First Draft

¶7

An Election Address


On Tuesday, November 6th the entire country will decide which direction they want to see our country go in the future.


I know that I personally want to make a difference by making our Vermont Senate a reflection of all our citizens. My experience

on the State Advisory Board for P.A.T. H.for several years,

has given me the knowledge of many of the impacting programs for

individuals in the middle and low income economic status.


My reasoning is  who better to impact  decisions than a single Mom who has been able to be a role model for single parents by working 3 - 4 jobs concurrently, over the past 15 years, I realized I knew about 4,000 people.  Doing the math, if they just told one more person, I could easily win.


I consulted George Lakoff, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science and Linguistics at the University of California at Berkeley.  wizard who wrote "Don't Think of an Elephant" from US Berkele


To see if the  fun animoto I was using , was in fact the correct usage for the political arena and he said it was. He spoke to me about framing.


It helped me to understand that to win, you had to change the entire conversation style that was formerly used, in the 18 century as a model for our current 20th century world.


It was suggested I not engage in negative rhetoric.  I would be the change that was needed.  I didn't attack either opponent. I never said which Senator I wanted to unseat. I left entirely up to the voters to decide. I didn't showcase their faults. I refused to even engage  in questioning that  would lead me down that rabbit hole.


I made sure that I only debated when American Sign Language interpreters were present so that all our citizens of Windham County would know how much I value them and will continue to fight for the hearing impaired and deaf in our entire State.


I learned  that by being positive in nature it defeats the pure drama of politics. What an incredible idea!  In parenting, we learn that we can get better results from our children, if we encourage them.  We allow them to grow in the best possible ways, by giving them positive values to embrace.


When the Vermont State Police Association endorsed me with their 800 members, you wouldn't learn about it, because our local news papers have a policy of not publicizing endorsements. But I proudly have the paperwork to show you.

 

My focus has been entirely on the impact of policies that are compassionate to our human rights.  When we are looking at both local and state wide issues, to me, it is important to realize how a change can directly effect the aspects of our residents.


I had the  idea if I ran, I could be that person, who championed our middle and low income working class families to help them better their living conditions, because that is who I am.  It was a laudable thought.


I surprised everyone with the 838 votes that I received in the primary. Thank you!  Several of my mentors who have won races before, told me "they were watching me" to see how far I could go. 


As a nontraditional thinker, I was thrilled with the number of people whose values resonated with mine.  It encouraged me to believe that

if I kept to my own principals and refused to engage in traditional political practices, I would win.


Being a single Mom, my goal was to be able to impact a large majority of people with the least amount of money, which has never done before in the history of politics. I grew up with that saying, "Use it up, wear it out. Make it do, or Do without." I decided that if there was even a slight possibility that it could be done, I would try.


I grew up learning stories of incredible fortitude of Vermonters like Phineas Gage who lived in the next neighboring town, with a crow bar embedded in his head.


Alexander Solzentien, the Russian distant writer, I met personally at

our own Town Meeting when became my neighbor, and his children went to the same high school.

  

I visited the famous Judy Brown, of Reading, the sculptor many times when I was growing up. My childhood was surrounded by individuals who directly framed my view point of the larger world outside of Vermont.


I grew up in a working class traditional family.  Mom stayed home and Dad owned his own business, on a gentleman's farm. I know the issues of small business owners and farmers. My Dad also is a WWII, Cuban Crisis and Viet Nam Veteran.  I am very empathetic to the issues of military families. 


I feel privileged to be a part of a State which allows for so much diversity in its policy making that we are well ahead of many of the other states.  

 

I just want you to know its an honor to be a write in candidate for your Senator.  I didn't make any promises that I could not keep.  Today, I want to promise that if you elect me, I believe you too, will come to love me in a way that will make Windham County proud to 

have a Senator  who puts people first in decision making. 


I will continue to  get  back to you when you call, returns your emails promptly and keeps you up to date by social media and daily blogging so you know what future  policy making is being discussed Montpelier. 


