to create contact and real relationships with voters than most folks are used to, and that's the attitude I'm going to bring to this office, if I win it. You can count on me to create as many opportunities as possible to get to know you and to be accessible when you need help.
That's it for tonight. Tomorrow is busy, but includes the next round of movies in the True/False Film Festival. Leigh and I went to one of the films tonight, and even met the director, which was awesome. I can hardly wait to see the next one (we are seeing eight movies, in all, over a period of four days; yay!).
See ya.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308 (Sean's cell)
Icey rain, then snow, then...
Hi!
Walking today started out as tough duty -- with a hard, icey rain. Then that became snow, which was much better. Then it all went away and it was just almost pleasant to walk. It really is the best part of the campaign.
More and more, people are wanting to talk about healthcare. Within the next few weeks -- sometime in mid-March -- I'm going to release my first round of concrete proposals, and they will be related to healthcare.
Governor Blunt tried to camouflage his should-be-criminal Medicaid decisions (when he removed around 100,000 people from Medicaid, costing the state $1 billion in federal money) by proposing Insure Missouri. It was a bad, bad program about which he was never serious. He scrapped that the other day. Why can't he just restore the Medicaid cuts he made? Missouri has the money. It would trigger the federal money. It would help over 100,000 people, many of whom are in desperate need (god forbid!). Don't see that happening, though. This is one governor who seems to have some sort of inbred inability to do the right thing.
Anyway, I'll have my initial proposals hammered out -- and ready to be debated -- by the 15th. Stay tuned.
Have an awesome evening!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308 (Sean's personal cell phone)
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Walking today started out as tough duty -- with a hard, icey rain. Then that became snow, which was much better. Then it all went away and it was just almost pleasant to walk. It really is the best part of the campaign.
More and more, people are wanting to talk about healthcare. Within the next few weeks -- sometime in mid-March -- I'm going to release my first round of concrete proposals, and they will be related to healthcare.
Governor Blunt tried to camouflage his should-be-criminal Medicaid decisions (when he removed around 100,000 people from Medicaid, costing the state $1 billion in federal money) by proposing Insure Missouri. It was a bad, bad program about which he was never serious. He scrapped that the other day. Why can't he just restore the Medicaid cuts he made? Missouri has the money. It would trigger the federal money. It would help over 100,000 people, many of whom are in desperate need (god forbid!). Don't see that happening, though. This is one governor who seems to have some sort of inbred inability to do the right thing.
Anyway, I'll have my initial proposals hammered out -- and ready to be debated -- by the 15th. Stay tuned.
Have an awesome evening!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308 (Sean's personal cell phone)
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
A lot going on...
Hi Everybody!
The big news is that I've officially announced my entry into this race. Media coverage has been good so far -- I'm pretty pleased about the way reporters are covering my candidacy. I'll post the articles on the Web site within the next day or two.
One funny part was that The Maneater referred to me as the State Auditor, rather than a State Auditor Spokesman (as they intended). As soon as I saw it, I called Susan Montee to let her know that I was not planning a coup.
This morning I actually filed for the office. It was the first time I'd been through the process and it was fascinating. Every state candidate, whether running for state representative or governor, has to stand in a line and go through the bureaucratic process. For 40 minutes or so, I stood between Lt. Governor Peter Kinder and two candidates for the same state representative seat in Kansas City. The Lt. Governor seemed to know an awful lot about my race, which was weird. Doesn't he have anything better to do than keep up with the race of someone he's never met before? I'm torn between being flattered and feeling like we should be getting more bang for our buck when it comes to the the salary we are paying our Lt. Governor.
At the end of the line, every candidate filing on the first day draws a number. In each race, the number determines the order of ballot placement. Conventional wisdom says that being first on the ballot is worth a point or two, so I'm pleased to have drawn the lowest number in my race. No, it is not really a big deal, but it is still comforting.
Oh, I would like to mention that this weekend I went to an awesome gospel music event at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, a predominantly black church, just outside the 25th district (literally, maybe 50 feet). It was a great opportunity to spend quality time with future consituents. I continue to be reminded that the best thing about politics (in terms of personal rewards) is the opportunity to interact with all kinds of people who I might not otherwise meet.
Have a great evening.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
The big news is that I've officially announced my entry into this race. Media coverage has been good so far -- I'm pretty pleased about the way reporters are covering my candidacy. I'll post the articles on the Web site within the next day or two.
One funny part was that The Maneater referred to me as the State Auditor, rather than a State Auditor Spokesman (as they intended). As soon as I saw it, I called Susan Montee to let her know that I was not planning a coup.
This morning I actually filed for the office. It was the first time I'd been through the process and it was fascinating. Every state candidate, whether running for state representative or governor, has to stand in a line and go through the bureaucratic process. For 40 minutes or so, I stood between Lt. Governor Peter Kinder and two candidates for the same state representative seat in Kansas City. The Lt. Governor seemed to know an awful lot about my race, which was weird. Doesn't he have anything better to do than keep up with the race of someone he's never met before? I'm torn between being flattered and feeling like we should be getting more bang for our buck when it comes to the the salary we are paying our Lt. Governor.
At the end of the line, every candidate filing on the first day draws a number. In each race, the number determines the order of ballot placement. Conventional wisdom says that being first on the ballot is worth a point or two, so I'm pleased to have drawn the lowest number in my race. No, it is not really a big deal, but it is still comforting.
Oh, I would like to mention that this weekend I went to an awesome gospel music event at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, a predominantly black church, just outside the 25th district (literally, maybe 50 feet). It was a great opportunity to spend quality time with future consituents. I continue to be reminded that the best thing about politics (in terms of personal rewards) is the opportunity to interact with all kinds of people who I might not otherwise meet.
