Notes from the Road: Smashing Our Goals

This past weekend, our campaign set a goal:  to make 50,000 phone calls in two days to Indiana voters.

Well, we didn't reach that goal -- we smashed it by making over 100,000 phone calls.

Here are reactions from our field staff around the state:

Melissa in Muncie: The 50,000 dials weekend was amazing!  It really brought out all of our supporters and showed Indiana Jill and Dennie have arrived.  Every single person that came out made a difference and showed that Indiana is ready for a change!

Julie in Indianapolis: I am so proud of the people that came in!  I want to give a special shout out to a great volunteer, Brandi Fuller.  Unlike most of us that come in -- we get out of our car and walk right into the office with no problems -- just getting around is a challenge for her.  Despite her difficulties, Brandi came rolling in full of smiles and geared up to talk to people for Jill.  She was a great joy to have in the office!

Jon in South Bend: Campaigns don't get moving until after Labor Day -- that's just the rule! And yet somehow our offices are packed tonight with volunteers. We're well on our way, and it feels good.

Ali in Fort Wayne: We had a great time. Our call room was full of people eager to get Jill elected. We got some pretty powerful responses from Hoosiers on the other end of the line who have been suffering under the Bush/Daniels administrations. One of our volunteers spoke to a man, a former Marine, who had stage three cancer and is receiving little to no help from the current administration. He said we need to ditch Mitch and get Jill into office!

Annelise in Vincennes: When I heard I'd be starting work on the weekend of the 50K I thought I'd be walking into a long weekend, but it was great!  I was amazed with the volunteer turnout on Saturday and excited when we all but reach our weekend goal by the end of the first day!  The volunteers that I had the privilege to meet this weekend were wonderful and couldn't stress enough the reasons they were involved with Jill's campaign.

Thanks again to everyone who came out to help -- we couldn't have done it without you!

Sincerely,
The JLT Field Team

Hello from Fort Wayne!

Alison Zuidervliet is from Portage, IN and attended Ball State University.  She is the Regional Field Director for Northeastern Indiana and has been on the campaign since January, acting as Jill's driver and scheduler during the primary. She is supporting Jill because she knows that Jill is a true Hoosier: "I plan on getting married, buying a house, and having kids right here in Indiana, and I know without Jill in office this just won't be an option. I know deep down in my heart that Jill is the person Indiana needs to move our economy forward."

I joined Jill's campaign at the end of January, three months out from the primary election. Though I am a native Hoosier - I am from Portage in the Northwest and went to college at Ball State - I really hadn't seen much of Indiana. Then I started working as Jill's driver and scheduler and all of that changed.  I was immediately bombarded by calls to have Jill go to all corners of the state and everywhere in between.   Many of these places I had never been to, let alone heard of, but Jill had.

As we traveled around Indiana, the people and the locations were different, but their stories were always the same: people who had worked their whole lives in a factory or mill suddenly left without a job; parents worried about their children's education no matter if they were in a graduating class of 75 or 750. It was obvious to see that Hoosiers crave change, no matter if they live in Steuben, Warrick, Ohio or Benton counties. What has been going on in the state for the past four years is not working for Hoosiers.

Since our victory in the primary, our campaign has grown tremendously: from six staff members in a tiny old beauty shop in Argos, to offices around the entire state. As the campaign grew, I also changed roles and became the Northeast Regional Field Director based out of Fort Wayne. Though I miss traveling around the state with Jill every day, I still hear the same stories from people in the office that I heard out on the road during the primary. Hoosiers know that Jill and Dennie will get Indiana back on track and that is why they are coming into our office everyday to volunteer.  Here in Fort Wayne, people from all walks of life are coming in and calling their friends and neighbors to tell them that Jill and Dennie are going to work hard for Indiana over the next four years.

Hoosiers know that Jill is here to fight for them; she always has and she always will. She is just another Hoosier farmer who has been hurt by the high prices of gas and another grandmother worried about her grandsons' educations. She's one of us, and people know that. Jill is the change that Indiana needs and I encourage everyone to go to their local field office and volunteer so you can help make lives better for everyone in Indiana!