Thank you....so much for all your encouragement! 

I'll see you at the polls!


Graciously,

Mary Cain

www.cain4vt.com


--

Graciously,


Mary Cain

Vermont Justice of the Peace

Twitter @JPVT4U

Facebook:  Vermont Justice of the Peace

www.vtweddings.org



¶6

Small Towns, Big Budget Costs


The draw to living in a small town for me was that

you could easily get to know so many people. You 

interact on a daily basis with everyone from shop keepers,

to teachers, large business owners, to town government

officials. You can even engage our Governor in a conversation,

right on Main Street, as he is frequently spotted walking.


There are lots of other advantages to being in a small town.

Generally traffic is less.  However in Brattleboro, because of 

a small town government, the Select Board approved a new

lighting system which confounds every principle of dynamics

for movement that ever existed. What used to work, now takes significantly longer to navigate through our wonderful

downtown area.  Small government sometimes mean large 

inconveniences.


Recently the small town of Brattleboro experienced severe

flooding, major fires and I am reminded by famous Vermont resident Robert Frosts, "some say fire, some say ice, I say either will suffice"which leads me to the current decision making that we are in the midst of.


Brattleboro has a representative Town Meeting format, where some people insist its called town meeting members, most people call themselves town reps because they are "representing their district" in decision making. 140 residents meet to make the major decisions.


In this particular circumstance, we need to allocate $14,000,000 to renovate our police and fire stations. This is no small feat should we decide to do it in addition  that cost which is an estimate only, how can we pay for that? How much will the interest be, and impacting that is do we really need to have the renovations, in the first place?  The actual fees could be as high as $20,000.000.


We also need to realize that the financial burden now is really the financial burden of the future generations and that population

wise we have not increased for over 20 years, the number of people living here. Why then do we need to have a state of the art, police facility and fire station? 


I toured the police station, and while I think its a degraded site, why

would I want to make individuals who are going through that

system more cozy and comfortable? Honestly, I think the current situation reflects the nature of the crimes that are dealt with. It reflects that the town has not prided itself in modernizing a system that was built decades ago to discourage criminals from having to be forced to be housed there. I think we should give tours daily to school children so that they know ahead of time that if they break the law then this is where they will wind up.  This moldy, dark, dank, cell will be their home, until they are forwarded on to another facility.


You could argue that the safety issue for the police officers is more important and that they deserve a better working environment .  Perhaps that is true but if they did not take a tour of the working conditions before choosing to accept their salary, I have to wonder what were they thinking?


I am  part of a community, of my peers who like me, would not think of spending an outrageous amount of money that we didn't already have, to satiate the wishes of two departments when we have not seen a population increase in over 20 years.


If we could, evaluate on the basis of factual information, such as costs of salaries, costs of calls from the police and fire departments, per basis, we could see that frequently the usage of many of these vehicles are not cost effective.  


The argument from the town side seems to be on an emotional side rather than a practical side. We have other buildings which could be utilized at a fraction of the cost, but they weren't even considered. In addition, it appears that the one site sample was not put out to bid which means that we did NOT do our due diligence on this project. That concerns me more than anything else. Without the ability to 

compare factual prices from other contractors, how do we know that the best price is actually being chosen by the Town?


I think we need to revert back to the Yankee saying that DK Packer said  “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”


We have gotten in the mindset of spending, spending, spending just like the Federal Government where deficits are being in the trillion dollars.  It is NOT the decision makers of the small government who are actually responsible for making these decisions. It is the citizens who allow these individuals to control the political decision making who are responsible for these costs. We cannot in our right minds, say that we need to burden the future generation with further costs. We have already seen where these kinds of decisions have let our community down.


We have seen it in deaths to 3 of our residents who were just out taking a walk one day and were hit and killed by automobile drivers, some while in cross walks that were not well maintained.  Its outrageous that we think we can put a bandage on the costs of two new facilities when we can't even get our own infrastructure up to codes which results in deaths to the very citizens who were depending on those elected government officials to do the job they were elected to do.


