(here’s a less gory Charlie Brown story. GOTV – promoted by shayera)

As many of you know, Charlie Brown is running a different kind of campaign. He is not running for fame or for power or to derail the ambitions of an opponent. Instead, Charlie is running a campaign focused on taking action, solving problems and producing results.  

One of the key aspects of Charlie Brown’s historic campaign is his tremendous dedication to helping serve his fellow veterans. For those of you unfamiliar with Charlie Brown and may or may not have been living under a rock for the last 3 1/2 years, Charlie is a 26-year veteran of the United States Air Force and retired lieutenant colonel. Charlie served first as a rescue helicopter pilot at the tail-end of the Vietnam War after graduating from the Air Force Academy, and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his participation in the Mayaguez Incident. He later transferred to fixed-wing reconnaissance, and served as an intelligence officer leading cold war missions around the world and eventually coordinating surveillance flights over Iraq’s No-Fly Zones before his retirement in 1998.

He has been committed to “Leave No Veteran Behind,” an idea that gets a lot of lip-service from politicians but never sees that promise fulfilled. Charlie Brown is making that difference with his Promises Kept Veterans Charity Challenge, in which he has given 5% of his campaign funds to local veterans’ service providers–which I’m sure many of you know, do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of service delivery to veterans most in need across America.

This unique action by Charlie Brown has resulted in over $90,000 in funds to be diverted to keep the lights on (quite literally) for numerous homeless shelters, veterans’ crisis groups and special needs groups right here in the 4th District.

On Friday, October 31st, just 5 days from Election day, Charlie gave the last of his Promises Kept funds to help keep those groups that work so tirelessly and thanklessly to care for those who defended our freedom.

Joining Charlie and the Veterans for Brown team was Congressman Mike Thompson, a fellow Vietnam veteran and Representative from California’s 1st Congressional District. Thompson, who also Co-Chairs the House Veterans Caucus, has helped lead the fight for veterans’ rights and better access to healthcare for veterans and their families.

After arriving in Roseville, Congressman Thompson and Charlie were given a briefing by the Gathering Inn’s Suzi Defosset before the ceremony. Talking to veterans who had received care by the numerous organizations present, Charlie and Rep. Thompson got to hear directly from those who had benefited from the programs being offered. On hand were numerous veterans, advocates and local elected officials, including Walt Scherer of Loomis and Gina Garbolino of Roseville.

After being introduced by Veterans for Brown co-chair Don Harper, Congressman Thompson explained the importance of what Charlie has been doing as a candidate sacrificing that extra commercial, radio spot or district-wide mailer to shine light on a problem that is not uncommon to every congressional district in the country. Our country’s veterans need help, and sitting on the sidelines is not an option.

Charlie then proceeded to award each of the groups with $4,500 checks to help with vital services that will directly benefit 4th District veterans and military families.

As the election comes to a close next week, it is important to remember the sacrifices our troops have given up to secure our rights to vote and live in a free country. Too often we forget about those who defend our liberties when the talking heads and career politicians put partisanship ahead of solving problems.

But as stated at the beginning of this blog, Charlie Brown is running a different kind of campaign. He’s making sure the good of the district and country comes before political talking points and real results are produced.

As we head into these final days, your help is crucial. Tom McClintock and his friends at the RNC are not about to go quietly.  

So if you are in northern california over the next few days, please consider stopping by to pitch in, as we are going to need every bit of help we can get to ensure Charlie finishes this mission.

Please consider a donation today, or plan a trip to help Get Out The Vote here in the 4th District.

Join the hundreds of boots on the ground making this election possible and help elect a Congressman who will stand up for our troops, veterans, and their families. The time is now to elect Charlie Brown to Congress.

Thanks,

Neil Pople

Director of Online Communications

Charlie Brown for Congress

PS- Please also take a moment and check out the websites for our Promises Kept Veterans Charity Challenge recipients. These groups are consistently serving those in need here in CA-04:

Hospitality House of Western Nevada County

Sacramento County & Nevada County Stand Down

The Gathering Inn

Francis House of Sacramento

Soldiers Angels

Cottage Housing

The Greater Oroville Homeless Coalition

Rebuild Hope

The air was chilly in Quincy on Saturday as the Charlie Brown for Congress team held its 2nd to the last BBQ Town Hall meeting at Pioneer Park. People from around the greater Plumas County area; from Quincy to Greenville, Portola, Graeagle and all the way out from Chico came to hear Charlie speak and ask him the questions at the forefront of the 4th District’s minds.