Have a great evening.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Friday, February 22, 2008
our campaign launch party -- HUGE SUCCESS!
Good Morning!
Here's the walking update:
Hours Walked 2/21/08: 1.5
HoursWalked, total: 14.0
Houses Visited 2/21/08: 34
Houses Visited, total: 337
Volunteer needs:
Last night was a big night -- the first major fundraiser of the event and the official launch for the whole campaign. The weather was horrible -- like, dangerously horrible -- and I just knew the night would be a flop. At one point, the restaurant even called me, wanting to close for the night, but we talked and they were gracious enough to stay open. Even if I had cancelled, there was just no way to let everyone know, so how could we do that?
As it turned out, the weather was bad, but not quite as bad as it seemed earlier in the day. I haven't counted the names on the sign-in sheet yet, but THE NIGHT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!
Yes, I'm very excited. Instead of just having a few people, we filled the back room at the Pasta Factory (not a small room); and, as with our first Pizza & Politics, we had a huge diversity of people (and I LOVED having so many college students!).
The Maneater, Tribune and Missourian were all there and did interviews. Hopefully we'll see articles today. Jason Rosenbaum at the Trib has already posted a couple of videos on his blog (http://blogs.columbiatribune.com/politics/) under the title "Spence Hits the Ground Running" that looked pretty good.
By the way, I should mention that I was going door-to-door up until time for the event. Yes, the snow was yucky, but it was super fun. As I think I've said before, people seem particularly appreciative when you show up to their door in the snow.
For me, the best part of the walk was being invited in to a voter's house. He said, "You are in luck, we just finished making a batch of hot chocolate!" Is that something out of a movie or what? We sat and talked for about 15 minutes and then I headed back out on the trail. That, my friends, is what running for office should be about. Hot chocolate.
I've just checked the weather and the high today is supposed to be 26F. For walking, it'll be like summer compared to some days this week! I'll get at least two hours in and let you know later today or tomorrow how it goes.
Have an awesome Friday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308 (Sean's cell)
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Here's the walking update:
Hours Walked 2/21/08: 1.5
HoursWalked, total: 14.0
Houses Visited 2/21/08: 34
Houses Visited, total: 337
Volunteer needs:
- We always need people to help with data entry and phone calling.
- We are doing a HUGE mailing this Saturday, 9-4, at 611 North Garth Street. Come on by!
Last night was a big night -- the first major fundraiser of the event and the official launch for the whole campaign. The weather was horrible -- like, dangerously horrible -- and I just knew the night would be a flop. At one point, the restaurant even called me, wanting to close for the night, but we talked and they were gracious enough to stay open. Even if I had cancelled, there was just no way to let everyone know, so how could we do that?
As it turned out, the weather was bad, but not quite as bad as it seemed earlier in the day. I haven't counted the names on the sign-in sheet yet, but THE NIGHT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!
Yes, I'm very excited. Instead of just having a few people, we filled the back room at the Pasta Factory (not a small room); and, as with our first Pizza & Politics, we had a huge diversity of people (and I LOVED having so many college students!).
The Maneater, Tribune and Missourian were all there and did interviews. Hopefully we'll see articles today. Jason Rosenbaum at the Trib has already posted a couple of videos on his blog (http://blogs.columbiatribune.com/politics/) under the title "Spence Hits the Ground Running" that looked pretty good.
By the way, I should mention that I was going door-to-door up until time for the event. Yes, the snow was yucky, but it was super fun. As I think I've said before, people seem particularly appreciative when you show up to their door in the snow.
For me, the best part of the walk was being invited in to a voter's house. He said, "You are in luck, we just finished making a batch of hot chocolate!" Is that something out of a movie or what? We sat and talked for about 15 minutes and then I headed back out on the trail. That, my friends, is what running for office should be about. Hot chocolate.
I've just checked the weather and the high today is supposed to be 26F. For walking, it'll be like summer compared to some days this week! I'll get at least two hours in and let you know later today or tomorrow how it goes.
Have an awesome Friday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308 (Sean's cell)
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Monday, February 18, 2008
Back on the trail
Hi Everybody!
Here's the walking update:
Hours Walked 2/18/08: 2
HoursWalked, total: 12.5
Houses Visited 2/18/08: 42
Houses Visited, total: 303
Today was pretty great. No snow. No rain. Cold as as a welldigger's hat (as my father would have said), but still pretty great. I really do love the door-to-door.
I had lunch with Nick Peckham, an architect in town who was educating me on sustainability. He's really kind of a modern-day philosopher with a lot to teach me. More and more, I'm coming to understand that state policy should be viewed through a lense of sustainability. Is this something that will help us preserve the Missouri that we have built and love? Are we doing everything we can to leave something better for our children?
Nick asked me a question that he apparently poses to groups on a fairly regular basis, "What is one thing you would do today to encourage sustainability in your community?"
Nick's answer was to establish a "Sustainability Museum" that would teach children about their environment in a fun, engaging way (like the discovery/science centers found in many larger communities, like the rockin' one in St. Louis). I like that -- finding ways to get kids excited about making a day-to-day change from the earliest age. Weaving it into our culture.
For my part, I said I would find ways (perhaps tax incentives) to encourage the creation and use of bio-diesel engines in automobiles. Check out this article from Fast Company (one of my two or three favorite magazines) -- http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/120/motorhead-messiah.html
Here's the lead: Johnathan Goodwin can get 100 mpg out of a Lincoln Continental, cut emissions by 80%, and double the horsepower. Does the car business have the guts to follow him?
Seriously, you really need to check this article out. It is a fun read, and awfully important.
While you're at it, please let me know your thoughts on the question of the day (originally posed by architect Nick):
What is one thing you would do today to encourage sustainability in your community?
