Meet Ben Emery » Biography
Benjamin “Ben” Emery for US 4th Congressional District
Ben Emery was born in Palo Alto, California in 1969 and raised in San Jose. He is from a family that reaches back to the 1800’s in Northern California. Ben is the youngest of three boys. His oldest brother lives in Santa Cruz, CA with his wife and son. His middle brother started and runs a NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) in Cambodia that focuses on water and food availability. His parents live in the CA 4th district in Penn Valley. Ben spent many summers playing and working in the fruit orchards of his relatives in Yuba City, Live Oak, and Sutter. He learned at a young age the value of a good days labor and the importance of family farms in our culture.
These lessons help shape Ben’s sense of loyalty to family, friends, and community. To lend a helping hand when possible because at one point it might be he who needs the help from others, the rule of reciprocity. The other value he has learned is dedication to family by the relatives and elders he has been surrounded by his entire life. His parents just celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary and his three sets of Aunts and Uncles all were married for 50 years or more. Marriage is hard work but rarely anything worth keeping comes easy.
In 2003 Ben and his family moved from Telluride, CO to Nevada County to be near his parents, relatives, and back home in CA. Ben picked up in Nevada County where he left off in Telluride by volunteering at local fundraising events for non-profits and schools.
Volunteerism in Nevada County:
In 2003 there was a near fatal car accident in his family that opened Ben’s eyes to how broken our health care system really is, especially the insurance system. They had an ample amount of insurance but even still the process was made grueling. The bureaucratic processes of redundant paperwork and arguing with the insurance claims handler made the entire situation that much more stressful. The family was thinking survival and the company was thinking bottom line. The primary health insurance premiums increased in the next couple years to a point where it became a financial hardship. Both household income earners were self-employed until recently.
Ben currently doesn’t have health insurance. “What we have is a Health Insurance system that creates profit not Health Care.”
For the last three years Ben has been a manager of a private ranch moving towards sustainability. On the ranch they are moving into a second year of a long-term goal of being self-sufficient. The properties include 200 plus acres, multiple irrigation and potable water ponds, 4 to 7 horses, 12 to 25 chickens, introducing sheep this year, 70 solar panels, 40 tree fruit orchard, restoration of natural grasses and trees, and an expansion to their vegetable garden, to an acre, this summer.
Since exiting High School Ben has been an avid reader of books about history and politics. Since living in Nevada County he has joined together with a US Constitutional advocacy group. They have been fighting to keep the integrity of the Constitution along with the inherent and inalienable rights of “We the People” through public discourse.
College started late for Ben at age 32. He has attended class’s part time and has maintained a 3.7gpa while juggling all of the other responsibilities in his life. He is pursuing a degree as a Registered Nurse. He is taking this year off to campaign for the office of US Congressional 4th District.
Ben will be a tireless fighter to bring the power back to the people with strong campaign reform. Without this reform the average American will continue to be absent of representation due to both major parties dependence on big industry and corporate donations/ contributions to fund their campaigns’. Until this practice changes both the Republican and Democratic Party leadership will shape their policies around special interests instead of the interests of “We the People”
Ben will fight to reverse the current trend of our shrinking middle class and to bring good paying jobs back to our country. He will fight to give our state and local economies more power of governing themselves.
Ben will run a campaign of issues not smear.
Ben Emery wants to bring representation that is: For the People, For a Change.
Ben Emery was born in Palo Alto, California in 1969 and raised in San Jose. He is from a family that reaches back to the 1800’s in Northern California. Ben is the youngest of three boys. His oldest brother lives in Santa Cruz, CA with his wife and son. His middle brother started and runs a NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) in Cambodia that focuses on water and food availability. His parents live in the CA 4th district in Penn Valley. Ben spent many summers playing and working in the fruit orchards of his relatives in Yuba City, Live Oak, and Sutter. He learned at a young age the value of a good days labor and the importance of family farms in our culture.
These lessons help shape Ben’s sense of loyalty to family, friends, and community. To lend a helping hand when possible because at one point it might be he who needs the help from others, the rule of reciprocity. The other value he has learned is dedication to family by the relatives and elders he has been surrounded by his entire life. His parents just celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary and his three sets of Aunts and Uncles all were married for 50 years or more. Marriage is hard work but rarely anything worth keeping comes easy.
In 2003 Ben and his family moved from Telluride, CO to Nevada County to be near his parents, relatives, and back home in CA. Ben picked up in Nevada County where he left off in Telluride by volunteering at local fundraising events for non-profits and schools.
Volunteerism in Nevada County:
- Helped wife bring Telluride Mountain Film Festival to Nevada City for fundraiser for Nevada City School of the Arts
- Science docent for South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) teaching 5th graders in the county about the water cycle
- Basketball head coach boys and girls 7th/ 8th grades (paid position)
- Softball coach at Nevada Union High School
- Coach for youth recreation league softball and soccer
- School fundraiser for local charter school
- Public radio station fundraisers
- Local fundraising events for non-profits
- Poll observer on election days
- Organized fundraiser for transportation vehicle for non-profit
In 2003 there was a near fatal car accident in his family that opened Ben’s eyes to how broken our health care system really is, especially the insurance system. They had an ample amount of insurance but even still the process was made grueling. The bureaucratic processes of redundant paperwork and arguing with the insurance claims handler made the entire situation that much more stressful. The family was thinking survival and the company was thinking bottom line. The primary health insurance premiums increased in the next couple years to a point where it became a financial hardship. Both household income earners were self-employed until recently.
Ben currently doesn’t have health insurance. “What we have is a Health Insurance system that creates profit not Health Care.”
For the last three years Ben has been a manager of a private ranch moving towards sustainability. On the ranch they are moving into a second year of a long-term goal of being self-sufficient. The properties include 200 plus acres, multiple irrigation and potable water ponds, 4 to 7 horses, 12 to 25 chickens, introducing sheep this year, 70 solar panels, 40 tree fruit orchard, restoration of natural grasses and trees, and an expansion to their vegetable garden, to an acre, this summer.
Since exiting High School Ben has been an avid reader of books about history and politics. Since living in Nevada County he has joined together with a US Constitutional advocacy group. They have been fighting to keep the integrity of the Constitution along with the inherent and inalienable rights of “We the People” through public discourse.
College started late for Ben at age 32. He has attended class’s part time and has maintained a 3.7gpa while juggling all of the other responsibilities in his life. He is pursuing a degree as a Registered Nurse. He is taking this year off to campaign for the office of US Congressional 4th District.
Ben will be a tireless fighter to bring the power back to the people with strong campaign reform. Without this reform the average American will continue to be absent of representation due to both major parties dependence on big industry and corporate donations/ contributions to fund their campaigns’. Until this practice changes both the Republican and Democratic Party leadership will shape their policies around special interests instead of the interests of “We the People”
Ben will fight to reverse the current trend of our shrinking middle class and to bring good paying jobs back to our country. He will fight to give our state and local economies more power of governing themselves.
Ben will run a campaign of issues not smear.
Ben Emery wants to bring representation that is: For the People, For a Change.
Approved by the Ben Emery for Congress Campaign, California 4th District
© Ben Emery for Congress 2010. All Rights Reserved.
