Meet some heroes of mine- Official Members of my Congressional Staff

THE OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN STAFF
FOR SCHERER FOR YOUR CONGRESSMAN

Running for United States Congress requires tremendous effort. And to do the best job I can, I need some help.  Most congressional campaigns assemble a campaign staff to help during the campaign cycle. Therefore, I want to make public some of the more important members of my campaign team.

Glenn E. Seever, Treasurer, Topeka, Kansas:
Mr. Seever has thirty-one years of federal service having worked as senior computer operator at Ft. Leavenworth and with the Kansas National Guard in Topeka, Kansas. Mr. Seever is responsible for raising campaign contribution and filing federal election reports with the Federal Election Commission. He is an honorably discharged and disabled Viet Nam era veteran. Further, he serves as my advisor related to the Kansas National Guard.

We are both very concerned about how the President of the United States has taken over control of the Kansas National Guard from the Kansas Governor. Until recently, the Kansas Governor required the President of the United States to request the use of Kansas National Guard Troops for fighting wars in foreign nations such as in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are both concerned that 40% of those fighting the war on terrorism are National Guard troops (aka as state militia).

We are both very concerned how the federal government keeps extending the deployment of our National Guard troops from a one year rotation to an 18 month rotation. Further, we need our Kansas National Guard to be here in Kansas to be able to respond to state emergencies and fulfill their duties and obligations assisting residents of the state of Kansas. So a big shout out to the members of the Kansas National Guard. Just like the Kansas National Guard did not that long ago helping the residents recover from the aftermath of the Greenville tornado,

We want our Kansas National Guard members to come back to Kansas and be under control of the Governor of Kansas; instead of the President of the United States. While they serve with honor, I am assuming they would rather be in Kansas also.  Finally, we both certainly do not want our Kansas National Guard members dying paying the ultimate price acting as policemen in Iraq or Afghanistan. So from all our staff, thank you  Kansas National Guard.  We remember.

Charles M. Wilson, Public Affairs and Media Relations: Mr. Wilson resides in Sandy Springs, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Mr. Wilson is very experienced having worked for many major corporations. His wife Pam recently was one of the million people that were at the National Mall in Washington protesting some of the Obama administration’s policies.

Both Charles and Pam are devoted and dedicated Christians. Both have volunteered as missionaries traveling all over the world giving their time unselfishly to help others. Charles and Pam are heroes to me. Pam, Charles wife, a dedicated teacher just returned recently this year from the Ukraine where she was helping those children.

Charles has recently been spending tremendous of time with our joint friend, Duane Graveline, NASA astronaut, and many others all over the world in helping and warning many about the dangers and side effects of statin medications the drug industry wants to promote not for the public safety, but to generate revenues, without disclosing the dangers of statins. The inventor of the process to make statins in 1963, Karl Folker, former Director of Research for Merck, stated and regarded statins as “the deadly downward spiral of death” (for those with CHD).

Karl Folker warned the drug companies to not sell this dangerous product. The drug companies ignored the inventor of lovastatin and now statin drugs are the NO. 1 prescribed drug in the world. Ask the drug companies why they continue to market a product the inventor advised them not to.  Why do the drug companies not tell you that?

Mr. Wilson is my contact point related to Public Affairs and Media Relations. Any surveys or media requests including those by special interest groups and PACS related to this campaign are to be sent to his attention at Charles Wilson via email to:  charleswilson@mac.com. I am so fortunate to have Mr. Wilson being a member of my campaign staff.

Cindy Hollander, Merriam, Kansas, small business owner and women’s issues advisor:

Mrs. Hollander is the owner of Rose’s Piano and Moving Co. She has been a resident of Johnson County for over 20 years.  Her business has been moving people since 1958. Mrs. Hollander is the owner of a moving company in a male dominated industry. She knows what it is like to compete in the small business world and clearly understands how women continue to be discriminated against. She will advise on issues she and others in the small business community have to deal with.

Further, she is single parent and clearly understands issues related to women and family far better than I could as a man. Her role is to advise me on small business issues and other issues important to the female voters during this campaign cycle. She is a friend and advisor. Mrs. Hollander has agreed to participate in public events and is willing to speak on issues that are important on issues related to family and women’s issues.

Jane Doe: My best friend and early campaign advisor:

Due to conditions of her employment, I cannot make Jane’s name known. However, I can state Jane and I have been advocating for children’s issues related to public education for many years. We both know the Kansas Public School system has not improved public education in this state for decades based on data from their web site.  (KSDE).

Yet, these public schools refuse to consolidate saving you the costs of a public education. The Kansas public school system has not improved the quality of education for decades, yet defines 60% proficiency as adequate. 60% proficiency basically means your child upon graduating from a public high school can read and write. However, at a 60% proficiency level, most cannot be admitted to most colleges without having to take remedial education programs. Recently, I heard Kansas now has a 25% high school drop-out rate.  Good job KSDE, not.

Like Jane, we believe our public schools that keep getting and asking for more and more money, need to do a better job in educating our children. We believe money is not the solution to improving the proficiency of those enrolled in K-12.

We believe accountability, consolidation and proven performance is the answer. We believe the Kansas public education system has too much administrative bloat. We support consolidation of some of the school districts in Kansas.