As always, thanks for reading. See ya!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308 (Sean's personal cell phone)
seanspence@earthlink.net
http://www.spencecampaign.com/
Here's the walking update:
Hours Walked 2/18/08: 2
HoursWalked, total: 12.5
Houses Visited 2/18/08: 42
Houses Visited, total: 303
Today was pretty great. No snow. No rain. Cold as as a welldigger's hat (as my father would have said), but still pretty great. I really do love the door-to-door.
I had lunch with Nick Peckham, an architect in town who was educating me on sustainability. He's really kind of a modern-day philosopher with a lot to teach me. More and more, I'm coming to understand that state policy should be viewed through a lense of sustainability. Is this something that will help us preserve the Missouri that we have built and love? Are we doing everything we can to leave something better for our children?
Nick asked me a question that he apparently poses to groups on a fairly regular basis, "What is one thing you would do today to encourage sustainability in your community?"
Nick's answer was to establish a "Sustainability Museum" that would teach children about their environment in a fun, engaging way (like the discovery/science centers found in many larger communities, like the rockin' one in St. Louis). I like that -- finding ways to get kids excited about making a day-to-day change from the earliest age. Weaving it into our culture.
For my part, I said I would find ways (perhaps tax incentives) to encourage the creation and use of bio-diesel engines in automobiles. Check out this article from Fast Company (one of my two or three favorite magazines) -- http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/120/motorhead-messiah.html
Here's the lead: Johnathan Goodwin can get 100 mpg out of a Lincoln Continental, cut emissions by 80%, and double the horsepower. Does the car business have the guts to follow him?
Seriously, you really need to check this article out. It is a fun read, and awfully important.
While you're at it, please let me know your thoughts on the question of the day (originally posed by architect Nick):
What is one thing you would do today to encourage sustainability in your community?
As always, thanks for reading. See ya!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308 (Sean's personal cell phone)
seanspence@earthlink.net
http://www.spencecampaign.com/
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Moving forward slowly and with lingering flu...
Hi Everybody!
I'm going to be mostly stuck at home again today, fighting whatever it is that I have (and that seems to be sweeping the city). It was pointed out that if I were to try going door-to-door today, I could achieve a level of notoriety as a modern-day "Typhoid Mary," spreading sickness all across the 25th district. No thanks.
I do have a Question of the Day, though...
Question of the Day: Should the University of Missouri Student Curator have a full vote on the board?
I fall on the side of "yes" and will be happy to go into greater detail about this later. I'd love to hear from you on the subject, though.
Have a great Wednesday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
I'm going to be mostly stuck at home again today, fighting whatever it is that I have (and that seems to be sweeping the city). It was pointed out that if I were to try going door-to-door today, I could achieve a level of notoriety as a modern-day "Typhoid Mary," spreading sickness all across the 25th district. No thanks.
I do have a Question of the Day, though...
Question of the Day: Should the University of Missouri Student Curator have a full vote on the board?
I fall on the side of "yes" and will be happy to go into greater detail about this later. I'd love to hear from you on the subject, though.
Have a great Wednesday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Even candidates get the flu
Hi Everybody!
I've been AWOL for a couple of days because I'm down with the flu or something equally uncomfortable. As a result, there is very little to report. Hopefully, I'll be back in action and on the campaign trail tomorrow.
Thanks for bearing with me. Have an awesome Tuesday evening.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
I've been AWOL for a couple of days because I'm down with the flu or something equally uncomfortable. As a result, there is very little to report. Hopefully, I'll be back in action and on the campaign trail tomorrow.
Thanks for bearing with me. Have an awesome Tuesday evening.
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Sunday, February 10, 2008
This Week's Maneater Article
Hi Everyone!
Here is an article from the Maneater (MU's student newspaper) about last week's "Pizza & Politics with Sean Spence." Doesn't it sound like we had a good time?
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Spence meets with students
By Robby LewisFeb. 8, 2008
Photo/Nick Jewell
State Auditor spokesman Sean Spence knows how to persuade college students to talk about politics with him: free pizza.
Spence led a meeting Thursday and ordered Shakespeare’s Pizza for his supporters to eat while they discussed his campaign for state representative of the 25th district, the seat held by Rep. Judy Baker, D-Columbia.
Spence, a graduate of MU, said the 25th district affects the entire state because of MU’s position within the district.
“The seat is extremely important because it includes the University of Missouri, which is the most important economic driver of the state,” Spence said. “The university produces the technology on which the future of Missouri should be built. The university is the number one producer of professional research. If we don’t take care of the university our state’s future is pretty bleak.”
Spence said he would not run for this position had Baker not announced that she is considering a run for the Ninth Congressional District seat occupied by Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo.
“Judy Baker has provided incredible representation for this district,” Spence said. “If she were running for re-election I would do everything I could to make sure she was re-elected.”
Spence said people should vote for him because he has vast experience.
“I have a combination of government and business experience that you don’t often see,” Spence said. “I have started businesses and I’ve worked for a Fortune 500 company, I’ve worked for the Missouri state Senate, the Missouri House and I’ve worked for the state auditor. I know how to get things done.”
Spence said it is important to meet the people who are going to vote.
“I go door to door pretty much every day,” Spence said. “The other day it was pouring down rain and I was out there. When it was 10 degrees with wind chill I was out there.”
Spence said MU needs attention in three areas. He said the first area has to do with finances.
“Number one is funding,” Spence said. “This governor and legislature are shifting the burden of education costs onto students and their parents when it should be a shared responsibility of all Missouri citizens.”
He said the second area he will focus on is scientific research.
“MU’s freedom to engage in scientific research is under constant attack,” Spence said. “It’s not just not having enough money. It’s about stem cells and other areas of research where people are using the type of scientific endeavor in determining whether or not the university should get funding.”
