Eileen MacEnery is trying to raise the money needed to get on the ballot with Linda Parks and Audra Strickland. Whatever we say about these candidates we should all be proud we have so many strong and dynamic women running for office.
If she gets on the ballot I am not sure what the impact will be except to make it more likely the race goes to the November runoff. I don't know if Eileen's biggest impact would be dividing the anti-strickland vote or the anti-parks vote.
She is not a member of either party which could give an opportunity to exploit the anger at incumbent politicians and try to reach out to disaffected Tea Party people and people that don't want to vote for a Republican candidate.
Here is her declaration of her candidacy:
I want to formally declare my intention to run for Ventura County Supervisor in the 2nd District. I have resided and worked in Ventura County for a majority of the last 34 years. Although I have lived in the City of Ventura and Simi Valley for a few years, most of my residency has been in Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park. Although I have actively supported both Republican and Democratic candidates in the past 30 years, I characterize myself as an "independent" and I am registered as a non-partisan.I have a platform which is based on the Constitution and common sense, and I believe that, unlike both Linda Parks and Audra Strickland, I understand and represent the majority of the residents of Ventura County and the 2nd District.
For too many decades, the East County has elected professional politicians who promote policies and programs of gentrification and elitism. The strength of America, and Ventura County, has always been its middleclass. It is time that the 2nd District elected someone who knows and understands the struggles of housing, transportation, education and healthcare. As soon as my name is on the ballot, I will begin, in earnest, to explain my views and ideas for a return to the common sense and Constitutional values that our country was built on.
However, the first, and most important, task of my campaign is to get my name and candidate statement on the ballot. Unlike the other declared candidates (both from competing factions of the same political party), I do not have the backing of the wealthy and elite, or a political party machine. Thus, I am appealing to all who are would like to see a true independent elected to County Supervisor, to contact me at EileenMacEnery4Supervisor@gmail.com. Any, contribution, no matter how small will help. I look forward to offering a real choice to the residents of Ventura County.
Click on continue reading to see a past essay she wrote.
THIS I BELIEVE: MY LIFE'S WORKThis I believe....we do not choose our "life's work"...our life's work chooses us.
I was a middle-class baby boomer/American girl who grew up in the 50's and 60's in the NYC suburbs . My life plans were typical....college, travel, career, husband, children, church and community, maybe even local politics...and probably in that order. I did not imagine my future beyond the raising of my own family, and I assumed my life would be much like my parents' and grandparents' (but much better of course!). I also believed that, in addition to those "average American" achievements, my life would contain some interesting and unique opportunities.
The 70's and 80's brought drastic changes to our world...Vietnam, Women's Liberation, widespread and destructive drug use, societal upheaval, abandonment of spiritual guidelines, medical and technological advances, and most recently...the evolution of computers and the internet. These things changed the rules that American society had followed for over two centuries. (Although many still refuse to acknowledge this fact.) However, this I believe, among the things that have NOT changed, is the fact that our life's work chooses us, and not the other way around.
In the late 80's I found myself separated from my husband, with 2 college degrees and 2 small children. I was abandoned and rejected by family and community, because I believed motherhood took precedence over job and career. Staying "home" with my daughters 24/7, as their day AND night caregiver, was both my "profession" and my life's work, even if home was a motel room, a shelter, campground or an old car.
I was entrusted with these two young lives...for a brief season only...and being chosen for motherhood was more important to me than material, professional or societal achievements. However "this, I believe", conflicted with what some insisted was right for me and my children.
At best, I was told I was "wasting" my talents, energy and education being at home with my children, instead of choosing to spend my waking hours in the workplace, making money to provide my daughters with more material things and physical comforts. At worst, some accused me of neglecting my children, ruining their lives and futures because we were poor and sometimes "houseless". However, I persisted in the life's work that chose me...instead of pursuing a career as a teacher or lawyer full-time, and being a mother only part-time. For this I believe...you cannot "outsource" motherhood, and there is no time-clock you can punch when you are doing your "life's work".
My daughters are commencing the next season of their lives. They are self-assured and hardworking, intelligent and healthy, beautiful and delightful young women. I am confident they will choose to do great and wonderful things with their gifts and talents. Money, property and prestige will always be there for the taking, if that is their desire. However, I pray they also will have the same wonderful opportunity I did, and be chosen to have children of their own some day. For this I believe... no matter what changes and adjustments we make to our social structure, our government, or even to the global environment, our "life's work" is not a choice, but rather a gift for which we are chosen.I, too, am moving into a new season of my life. Perhaps I will go into teaching, law or politics. Maybe I will go back to school and pursue a completely new career. Or, maybe there is a challenge or opportunity which I have not yet imagined.
However, whatever my next "life's work", I know it will be wonderful and rewarding because it will not be my choice. For, this I believe...my life's work is a precious gift, and it can and must choose me!
Rotsa-ruck...
Rumor has it she is running at the request of the Strickland Machine because they know Parks will win in the Primary, so they probably had this person run in order to keep Parks from getting 50% so that the race will go to November between Parks and Strickland, they figure this gives Audra more time to raise money from tobacco, health insurance and gambling interests.
To Word on the Street:
I wonder who is spreading THAT rumor...besides you? Please be assured that, to my knowledge, NO ONE from Strickland's camp has contacted me. Also, my dislike of Parks is only exceeded by my disdain for Audra Strickland.
Yes, I hope a runoff will be the result of my candidacy, and hopefully, it will be between me and Parks.
My belief is that, no matter what Strickland does, or how much money she raises, she will NOT win! The anti-Strickland sentiment in the 2nd District was already high, and her carpetbagging has only exacerbated it. I predict that, even those who dislike Parks will choose to vote for neither, rather than vote for Strickland.
In fact, the VCRCC promotion of Strickland is almost "Palinesque". Their primary purpose, in my opinion, is to rally their dwindling base, and raise money for the ultra right wing of the Republican Party. I doubt that anyone, except for Strickland, seriously believes she stands a chance. At best, Parks is seen as the lesser of two evils, which is why, even in a runoff, Strickland can NOT win.
And, if your "rumor" was true, someone in Strickland's camp would be donating to help cover my filing fees. I can assure you that, as of this writing, NO ONE, other than family and friends who are known supporters, have offered one cent. I have received a number of emails from persons previously unknown to me; however, no unidentified funds have found their way into my campaign.
As of this moment, it is unlikely I will be filing papers by the March 12th deadline. However, I am considering a write-in campaign. Yes, my chances may be slim. But, the residents of Ventura County's 2nd Supervisorial District deserve to have another choice, other than incumbent Linda Parks and carpetbagger Audra Strickland.