For example, the local public high school 3 blocks from my house where my son and nephew both graduated has/had the last time I checked, had  a principal and 4 vice principals, all of whom had doctorates. Why does one local high school need 5 Ph.D(s) running one local public high school? Would it not be a better to have less doctors at our public schools and instead, use those public funds to educating these high school students?

Together, Jane and I formed a coalition of parents having to deal with the public school system wanting to dump children into Special Education to increase the amount of funds they received from the state of Kansas. Further, we know how some of these public officials subjected disabled children to a process known as IEP andFAPE. (Individual Education Plan and Free and Accessible Public Education).

These public schools are providing minimal services related to their duties to educate these disabled children. For example, Jane introduced me to DeAnn and Dennis Villarreal whose son Dustin was on TV earlier this year. Dustin has received an inferior public education from the Olathe Public School system.

In regard to teachers, we have the utmost respect for. What a great job to educate children, watch them grow into adults and thank you years later.  What a wonderful job.  Some of my family are teachers and my sister is a professor (at JOCO Community College). 

Back to Dustin.  I know Dustin. I took him fishing where he caught his first fish. Dustin is also a  guitar player far better than the incumbent. Dustin, like the rest of us merely wants an adequate public education from the Olathe School District so he too can be a public school teacher.

Instead, the Olathe School District administrators failed to educate Dustin adequately. To me, Dustin will be fine despite his problems with the Olathe School District. To me, Dustin Villarreal is a hero. I merely tell Dustin and others that have to deal with any disabiltity to overcome it. People like Dustin have a right to be proud.  

But yet, they are still subjected to some of the worst discrimination in America. So get over being discriminated against if you are a person having to deal with a disability.  Keep trying.  Be proud of your successes despite having to deal with a medical condition. To those persons with disabilities that cannot obtain employment, that I understand also.  My two brothers both had intellectual disabilties.  One of my brothers, I had limited power of attorney for ten years prior to running for Congress.

Remember, the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101, et seq.) acknowledge a long history of discrimination in most segments of society. We must get past the discrimination and do the very best we can, despite having a medical condition. I like to remind people, at some point, all of us someday will be a person having to deal with a diability.

I assure you Jane is well acquainted with political issues having discussed important issues with me many times over. Her children are well known to candidates. Her children, now adults helped candidates campaign by going door to door distributing campaign materials at an early age. Her children have helped me distribute campaign materials, place yard signs and been early supporters of my campaign for United States Congress. She is an expert in campaigning. When she talks, I listen.

Further, if I ever needed help, which happens sometimes, she is the first person who I would call. Because I know she would be there to help me; just as I would do the same for her. She is a hero to me. She also is a United States decorated veteran having spent over 18 years in the United States Navy. She has both a graduate and undergraduate degree.

When, and if I win rhis congressional race, she will be the first person I will ask to be a paid member of my congressional staff. She has indicated to me she would be honored to act on behalf of the public interest, just like we have been doing for many years.

Finally, I am asking a good friend of mine, Dan Leap, Merriam City Council member to help with the campaign. Mr. Leap and I started running for political office together in 1999. We did some campaigning in his Deloren in 1999.

 I was asked by several council members to run for the Merriam City Council. I asked Mr. Glenn why? His short response was “because it is fun”. I told Mr. Glenn I was a disabled person. He stated good. So, I filed and did run for public office. I came out of the closet as a person with a disability.

Soon, Mr. Leap and I are going to be hosting a public event. Dan and his band Pompous Jack, in cooperation with the Scherer for your Congressman committee, will soon be hosting a local event to the public. A meet and greet, but no lengthy boring political speeches from me as your candidate for Congress.

Instead, we are going to have a good rock and rolling time with music by Dan (voted Guitarist of the Year) and his band Pompous Jack.  And remember, Dan was a candidate for Mayor (2009) and only needed 23 more votes to win the mayoral race.  He remains a dedicated  dedicated public servant for the residents of Merriam as one of their Merriam City Council members. Like Dan, we both dislike big government and even worse, taxes.  He is a both a friend and a hero. 

In regard to my congressional campaign, I am going to ask Mr. Leap to be in charge of some campaign events. His title will probably be Doctor of Fun. Dan has been a good friend of mine for many years. We have opposed ridiculous local sales taxes here in Merriam for many years. Dan Leap is well known here in Kansas City. We hope he agrees to join our congressional staff.

In regard to the next public event featuring Mr. Leap’s band, Pompous Jack, we will have a formal announcement coming shortly. Hopefully, that will before the end of the year.

To those who have worked hard in the past with my congressional campaign (Bob, Ralph, Richard, Brooke, Maggie and many others, including some former Shawnee North Mission students), I cannot list each and every person. But I have never forgotten those of you have helped in prior campaigns, parades and the distribution of petitions to make this nation a better place. Thanks to all of those people that have given generously time, labor and/or contributions to my campaign in the past and presently. I am very grateful. And my promise is do whatever I can to reduce your taxes at all levels of government; while still demanding performance, transparency and accountability.

There will be others that are welcome to join our campaign team. I am presently in communication with some students at KU. Some of those I would welcome to my congressional staff. We are in the process of building what will be the future members of Constituent Staff. So, if you are interested in joining our team, do not hesitate to contact myself, or any of the listed members above. Remember, I am merely asking you the residents to hire me.You are my next employer. I am your employee. I merely ask you to inform and delegagte to me what you want me to do as your next United States Congressman.

Humbly yours, Thomas Scherer