Quincy, a small town of about 2,000, is known as a “mountain community.” Nestled in between the Plumas, Lassen and Tahoe National Forests, Quincy is a picture-perfect vision of yesteryear.

From the beautiful late 19th Century homes to the 40’s-style Main Street, everything about Quincy reminds you of a time and place that brings a smile to even the hardest of hearts.

The crowd braved the surprisingly early fall chill to meet Charlie and ask the questions they’ve been waiting for. As the burgers were being flipped, people poured in to sit under the Rotary pavilion and chat about the news in town.

When Charlie arrived, the crowd gathered around to hear an introduction by Plumas County Supervisor-elect Lori Simpson, just fresh off her electoral victory against a well-entrenched incumbent. Lori spoke about the need for change and how Charlie represents a new breed of leadership to move this district forward.

After Lori’s gracious introduction, Charlie told the group assembled about the importance of getting out the vote and making those phone calls, knocking on those doors, and talking to every neighbor about this campaign and the importance of voting.

The concerns of people in the Northern counties are a little different than they are in Roseville or Orangevale. Logging is a major issue, and one of the first questions revolved around the balance between the timber industry and the environmental concerns associated with it.

For Charlie, it was a familiar issue. A long-time proponent of healthy forests, Charlie explained the thinning techniques that are actually helping to keep fire levels down and encouraging new growth in the forests.

Another question revolved around hunting. A long-time skeet-shooter, Charlie believes in access to public lands for hunters, sports shooters, fishermen, hikers and off-road vehicles. Charlie owns guns and uses them frequently, and is a member of the Beale Gun & Rod Club where he shoots targets.

One woman asked a question revolved around housing markets. In Plumas County, the housing market has fluctuated wildly, putting home values in real jeopardy. Charlie has been an ardent supporter of standing up to predatory lenders so real people can stay in their homes. He is also calling for consistent, bi-partisan oversight by both the Executive branch and Congress to ensure the lenders don’t take advantage of another American family.

Finally, Charlie was asked about broadband internet access. Back in 2000, America was number one in the world in broadband access.  Today, America has fallen to 15th.  Charlie believes we can do better than that.  He believes we should not be satisfied until every community in America is wired so that everyone can compete in the global economy.  

Next weekend will be the final Charlie Brown Town Hall BBQ at Condon Park in Grass Valley. If you can make it, please join us, get some free burgers (we have veggie burgers too), and ask the questions that you want Charlie to answer. See you then!

(Looks like fun! – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

With less than 3 weeks in the election, the Charlie Brown for Congress campaign continues to dominate in voter contact in the 4th Congressional District. As dozens of dedicated canvassers, hundreds of volunteers, and the candidate himself hit the pavement to spread Charlie’s positive message of patriotism before partisanship, its becoming increasingly clear who has the advantage in this race.

As with every Saturday for the last month, Charlie held another Brown BBQ Town Hall meeting, this time at the Orangevale Community Center in Sacramento County. Orangevale, a quiet suburb of Sacramento, is not accustomed to much political attention from campaigns. Folks came from all over the area to hear Charlie and ask him the questions that matter to them.

Introducing Charlie was the Vice-Mayor of Citrus Heights, James Shelby. Mr. Shelby is also the President of the Greater Sacramento Urban League. He has been a tireless advocate for Sacramento, and his support for Charlie runs strong.

After Vice-Mayor Shelby’s gracious remarks, Charlie introduced himself to the gathered crowd. He told them about courage, sacrifice, and a willingness to put political ideology aside in the interest of the greater good.

The first question came from a young and recently homeless man who was riding his bike and saw our gathering. While pre-conceived notions were definitely in play, the young man asked Charlie a very poignant question: what would he do on the rehabilitative-side of homeless prevention beyond simply saying that more shelters should be built?

To many in the audience, it was a somewhat banal question, but Charlie hit the nail on the head: its going to take a public/private solution to help give a hand up-not a hand-out to those who have found themselves homeless. Most people don’t know this, but Charlie has been advocating for the homeless for years. One in every 3 homeless men are veterans, and that number skyrockets to 40% in the 4th District. As foreclosure rates steadily increase, jobs become tougher to find and the current conflict bringing an influx of returning soldiers with psychological traumas, the homeless population is going to see an increase. Rather than simply housing them and keeping them homeless, Charlie said he would like to ask Congress to look into finding rehabilitative measures that can make these men & women productive members of society again.

Another question came from a woman worried about Wall Street. Like so many Americans right now, she’s worried about the recent crash in the stock market. She wanted to know whether Charlie had a plan for our crippled economy and relieve middle-class Americans from burdensome taxes, and what his first economic priority would be in Congress.

