“If you give me $100,

 I will make you some change.”

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Again I would like to thank you for all the wonderful blessings you bestow on me. But I have come in this clumsy way to ask for more. Here’s why:

After an exhilarating, inspiring, but ultimately ineffective, race last round, I realized the best way to make a difference in this Congressional race is from the ground up and I could not do it alone. I posted a job listing on a professional campaigners’ website and the world changed right there. Soon, nearly two dozen applicants from around the country were vying for the position of congressional level campaign manager and strategizing how to turn my ragtag operation into a national level campaign. Just like you, these guys aren’t willing to bet unless it can be a horse race. Si, se pueda! Yes it can be done.

Step One is Now:

As of three weeks ago, I have a volunteer office manager, Julie Thompson, with non-profit and fundraising experience and we are lined up to hire a national level fundraising team, Dark Horse Campaigns, who was brought to us by an A-list media consultant, Jennifer Smith of Wild Bunch Media, who is aware of the race and me as a candidate and believes we can communicate a vision to change America. We are set to kick this campaign into high gear at the end of May when school is out and I have already sent in my letter of resignation. That’s right. I am leaving teaching entirely to focus on campaigning.  Now is the time for all good citizens to come to the aid of our country. This is a race that must be fought.
The fund raisers need to start now, setting up events and infrastructure. The media consultant needs to start now, for me to be ready for me to begin campaigning full-time come June. I can afford to pay the balance of the start-up costs for the fundraising team then, but in the meantime to get them started I need to send them $200 every two weeks. That is one hundred dollars a week. It doesn’t have to be from one person. It can be from everyone. Can you help me?  Now is when the season begins.This is the time to act.

Give me $100. I will make you some change.

https://secure.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/33597

Learn More About Dark Horse Campaigns.

http://www.darkhorsecampaigns.com/

Contact me to set up an event in your area:

Mikel Weisser

928-234-5633

4490 Sundown Dr

So-Hi, AZ 86413

mikelweisser@gmail.com

Visit the website:

www.mikelweisser.org

this message paid for by Mikel Weisser for US Congress

unsubscribe here: yzurthemepark@gmail.com

Dear ___that’s actually a person___ :

if you’re like me (and I’m pretty sure you are), one of the things you hate most about political e-mails is the way they always end with a pitch for money. 

The pitch might be tucked into a mailing that grabs your attention with a provocative subject line, and it may take the form of a little blue “Donate” rectangle at the bottom of a spiel about something else. But it’s always there and it always sucks when you realize you’re being hit on again for money you don’t necessarily have to pay for political purposes you don’t necessarily understand.

That’s why I’ve decided to take a different tack and let you know, up front and right now, that the purpose of this e-mail is to ask you to give as much (or even as little) as you can afford to help get my 2014 campaign for Congress off the ground.

I know, I know. Mooching is still mooching, no matter where the pitch falls or how it’s delivered. But if you lend me a few minutes of your time, I think I can explain why I need your help and why I’m hoping you’ll agree to send some tangible support my way.

You may already know how close we came last August to winning the Democratic nomination for Congress: 19 votes close, in fact. What you may not know is that we weren’t under any illusions that, even if we won the nomination, we would somehow magically win the general election in November. That was probably a bridge too far then, and it may still be a little far to cross in 2014.

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. And it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t wage a real campaign to offer the people of Arizona CD-4 an honest choice as we continue to do all the other things that will build a progressive base for the future of western Arizona politics.

And doing that takes money — if only for gas, just to get from one end of the district to another. 

[And in case you haven’t studied a map of CD-4 lately, that’s a huge challenge: We comprise seven Arizona counties and nine state legislative districts, in tracing the bends of the Colorado River from Yuma to the Utah state line, through Yavapai County and the fringes of the Phoenix area down into northern Pinal County.]

Things only get worse, if you look at them that way and stop. Because, according to the Arizona Capitol Times, geography is only one of the problems we face: “With an 18-point voter registration advantage and 27-point voter performance advantage, CD-4 is one of the most reliably Republican districts on Arizona’s new congressional map.”

