Tickets are already paid for, and Rosenblatt has $1 drinks on Thursday night. All you need to do is stop by the office, come to the Sarpy County office grand opening on August 18th (more details on that to come), or meet Dan Esch by the CWS statue on August 21st.

Let me start out by reminding you that Lee Terry has been in Congress for 10 years. Seven of those 10 years Terry has been a Member of the House Energy Committee.

On June 26, 2000 Lee Terry recognized that this country was staring an energy crisis in the face (click here to read the editorial by Terry). In the Editorial he blames the Clinton Administration for his own lack of ability to come forth with an effective energy plan to address the crisis. For the next 6 years, with a Republican Congress and a Republican President, Terry still failed to come up with an effective energy plan. For the last two years, Terry has again blamed his inability to deliver an effective energy plan on a Democratic Congress and most recently he is pointing a finger at Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Terry need not look any further than the finger print on the finger that he is pointing for a reason as to why, 8 years later, this country still faces an energy crisis. Terry has claimed that his finger prints are all over this nation’s current energy policy. A policy that is currently burning a hole in the pocket books of all Americans and the citizens of the second district.

This brings me back to why this energy rally was no more than a political gimmick.

Lee Terry said it best himself when he said on July 28, 2008, “Congress can no longer sit back and do nothing.” After recognizing the energy crisis our country faced in 2000, Lee Terry sat for 8 years and did nothing. Seven of those years Terry was in position where he could have made a difference and he didn’t and that is why Americans are feeling the pain at the pump.

Lee Terry held an energy relief rally to distract from his lack of leadership and ineffectiveness on an issue he claims his fingerprints are all over. He used the rally as a vehicle to once again, publicly point a finger at someone else.

Joe Sibilia

Communications Director

“It’s a comprehensive bill and it addresses the energy issue head on,” Esch said. “This is a piece of legislation that both parties can be proud of and meets the demands of the American people, much like I have proposed in my EASI plan.”

Jim released his EASI Energy plan on July 17.

“This act addresses both the short term and long term energy needs of this country,” Esch said. “It focuses on conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy research, and environmental restoration.”

To hear Representative Abercrombie talk about the National Conservation, Environment and Energy Independence Act click here.

“Representatives Abercrombie and Peterson got it right. They worked across party lines, explored all options, and devised a plan that encompasses both Democratic ideas and Republican ideas for American solutions,” Esch said. “My opponent is supporting a partisan plan that is all about politics and not about solutions.”

Pick up a copy at your local City Weekly stand or read the online edition of the article right here.

As you may know, this year’s Election Day falls on Tuesday, November 4th. But you may not know that there is an entire Election Month. Nebraska state law allows citizens to vote early, this year beginning Monday, September 29th. From then until Election Day you are able to vote three different ways, Below is some information provided on the Douglas County Election Commission’s website with information regarding Sarpy county included.

Early Voting Ballot by Mail Any registered voter may vote with an early voting (absentee) ballot instead of voting at their polling place. You can request an application starting now at the Douglas County Election Commission or the Sarpy County Election Commission websites. You can return the application either by mail or fax.

Early Voting Ballot by Agent An early voting ballot may be picked up from the Douglas and Sarpy Election Commission offices and delivered by an agent. Agents are allowed to deliver up to two ballots to voters and then return them to the commission offices.

Early Voting in Person Voters may vote in person prior to Election Day at the Douglas or Sarpy County Election Commission offices. The Douglas County office’s address is 225 North 115th Street. Sarpy County’s office is located at 1261 Golden Gate Drive, Suite 6E, in Papillion. You can go anytime Monday through Friday, from the hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (4:45 in Sarpy County). They will be closed on holidays.

Voting early has become a very popular way to cast your ballot, and numerous states have implemented similar systems. For those of you who have difficulty voting because of work now have numerous options.

* Sign Up To Help On Election Day: November 4th is fast approaching, and we need to have our GOTV operation out in force on Election Day. Sign up to help us get voters to the polls on November 4th. E-mail matt@jimesch.org or sign up on the website.

