A NEW BEGINNING

Welcome to Spring and new beginnings! This is the first newsletter from a campaign that was slated to begin in the fall of last year, but it was stillborn. Why? – because the candidate’s wife was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer early in November. And so the campaign was put on hold for four months and only restarted when all hope for her recovery was lost and there was nothing more that a loving husband could do. Brande McLean, beloved wife and bride [as of July 15, 2006] passed away on April 2, 2008.

The campaign officially began on March 17th when a press release announcing it was distributed. Go to www.peterbearseforcongress.com and find it on the Website’s “PR” page. In case it is not unmistakably clear from the announcement, let it be known: This is the ONLY campaign dedicated to two goals that go together to restore Congress as “the people’s House” -- “Change Congress” and “End the financial arms race that Congressional campaigns have become.”

Why do the goals go together? Because money is the root of all evil in Washington. Congress has become corrupted and distracted by it. All the other candidates are shooting for million dollar campaign budgets. That’s become the minimum price of entry into Congress. Thus, is it any surprise to anyone that, as soon as they get elected, Members of Congress start dialing for dollars to get reelected – to raise money at the minimum rate of $10,000 PER WEEK (2 weeks of vacation per year excepted)? Is it any surprise that Congress has nearly ceased being what our Constitution calls for – a deliberative body of representatives of WE, THE PEOPLE – when our Rep’s have so little time to read major bills before voting on them, because they’re having to spend so much time getting “information” from lobbyists while “dialing for dollars”? Thus, this campaign aims to enable a new beginning, for renewal of a people-based politics (as set forth by the candidate in his book, WE THE PEOPLE), of leadership for and by New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, and for a new movement to Change Congress (the last such effort was in 1994).

WORK-IN-PROGRESS

The campaign has gotten back up to speed, and then some, pretty quickly. A fine, strong core group of volunteers is back on board. Only one has dropped out. He is the one who led the charge for both SB2 and broadcasting of town government meetings in Fremont. Understandably, he needs to devote time to his wife, home and family. Keith Stanton: We wish you well. The campaign still lacks a campaign manager but David Zlotek, Deputy Manager, has stepped in to fill the gap for the time being. Neil Rowland is our expert IT man. Ben Kilgore handles PR and assists Barry Greenspan with fundraising. Jeff Gaudet is North Country Coordinator and veterans’ liaison, and Rob Humphries is handling research. Get to know them. See the “Campaign” page of the website for their e-mail addresses and phone numbers.

People usually want a piece of campaign “literature.” True literary types may object to the label but we’d be loathe to substitute “propaganda.” So, where’s ours? -- two cards and a lawn sign printed and a lot more in the works. Soon to be printed are a brochure, campaign stationery and some big (4’ by 8’) “Declare Your Independence” signs. Check out the campaign’s palm card, lawn sign and brochure designs via the website. Click on the “Resources” page. You can use it to print your own stuff. You can even customize your own versions of campaign handouts and signs. If you like what you see so far, click on the “Take Action – Contribute!” page to help pay for the printing bills.

Our candidate, Dr. Peter Bearse is himself off to a fast start, albeit minus 4 months “on hold.” He’s already had four radio interviews, with Gardner Goldsmith (2), Chuck Morse (1) and Arnie Arnesen (1). There’s another with Dan Belforti during his Portsmouth Community Radio Show [12-1 on April 11th]. You can play back the interactions with Gard Goldsmith online via the website. We’re in the process of getting copies of the others so we can put those up for you, too. In addition, Peter had his first interview with an editor of a major newspaper when he met with Jon Breen, Editorial Page Editor of Foster’s Daily Democrat on April 3rd.

Having reported these media encounters, however, note that Peter is a people-person, not a media man. He has been out nearly every day, meeting people where they live [door-to-door] or where they hang out [breakfast and lunch spots, church suppers, benefits, business after hours events, et al.] He’s been getting a lot of encouragement when he says: “Hi there; I’m Peter Bearse, running an Independent race for Congress.” Please volunteer to walk with Peter in your Town or neighborhood.

After all, the main bylines of this campaign are: WE THE PEOPLE and… DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE!

So far, there have been two campaign tours into the north country to meet people in a number of towns, including Wolfeboro, Laconia, Moultonboro, Alton, Gilford, Weirs, Center Harbor, Sanbornton, Meredith and Tuftenboro. Please call to invite Peter to your town or neighborhood, or volunteer to walk via the website.

The only media advertising we’ve done so far are via small, spot ads in District news-papers to call attention to the campaign website, like “WOW!, see www.peterbearseforcongress.com”

Our website is dynamic, designed to engage visitors in the campaign’s interactivity, via Blog, Questions, Comments, Video and Issue-forums pages. We’ve just added a Google group and we’re planning to add social software options. There have been over 3500 clicks on the site as of April 9, 2008. With your input and aid, we’ll continue to improve the site so that “clicks” translate into more campaign contributions and volunteers.

NAME RECOGNITION

Many people still ask “Peter who?,” but name recognition has come a long way already, even at a early stage when people’s attention is still focused on the Presidential primaries. Our candidate’s name recognition increases steadily through…

* Many op-ed pieces, some PR items, and letters to editors published in District papers and online via NHInsider.

* Spot ads in several district papers.

* Lawn signs: NOW AVAILABLE! HELP PLANT THEM THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT! Call the campaign cell #: 603-819-1408.

* Giant signs: Soon available! Look for them! Message: “Declare Your Independence!”

* Blogs: NHCitizen, the NHRLC listserv and others.

* People talking to People: Word of mouth. Help spread the word! People talk is more important than media ads.

* YouTube: via PeterJB08.

FUNDRAISING

If you check the end of year 2007 report to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), you’ll find that our candidate looks like a Po’boy, or a poor relative. This is deliberate, for Peter would much rather be out meeting people, listening to them and learning from them, than “dialing for dollars.” We have planned a low budget campaign to prove that one can win by relying on people rather than money. This is really the only way to show how to “end the financial arms race that Congressional campaigns have become.”

There are fundraisers scheduled for April 24th, in Plaistow, and May 18th, in New York City.
* The Plaistow event will be 6-8 p.m. at Master’s Auto, at the beginning of Danville Road (#4), just off 125 on the left.
* The New York City event will be help at the Café Vivaldi, Bleecker St., Manhattan. It is a Sunday brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Other fundraising events are being planned. Please suggest one or two in your area.

You can help out by inviting people you know to these events, holding a coffee in your home and/or referring people to the website. Consistent with the “Change Congress” agenda, no PAC money and no money from lobbyists are accepted. Peter is the only candidate in the District race who has also signed the voluntary pledge to limit total campaign expenditures under NH law to no more than $325,000.

The legal max per individual contributor is $2,300. We need many small contributions. Anyone who contributes at least $50 will receive a copy of the candidate’s book, WE THE PEOPLE… So, again, click on the website’s “Take Action – Contribute!” page or send a check to “Supporters of Peter Bearse for Congress,” P.O. Box 70, Danville, NH 03819.

POP QUIZ:

• When and how can you get “Political Chowder?”

• What is “SB2”?

• Do Congressional candidates receive any public financing for their campaigns?

• Which Republican candidate has dropped out of the race for Congress in NH CD 1?

Find the answers in the next edition of this Newsletter. Stay tuned! And Get Involved! Those who answer all quiz questions correctly and contribute only $20 will receive a copy of WE THE PEOPLE, a book that sells for $20. .

April 10, 2008