Spence said the third area deals with legislators who don’t understand what MU does for Missouri with its esteemed research level.
“MU does a level of research that cannot be matched by any public institution in the state,” Spence said.
Spence said it is important to hear from Columbia’s young people. His campaign manager Noah Kutchin represents just that.
Kutchin, a 19-year-old student at Columbia College, said the job is a great opportunity and a huge learning experience for him.
Kutchin said though Spence doesn’t hold a governmental position, he knows things the other candidates likely do not.
“Even though he doesn’t hold an elective seat, he sees the behind-the-scene things that go on there,” Kutchin said. “He knows the way it works.”
MU graduate Josh Norberg, who is helping with the campaign, said Spence is the best fit for Columbia.
“I think he represents everything this area needs,” Norberg said. “He’s been an MU student and he knows what’s best for the university.”
Norberg said Spence’s desire to know the people he represents shows he would be a good representative.
“You can’t represent people if you don’t know them,” Norberg said. “A passion of Sean’s is to meet people. He wants to meet everyone.”
Spence said running for this position has been a dream of his.
“I have wanted to run for this district since I was 18,” Spence said. “I know a thing or two about this university. More importantly, I know about listening. And this is what this campaign is going to be about.”
####
Here is an article from the Maneater (MU's student newspaper) about last week's "Pizza & Politics with Sean Spence." Doesn't it sound like we had a good time?
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
seanspence@earthlink.net
573-823-1308
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Spence meets with students
By Robby LewisFeb. 8, 2008
Photo/Nick Jewell
State Auditor spokesman Sean Spence knows how to persuade college students to talk about politics with him: free pizza.
Spence led a meeting Thursday and ordered Shakespeare’s Pizza for his supporters to eat while they discussed his campaign for state representative of the 25th district, the seat held by Rep. Judy Baker, D-Columbia.
Spence, a graduate of MU, said the 25th district affects the entire state because of MU’s position within the district.
“The seat is extremely important because it includes the University of Missouri, which is the most important economic driver of the state,” Spence said. “The university produces the technology on which the future of Missouri should be built. The university is the number one producer of professional research. If we don’t take care of the university our state’s future is pretty bleak.”
Spence said he would not run for this position had Baker not announced that she is considering a run for the Ninth Congressional District seat occupied by Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo.
“Judy Baker has provided incredible representation for this district,” Spence said. “If she were running for re-election I would do everything I could to make sure she was re-elected.”
Spence said people should vote for him because he has vast experience.
“I have a combination of government and business experience that you don’t often see,” Spence said. “I have started businesses and I’ve worked for a Fortune 500 company, I’ve worked for the Missouri state Senate, the Missouri House and I’ve worked for the state auditor. I know how to get things done.”
Spence said it is important to meet the people who are going to vote.
“I go door to door pretty much every day,” Spence said. “The other day it was pouring down rain and I was out there. When it was 10 degrees with wind chill I was out there.”
Spence said MU needs attention in three areas. He said the first area has to do with finances.
“Number one is funding,” Spence said. “This governor and legislature are shifting the burden of education costs onto students and their parents when it should be a shared responsibility of all Missouri citizens.”
He said the second area he will focus on is scientific research.
“MU’s freedom to engage in scientific research is under constant attack,” Spence said. “It’s not just not having enough money. It’s about stem cells and other areas of research where people are using the type of scientific endeavor in determining whether or not the university should get funding.”
Spence said the third area deals with legislators who don’t understand what MU does for Missouri with its esteemed research level.
“MU does a level of research that cannot be matched by any public institution in the state,” Spence said.
Spence said it is important to hear from Columbia’s young people. His campaign manager Noah Kutchin represents just that.
Kutchin, a 19-year-old student at Columbia College, said the job is a great opportunity and a huge learning experience for him.
Kutchin said though Spence doesn’t hold a governmental position, he knows things the other candidates likely do not.
“Even though he doesn’t hold an elective seat, he sees the behind-the-scene things that go on there,” Kutchin said. “He knows the way it works.”
MU graduate Josh Norberg, who is helping with the campaign, said Spence is the best fit for Columbia.
“I think he represents everything this area needs,” Norberg said. “He’s been an MU student and he knows what’s best for the university.”
Norberg said Spence’s desire to know the people he represents shows he would be a good representative.
“You can’t represent people if you don’t know them,” Norberg said. “A passion of Sean’s is to meet people. He wants to meet everyone.”
Spence said running for this position has been a dream of his.
“I have wanted to run for this district since I was 18,” Spence said. “I know a thing or two about this university. More importantly, I know about listening. And this is what this campaign is going to be about.”
####
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
What a GINORMOUS Day!
Hi Everybody!
Question of the day -- Should state government be in the business of helping all of its citizens have health care insurance? Any other comments?
Yes, from now on, I'm going to do my best to have a "question of the day" that will hopefully attract some real, thoughtful answers from folks. As I've mentioned before, I would like for this blog to help facilitate actual policy discussion. Please comment away. I will never edit or hold back comments related to policy, even if I strongly disagree with them. This blog will not, however, allow any comments that include personal attacks on anyone (even if it is someone I really, really don't like!). Sound fair?
*****
Yesterday was a HUGE day for me, for Missouri, for our nation. I'm an Obama guy, but have a lot of Hillary friends, and many of my supporters also support Hillary. Wasn't it a great day for all of us? Even for the partisan Republicans? I don't really have anything earth-shattering to say; I'm just so proud of our electoral system and all of the great work that so many people put into helping their candidates. No matter who your candidate, it was a huge day for Democracy.