In fact, that’s why Paul Gosar moved to Prescott last year — to avoid a tough reelection battle against Ann Kirkpatrick in competitive AZ CD-1.

That’s also why “real” Democratic political pros avoid CD-4 like the plague. They seem to believe this: if you can’t win, why even try? 

They seem to forget that, by not trying, they reduce Democratic turnout in other local and statewide races. And that has a real impact for all of us who believe that the small-d democratic process depends on people being offered a choice more meaningful than one that pits a Republican against a Libertarian.

And that’s why I’ve decided to run a campaign again: This time, both to win the nomination and make a substantial dent in the 27-point GOP “performance advantage” in our district by linking up folks, like you and me (and others reading this e-mail) who want to stand up for principled progressive politics in CD-4 and the rest of Arizona.

And I know you’ve heard this next line before but, this time, I swear it’s literally true: I can’t do it without your help.

I’m not sure that you know all that much about my background beyond the race I ran last year, but when I was 9 and the 1968 election was on I was watching when Bobby took that shortcut through the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel. So when election night came I borrowed a piece of chalk for the school house and scrawled, “Humphrey/Muskie is our man/ Nixon in the Garbage Can!” just sure the world would heed my warning and I have been warning people about the Republican agenda every since.

As I began putting this e-mail together this morning, I was listening to the old Woody Guthrie song, “This Land Is Your Land.” I’d like to include a verse or two as I conclude this Paean to Progressive Panhandling.

When he wrote the song in 1940, Woody posed a question that’s only become more troubling in its implications in the years since:

As I went walking I saw a sign there

And on the sign it said “No Trespassing.”

But on the other side it didn’t say nothing.

That side was made for you and me.

In the squares of the city, in the shadow of a steeple;

By the relief office, I saw my people.

As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking:

Is this land still made for you and me?

This land is your land, this land is my land,

From California to the New York Island,

From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters.

This land was made for you and me.

I, for one, think this land is still made for you and me, but to hold on to it, we have to fight for it, every election cycle and in every district. And I think you agree that “this land” includes all of CD-4 — from Payson and Prescott to Apache Junction, from Wickenberg and Buckeye to Cottonwood and Quartzsite.

And I think you also agree that there shouldn’t be a “No Trespassing” sign on the U.S. Capitol for candidates who can’t afford the million-dollar dues it takes just to join the "club."

Please join with me to help ensure that our principles and values get a fair hearing in the 2014 campaign debate by contributing whatever you can afford now to build a campaign we can all be proud of.

Please expect more e-mails in the future, and I promise they won't always be about money. Sometimes they'll be about policies and practices and ways you can participate. But if we can't build some sort of a financial base now, there won't be anything to participate in, then.

Best,

Mikel

WE Have Begun … After years of watching our country slide the wrong way down one slippery slope after another, we have begun to climb, to rise.

WE have begun … after years of keeping silent and going along to get along as the GOP bullies get louder and more dangerous, we have begun to stand up and say no.

Artwork by Byron Dyes

After years of waiting for the Right to come to their senses, we have begun to fight back.

It’s Time Once More to Tell the Right They’re Wrong

Join Me!

If you live in CD4 or 

Care about Good for America.

Speak up, make you voice heard.

Ladies and Gentlemen, friends and neighbors and all you other good people who helped make my 2012 campaign for the Democratic nomination for US House of Representatives one of the most fascinating congressional races in amazing nationwide season of progressive challenges . With your help we are launching a bigger, bolder, more exhilarating campaign than last round. Seven Counties, Nine Legislative Districts, we can make this difference. We have begun to build—

If you live in Yuma, if you live in Bullhead, If you live in Payson, Prescott or Parker, KNOW we have begun to strengthen the party for the good ALL Democratic candidates up & down the Ballot.

If You live in Cottonwood, Quartzsite, Apache Junction, Buckeye, Wickenburg, a community committee is already forming to help you get your Democratic Voice message moving. If you live in Pine, Wenden, Circle City, Seligman, your voices are being heard.