* Become A Team Captain: Team Esch is our grassroots volunteer operation. Team captains will recruit volunteers and help to build a grassroots small donor network for the campaign. For more information on Team Esch, e-mail dan@jimesch.org.

* Pledge To Vote: Pledge to vote for Jim Esch on November 4th.

* Vote By Mail: Request an early voting ballot.

* Walk A Precinct: E-mail matt@jimesch.org or call the office at (402) 991-3050 and we’ll assemble a walk packet and guide you through the process. In addition, every Saturday, we will have a group of volunteers meeting at the office at 10 a.m. to go door-to-door.

* Volunteer At The Office: Stop by our office at 2529 S. 90th Street, just north of 90th and Center next to Senor Matia’s. There is always something to do, so give us a call or stop by and join the campaign.

* Talk To Your Friends About Jim Esch: Encourage your friends and family to vote for Jim, to get involved in the campaign, to go to our website and sign up for our e-mail list. The more people hear about Jim, the closer we are to victory in November.

Your support drives this campaign, and in the coming weeks and months we will need whatever time you can give to make sure that this campaign is successful. Thanks again, and we’ll see you soon!

The ripple effects of the foreclosure crisis have extended well beyond just borrowers and lenders. Foreclosures affect entire neighborhoods by:

- Driving down the value of homes in the community
- Adding to the supply of houses on the market, further exacerbating the downward pressure on home prices and construction-related industries
- Increasing criminal activity, as homes in foreclosure are often magnets for crime and suffer from disrepair
- Widening economic inequality, as predatory lending practices are often more pervasive in low-income and minority communities, where better loans are not readily available.
- Home loan interest rates are rising, making current loans with adjustable rates less affordable and new loans less desirable

To prevent this crisis from repeating itself, legal and regulatory safeguards must be improved so as to ensure that borrowers understand their loans, that lenders are making appropriate and affordable loans, and that investors in the secondary mortgage market clearly understand the product they are buying and the risk involved. There is a need for stronger lending standards that ban predatory lending practices, such as loans made without documentation of income or without any regard for the consumer’s ability to repay. To find a balanced solution to the home mortgage and foreclosure crisis will require input and cooperation from various groups and interests. I will bring together leaders from the mortgage and banking industries, investors, federal regulators, consumer advocates and all those with a significant stake in the stabilization of the housing and credit markets to find common ground in the preservation of home ownership and financial stability. Working across party lines toward a bi-partisan solution is key to solving our growing housing concerns.

For a more in-depth look at my housing policy click here.

We can create a bipartisan solution if we follow my proposed EASI Energy Plan that recognizes that all options are on the table.

It relies on energy efficiency in the near-term to lessen demand, while fully committing government resources to an alternative energy development and implementation policy that will make the U.S. more energy independent in the long-term.

Environmental: My energy policy in part is an environmental protection policy. I am committed to curtailing global warming and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Bold and immediate legislative action must be taken to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that are being pumped into our atmosphere. I am willing to consider all options for how best to effectively and efficiently limit the production of greenhouse gases. Congress must send a strong, clear signal of their commitment to environmental integrity, in the form of a carbon reduction policy, to spur investment capital within the private market towards environmental solutions.

Application: Encouraging and incentivizing citizens to apply energy efficiency technologies to their lifestyles will play a critical role in my energy policy, to reduce energy demand and consumption. My policy will do this because the richest opportunity for significantly decreasing energy demand in the immediate future is energy efficiency. Substantial effort and attention must be directed to realizing and applying the multitudes of energy efficiency opportunities that are already available but underutilized. Technologies already exist that allow our cars to go farther on a gallon of gas, that power our appliances using less electricity, that allow our light bulbs to burn longer and use energy more efficiently.

Security: My policy reinforces our national security. As the world’s largest consumer of imported energy, our overreliance on oil has left us politically and economically vulnerable to forces outside of our control. Our dependence on foreign oil constrains our ability to pursue our foreign policy and national security objectives. I recognize that our energy security closely parallels our national security. For this reason, we must take back the control to power our future progress by securing the stability of our energy supply through domestic sources that protect global environmental integrity.