I feel strongly that safety for everyone is a human right.  I do not feel though that we require or have a right to, the most modern, efficient, state of the art facilities available, to do that. I feel we have to look at what we already have and reuse those areas.


We have a perfectly good vacant building, the Home Depot on Putney Road that not only has the  indoor yardage available but also has the ceiling height for a ladder truck. It  can house an army

in the space that is under the roofs, which would be a perfectly good location for the fire/police facility. There is plenty of parking there already. It would revitalize the area, it has plenty of space for administrative offices and could easily house the Emergency Management Department. It has easy access to the Interstate and could be far more effective than our current system by being able to

get the vehicles out on the road in a faster time, than it takes to navigate the downtown traffic.


I do not buy into the argument that the current citizens insist that the police and fire stations be downtown. I would suggest a vote to see if the citizens would rather relocate the current facilities to an affordable option and not have an increase for future generational in taxes.  Our town could become a ghost town, if one of the major companies withdraws its employees and tax dollars in the very near future.  We must look factually at the dynamics of the landscape.


We need to look further how we can recreate what we already have available to reduce costs for such projects which will NOT burden our future generations....


If we moved the fire and police stations to another locale, using an already existing building we could completely cobble stone the downtown area removing all traffic and actually return to a center for individuals to walk safely, merchants to have outdoor cafes, noise would be reduced significantly and people would be much happier 

because they would no longer have to pay outrageous parking fees and fines in the downtown area.  What a thought. We could actually make Brattleboro a safer, more people friendly place that we can be proud of, now and long term.


¶5

The Art Of Letter Writing



I am an enormous fan of the old fashion stamped letter in the mail.  There is a surge of warmth when one happens to land in my mail box.  I sometimes don't tear it open with anticipation to see what is inside but rather lavish the unknown ....and wait anticipating the friendly words will be there at my leisure, to enjoy.  Its far different than the arrival of an email ecard or facebook posting. Its personal, its pausing in this hectic life to share a moment in time with someone you care deeply for. 


My father was called up to active military duty, for an entire year serving in Da Nang, Viet Nam in 1968 and 1969.  There was not a single day in that year that I failed to write him.  I have no idea how long the letters took to get to him but I know that he cherished each of them.  I know this, because I have  kept some of those letter responses. I've spoken to him about the many different things that

happened to my siblings, Mom and I, during that year.


With the invention of the internet we may be loosing completely the art of writing down our thoughts on paper, sealing it in an envelop and actually mailing in the post office to someone we care about.  I was reminded of this when a recent wedding, hosted at a Vermont castle, chose to have included in the vows Kahlil Gibran's poem.  I have often been struck by the fact that Kahlil fell in love with Mary Haskell, never actually met each other.  They exchanged over 600 letters. Their fondness, intimacy and ability to support each others emotions, is timeless.  One can undoubtedly say that their love letters to each other are just as prevalent and evoking of emotions today, as they were when they were written.  You can visit them at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia


http://telfair.org/view/collections/about-the-collections/


Sadly, we may just loose the entire art though. We now are eliminating cursive training in our educational system.  We are insisting that our youngest children learn to utilize computers, which eliminate the need to learn to spell because of the ease of having spell check.  I have to wonder, what will become of our communication in the future?


I am not saying that there are not advantages to a quick emails. In a letter, in my opinion, you know that the effort takes longer to exchange from one person to another.


By the way, I learned calligraphy in high school and to me the ultimate art of writing in this expansive format is the most wonderful expression of words upon a page.


While I am writing this it occurred to me to send out few seconds of cautions about letter writing to our teachers in elementary education.  I can personally say that for my children, who grew up with me as their only parent, it was impossible, difficult and particularly insensitive to  have them assigned to  write a letter to a parent who was not present, for any day, let alone Father's Day. Please keep this in mind when encouraging the art...it is an extremely personal form

of communicating and forcing its usage, does not perpetuate the culture...