Working together we have begun to elect me, Mikel Weisser, for US House of Representatives for AZ CD-4, the Left Coast of Arizona. And we are going to need your help.

Go to the website: www.mikelweisser.org  & Contribute today.

 OR, simply click on the Act Blue link below.

ACT BLUE

Contact me and let me know how I am doing or better yet what you would like to do to help in the fight

Mikel Weisser

4490 Sundown Drive

So-Hi, AZ 86413

928-234-5633

mikelweisser@gmail.com

Paid for by Mikel Weisser for US Congress

To opt out of this email write mikelweisser@gmail.com with the subject line, “Unsubscribe”

Have Fun, Change the World, Change the World By Having Fun

Mata Ortiz Pottery Firing & After Thing

Beale Street Mata Ortiz Pottery Showing Presented by Bruce Carter/

Mata Ortiz Firing and after-thing hosted by Mikel Weisser

Mata Ortiz Pottery Demonstration and Sale

Mata Ortiz artists Lucy Mora and Lorenso Bugarini be demonstrating world famous Mata Ortiz pottery technique which rivals the best of Pueblo pottery produced anywhere. Pots are meticulously painted using a brush made of human hairs prior to firing. Followed at 5:00 pm by a "firing party" (off-site, weather permitting.)

Beale Street Gallery in Kingman, Arizona

418 E. Beale St., Kingman, Arizona 86401

Saturday 12:00pm until 4:00pm

http://www.facebook.com/events/457616534297079/

*

Firing and after-thing hosted by Mikel Weisser

As a follow-up to the Mata Ortiz pottery show at Beale Street Brews that afternoon, i will host Bruce Carter & guests in a traditional Mata Ortiz-style firing of the pottery in the firepit at The So-Hi Peacesign Themepark. Event open to public. After thing to follow. Bring refreshments and musical instruments to share.

First Attend This Thing in Kingman, then come to the After-Thing:

Saturday 5:30pm until 8:30pm

So-Hi Peace Sign Themepark 

4490 Sundown Drive Golden Valley, AZ 86413

December 22 at 12:00pm

This is all of course provided that the Mayans haven't gotten their calendar right after all--

Current Comedy: Suffering Little Children

Back in the happier days when … Aye!) Fonzi was cool & B) fore it was “goodbye blue skies, hello gray,” the sitcom series “Happy Days” seemed seamlessly inventive and we could depend on the Cunninghams & clan to resolve each and every problem within 22 minutes thus keeping the world always seeming right, right? Simple and understandable. That is until that one episode when the whole gang went to Hawaii and Fonz jumped his surfboard over a shark. Then we all realized they weren’t simply simple, they were simply stupid. Nowadays you can’t even find that tripe in syndication on cable. It’s dead. The whole Happy horse crap has eaten itself. Like the way the GOP elephant keeps in-breeding itself into an epoch-ending mammoth extinction.

 This season as we watch the collective “conservative” character careen past contemptible and straight-aways into farcical and we once again endure these wingnuts boasting over the open pyre they’ve made of their once grand old party, it’s beginning to look a lot like it’s time to pop the cork on the whole thing and simply sing “Auld Lang Syne.” These guys won’t even make believable cartoon villains anymore, not after this one.

Tis the season to make folly as they say. Or so it seems for the GOP this yuletide. First off, there’s the whole McConnell filibustering himself business, which adds a whole Keystone Cop-ish flair to their work these days. Or the fact that it is supposed to be big news that SC Senator Jim De Mint sent in his resignation so he can go run the Heritage Foundation to collect more donations to advance conservative legislation. Or there’s that part where 25% of the GOP want their states to secede because Obama is crushing business meanwhile we’re experiencing the largest increase in corporate profits in history. But now, as outrageous as their everyday antics are, the GOP has now not only officially jumped the shark, but they audaciously twirled their mutual mustaches and tossed Tiny Tim’s crutch in the Barbie. & just in time for Christmas!