And, of course, I should mention that Susan Montee must be some sort of political genius. She was the first in Missouri to endorse Barack Obama, co-chairs his Missouri campaign, and has been working very hard to help him get to the White House. She endorsed him when his chances looked much slimmer than they do today. Yay, Susan!
Before the polls closed, I had my first horrible walk-in-the-rain day. I felt like the golf-playing minister on "Caddy Shack", relentlessly trudging down the fairway in the pouring rain, just waiting to be hit by lightening (and I actually was walking by the country club in the 25th district). Thanks goodness for a warm coat, gloves Leigh gave me, and an incredibly cheap umbrella (that inverted twice, so that I then felt like I was in a Marx Brothers movie or something). Yes, it was a very cinematic day.
The other big deal for the campaign was lunch with many of the most important labor leaders from around the state. I was the only state legislative candidate in attendance, and was given the opportunity to introduce myself and share just a bit about the race. Labor folks are some of my very favorite in the political world. Hard working. Focused on issues that matter to working people. If I am lucky enough to be elected to this seat, there will be no greater champion of Missouri's working men and women. I've walked a few picket lines in my time and am ready to do that as a member of Missouri's House of Representatives.
Oh, here's the walking update:
Hours Walked 2/5/08: 1
HoursWalked, total: 6.5
Houses Visited 1/29/08: 22
Houses Visited, total: 165
Have an awesome Wednesday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Question of the day -- Should state government be in the business of helping all of its citizens have health care insurance? Any other comments?
Yes, from now on, I'm going to do my best to have a "question of the day" that will hopefully attract some real, thoughtful answers from folks. As I've mentioned before, I would like for this blog to help facilitate actual policy discussion. Please comment away. I will never edit or hold back comments related to policy, even if I strongly disagree with them. This blog will not, however, allow any comments that include personal attacks on anyone (even if it is someone I really, really don't like!). Sound fair?
*****
Yesterday was a HUGE day for me, for Missouri, for our nation. I'm an Obama guy, but have a lot of Hillary friends, and many of my supporters also support Hillary. Wasn't it a great day for all of us? Even for the partisan Republicans? I don't really have anything earth-shattering to say; I'm just so proud of our electoral system and all of the great work that so many people put into helping their candidates. No matter who your candidate, it was a huge day for Democracy.
And, of course, I should mention that Susan Montee must be some sort of political genius. She was the first in Missouri to endorse Barack Obama, co-chairs his Missouri campaign, and has been working very hard to help him get to the White House. She endorsed him when his chances looked much slimmer than they do today. Yay, Susan!
Before the polls closed, I had my first horrible walk-in-the-rain day. I felt like the golf-playing minister on "Caddy Shack", relentlessly trudging down the fairway in the pouring rain, just waiting to be hit by lightening (and I actually was walking by the country club in the 25th district). Thanks goodness for a warm coat, gloves Leigh gave me, and an incredibly cheap umbrella (that inverted twice, so that I then felt like I was in a Marx Brothers movie or something). Yes, it was a very cinematic day.
The other big deal for the campaign was lunch with many of the most important labor leaders from around the state. I was the only state legislative candidate in attendance, and was given the opportunity to introduce myself and share just a bit about the race. Labor folks are some of my very favorite in the political world. Hard working. Focused on issues that matter to working people. If I am lucky enough to be elected to this seat, there will be no greater champion of Missouri's working men and women. I've walked a few picket lines in my time and am ready to do that as a member of Missouri's House of Representatives.
Oh, here's the walking update:
Hours Walked 2/5/08: 1
HoursWalked, total: 6.5
Houses Visited 1/29/08: 22
Houses Visited, total: 165
Have an awesome Wednesday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
www.SpenceCampaign.com
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Monday, February 4, 2008
Posting from the field
Hi Everybody!
This won't be a particularly substantive post. But I've just enabled the function that allows me to e-mail posts from the field. So I'm testing it. Assuming this works, look for the occasional post from my walking, from events, and from anywhere else the mood to communicate with potential constituents strikes.
- sean
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Volunteers, hacking up a lung, etc.
Hi Everybody!
First, I have to come clean and let you know that I couldn't walk yesterday because the entire day was spent on a 2300 piece mailing to voters. More on that, later, but it needed to be done and I thought it would be better for the long-term volunteer effort if I did it with them. You know, teamwork and all that.
Second, after consultation with Dr. Leigh, I won't be walking today because I have a cold that is making me cough and sniffle, quite a lot. Honestly, I feel fine to walk, and was planning to do 1-4 today, but I agre with Leigh that I would probably lose more votes than I would gain as I coughed all over at least 15-20 of my potential future consituents. And hand shaking? Forget about it!
So I'll do other things today, and will be back on the walking trail tomorrow.
The mailing was awesome. Special thanks to volunteers Rick, Kathleen, Greg, Nate, Jim (one of my Rotary Club buddies!), Brianna, Leigh, JS (my secret helper) and Christine. With their help, we put out the first major communication of the campaign. And, with enough volunteers, we were able to finish on time (roughly one minute before we were secheduled to stop) and had a good time. It was all very exciting, and I will always remember that these were the people who showed up for the campaign's very first volunteer activity.
This week, there will be lots of walking, calling people, and getting ready for the campaign's first public event -- "Pizza & Politics with Sean Spence" at Shakespeared downtown, 5:30-7:00 this Thursday, February 7th. Especially if you live in the 25th district and want to get to know me better, please stop by.
Thanks for your time. Have an awesome Sunday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
First, I have to come clean and let you know that I couldn't walk yesterday because the entire day was spent on a 2300 piece mailing to voters. More on that, later, but it needed to be done and I thought it would be better for the long-term volunteer effort if I did it with them. You know, teamwork and all that.