My suggestion to you....as you are at the end of this essay, is to pick up a  pen and paper, now......address an envelop to someone who you haven't  told how very much you appreciate them...and post it in the mail by the end of the day....if we did just this simple step, daily, we could make incredible changes in another's life......





¶4

Conversations Within Community




 I can barely keep up sometimes with the shear number of events that I want to attend, and frequently do, within a week.  I have an insatiable number of interests.


I don't watch tv so my evenings are free to do whatever it is that most interests me.  I spend a great deal of time answering the 6 email accounts, tweeting, face booking, and linking in.  I have not concentrated on the other attractive social medias, like 4 square or hot potato, not because I don't want to, but rather because  I am already overwhelmed with keeping up with what I do have.  I can actually remember when I didn't have a computer, tv or anything other than a 60 hour work week....remember those "good ole days" when you could wake up and NOT check your emails, before you have your breakfast?  I don't know about you, but I find that there seems to be an almost irrational need to see how many new emails I have gotten, even before I go to sleep at night.  Silly isn't it? What is our community coming to?


I certainly hope that my children and their children don't completely loose the art of speaking to each other, because of short hand texting, emailing, social media and time consumed with video games.


 We have so many events in Windham County every night of the week, that there is absolutely no excuse to be bored.  With great theater, jazz, incredible art, theater and galleries, a circus, variety community college courses, but civic government, school events, frequently I find I have to choose among the best of the best and settle one one event.


I had  the opportunity this week to do some things I have never done.   I crossed the border to my old home town of Vernon where I spent an year living in an old farm house that I fell in love with.  I went to Vernon to listen to an incredible slide show presentation about a year long trip down the river ways of South America that a local resident told us about.  There were about 30 people who showed up on one of the dankest dark Fall rainy nights we have had so far this year.  Even as I write this, I am breaking out in this huge smile recalling how warm and inviting the group was. 


This group meets monthly to share outstanding photography that they self critique and overwhelmingly hail with great pride.  It was precisely what I needed to experience.  There was laughter and jokes, a rare insight into technique training that was upcoming for novices like myself.  I am entertaining the idea of penciling into my day planner.  Yes, even with all the modern capabilities, I still utilize an old fashion calendar.....which sometimes jointly is also posted on my cell phone calendar.  The spirit of this particular group truly was intoxicating because they supported each other's creative spirit and encouraged members and wannabe members to share in their enthusiasm.


One of the other events that I had an opportunity to participate in was the first and only candidates debate for the local political offices.  I had refused to engage in any previous debates because I required that they have paid American Sign Language interpreters and no one offered

to pay for their services, thus no debate.  I found this debate, which included two ASL interpreters, to be especially engaging. I was proud to be a part of such a diverse, cultural events which concurred with my focus to include more access to communication with our deaf and hard of hearing community.  I had advocated for this very type of multi lingual event for two years at local town meetings, and I actually got to see and participate in the very event I had hoped would exist! This format which will be broadcast on Brattleboro Community Television within the next week,  was sponsored by the Vermont Workers Center.  

http://www.workerscenter.org/


The Vermont Workers Center is the reason why I stepped into the main spot light to become Senator.  It was not only because of their focus on human rights and health care that spirited my multi level participation in interactive TV testimonies, to going to Montpelier to rallies and to give personal testimony on issues I felt compelled to lend my voice to, it was also because I got to personally see how our current Senators were not working well together.  I knew that I would work diligently, tirelessly to improve the human condition of Vermonters, especially those who could not speak for themselves.  VWC gave me the power to speak to the issues

in informative, clear, personal stories that impacted major decision making from child educator unionization bill, to GMO labeling, to dental, vision and health care.  I finally realized that my voice, combined with 1,000 of other Vermonters with similar stories, WAS Vermont. 