Now over the years, I have watched the GOP make some major bonehead moves, like that whole Bush thing, or the part about putting a billion dollars behind the idea that the majority of the American thinking-public would consider Romney remotely human. You guys crack me up.

But this whole Rick Santorum/Glenn Beck driven Agenda 21 fiasco the Right have been churning for the past several months has finally lead to the Republicans voting against our own handicapped public by voting down spreading the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) globally because so many GOP hate the UN that we are supposed to be afraid this treaty is secret proof the UN wants to kill our children. Of course, along with their track record on the sick, the young the poor and the elderly, I guess it makes sense.

That’s right, the treaty that establishes universal accommodations for the disabled and is modeled off of our own 1990 ADA is actually such a Republican freak-out that icky old Ricky Santorum came out of mothballs to come on stage and call for the GOP to torpedo the treaty by saying signing the treaty to enforce the ADA throughout the rest of the world would give the UN the power to euthanize US disabled kids. So keep it straight, if we are loyal Americans, we need to be OK with not caring about the lame and the weak, because if we do the bad guys will come over here and kill our kids. Thom Hartmann points out that following the successful Santorum drive for rejecting the treaty, Tricky Ricky turned right around and sent out his latest fundraising letter.

You know the most amazing irony of this whole thing is that the actual acronym for the treaty is CRPD, which equals “crippled,” right? These guys are picking the CRPD and imagine themselves heroes.  

Like with the mass shooting in Connecticut, even as parents around the country are still fearful of sending their kids back to school and kids around the county are even more tearful about going, TX GOP loudmouth Louis Gohmert is already shooting off his mouth all over the airwaves screaming that the injustice in this was that the principal hadn’t had an M-4 automatic assault weapon on hand; and FOX is shrieking that Obama’s a dictator for mentioning in his eulogy that we could do a better job of protecting our kids from gun violence. Of course, to give credit where its due, if Republicans had had their way these past few years the GOP dream of going back to the good old days that was so union-free could have come true and those kids would never have been in danger in those classrooms. Heck, by age 7 they all would have been shackled to machinery in sweatshops instead.

But you know what? America knows the GOP’s happier days weren’t yours and they certainly weren’t mine. This isn’t leadership, those guys aren’t heroes, they aren’t statesmen--they’re nothing more than bad actors. When they’ve gotten to the point of suffering the little children because their deaths interfere with the GOP’s pre-scheduled Obama-hating, it begins to look a lot like Republicans have taken leave of the census and all they are left with is cunning hams & the Klan.

Anyways, Happy Holly-Days to you & yours!

--mikel weisser writes from the left coast of AZ.

Mohave County Democratic Elects New Leaders

The Mohave County Democratic Party held elections at their reorganizational meeting in Lake Havasu City on December 5^th. The group elected Kingman resident and county District One party chair Joe Longoria to a two year term as chairman of the county party.  A recently returned Kingman native, Longoria was elected last month to the District One position and had served as the county point man for the Arizona Democratic Party’s Coordinated Campaign.  “I didn’t think that I would end up in this position, but we learned so much. Dems are going to go to the state house not facing a super-majority and our Congressional delegation is majority blue. We set up a lot of ground work, to move forward we will build from that.”  Joe will replace Ed Pyrzynski, also of Kingman.

Stepping down, due to family illness, after serving as an interim chair for much of the turbulent 2012 election season, Ed Pyrzynski, a former postman from Chicago was happy with the election. “The year started out rough, but things worked out. The Dem booth at the County Fair was impressive.  All of us made a difference.”

Rounding out the executive board, two-time state senatorial candidate, Beth Weisser was re-elected to her position as first vice chair and Peach Springs’ community leader Wanda Quesula was re-elected to be second vice-chair. After over a decade in the county leadership, Lake Havasu’s Kay Lilland announced her retirement as party treasurer and promised to stay in an active position to help train her replacement, Kingman’s Danny Baker. Acting county party secretary Mikel Weisser was elected to continue serving in that position. And, Bullhead City’s David Hamilton was re-elected Sergeant at Arms. 