Charlie’s answer was simple: balance the budget. One of the toughest jobs up ahead for the 112th Congress is finding a way to fix some of the many financial errors we’ve seen exposed these last few months. Charlie knows that we need to erase the massive debt our country owes to foreign governments like Saudi Arabia and China. In addition to the elimination of taxes like the Alternative Minimum Tax and the Widow’s Tax for military families, Charlie also wants to fight for additional tax relief for small business innovators.

As the wind blew hard and surprisingly cold, Charlie and those gathered enjoyed each other’s company and walked away hopeful for Orangevale’s future.

This weekend, Charlie will be hosting another Brown BBQ Town Hall up in Quincy. Please check out our website at www.charliebrownforcongress.org for more details. If you can make it up, we would be glad to share a burger or hot dog with you!

Just the other weekend, Charlie Brown participated in the 4th Brown BBQ Town Hall meeting, a great opportunity for voters and Charlie to connect and ask the questions that are at the top of their minds.

The countdown to Election Day moves forward, as does the Charlie Brown campaign. In an event-filled day that included an eggplant festival, two barbeques, a solar home tour and an Orange to Blue special DailyKos “Hell to Pay” fundraiser, Charlie was able to meet and talk directly with voters at Johnson-Springview Park in Rocklin, CA.

As the bad weather lifted, the crowds began to gather at the park Saturday. Over 85 people showed up for the chance to ask Charlie a wide variety of questions, ranging from public transportation to the economy to healthcare.

Introducing Charlie was a pair of Placer County leaders, two men who sit on opposite sides of the aisle but came together in support of the right candidate.

First up to introduce Charlie was Larry Menth. Larry is the Vice-Chair of the Rocklin Planning Commission , a dedicated Democrat and leader in the Rocklin community. He spoke about Charlie’s ability to build bridges, and the pride he has working with someone who will take action in Congress.

Following Larry, Loomis’ Mayor Pro-Tem, Walt Scherer , picked up on Charlie’s message of patriotism before partisanship. A lifelong Republican, Walt has seen his share of partisan politics here in the 4th, and has fought long and hard to keep Loomis the small, friendly town it is.

After introductions, Charlie took questions from the audience. The first came from a young woman concerned about the need for new and improved light rail/ mass transit and asked Charlie for his thoughts on the subject. A long-time proponent of mass transit, Charlie wants to ensure that we all have freedom-freedom to ride the bus, a bike, or your car-and wants to make sure our transportation needs are met in this very critical intersection of commerce.

Another question revolved around the recent woes on Wall Street. One gentleman asked what Charlie was looking for in any type of “rescue plan” that he could get behind. Charlie was quick to point out that any type of financial rescue would have to include consistent bi-partisan oversight and a strict no Golden Parachute clause for the irresponsible executives who helped create the mess we’re in. Charlie also called for near-term security and liquidity for the credit market so businesses can get back to actually doing business.

As the town hall closed, someone asked Charlie if healthcare would be a topic in the next debate with Tom McClintock. Its interesting to note that someone would ask, given the two most recent bills on healthcare in the CA state senate that Tom has been involved with. Senator McClintock was the only member of the CA Senate to vote against SB 1563 this year, the Autism Insurance bill, (and for the second time). 1563 did not have any cost associated with it, and only established a workgroup to examine the current insurance coverage for autism and make recommendations for equitable coverage in the future. In addition to this was the authorship of SB 1669, a healthcare bill that would extend the pre-existing condition clause from 12 months to 10 years. Healthcare, one of the country’s top issues, will most definitely be an issue in this race, and Charlie is looking forward to the explanation Tom has for his actions while in the state legislature.

With 3 weeks left in this campaign, the air is full of electricity here in the 4th Congressional District. Charlie is still plugging away, talking to voters the old fashioned way at town halls and special events like this. If you’re in the area and interested in meeting Charlie and asking the questions that matter to you, please check out our website for details. This last weekend we were in Orangevale at the Orangevale Community Center. Our photoblog will be released tomorrow on that event. This upcoming Saturday we will be in Quincy, so come up and join us for what promises to be a great event!

As the Charlie Brown for Congress campaign jumps into high-gear, the people of El Dorado County got an opportunity to hear from 4th Congressional District’s very own Charlie Brown at our 3rd BBQ Town Hall at Bijou Park in South Lake Tahoe. Approximately 100 voters were on hand to enjoy the beautiful facilities, some free food, and the opportunity to ask Charlie Brown the questions on their minds.