When I think of my community, mine extends far beyond the borders of Windham County all the way up to the northern most borders of our state to Canada.  My own personal experiences, include growing up in Windsor County, traveling to the Coolidge Estate in...... going to Lyndon State for Girls State, having graduating from the University of Vermont, taken Canadian Studies  and trips to Montreal and mass media, working in Burlington, venturing to Randolph to see the Viet Nam Memorial, going to Champlain Valley Fair....and understanding the issues of traveling on limited transportation, mostly buses back and forth during my college years.  


I have a sincere love for Vermont.  From the time I was old enough to find four leaf clovers, fish, help dig up home grown potatoes, milk a cow, chase the pigs,goats and chickens on our gentleman's farm, I have experienced how important our community is in impacting not only our individual lives, but  of those world wide.   I met Russian writer, Alexander Solzhenitsyn when he moved into my home town and came to my town meeting and introduced himself. The world as I knew it growing up then became a more globular place, because we offered Russian in our school systems to accommodate the Solzhenitsyn children who became classmates.


When I look at our current Windham County community I am thrilled to see cultures of many nations represented here. I had the unbelievable opportunity to be invited to the School of International Training/World Learning, located in Brattleboro http://www.sit.edu/ a few years back and watch the students fashion show.  There were 35 countries represented with music and flare that was second only in my opinion to the world class fashion shows of New York and Paris.  We have so many 

incredible opportunities to embrace our larger world, right here, walking down Main Street in down town Brattleboro.


We even now have a seminar length community and colleges conversation that meets weekly, which is spirited by Ken Schneck, the Dean of Students at nearby Marlboro College, http://gradschool.marlboro.edu/  who also happens to be a our town Select-board Member. This mixes students with community members of all ages.


If you are seeking a place where conversations are moving, engaging, entertaining and cover everything from organic farming to world views on politics, Windham County has it. I invite you to join in the conversation, and take part in history making, one conversation at a time.




¶3

A night at the Museum




It came by invitation to join the BCTV crew for its annual membership dinner at the Brattleboro Museum of Art


http://www.brattleboromuseum.org


I enjoy being able to leisurely walk around the museum, looking at the most recent exhibits.


I was a Board of Director for the past two years but my term ended and I decided it was best to narrow my scope, focus on things I really wanted to do in the next chapter of my life. My term ended in June, just as I was entering the political race for Senate.  The timing was right.


I enjoyed seeing BCTV thrive and pressured them to go even further with their explorations of what can be done on a board. They exceeded everyone's expectations by winning multiple awards for their outstanding community filming, mostly done by volunteers.


Its heartwarming to see an organization do this. I have to

commend the staff for its superior filming on the events of Irene's wrath and the coverage of the downtown Brooks Fire.  Joe Bushey

and Roland Boyden did outstanding work which was broadcast world-wide and reached even my best friend Eric, while he was in Paris visiting.  We have that kind of world class incredible passion, at this tiny community television station.


Well known film produce Maria Dominguez of BCTV is another person who quietly records everything from Town Meetings, Sign Language Interpreters, local library events and the like, all for our pleasure of viewing.


I have been continually delighted with the quality and scope of the coverage of Windham County events and I hope that you have too, from select board meetings, to Gallery Walks, visionary filming on death and local lore, to coverage of the Aids Quilting Painting project, BCTV has been there in the forefront, capturing history in the making.


I decided that I would get all dressed up and show up early.  I find that I meet a lot more people this way.  I can ease into conversations without being  rushed to sit down and listen to the program.


There was plenty of food, with wood fired pizzas,cheese and crackers, salads, chips, veggies, dip, soft drinks, and tiny assorted chocolate tarts, brownies and lady fingers filled with cream.  It was a good assortment of for a crowd.


As everyone assembled, and got something to eat, the big tv screen was tested to make sure that it could broadcast the highlighted films of the evening which includes an extensive Montage that was expertly put to music by Roland.


Few events revel this community recognition, honoring ordinary people

who chose to utilize the film media to capture the essence of local

people doing whatever it is that Vermonters do.