Second, after consultation with Dr. Leigh, I won't be walking today because I have a cold that is making me cough and sniffle, quite a lot. Honestly, I feel fine to walk, and was planning to do 1-4 today, but I agre with Leigh that I would probably lose more votes than I would gain as I coughed all over at least 15-20 of my potential future consituents. And hand shaking? Forget about it!
So I'll do other things today, and will be back on the walking trail tomorrow.
The mailing was awesome. Special thanks to volunteers Rick, Kathleen, Greg, Nate, Jim (one of my Rotary Club buddies!), Brianna, Leigh, JS (my secret helper) and Christine. With their help, we put out the first major communication of the campaign. And, with enough volunteers, we were able to finish on time (roughly one minute before we were secheduled to stop) and had a good time. It was all very exciting, and I will always remember that these were the people who showed up for the campaign's very first volunteer activity.
This week, there will be lots of walking, calling people, and getting ready for the campaign's first public event -- "Pizza & Politics with Sean Spence" at Shakespeared downtown, 5:30-7:00 this Thursday, February 7th. Especially if you live in the 25th district and want to get to know me better, please stop by.
Thanks for your time. Have an awesome Sunday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
www.SpenceCampaign.com
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Up and at 'em!
Here's the walking update:
Hours Walked 1/29/08: 1.5Hours
Walked, total: 5.5
Houses Visited 1/29/08: 36
Houses Visited, total: 143
Good Morning!
Yes, it is 5:33 a.m. and I'm up campaigning (started about 4:30, actually). We have volunteers coming in at 9:00 to do a 2300 piece mailing. It is pretty exciting (to me, anyway) because it is being sent to likely voters in the district, just introducing myself to them.
Nope, not asking for money. Just an introduction.
In bigger campaigns, there are just too many voters to do a mailing like this, months before the election. Campaigns have to save their money for the last few weeks, when people are paying a little more attention. But in a state legislative primary, there are relatively few voters, and I feel like it is my responsibility to start communicating with them earlier. At this level, there is a real opportunity for voters to get to know their representative, so isn't it my job as a candidate to help create a real connection? Or, at least, the opportunity for one?
Here is the core of the letter we are sending today:
Dear Gerald,
Within the next few weeks, I will formally announce a run for Judy Baker’s seat in the Missouri House of Representatives (as she takes the first steps toward becoming Columbia’s next member of the U.S. Congress). I am a progressive Democrat, running in the August 5th primary and then hopefully in the November 4th general election.
As a candidate, no one will work harder to create a dialogue with the residents of our district. There will be many opportunities for us to get to know each other – to me, being in close touch with constituents is the only way to provide the kind of representation you deserve.
My goal is to make sure that every Missourian is educated, employed and insured. If these basic needs are met, is there anything beyond our reach?
At www.SpenceCampaign.com, you’ll find increasingly detailed information about our campaign and my vision for the future. We won’t be a campaign that just talks about problems. We’ll talk about specific solutions and participate in vigorous debate with anyone sincerely interested in solving the problems we face.
Please visit www.SpenceCampaign.com – and let me know if you have comments or questions about my vision for Missouri. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sean C. Spence
Democratic Candidate, Missouri’s 25th Legislative District
Later today -- while others work on the mailing, I suspect -- I'll be back out, walking door-to-door and meeting voters. That's turning out to be a pretty awesome part of the campaign. People are giving me a pretty friendly reception and it really feels like they are responding well to our message.
Thanks for reading. Have a fantastic Saturday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Hours Walked 1/29/08: 1.5Hours
Walked, total: 5.5
Houses Visited 1/29/08: 36
Houses Visited, total: 143
Good Morning!
Yes, it is 5:33 a.m. and I'm up campaigning (started about 4:30, actually). We have volunteers coming in at 9:00 to do a 2300 piece mailing. It is pretty exciting (to me, anyway) because it is being sent to likely voters in the district, just introducing myself to them.
Nope, not asking for money. Just an introduction.
In bigger campaigns, there are just too many voters to do a mailing like this, months before the election. Campaigns have to save their money for the last few weeks, when people are paying a little more attention. But in a state legislative primary, there are relatively few voters, and I feel like it is my responsibility to start communicating with them earlier. At this level, there is a real opportunity for voters to get to know their representative, so isn't it my job as a candidate to help create a real connection? Or, at least, the opportunity for one?
Here is the core of the letter we are sending today:
Dear Gerald,
Within the next few weeks, I will formally announce a run for Judy Baker’s seat in the Missouri House of Representatives (as she takes the first steps toward becoming Columbia’s next member of the U.S. Congress). I am a progressive Democrat, running in the August 5th primary and then hopefully in the November 4th general election.
As a candidate, no one will work harder to create a dialogue with the residents of our district. There will be many opportunities for us to get to know each other – to me, being in close touch with constituents is the only way to provide the kind of representation you deserve.
My goal is to make sure that every Missourian is educated, employed and insured. If these basic needs are met, is there anything beyond our reach?
At www.SpenceCampaign.com, you’ll find increasingly detailed information about our campaign and my vision for the future. We won’t be a campaign that just talks about problems. We’ll talk about specific solutions and participate in vigorous debate with anyone sincerely interested in solving the problems we face.
Please visit www.SpenceCampaign.com – and let me know if you have comments or questions about my vision for Missouri. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sean C. Spence
Democratic Candidate, Missouri’s 25th Legislative District
Later today -- while others work on the mailing, I suspect -- I'll be back out, walking door-to-door and meeting voters. That's turning out to be a pretty awesome part of the campaign. People are giving me a pretty friendly reception and it really feels like they are responding well to our message.
Thanks for reading. Have a fantastic Saturday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Friday, February 1, 2008
Legislation I'd like to see...
Hi Everybody!