Introducing Charlie was El Dorado County Supervisor Norma Santiago. Norma has been fighting tirelessly on the county board of supervisors over the last 3 years on the important issues facing the district and El Dorado County: water, economic development, conservancy and energy.

After the kind words from Norma, Charlie gave his narrative to the audience. Over the last 3 decades, Charlie Brown was serving his country-first as an air force intelligence officer, then as a teacher, and finally by serving on the Roseville Police Department. Charlie’s is a lifetime spent serving the country and the district, and to tell his story is to tell the story of the 4th District.

The first question came from Supervisor Santiago, who asked what Charlie’s priorities would be in Congress. His answer was simple: he wants to work towards solutions by reaching across party lines on our crumbling economic situation. With our economy in such dire straits, Charlie knows that fiscal sanity is only achievable by getting all sides to work together.

Another question came from a Korean War vet, who wanted know what Charlie thought about taxes and living on a fixed income-a problem many are facing as the country faces economic woes. Charlie is a retiree himself, living on a fixed income. He understands, first hand, how families are affected by rising gas, grocery, healthcare and other costs. Charlie explained his desire to see marriage penalty relief, an extension of the child tax credit, estate tax relief, and elimination of the Alternative Minimum Tax.

As the crowd continued with their questions, more passersby came to listen to Charlie and contribute to the dialogue.

Afterwards, Charlie was swarmed by the crowd with dozens more questions regarding veterans’ benefits, tribal lands, alternative energies, water issues and more. All in all, Charlie Brown won over new supporters and energized dozens of new volunteers. They know full-well that a vote for Charlie is a vote for responsible growth, clean alternative energies, middle-class tax relief, and a vote to put patriotism before partisanship.

This upcoming weekend, voters here in placer County will be able to participate in Charlie’s 4th Town Hall BBQ at Johnson-Springview Park in Rocklin. More details can be found on our website.

PS: You can also get outside media coverage of Charlie’s visit by visiting the Tahoe Daily Tribune’s most recent article: http://www.tahoedailytribune.c…

PPS: Tonight is also the first debate between Charlie and Tom McClintock. You can catch a livestream on the Chico Enterprise-Record website.

This last weekend, Charlie Brown held his 2nd neighborhood BBQ Town Hall in the city of Oroville. The crowd gathered in the Oroville Veterans Hall, a fitting place for a meeting that consisted largely of veterans and their families.

Introducing Charlie was the Mayor of Oroville, Steve Jernigan. Having local officials introduce your candidate is nothing new, but the interesting point about Steve Jernigan is the highly respected Republican Mayor of Oroville. Steve is a sought-after commodity in Republican politics. Everyone from Mitt Romney to John McCain to Ron Paul have sought his endorsement, but only one has been given: to Charlie Brown.

Steve told the gathered crowd about the importance of putting patriotism before partisanship, and how real work gets done by those who are willing to put the country first.

After taking the microphone from Mayor Jernigan, Charlie began to explain his 26-year history in the United States Air Force and his experience as a teacher, Roseville Police Department employee, and the chair of a $5 million credit union.

Most of the question from the crowd revolved around the economy, and one man asked Charlie how more jobs could be brought to Oroville and the rest of the district. Charlie’s answer surprised some: he could get new jobs to the district by pushing for alternative energy.

Under Charlie’s energy plan, thousands of new jobs can be created by transitioning to “green collar” jobs that produce solar, wind and biofuel energy. With a new wind farm being proposed in Lassen County, right here in the district, new jobs can be brought right here to the district. We simply need the leadership to make it happen, and Charlie is the man for the job.

Another question brought up during the town hall revolved around Charlie’s ideas on tax cuts. Charlie explained his view on taxes, promising tax relief for the middle class while pointing out that Tom McClintock’s Auburn Dam would cost tax payers $10 billion. Charlie explained exactly what taxes he would eliminate: the Alternative Minimum Tax, Widow’s Tax for Military Families, and concurrent receipt to name but a few.

More than a few veterans were in the audience, so the conversation naturally turned to military-talk. One veteran, a fellow Vietnam vet, asked Charlie about what changes he would like to see to the VA. Charlie voiced his support for mandatory VA funding, specifically regarding disabled veterans receiving their full benefits. He also again pointed to the Widow’s Tax on military survivor benefits.

The day was full of substance and spirits were high, as Charlie has proven once again that he is the only candidate in this race concerned about serving the needs of the district and having the desire to listen to the voters in California’s 4th Congressional District.

This weekend, Charlie travelled to South Lake Tahoe for the 3rd BBQ Town Hall meeting at Bijou Park. Details from that exciting day are coming soon!