So if you are in the mood to take a class or two, to learn how to

use the cameras, you too, can be part of the magical world of film

in your own backyard of Windham County.  Learn more by

logging on to  http://www.brattleborotv.org/



¶2

Bliss



There is an unmistakable attraction to Windham County that mystifies and enchants tourists year round. Many move here permanently to enjoy the seasonal weather changes, the mosaic of people from many walks of life, and the distinctive craftmanship of local merchants. The lore of this area is famous world wide with author greats Rudyard Kipling who called Naulakha in Brattleboro, home. Tasha Tudor famous for her children's stories and gardens, in nearby Marlboro continues to enchant visitors with her Museum in West Brattleboro.  If you are lucky, you might bump into Archer Mayor on the Street, mysteriously thinking of his next gruesome novel.


Windham County also is known for its "Literary Festivals" which this year will be held October 12th - 14th. A plethora of  talented authors from all over the world will gather to share their talents and bliss to all who gather.


I met a couple recently who moved from Illinois specifically because of Vermont and its many attributes.  They want to live the remainder of their lives here because Vermont has everything they believe to be  perfect, great landscapes, culture, music and quiet.


Even the small general stores capture the visitors favor, with regionally grown fresh vegetables, baked goods and a charm where clerks go out of their way to make sure the visitor's questions are answered, directions are

given to the nearest destination with an occasional "You can't get there from here." 


Guildford and Algiers are awaiting the opening of their new general store with great anticipation. It will include a cafe which will allow for locals to sit and visit.  Small towns frequently do not have such a place, other than a post office.


Vermont has been called a "social museum" filled with so many activities for tourists that it’s hard to decide what to do.  Frequently,  summer time visitors en route to are golfing or are "tough mudders," a term you must Google.  The country fairs, peach cobbler dinners, festivals and music festivals are world known.  


The idea of spending a weekend in Vermont is so attractive that summer often times finds hotels, bed and breakfasts and motels filled with guests.

I ran into two women who paid $300 per night to stay in town, during the height of the summer. The campgrounds, motels and hotels have varying

rates. Reservations are a must year round.  Do not come expecting  empty rooms, they simply do not exist. I've heard stories, especially during Fall foliage of people having to sleep in their cars because they

failed to call ahead and confirm a reservation.


Foodies will love Windham County with its Farmers Markets where fresh flowers, vegetables and maple syrups, along with jellies, jams and freshly baked breads are plentiful.  Each towns seems to have its own day for gathering local farmers who sell their products and produce.  


Restaurants in the area feature everything from authentic bbq to Indian and Thai foods.  From the inexpensive to the top of the line five star diner

you will be quite delighted with the array of gourmet delights.  One of the most frequently visited is a the Vermont Country Deli located at a busy intersection of I 91 and Rt 9 offering hearty soups, sandwiches and gigantic cookies. There  are many choices of pub grub, available where

you can relax and enjoy local microbreweries, try the Whetstone Brewery and ask for the beernoculars.



¶1

Decisions


I've always wondered why politicians have such a bad reputation.   I studied about history and framing the conversations. I read "Don't Think of an Elephant" by George Lakoff, with a forward by Governor Howard Dean, "How to Win and Election: an Ancient Guide for Modern Politicians," by Quintus Tullius and Ambassador Madeleine Kunin's "Pearls, Politics and Power." I believed that especially in the later, that I had exactly the qualifications that were authentically needed in our citizens legislature in Vermont.  I had empathy, I had advocated for several years for several different groups of under privileged. I had board of director experiences, one locally, and one on the State level. I had served as a President of a tenant's association.  I had spoken up at School and Town Meetings.  I had a voice that needed to be heard.  I had an authenticity that as rarely seen in politics and I wondered, could I win?  