Sincerely,
Ali 

Reforming Hoosier Health Care

I spent the majority of this week traveling the state and talking about something I care deeply about-fixing Indiana's health care system.  The state of health care in Indiana is simply unacceptable-of Indiana's 90,000 small businesses, only 34 percent are able to provide health insurance for their employees.  The fact is, premiums in our state are skyrocketing out of control, and both hard-working families as well as small businesses are suffering.

As Dennie Oxley and I travel the state, two of the biggest concerns we hear from Hoosiers are Indiana's sagging economy and the cost of health care.  Our health care initiative address both issues-by allowing businesses and individuals to pool together to buy insurance in bulk, Hoosiers will have more money in their wallets, and businesses will no longer have to choose between providing good benefits for employees and growing their business. 

We introduced our plans Tuesday with the help of John McGinty, owner of McGinty Conveyors, Inc.-a small family business established 62 years ago.  Recently John had to make the decision no business owner wants to make. In order to cut costs, he was forced to cancel his company's health insurance program for his 11 employees.  This is a situation that happens all too often in this state. 

Wednesday was spent in Fort Wayne at Superior Manufacturing, a 44 year-old family owned and operated business that manufactures water treatment pieces that eliminate the need for chemical additives to water.  Just like John McGinty, the Sandersons once offered benefits to their employees until it became too expensive a few years ago. 

Thursday we had the pleasure of spending some time with Steve Skvara in Lake County.  Steve is another victim of Indiana's health care system.  Steve, a former steelworker, made national news when he asked the Democratic Presidential candidates what they would do to fix our health care system during the primary debate at Chicago's Soldier Field.  Steve lost his insurance and can no longer afford to provide quality health care for his family.

Hoosiers-it is time to turn this state around!  With my plan, we can not only provide accessible and affordable health care, but we can simultaneously help rebuild our Indiana businesses and help people like John McGinty, Steve Skvara and the Sandersons.  I firmly believe that the size of one's business should not determine the quality of their health care.  

God Bless,
Jill  

P.S. Download our entire plan by clicking here!

Notes from the Road: Dennie Debates at the State Fair

Today we headed to the Indiana State Fair to watch Dennie Oxley participate in the Lieutenant Governor's Ag Debate with Becky Skillman.  Every four years, the Candidates for Lieutenant Governor participate in a debate focused on issues pertaining to agriculture and rural development-one of the most important industries in Indiana's economy.

Topics of debate included property taxes, trade, environmental issues, and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.  We were proud to watch our candidate once again demonstrate that he and Jill Long Thompson have the knowledge, experience and plan to rebuild Indiana's economy and restore the promise the Hoosier State once had.

Jill and Dennie both grew up in small towns and know the issues rural residents face, not to mention those in the agricultural community.  Unlike the current administration, they will not turn their back on those who are struggling while telling everyone how great Hoosiers are doing.  They know Indiana can and should be doing better.

Dennie knows that agriculture is the backbone of this state's economy. At the debate he shared with us the Long Thompson/Oxley plan to cultivate new opportunities in agribusiness, trade, and farming.  This includes creating green jobs that will stimulate the economy while creating a healthier Indiana for our children and grandchildren.  He spoke of their plan to fix our property tax system to make it fair for everyone-including our state's farmers-and the need to reform our tax code to help farms and small businesses provide health care benefits and invest in new technologies.

Dennie made it clear that Indiana's best days are ahead of us-he and Jill are ready to get to work restoring the economies of all 92 counties in Indiana. We can't wait for them to get started!    

Congratulations, Dennie!  

Sincerely,
The JLT Field Team

Franks (and Fun!) With Friends

Laura Glesing is a Field Organizer in the Indianapolis office for Hoosiers for Jill Long Thompson. She is originally from Illinois but joined the ranks of Hoosiers after attending IU Bloomington for college.  Laura supports Jill because she believes there needs to be a positive change in Indiana: "Jill has the right ideas to move Indiana forward!"

On Saturday, I attended the "Franks with Friends" picnic in support of Jill.  The event was hosted by the Wayne Township Democratic Club and it was so much fun!

None other than Lt. Governor Candidate Dennie Oxley joined me for the picnic.  Dennie mingled with the crowd of Democrats before speaking about his and Jill's plans for Indiana.  He talked about the hardships Hoosiers face and how he and Jill plan to change our state for the better.  It was great hearing Dennie speak about improving Indiana for working families and made me more determined to work hard to get the Long Thompson/Oxley team elected!