Yesterday I wasn't able to walk because we had something come up with a client that had to be dealt with right away. I was literally driving to the location to start walking when I got the call.
Oh well, here's where we are, as of today:
Hours Walked 1/29/08: 1.5
Hours Walked, total: 5.5
Houses Visited 1/29/08: 36
Houses Visited, total: 101
Right now we are still trying to get every aspect of the campaign off the ground. For the past couple of days, I've been learning about Facebook. There is still much to learn, but our page is up and going in the right direction. I have 46 friends now -- mostly young democrats from MU, but others, too. Facebook is such a powerful organizing tool. We will certainly do our best to put it to good use. And maybe have a little fun.
Today I'm going to write a letter to the editor about people who are gathering signatures for petitions to put issues on the ballot. Every day I go to the post office and there is a guy there, gathering signatures for the effort to eliminate affirmative action in Missouri. First, I should tell you that I'm a proud supporter of affirmative action -- it is not perfect, but it is the best method we have yet created to fight institutionalized racism in our economic practices. Second, I'm fine with people gathering signatures regarding pretty much any issue; but, for gosh sakes, can't they be truthful about their issue?!?
In this case, the guy is saying, "Won't you sign my petition to end unfair hiring practices?"
Sure, I get that some people view affirmative action as an example of unfair hiring practices (they certainly have the right to be wrong), but the Secretary of State created specific language that is to be used on the ballot, and the courts approved it, and I believe this is the language that should be used in collecting signatures. I actually talked to the Secretary of State's office about this and it turns out that this is just one small example of the abuses of the petition process. Apparently there is no way to enforce the way petitions are gathered.
This needs to change.
If you have any thoughts regarding how the legislature should address this issue, I'd love to hear them. It is definitely something I plan to get into if elected.
This afternoon I'll be walking for a few hours, then tonight I have a date with Leigh. She's in the mood for Jina Yoo's (not in the district, but still very delicious, I'm told). One of my favorite date-places in the 25th district, by the way, is definitely Addison's, off 7th & Cherry. Go there soon, unless you don't like tasty food at decent prices (our last meal there was $25 for the two of us).
See ya!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Yesterday I wasn't able to walk because we had something come up with a client that had to be dealt with right away. I was literally driving to the location to start walking when I got the call.
Oh well, here's where we are, as of today:
Hours Walked 1/29/08: 1.5
Hours Walked, total: 5.5
Houses Visited 1/29/08: 36
Houses Visited, total: 101
Right now we are still trying to get every aspect of the campaign off the ground. For the past couple of days, I've been learning about Facebook. There is still much to learn, but our page is up and going in the right direction. I have 46 friends now -- mostly young democrats from MU, but others, too. Facebook is such a powerful organizing tool. We will certainly do our best to put it to good use. And maybe have a little fun.
Today I'm going to write a letter to the editor about people who are gathering signatures for petitions to put issues on the ballot. Every day I go to the post office and there is a guy there, gathering signatures for the effort to eliminate affirmative action in Missouri. First, I should tell you that I'm a proud supporter of affirmative action -- it is not perfect, but it is the best method we have yet created to fight institutionalized racism in our economic practices. Second, I'm fine with people gathering signatures regarding pretty much any issue; but, for gosh sakes, can't they be truthful about their issue?!?
In this case, the guy is saying, "Won't you sign my petition to end unfair hiring practices?"
Sure, I get that some people view affirmative action as an example of unfair hiring practices (they certainly have the right to be wrong), but the Secretary of State created specific language that is to be used on the ballot, and the courts approved it, and I believe this is the language that should be used in collecting signatures. I actually talked to the Secretary of State's office about this and it turns out that this is just one small example of the abuses of the petition process. Apparently there is no way to enforce the way petitions are gathered.
This needs to change.
If you have any thoughts regarding how the legislature should address this issue, I'd love to hear them. It is definitely something I plan to get into if elected.
This afternoon I'll be walking for a few hours, then tonight I have a date with Leigh. She's in the mood for Jina Yoo's (not in the district, but still very delicious, I'm told). One of my favorite date-places in the 25th district, by the way, is definitely Addison's, off 7th & Cherry. Go there soon, unless you don't like tasty food at decent prices (our last meal there was $25 for the two of us).
See ya!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Here We Go...
Hey everyone my name is Noah Kutchin and, yes, i'm Sean's campaign manager. I'm pretty new to all this so bear with me! I am real eager and excited to learn and be a part of this campaign and look forward to working alongside all of the other people that I hope will be involved too. We have alot of stuff coming up and are always looking for volunteers. The students at Mizzou have been great so far (Josh, Mark) and Sean seems right at home strolling around campus talking to all the college kids. I'll try to keep you posted! (if anyone reads this)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
So much snow...
Hi Everybody!
Yesterday afternoon it got down to 10 degrees (with windchill -- and it got VERY windy!). Then it was hailing. Then it was snowing. Then it was REALLY SNOWING.
So, sensible candidate that I am... yes, I went walking door-to-door, talking to voters. My commitment for this campaign is to walk every day, unless I have to be out of town for business (which I've cut back, so it won't be very often). I'm not going to let a little thing like near-zero temperatures stop me from meeting the voters!
Honestly, though, it was a great experience. People are remarkably nice when you show up to their door in freezing weather. I am repeatedly gratified by the good nature and generosity of the people of the 25th district.
Here are the stats, which I'll try to update each day:
Hours Walked 1/29/08: 2.25
Hours Walked, total: 4.00
Houses Visited 1/29/08: 37
Houses Visite, total: 65
My favorite story of the walk comes from Steve. The first thing I liked about him was when he said, "You came to my door, you get my vote." There is nothing a candidate likes to hear more than that -- and, to me, it is points to something really great about our election process. I wish it could all be about one-on-one communication, ya know?
