Joshua Segall may be the first ever Farmers' Market Candidate for Congress. He runs a program called Homegrown Alabama that focuses on getting schools to buy their food from farmers.
Joshua was defeated in his first attempt to unseat Bush-Republican Representative Mike Rogers last fall. But this week the rematch was announced.
"It's time for a new direction. I am a fiscal conservative who will work to create and attract 21st Century jobs to east Alabama so that hardworking people can get ahead," said Segall.
"Alabama is suffering under irresponsible policies that bail out greedy executives who created this mess and leave hardworking Alabama families holding the bag. Rogers supported the Wall Street bailout, but did nothing for Main Street Alabama. He voted to send Alabama jobs overseas, when what we needed was a plan to create good jobs at home. It's time to stand up to special interest politics and put Alabama families first once again," said Segall.
The newly engaged Mr. Segall, 30, is working hard as a civil defense lawyer, candidate, and advocate for local agriculture.
How did I get involved? I first focused on east Alabama in the spring of last year. That's when I heard from an Alabama resident that was losing his home. I had to delete the article, the story wasn't helpful for his business. But you can tell why I was interested.
I was particularly upset here recently when Bush made the comments about the mortgage relief stuff that has been a topic of discussion. When he said that it was not government's business to bail out people who'd mismanaged their money I would have to say my blood ran cold. I bought my house years ago and I could darn sure afford it when I bought it. Now I cannot sell it and I cannot afford to keep it; I have spent all of my savings and I am going under. I have worked hard my whole life and I have never been unemployed. I did not mismanage anything; I drive an 11 year old Honda and I don't have any credit cards; I also have not had a raise in five years and it sure is not because I am at the top of the pay scale. I see people try to open businesses here all the time. I would say most last maybe a month or two; some might hang in there for six months but that would be rare. We have large chain stores and restaurants out on the highway about 12 or 15 miles from here but the small business owner here is a rapidly dying breed.
This story was playing out in thousands of towns but that doesn't make it any less important, and it's an emerging threat to the middle class in this country.
When I brought this story from BarackObama.com over to the DailyKos, they suggested that I look into the congressional race from that district. Mike Rogers, the Republican incumbent versus newcomer Dem Joshua Segall. It didn't take long until I was a fullblown fundraiser. I really see a Paul Wellstone quality in Joshua Segall. Common sense exemplified.
Buying Food From Farmers
Alabama Can Grow More Of Its Own Food
Improving Peoples' Daily Lives
Mr. Segall set out a lot of his positions in his 2008 debate with Mike Rogers.
Irrigation Infrastructure
We could do seven million more acres of row crop farming. Three million more acres would be worth more than the whole of the automobile industry in Alabama.
Healthcare
Problem is access, quality and cost... we need a lot more preventative care. When we send someone to the emergency room we all pay for that.
Free Trade?
In East Alabama we've lost 20,000 jobs in the last five years... you've got to worry about whether or not your kids can move home again. Because we're not gonna have jobs for them to move home to. I don't think free trade is wholly good. In fact I think we've been sending these jobs overseas. And we've got more and more dependence on China, More and more dependence on the middle East. There have been some widespread benefits. Everybody gets cheaper spatulas at Wal-Mart. But there have been a lot of people that have lost those jobs. Now Mike says we've gained a lot of jobs. We've done very well in the automobile industry. But if you were a textile worker you're not likely working in the automobile industry. You were making 14, 15 dollars an hour now you're making minimum wage. You're driving 45 minutes to work, you don't have benefits or pensions, and mostly you're working in the service industry.
Water Rights:
I run a program in Tuscaloosa where we try to get schools to buy their food from farmers. When we first put on our farmers' market we had a drought. We couldn't get enough farmers. We lost 40% of the crop in east Alabama. The drought is not a nature problem it's an infrastructure problem... I would stand up on this issue every single day in Congress.
Cellulostic Ethanol.
We have more waste from our timber industry in Alabama that we could turn into fuel than Iowa has corn. We have unlimited economic potential if we put in the infrastructure to be able to grow our economy. We have bad roads and bridges. We got 1200 bridges that can't hold a schoolbus. And that's the reason we don't have refineries in Alabama right now.
There's a reason why Joshua Segall reminds me of Paul Wellstone. He worked for him! I just found this out.
Wellstone came and spoke [at Brown University] and when I met him he was really interested in Alabama history. I was supposed to take him to a dinner but I got lost. I wasn't well enough acquainted with Providence at the time. He was just angry to put it mildly. I think he thought I handled it well though. I spent the whole next day with him and by the next day he was offering me a job.
I did domestic violence policy work for his office. We wrote a policy that centered on healthy relationships and just what it means to be a good person. I also worked on campaign finance reform policy and the Teachercorps program. I worked on a program that would allow very low income people to get grants to start childcare and transportation businesses. It was a great experience. He cared that the people who worked for him learned a lot in his office. After working for him for a summer we stayed in touch.
Feingold was more of a personal relationship. Feingold wanted to do a college tour so I ran his field programs, helping him build his profile around the country. I did that over a long period of time for him and it did help raise his profile as a maverick and someone who could buck the establishment.
We came within a few points of upsetting incumbent Mike Rogers in the last race (53-46). Now with more name recognition and help from the DCCC (crosses fingers) and progressive organizations like The Daily Kos and La Vida Locavore we can put Josh over the top in 2010. Please join me in supporting his candidacy; whether it be in donation, linking this article to other sites, or just through a nice comment. We could really use your help and sure would appreciate it!