The Democrats will be facing a major rebuilding year with not only the replacement of much of the party officers, but also the departure of the heads of all three county districts as well. In Lake Havasu’s District Three, in addition to the retirement of long-time county treasurer and Havasu organizer, Kay Lilland, district chair Dave Tunnell, another Havasu mainstay, is also stepping down citing illness in the family. Tunnell will be replaced by Joan McDermott. Both Tunnell and Lilland have a driving force in the Lake Havasu Democratic Party for years and both intend to remain active. Besides training the new county treasurer, Lilland will continue to be the leader of LHC’s Democratic Association of Havasu and Tunnell will take a role on the newly revamped finance committee.

In District Two serving the Bullhead area, acting chair Julie Piquette will continue officially in the role. Piquette replaced former chair Hillary Williams when she resigned to run for the newly created Mohave County District Five Supervisor position. In Kingman’s District One, long-time chair and county party office manager Mary McLaughlin is stepping down after eight years. Her son Patrick Gonzales also previously served as county chair.

In addition to electing Mohave County Party officers the group also approved the slate of delegates who will represent the county party at the state party’s quarterly meetings. Following a successful season of voter registration and increased precinct volunteers the county delegation is increasing from 14 to 20. From District One, the Kingman area, the delegates are:  Ed Pyrzynski, John Holland, Mert Glancy, Joan Johns, Wanda Quesula, Beth Weisser, Mikel Weisser, Patrick Gonzales, Mary McLaughlin, Susie Gestine, and Perry Wickerd of Dolan Springs. From District Two, the Bullhead City area, Marty & Patricia Coburn, Julie Piquette, Dave Hamilton, and Laureen Hayden. And from District Three, Lake Havasu, Joan McDermott, Kay Lilland & Dave Tunnel. The party also announced its list of newly appointed PCs, or precinct committee leaders: Paul Dean Young, Merrit Becket, Jacky Goode from LHC; and  Carol & Pete Voydanoff, Hilary Williams, Richard Krup, Iretha Badnar, Barb Grier from the Bullhead City area.

In addition to the election of officers, the party’s monthly meeting also served as the official kick-off for this year’s annual fundraiser, the Presidential Inaugural Ball. Event chair Dave Tunnell, working with is the lead on the committee, reported the essentials of the Inaugural Ball: It will be held Jan. 19^th, $35, black tie optional. Dinner/Dance guest former Board of Regents Chair and recent leader of AZ’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention, Fred Duval. Tunnell’s survey  of LHC Dems suggests that there may be a true interest in such a celebration.” We are also hoping to be able to read a blurb from the Whitehouse thanking Mohave County Dems. The tickets are distributed to district chairs.

For more information Contact, Joe Longoria, county chair Mohave County Democratic Party, 620 E. Beale St., Suite 4 Kingman, AZ 86401, ph: 928-753-0006. Or visit the website at: mohaveweb@mohavedemocrats.org

December Newsletter

Hello Everybody,

Another exciting month I tell you. Since the election we have been pressing for every idea we could develop,  which continued to advance the issues we tried to promote in the congressional campaign: social justice, economic fairness, celebratory diversity, Democrat cheerleading, GOP jeer-leading, bad rhymes, loud music, art & fun.  Larger than politics, I joined into this effort of the Democrats and launched my own personal campaign within it, to help our world get better, not just try to get votes. With your help and support we have accomplished some things I wanted to share. Right now, tonight as I type, I think we are doing just that, accomplishing some things, changing the world.

So first, to acknowledge the realities of politics in the Mohave County, as yet another election goes by and Dems only gather around 30-40% of the vote in this county, it became apparent to me that  it was not only me who could not win in the new AZ CD4 without Mohave County, no Democrat in the region could until we revitalize the party and change the overall culture. So, rather than wait for someone else to start working on it, since the election I have thrown myself into our local District One Party and Mohave County Central Committee. Towards that end I stepped up to fill a vacancy and, first, served as acting county/district one secretary and now, as of Dec. 5^th , I have been elected by acclaim to both those positions. I also am thrilled to say my best friend and great inspiration Beth Weisser has been re-elected to her position as county party first vice-chair.