The main thing that made this my favorite door of the day, though, is that Steve is launching a project that I agree Columbia sorely needs. He is in the earliest stages of building a hospice care facility -- which I believe will be the first full-time, live-in facility of its kind in Boone County. This is something we really need, and I'm going to see what I can do to help him. If you want more information or think you might be able to help, just e-mail me at seanspence@earthlink.net or comment on this post and I'll get you in contact with Steve.
Have a great Wednesday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Yesterday afternoon it got down to 10 degrees (with windchill -- and it got VERY windy!). Then it was hailing. Then it was snowing. Then it was REALLY SNOWING.
So, sensible candidate that I am... yes, I went walking door-to-door, talking to voters. My commitment for this campaign is to walk every day, unless I have to be out of town for business (which I've cut back, so it won't be very often). I'm not going to let a little thing like near-zero temperatures stop me from meeting the voters!
Honestly, though, it was a great experience. People are remarkably nice when you show up to their door in freezing weather. I am repeatedly gratified by the good nature and generosity of the people of the 25th district.
Here are the stats, which I'll try to update each day:
Hours Walked 1/29/08: 2.25
Hours Walked, total: 4.00
Houses Visited 1/29/08: 37
Houses Visite, total: 65
My favorite story of the walk comes from Steve. The first thing I liked about him was when he said, "You came to my door, you get my vote." There is nothing a candidate likes to hear more than that -- and, to me, it is points to something really great about our election process. I wish it could all be about one-on-one communication, ya know?
The main thing that made this my favorite door of the day, though, is that Steve is launching a project that I agree Columbia sorely needs. He is in the earliest stages of building a hospice care facility -- which I believe will be the first full-time, live-in facility of its kind in Boone County. This is something we really need, and I'm going to see what I can do to help him. If you want more information or think you might be able to help, just e-mail me at seanspence@earthlink.net or comment on this post and I'll get you in contact with Steve.
Have a great Wednesday!
- sean
Sean Spence
Candidate, Missouri's 25th Legislative District
573-823-1308
seanspence@earthlink.net
Monday, January 28, 2008
First Day Walking Door-to-Door
Hello,
From now through the election, I'm going to try to be a regular blog poster. As much as possible, I'll talk about issues, as well as my experiences on the campaign trail. There will be no discussion of my opponents, and this will not be a forum to debate the short-comings or anyone in this race. We will, however, discuss issues; hopefully, we can even have some real debate and discussion from time to time. I can dream, can't I?
The big event today was that I walked door-to-door, talking to voters, for the first time in the campaign. This is something I will do as close to every day as I can. On average, I'll probably walk two hours every day; but I may up that average at some point.
Today, I walked 1.75 hours and hit 28 houses. Yes, this is a little slower than I would prefer over the long haul. This gave me an average of 16 houses/hour, and a candidate should be able to do about 20 houses/hour (it takes a while because there are always a few people who want to talk for a long time). Over the next several days, as I get acclimated to daily walking, I expect my numbers will improve.
The important thing is that I'll be spending time, every day, talking to voters about whatever is on their minds. Is that cool, or what?
My favorite door today was a 79 year old man who wanted to talk about rising property taxes. I agree with him that we should explore the range of circuit breakers that freeze property taxes for certain folks. I tend to believe -- as does Attorney General Jay Nixon -- that we need to expand current circuit breaker programs in Missouri.
This is definitely an issue I would like to continue to explore throughout the campaign.
By the way, the gentleman with whom I had this short discussion ended up supportin me. He even wants my sign in his yard when we start putting them up. Very cool.
Have an excellent evening.
- sean
From now through the election, I'm going to try to be a regular blog poster. As much as possible, I'll talk about issues, as well as my experiences on the campaign trail. There will be no discussion of my opponents, and this will not be a forum to debate the short-comings or anyone in this race. We will, however, discuss issues; hopefully, we can even have some real debate and discussion from time to time. I can dream, can't I?
The big event today was that I walked door-to-door, talking to voters, for the first time in the campaign. This is something I will do as close to every day as I can. On average, I'll probably walk two hours every day; but I may up that average at some point.
Today, I walked 1.75 hours and hit 28 houses. Yes, this is a little slower than I would prefer over the long haul. This gave me an average of 16 houses/hour, and a candidate should be able to do about 20 houses/hour (it takes a while because there are always a few people who want to talk for a long time). Over the next several days, as I get acclimated to daily walking, I expect my numbers will improve.
The important thing is that I'll be spending time, every day, talking to voters about whatever is on their minds. Is that cool, or what?
My favorite door today was a 79 year old man who wanted to talk about rising property taxes. I agree with him that we should explore the range of circuit breakers that freeze property taxes for certain folks. I tend to believe -- as does Attorney General Jay Nixon -- that we need to expand current circuit breaker programs in Missouri.
This is definitely an issue I would like to continue to explore throughout the campaign.
By the way, the gentleman with whom I had this short discussion ended up supportin me. He even wants my sign in his yard when we start putting them up. Very cool.
Have an excellent evening.
- sean
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
My very first post...
Hi Y'all!
I'm not going to start posting regularly until closer to the end of the month, when I've formally announced my entry into the race for the 25th legislative district. For now, I just ask that you spend a little time with www. SpenceCampaign.com, where you'll find the answers to many questions, and ways to reach me directly. Until then, take care.
- Sean
Sean C. Spence
573-823-1308
I'm not going to start posting regularly until closer to the end of the month, when I've formally announced my entry into the race for the 25th legislative district. For now, I just ask that you spend a little time with www. SpenceCampaign.com, where you'll find the answers to many questions, and ways to reach me directly. Until then, take care.
- Sean
Sean C. Spence
573-823-1308
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