Infrastructure: Finally, my policy is about more than just energy; it is also an economic development policy. Utilizing our abundant natural resources, specifically wind and bio-products, our scientific resources and promoting research at our local universities, I will advocate for an energy policy that will create thousands of jobs for Nebraskans and for all Americans through the development of alternative energy technologies and infrastructure to support their implementation. I will work to ensure that Nebraska is poised to capitalize on a national energy policy focused on domestic, renewable sources.

We have the power to create economic growth, protect our environment, and bolster our national security with the implementation of a coherent and forward-thinking energy policy. All options are on the table as we create that policy. I will work with my fellow members of Congress to ensure the full commitment of the federal government to a new, cleaner energy economy and a safer, stronger America.

For more information on Jim Esch’s energy plan, click here.

Because of you, we have raised more than any other challenger in Nebraska’s Second District in the second quarter. Thanks to your support, we have raised more than $219,000 from people who want to see more from their leaders in Congress. While our opponent raises money from large out-of-state donors, 93% of our contributors in the last three months are from right here in Nebraska. This is just one measure of the support our campaign is gaining all across the district. Your support is truly important to me, and I am humbled by all that you continue to do. Together, we can bring the change we seek.

- Jim

P.S.: This Thursday from 5:30-7:30, join me for a Young Professionals event at Nomad Lounge, 1013 Jones St. in Omaha. Suggested donation is $25. See you there!

“I am very proud to have the endorsement of Democrats for Life. I am excited to be associated with a group who, like me, holds a consistent ethic of life,” said Jim.

The organization cited Jim’s consistent and passionate support for pro-life issues in making the endorsement.

Visit Democrats for Life .

When: This Friday! Parade starts at 1:00 PM, please line up at 12:15

Where: Line up at 79th and Lakeview St.

Come march with Jim in one of Nebraska’s biggest 4th of July celebrations. The time has come for Ralston’s Independence Day Parade.

The parade takes us from 81st and ‘Q’ to the intersection of 73rd and Main St. The Esch Team will be lining up at 79th and Lakeview St. (see map below) Our parade entry is #18. If you happen to have any problems finding us just ask a parade official where #18 is.

We suggest parking west of 84th around businesses such as Don & Millie’s.

In case you missed the opening and want to get involved, our office is at 2529 S. 90th Street, just north of 90th and Center. Stop by or give us a call at (402) 991-3050 and join our grassroots campaign.

T-shirts are now available at our headquarters for a suggested donation of $10.

Here’s some more ways you can get involved:

- Become a Team Esch captain. For more information, e-mail Dan Esch(dan@jimesch.org)

- Host an event for Jim. Contact Karlee Coleman (karlee@jimesch.org)

- Donate to the campaign. Monday, June 30, is an important fundraising deadline. We need the help of all our supporters to fuel this campaign. Your contribution is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support.

The way in which this petition is being presented to people is misleading. People are being asked to sign a petition to end race and gender discrimination in Nebraska.

But the petition really intends to amend the Nebraska Constitution to prevent race, ethnicity and gender from being taken into account in hiring, scholarship or contract decisions made by public agencies.

In order for this initiative to appear on the Nebraska ballot in November, organizers of the petition need to collect 111,000 signatures. To prevent this, the Jim Esch Campaign strongly urges citizens of the Second District NOT to sign the petition.

For more information and articles about the petition, you can click here to visit the Nebraskans United website.

Joe Sibilia

Esch for Congress
Communications Director

Photo of Jim attending the press conference. (Photo courtesy of Preston Love, Jr.)

I would also like to commend the Little Sioux community and all of the volunteers, the first responders and all those involved in the rescue efforts from both Iowa and Nebraska.

Donations for tornado relief can be made to the Salvation Army at Salvation Army. or to Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross at Red Cross.

I applaud the efforts of the emergency personnel and first responders who provided for the safety of those affected by the storm. The community will recover and rebuild with the help of all citizens of Omaha.