Mohave County Democratic Party: http://mohavedemocrats.org/

Next, while many Dems can trot out carloads of reasons we need to sound moderate and be gentle with the GOP around us, I feel those guys have been willfully impoverishing the country and wreaked untold suffering among the public and, more so, will only stop when confronted and if possible, as often as possible, be belittled in as comic a way as possible so the public will begin to see their policies for the jokes they are and stop falling for the all snake oil. So, with 2012 congressional campaign officially over I have re-activated my political humor column, Current Comedy (now in its 22^nd year) Already there are two new columns available online at my own blog sites of course, The Left Coast of AZ (the renamed blog page from the original campaign blog) & the Current Comedy site (which recently celebrated its 5^th year online). But even more, Current Comedy is also being featured on such national sites as Op-Ed News and Daily Kos and has returned at last to my hometown Kingman Daily Miner. Please visit KDM and post a comment.

Current Comedy: http://yzurblog.blogspot.com/

From the Left Coast of AZ:  http://mikelweisser.blogspot.com/

Op-Ed News: http://www.opednews.com/author/author17330.html

Kingman Daily Miner: http://kdminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=109&SubSectionID=1002

On the issues of social justice, ethical economics and public health and safety, I have joined in the push for cannabis reform and pooled my efforts with a long-time Dolan Springs activist (who also happens to be my campaign assistant) Perry Wickerd, and LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) regional spokesperson, Jay Fleming, to promote MMJ (medical marijuana) awareness and reform. Our nation is coming to a new age and the legalization and regulation of social cannabis is the only way to win the drug war. Arizona’s fledgling MMJ laws, while a great move forward, are still draconian at best and filled with unnecessary obstacles for patients and unreasonable impediments for the commerce of this already robust and expanding industry. So far, since Jan Brewer finally allowed Prop 203 to take effect of sorts this past January, over $5,000,000 have been generated in state revenue despite the best efforts of Brewer and the GOP to cripple every aspect of the initiative. However, a dispensary license has approved for Dolan Springs, so the public there need to be informed of its impact on their society, their rights and responsibilities, and have some of the persistent myths of the drug war debunked. With that in mind, we have disorganized a Dolan Springs town hall meeting Thursday, Dec 13 5:30-7:00 at the Ranch Club in downtown Dolan Springs. Today news of that upcoming meeting was front and center on the local Kingman Daily Miner website and our efforts are just beginning. If you can attend this meeting, come and share your voice. The restaurant at the Ranch Club loves this idea so much they are holding a $5 pizza buffet for that night. While the meeting will be held to feed your head, if you come with the munchies you can also feed your belly for the cheap.

KDM Coverage: http://kdminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=798&ArticleID=53994

Lastly in our continuing efforts to promote art and diversity of culture, we are thrilled to announce we are resuming our collaboration for the 6^th year with Kingman wunderkind, our resident rocket scientist Bruce Carter and the Mohave County Library to organize and host Kingman’s immensely popular book festival KABAM, (“Kingman-Area-Books-Are-Magic!”) In addition, also thanks to Bruce and his dear wife Frances,  our very own So-Hi Peacesign Themepark will be hosting a visiting artist Mata Ortiz pottery exhibit and demonstration Dec. 22^nd late afternoon. Details on these two are TBA.

KABAM: http://kingmankabam.blogspot.com/

But hey, what an exciting month! Help us keep the activity going. Spread the word, The Mikel Weisser Campaign is making a difference today. Join us now and we will make an even bigger one tomorrow. Please understand, I know I don’t know what I am doing, but I am doing my very best at trying to figure it out as I get there. Thank you ALL for teaching me as I go. This campaign is about us making the changes we want to see: universal health care, a fully rounded, fully staffed, fully funded public education, an ethical economy, a social justice system where all are fairly treated and a vibrant arts community where expressions are championed and embraced. I think we can move this world in that direction.  Let’s try—

Thx again for everything, happiest of holidays. See ya next year!

Mikel