I also met several of the candidates for local races in Wayne Township and the surrounding areas, such as Stephanie Dekemper running for the State House in the 92nd District. Democrats are finally standing up and taking back Indiana by choosing to run for offices at all levels of state government and with this amount of determination and support, who knows what we can accomplish?  Keep an eye on these fantastic local candidates -- they are going places!

The president of the Wayne Township Democratic Club, Mike McCormick, hosted a very successful cookout and I was happy to be invited!

Sincerely,
Laura

Phone Calls With Dennie

Friday was an exciting day here in Southern Indiana!  Lt. Governor candidate Dennie Oxley came to town to join our volunteers for lunch and to make phone calls with them.

We had an overflowing crowd of volunteers show up to make calls to fellow Hoosiers around the state and tell them about Jill's plan to change Indiana. Everyone really enjoyed meeting Dennie and having him help out with phone calling was great. The lunch was good, too!

I met two new volunteers that day, Ron and Judy Atkins. They told me they have searching for the right campaign to help with and decided Jill was the candidate they wanted to spend their time supporting. Ron and Judy are just two of our many volunteers committed to helping Jill take back Indiana this fall -- sign up to join them today!

Best Wishes,
Alex

Greetings from Evansville!

Alex Jarvis is the Southwestern Indiana Regional Field Director for Hoosiers for Jill Long Thompson. He was born and raised a Hoosier, has lived all over Indiana and currently resides in Evansville.  Alex supports Jill because she understands the lives of average Hoosiers: "Jill's long term commitment to education is important to me and should be to all Hoosiers if we want to compete in a global economy."

Last Saturday, I attended the Owensville Watermelon Festival in Gibson County to represent Jill and Dennie. There was great food (the main ingredient in much of it being watermelon!), a fun parade, excellent door prizes and lots of families enjoying a classic summer day.

My favorite part of the day was talking with 71-year-old Mary Jenkins, a lifelong resident of Gibson County.  She told me how excited she will be in November when we elect Jill as the first female governor of Indiana.  As Mary put it, "Jill is the right woman for the job."  

Mary is just one of the several people I have met in the past couple of weeks looking to Jill to bring about the change Indiana needs.  It was great to get out and see the enthusiasm building for our campaign.  We are meeting Hoosiers in every part of the state who can't wait for Jill and Dennie to be in office.  I can't believe there are only three months until the election!

Best Wishes,
Alex

P.S. Help us win by signing up to volunteer!

Notes from the Road: Privatization of the FSSA

Our Field Team will periodically update the blog with reports from events around Indiana.  Last week, the team visited Kokomo, IN for the meeting of the Select Joint Commission on Medicaid.

Last Thursday, we attended the Select Joint Commission on Medicaid in Kokomo, Indiana, one of the first sites for the rollout of the modernization and privatization effort.   The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the shortcomings of this new system and the resulting failures of the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA).  Technology, including telephone call centers, the internet, and fax services, are part of this effort and instead of streamlining the process, have made it more difficult for Hoosiers to access the resources they desperately need.  Modernization sounds like a great concept, but high-tech solutions are often inconvenient for people who are disabled and for older generations - those most often in need of FSSA's assistance.  Instead, Indiana needs practical solutions to solve the problems we face.

FSSA Secretary Mitch Roob, who was representing the governor's office, seemed to display an attitude becoming characteristic of Mitch Daniels' administration - he was simply out of touch.  While making his abbreviated presentation at the beginning of the meeting, Roob continuously blamed the floods that plagued parts of Indiana as the reason for the unfavorable statistics regarding the Daniels administration's recent performance.  He also left the room during much of the public testimony that took place later in the meeting, showing his lack of consideration for Hoosiers' concerns.

Public testimony made it clear that the problems caused by modernization and privatization are being felt in major ways.  Those most affected are not receiving the necessary services - some residents even broke down during testimony.  The stories included a laundry list of mishaps from ailing family members and incredible self-sacrifice to extremely long waiting periods and unconscionable denials of services.  They told stories of having to spend entire retirement savings accounts to pay the medical bills of sick family members.  They told stories of waiting months to receive services and during that time having to repeatedly go through the application process.   Above all, lack of accountability by the government was a recurring theme in every story.