Throughout our campaign in 2006 we discussed change and brought new voters and young people into the process. In 2008, Barack Obama has turned out record numbers of new voters and young people to support his campaign. Tuesday was a historic day for the United States, and I am proud that he is the nominee of our party for President. I look forward to being on the same slate with Sen. Obama in the upcoming general election and serving in Washington with him next January.

Jim watches Senator Obama confirm his nomination with Kris Pierce, Executive Director of the Douglas County Democratic Party, and Jim Cavanaugh of Yes We Can Nebraska at an impromptu celebration in downtown Omaha on Tuesday night.

Stop by our victory party tonight at Barrett’s Castle @ 43rd and Leavenworth. The celebration starts at 7:00pm!

Also, you may contact the Douglas County Election office at 444.VOTE (8683) or the Sarpy County Election Office at 593.2167.

However, while I made this error, the bigger mistake is that we do not have representatives in Congress who lead. They simply respond to situations. In particular, they lack the vision and the will to address tough problems head on. I will provide that sort of leadership on this issue and many others.

Washington has forgotten this simple, but powerful value. Elected leaders seem more content on preserving power for themselves than governing by that common purpose. I promise that as I seek out solutions, I will remember this lesson learned long ago.

I am amazed by the fact that the issues that were relevant two years ago are still on the table today. Frustration with our political process is easy to comprehend when so many lack health insurance, our energy prices are skyrocketing, wages are falling and we continue our occupation of Iraq. But I don’t want to talk about the bad news. I want to talk about solutions that we as a community and Nebraskans can offer to these problems.

It will not be easy. There will be those who say we cannot make a difference. However, we will prove that we can and we will. To that end, I am asking you to join me and do three simple things:

1. I ask for your vote. I consider your vote as your empowerment for changing the direction of our country. I don’t take that lightly. We have a primary on May 13th, and I encourage you to participate and make your voice heard.

2. For a campaign to be successful we must invest our time, our energy and the resources available to us. I am asking you for all three. Whether it is volunteering time with the campaign, with a community organization, donating your money (which is always appreciated), or spreading word to your friends, family and acquaintances, we must have the operation in place to communicate our message.

3. Encourage others. By doing this we will grow our capacity to create the change that we desire. I am sure you’ll agree, we can accomplish so much more together than we can separately.

We are at a crossroads in American history — not just the fact that we may elect our first woman or African-American President, but that we must change the direction our country is headed.

Two years ago, I ran a race that many dismissed for being non-conventional. We worked around the clock to prove the naysayers wrong by empowering people and utilizing a grassroots strategy.

To me, a grassroots campaign starts with the candidate’s ability and desire to go out and meet with people from all walks of life. We met people at their kitchen tables, in their break rooms, at restaurants and in gymnasiums. We met with a common purpose to create positive change in our government. Although we came up short in the final vote count, we came up winners in what we accomplished in the process.

I believe our elected officials should lead through service to others and our community. It is an ethic that we as Nebraskans share with one another and my campaign has and will continue to embody this creed.

Last election, we hosted events ranging from Habitat for Humanity, to a blood drive for the Red Cross, to collecting canned foods and money for the Siena Francis House homeless shelter. We will continue to support community groups who work to make Nebraska the kind of place we want to call home. We don’t do this for a photo-op or a news story. We do this because we believe that together we can do, and accomplish so much more. This is the greatest difference between my Republican opponent and me.

It is never an easy decision to put one’s self into the public eye and run for office. Having been through that challenge two years ago made me appreciate the desire and dedication that it requires.

Thank you for all your support. Together we will ensure that America’s greatest days are still ahead of her.

Join me and other supporters at my kick off event on Wednesday, April 2nd 6-8 pm at the IBEW on 89th and L.

Lastly, thank you to all who gave so generously of their time, talents and money in 2006. It was sincerely appreciated. In 2006, we surprised a lot of people with our showing. In 2008, we will finish what we started!

I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail.

Jim