I followed the steps with the greatest of grace that lead me to individuals who truly supported my candidacy.  They welcomed someone who had the same kinds of experiences that they did, parenting children in the school system, addressing issues that were important, like cross walk safety and underage drinking.   They liked that I had the kind of chutzpah to challenge the norms when I actually brought in an arsenal of tools that never had been used before, in defeating traditional rhetoric.  They liked that I didn't even use the age old multiple lawn signs that other politicians littered the country side. People applauded me when I told them I was going to have a green campaign and meant it, when the only signs that they saw were my over sized NAME TAG, and a single sign  that was portable, which was the size of a 6 foot table.


People liked me.  Its lovely to be liked.  After all, winning a campaign  is a popularity contest.  People even liked that I refused to engage in negative rhetoric, refused to retort opponents in any kind of backstabbing, jabs.  But the media hated it.  After all, the media feeds on negatives.  They enjoy being able to point out flaws, quote defaming remarks, print outrageous stories to dramatize a candidate.  What could they say about a single Mom of 3 outstanding sons?  What dared the other candidates say about me that could possibly alter anyone's ability to cast their vote in my favor?  They could only say that I didn't have the qualifications.


But Ambassador Kunin's clearly identified that I did have the qualifications and I also had the right to put myself in the running for Senator.  She claimed that decision making at the Senate level was no different than say organizing your day, when you were a parent, who worked "schlepped your kids to soccer games" came home, cooked dinner and managed a house hold.  So who was more right?


You cannot use the 18th century political policies for our 21st century futuristic candidates.  The same framing does not apply according to George Lakoff.  The reality is that you must look at the candidate who best resonates your values and where you feel your future should be.  Ah ah there it is simply put.  


In order to win, you must be like the values of the voter.  Was I not like that ? Well, let's take a look.  I had been raised in Vermont, on a 200 acre working farm, by small business owners, who were part of a military family. I went to college in state, to University of Vermont.  I worked in Chicago, Los Angeles and greater Atlanta.  I married, had children, divorced.  I returned to Vermont and worked inside of the nuclear plant, passing all the background checks, twice. I worked at another of the largest employers in Windham County, Peak Resorts, known as Mt Snow, and Haystack Mountain and Golf Club.  I worked for 16 years all over Windham County, in school systems, fast food establishments and managed to coordinate multiple jobs, concurrently, in order to feed, house and keep my family thriving.  But how would you the voter know that.


That's where advertising dollars are spent.  That's why the media loves candidates, they pay for their newspapers to be sold through advertising sales of political ads.  Tv stations do the same, as to radio stations.  So who controls the message is the individual with the most money.  At least that is how our society has become over decades of more and more ingenious advertising and marketing wizards who have convinced us that that is the only way you can get the message out there.


 I realized, I could do better. I could utilize events that were not covered by the media to get to meet voters. I could show up at little events around the county and meet people, face to face, shake hands, listen to concerns and actually hear what issues constituents were talking about . What an old fashioned yet novel way of campaigning.  I could also utilize social media, facebook, linked in, and access to Twitter.   I could use karaoke at an event with over 350 people. I sang well, it was all those years of going to Catholic mass.  I could win radio contests where my name was heard but I didn't hear it, someone else alerted me.  I just showed up and I won twice.  My name was on the radio, which costs me nothing numerous times.  "There's something about Mary."


I did everything I could to stay out of the media radar, and it worked.  I met people, shook hands, attended workshops, went about telling people of my focus.  I even had one person comment "You have an excellent chance of winning"  Many people said "thank you for running" It was lovely.  



The primary came and I was jazzed. In the final result I won 838 votes, which is superior for a first time candidate. Obviously some things did work, people listened, it was exciting. I needed 2,600 to be on the ballot. I was ecstatic that I did so well.  Now for winning, if at first you don't succeed, what did your Mother tell you?  "Try, try, try again! 

Or at least wait and see what happens on November 6th because the big boys in politics, the ones who have consistently won told me, "its not over, ‘til its over!"


First Draft Columnist

Mary Cain

is a

Justice

of the

Peace

and writes on quality of life in Windham

County

from

Brattleboro

Vermont