The quest to debate

Hello. For those who don’t know my name, I am a congressional candidate here in District 5. As a Green, it is not always easy to get my voice out there to be heard by you, the voting public. I write these letters, but my good friends that publish the news have limited space and I’m not the only one writing letters; however I’d like to keep the public informed, and updated, of my quest for a public debate, which seems like one of the best ways a third party candidate can get his or her voice heard.
It started out with a challenge to Mike Thompson, issued through social media, which was ignored. I then wrote a physical letter and mailed a copy to each of his offices and to the newspapers– only one paper printed the letter– which also went ignored. I have been protesting Mr. Thompson’s town hall meetings with a sign that says “DEBATE ME, Mike.” Mr. Thompson walks right past me every time, as if I’m a ghost. So I asked the League of Women Voters to host a debate. They offered a forum, which would have been spectacular except for one thing: the League’s bylaws state that every candidate has to be present or no forum can be held, and Mr. Thompson said that he was unavailable for the two dates the League offered– well over a month in advance. Well, both dates have come and gone now, and the forums were held, featuring supervisor candidates and info regarding Measures C and D in Napa County.
Looking back at Mr. Thompson’s posts on social media, he met with a school supervisor two hours ahead of one of the forums and gave an award to a citizen at 7 in the morning in the other forum. He doesn’t appear to have been truly busy at all, and the voters of this district have a right to know how their “representative” avoids a public debate.
Every one of you should be thinking about what he doesn’t want the public to know. We’ll talk about that in my next letter. Thank you.

Jason Kishineff,
congressional candidate

Your intention to vote

Our campaign, Vote Drive–2018 Benicia, is developing as we go. it is important for several reasons. Foremost, voting  is necessary for our government to function. It’s  most basic to a true government. It is deeply rooted in the most powerful thought of the 20th century: “All that is necessary for wickedness to prevail, is for good men to do do nothing.”
Often very small things have the greatest impact. An atomic bomb explodes because two infinitesimal particles collide.  Benicia is a small town. However, should a small city achieve 100 percent of the electorate turning out at the polls, several things would be demonstrated. A body of citizens agreed to do at least one thing in one moment of one day. It would affirm their belief that they are engaged in a process that allows them to live together. Voting is affirmation of the the truth that together we can change our lives for the better.
I’d also like to thank the Benicia Herald for running my last poem, “We are a Welcoming Land.” I meant it as a tribute to Woody Guthrie. He’s much more poetic that I am. However, sometimes we needed to be reminded of what he said.

Will Emes,
Benicia

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