July 8, 2000
'Average Joe' campaign rode in to Tiffin
By Michelle Reiter
Staff Writer
Part of the Campaign 2000 race for the presidency rode its bicycle into Tiffin Friday afternoon.
Joe Schriner, 45, his wife, Liz, and two children, Sarah, 4, and Joseph, 2, arrived on SR 100 yesterday on bicycles in an effort to hype Schriner's 2000 presidential campaign as "Average Joe."
Starting with only $1000, the Schriners gave up their Ripley, Ohio home and most of their belongings last year to bring their "back-to-basics" political message to small towns.
The "big trip," as Joseph and Sarah refer to it, was something Liz said the two had been talking about for years before they actually embarked. "We knew it was something we wanted to do," she said. "We just prayed about when would be the right time to go." Anchoring their message in their own Christian belief system, the family took to the road in a trailer last April. Now they are depending on campaign donations for income, but they say it is worth it.
"I'm running as a concerned parent," Schriner said, "who thinks that right now, the climate is unhealthy to be raising kids in."
Schriner said the thrust of his campaign emphasizes community action from the small cities and villages nationwide. By starting small, he said, he hopes that the power of the federal government will ultimately be transferred back into the hands of the people.
"Eventually we should unravel the federal government," he said. "It's too complicated."
Schriner said not many people realize how many tax codes alone govern the country. With so many social problems eating away at the country from within, Schriner said, "maybe we should spend a little time healing that instead."
Healing the family is one of Schriner's primary messages, in fact. Citing the rising divorce rates, violence and drug abuse, he said that America's priorities have shifted.
Part of his plan is to instill better programs to help families &emdash; community-generated, of course. As part of his pro-life agenda, for example, Schriner favors supplying unwed mothers with community support, better adoptive options and care.
Schriner cited education, crime and environment as other pet issues of his campaign.
He believes that technology has provided the country with the resources such as solar and electrical power that would cut back on pollution, but aren't using them. The air, meanwhile, is filled with pollutants that he said create long-ranging problems besides ozone depletion.
As for crime, he is opposed to the death penalty and believes societies should attempt to rehabilitate criminals.
He also believes that instead of a shiftless peacetime military, that manpower can be used to supplement the police department in cities and towns to maintain peace.
Utilization of people is a theme throughout Schriner's topics &emdash; from bringing the elderly back into society as contributing members to introducing community work into the elementary school curriculum.
As more community-minded kids graduate, Schriner said he hopes he can help create a peace corps that will offer the same education and career incentives the military does now &emdash; only, instead of the military.
With their power-to-the-people campaign, bikes and donation money, the Schriner's fully expect to make it to the White House by next year. Or, at least Washington D.C.
In an effort to help control urban sprawl, the Schriner's themselves hope to encourage people to return to the cities by living inside of one themselves.
They hope to operate official presidential business out of an old brownstone-style building downtown, where they will begin the process of instilling all of their policies.
Meanwhile, the family is enduring a 24-hour-day exercise in family togetherness.
"We've seen every playground from here to the Liberty Bell," Schriner said.
The whole family said they are enjoying the tour and Liz said that while she had reservations at first, if she would do it all over again if she had the chance.
"We're just ordinary people going the extra mile," she said.