Instead of continuing this cycle of mismanagement and failure, Jill sees another direction for our state.  Jill opposes privatization of the FSSA and other government services.  As Governor, she would review all contracts to see what legal recourses the state may have and what would be the best options for all Hoosiers.  Privatization is bad for FSSA and bad for Indiana.

Sincerely,
The JLT Field Team

Jill’s First Ad Hits the Airwaves Today

Jill launches her first television commercial of the general election today.  The ad, which will air around the state, highlights Jill's background, values and vision for Indiana.  

Click here to watch the ad:

Hoosier Hometown Tour Clips Round-Up

Here are just a few of the great stories about Jill and Dennie's stops on the Hoosier Hometown Tour over the last couple weeks.  Take a look:

Thompson turns tables on Daniels with state tour
(Courier-Journal) - Jul 13, 2008

Jill Long Thompson visits Washington
(Washington Times-Herald) - Jul 15, 2008

Dem hits fair circuit
(Evansville Courier & Press) - Jul 16, 2008

Candidate for Governor visits Linton
(Greene County Daily World) - Jul 18, 2008

Long Thompson says she'll work for bridge
(The Madison Courier) - Jul 26, 2008

Be aware of the underdog: Long Thompson up to the challenge of facing Daniels
(Greensburg Daily News) - Jul 26, 2008

Keep checking back for more clips as the tour continues! 

Southeastern Indiana Stops on the Hoosier Hometown Tour

On Friday, our Hoosier Hometown Tour took us to Southeastern Indiana today as we visited Madison, Lawrenceburg and Greensburg.

Dennie and I began the day in Madison, a charming and beautiful Hoosier Hometown.  We were greeted by a number or local residents and had the opportunity to meet with Mayor Tim Armstrong.  Education and the economy were weighing on the minds of folks in Madison, and as we walked through the streets we noticed a number of businesses that had closed as a result of tough times.

Our next stop was Whisky's family restaurant in Lawrenceburg, famous for their homemade barbeque sauce.  A fun and lively group of Dearborn County supporters graciously welcomed us to their table for a fabulous lunch.  Dennie and I got to taste another of Whisky's specialties-their coleslaw, covered with peanuts.  It was so good I could've made a meal out of just that! 

We had the opportunity to talk to Rep. Bob Bischoff, 9th District Chair Mike Jones, and some wonderful and very active ladies in the community including Jackie and Gerri Stutz, Barbara Wiley, Erika Russell, Laverne Hayes, and her daughter Judy McAdams.  In talking about Indiana's spike in unemployment, Judy shared with us that she has recently experienced this firsthand, due to a local plant closing. 

Dennie and I shared with the group our plan to change Indiana's economic climate when elected.  We understand the issues Indiana faces, but more importantly, we know how to turn these issues around. We recognize that improving Indiana's economy is not a program-it is a long term commitment to Hoosier businesses and an investment in our future.  We will make widespread change that will benefit ALL 92 counties and will work to create a better climate to attract new business to the state and grow businesses already here.   

Hoosiers have great potential; we are known for our honesty, decency and hard work, but the current administration is not allowing our state to live up to its promise.  It is unacceptable that Indiana residents are making only 88 cents on the dollar compared to the rest of the nation, and paying much higher health insurance rates.  Hoosiers know this, and it is time that we have a Governor who will acknowledge this too.

God bless,
Jill

Dennie singing at the Truman Club Picnic

Here are some short clips of Lt Governor candidate Dennie Oxley singing at the Truman Club Picnic in Commiskey, IN last Saturday.  Enjoy!

"Amazing Grace"

 

"I'll Fly Away"

 

On the Road in North Central Indiana

Today I was on the road again, this time visiting communities in Howard, Miami, Grant and Madison Counties.

After stops in Kokomo and Peru, I spent a good amount of time in Marion with a group of residents and supporters at the Icehouse Bar and Grill. The Icehouse has lots of character, including license plates covering the wall with references to the restaurant's name. It was great to meet up with former Mayor Bill Henry, County Chair Jody Mauller and other locals for lunch.

From the Icehouse I headed to the Madison County Fair in Alexandria. I had a great time walking the grounds with my good friend Rep. Terri Austin. We helped register voters at the Democrat's booth with volunteers and shook plenty of hands.

While it was a terrific day with clear skies, there were some tough moments hearing from people in difficult situations. Yesterday we went to Fayette County, which has the highest unemployment rate in the state of 11.5 percent. Grant and Howard Counties are right behind Fayette County with unemployment rates of 8 percent, and 7.7 percent. People are struggling to make ends meet. Hoosiers are in need of new leadership in the Governor's office - new leadership that will place a priority on counties most in need and new leadership that understands what working families are going through.

Jill and I are ready to get to work to turn this economy around and so are the people I visited today.

Sincerely,

Dennie

Hometowns in East Central Indiana

Dennie and I were on the trail today visiting cities and towns off I-70 East, and then back west along Highway 44.

We saw Henry, Wayne, Union, Fayette, and Shelby Counties. All of the counties we visited are rich in history and beauty. Dennie and I enjoyed terrific downtowns with brick roads, wonderful people, and some great local shops.

After meeting with some friends in New Castle, we headed to Richmond for lunch at Tom's New York Deli. We could smell the food from down the block, and it didn't disappoint. On our way from Richmond to Liberty, we saw a few surprises on the road because the celebration for the 100th Anniversary of the Model-T is going on at the county fair.

From Liberty we stopped in Connersville for coffee and a meeting with local residents and officials. The topic on everyone's mind was jobs. On Friday of last week, Indiana was met with some bad economic news. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Indiana lost another 17,900 jobs from May to June, and had 43,800 fewer jobs compared to June of 2007. Indiana's unemployment rate increase, from 5.3 percent in June to 5.8 percent in May, was the largest increase in the nation.

But you don't need to give stats like that to the people of Fayette County – they know it firsthand. Fayette County has the highest unemployment rate of all 92 counties at a tragic 11.5 percent. The people we spoke with are tired of hearing about promised jobs from the governor's office without seeing any results. They are ready for change, and they are ready for a governor who will put a priority on our struggling communities.

With the right strategy and incentives in place, we can turn our economy around. We must do this – because the people of Fayette County are counting on us.

God Bless,

Jill

Wrapping Up Another Week on the Road

And what a week it has been!  Here's a picture of me seranading the crowd on Saturday night at the Truman Club Picnic in Commiskey, IN.  I sang I'll Fly Away and Amazing Grace along with the bluegrass band at the event.  What a great time.

The Hoosier Hometown Tour wrapped up week two with visits to Jasper, Loogootee, Vincennes, Clinton, and the Sullivan and Clark County fairs.

Thursday, as Jill and I logged our 1,000th mile of the week, we received word of more devastating Indiana job losses. RV maker Monaco Coach announced it was shutting down three Elkhart County plants, which will eliminate 1,400 good-paying Hoosier jobs. Although I was hundreds of miles from Elkhart County, I could still feel disappointment from residents of Southern Indiana, as more of their fellow Hoosier's jobs are being shipped out of state, in this case to Oregon.

Once again, our current administration is failing hard-working Hoosiers by ignoring the state of our economy. On the heels of the Monaco Coach announcement, we also got word that the governor has announced a $1.4 billion budget surplus.

It seemed ironic to many of the folks we met that while many of their friends and neighbors are struggling to cope with the rising costs of food, fuel and other expenses, and while we are facing record foreclosures, the state is sitting on a pile of cash collected from Mitch Daniels' tax hikes.

Jill and I feel this surplus belongs in the hands of Hoosier families; the people who need this most. We also called on the Governor to suspend Indiana's sales tax on fuel which could save drivers nearly $200 million annually.

Friday I was welcomed to the Clark County fair by Congressman Baron Hill and State Rep. Paul Robertson where we watched the livestock auction and chatted with Clark County supporters. Once again, the economy was weighing on everyone.

On Friday the Bureau of Labor announced that Indiana lost 17,900 jobs from May-June. Our state had the greatest percentage increase in unemployment in the nation.

It's time to turn our state around, Indiana! With our "Grow Indiana" plan, Jill and I will provide the resources to help the economies of all 92 counties, and tackle the challenges Hoosiers face.

Jill and I are continuing to travel the state and look forward to meeting more Hoosiers next week.

All the best,

Dennie