Democracy for New Mexico

Good Omen?

Thanks to Kathy Flake for finding this gem of a photo of Kerry's Amtrack train encountering a trademark New Mexican rainbow north of Las Vegas, NM on its trip through the state during the weekend of August 7th. Another nod goes out to the photographer, Skip Weythman, who granted permission for us to use this shot.

You can click on this thumbnail to get a full-sized version of the photo or get a version that can be sent as an email postcard at:

Kerry Train Rainbow

Kathy reports she discovered this photo while browsing a local's variety-filled blog at:

https://newmexiken.com/

Let's hope the rainbow portends a win for the Dems in November. We are, after all, The Land of Enchantment!

SOUND OFF: Gay Marriage

Phewwww!!!!! The Supreme Court of California rescinded the licenses all the 8,000 loving homosexuals that got married! Do I ever feel safer! I can just see the heterosexual marriages around me grow stronger in the hours that have gone by since the decision. While those evildoers were married, the divorce rate, the abuse rate, just kept on rising!

It is amazing to me that the world has such a need for love today and yet such honest, sincere love is discriminated against. Can anyone who reads this imagine being blamed for the degradation of the family, because of who you have chosen to love? They, the holy ones, sit there and smile and say they love all, while they spout so much vile hate.

For this lesbian, it hurts. I will be in a committed loving relationship for 16 years in September. It hurts to think that our love for each other actually changes how the rest of society is getting along. What power we homo's have! Enough so that there is a need to amend the Constitution, because we do not deserve and are not human enough for our love to produce a marriage.

I am minding my own side of the street, my brothers' and sisters' divorces were no doing of mine. This is what I know. Then what really stabs deep is the fact that a big percentage of Democrats are also opposed to gay marriage, and also believe that it will erode the bedrock of society; marriage between a man and a woman. I have talked to people that I am shocked to hear really don't think gays should get married. It should be kept for us, I guess their point is, not you low-lifes! No celebration for your loving partnership, at least not the same kind of celebration that our loving relationships can have!

Anyway, whoever reads this should remember: Today they smile and hate gays. They may come to my house and abduct me or burn me at the stake as they did in the past. Tell you what, I am ready today, but tomorrow it may be you. I suggest you get ready because the temperature is rising. ---Mary Ellen
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(Note: This is the first of a new blog feature called Sound Off. If you want to vent about an issue, this is the place. Email me by clicking on the link near the top of the right-hand column on this page and send along your Sound Off for consideration for our next featured rant. -BW)

Palast Spills the Beans

I'm sure many of you are familiar with investigative reporter Greg Palast, who ferreted out the facts about the Florida debacle during the 2000 election for the BBC and has done outstanding work digging into many other dark corners of our democracy.

This month, the DFA Summer Blog Book Club featured Greg's book, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, and Greg joined the bloggers on a special thread. You can check it out here:

DFA Summer Blog Palast Thread

There's a new video about his Florida investigation that's updated with fresh information. Counting on Democracy (68-minute VHS videocassette) is now available to individuals and groups in a special updated grassroots edition. Click here to read more about it:

Link to Video

Greg also has a new DVD set for a September 28 release. Bush Family Fortunes: The Best Democracy Money Can Buy is an hour long documentary that follows Palast on the trail of the Bush family, from Florida election finagling, to the Saudi connection, to the Bush team’s spiking the FBI investigation of the bin Laden family and the secret State Department plans for post-war Iraq. You can pre-order the DVD and get more information at:

Greg Palast website

And while you're there, don't forget to check out the flash animation, "Grand Theft America," created by Eric Blumrich based on Palast's Florida investigation. It'll bring back memories and get you even more motivated to work toward getting Bush out of the White House this Fall:

Grand Theft America

Join Us at DFNM Night at Kerry HQ

Members of our Albuquerque DFNM/DFA Meetup group at Page One have signed up to do phone banking every Monday from 6--8 PM at Kerry HQ. The first DFNM night will be Monday, August 16. Please be sure to wear a Democracy for America shirt or a Dean shirt or some other DFA gear, as well as a Kerry button or sticker, so that it's obvious that we are Kerry supporters who would like to help promote the progressive issues of Howard Dean, DFA and DFNM. In this way we can receive recognition for our efforts as a team---Dean Democrats on loan to Kerry.

We'd like to have additional volunteers join our effort so people can trade off Mondays and no-one will have to work every week. You're encouraged to email me and join the team. We think it's an excellent way to gain exposure for our group and help in the effort to get rid of Bush. Hope you'll agree. And thanks to all who have already joined the Monday night team!

Kerry HQ in Albuquerque is located at 3301 Central NE, across from Kelly's. You can also volunteer for other work or to be a Kerry precinct captain by calling 256-2570.

Nancy Galloway
email

Reminder: DFA/LFA Training This Saturday

Time is running out to register for one of the best bargains in activist training.

Latinos for America, Democracy for America, and the New Mexico League of Conservation Voters Environmental Victory Project are sponsoring “¡Juntos Sí Podemos!” (“Together We Can!”) Campaign Management Training in Albuquerque, on Saturday, August 14.

This one day seminar is a fantastic opportunity to learn how to manage a local campaign, increase your skills as a volunteer leader or activist, connect with candidates who need your help, develop action plans for the 2004 campaign and learn practical lessons on what works and doesn't work in terms of political persuasion.

You can register for this training at: Latinos for America

The training will be held from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at:

AirDance ArtSpace
3030 Isleta Blvd, S.W.
Albuquerque, NM 87105

Note from BW: This training was offered recently at DemocracyFest (DeanFest) and people who attended have been absolutely raving about the training and the workshop team, which has credentials that go back to UFW and Cesar Chavez. I've signed up and I hope you will too. It's a real bargain at $45.

This campaign training is staffed by top campaign professionals leading sessions on key topics in organizer training, media production and management, data mining, constituency outreach and fundraising. These presentations are supported by small group sessions for in-depth work in each of the featured areas.

Thanks to the thousands of donations from national DFA supporters and the hard work of the local host committees, Democracy for America is able to reduce the regular price of “¡Juntos Sí Podemos!” trainings from $150 to $45.

Each trainee will leave with a training packet, as well as a certificate signed by Gov. Howard Dean, on behalf of Democracy for America.

We need to do more than just win back the White House in November. To take back our country, we need to develop a new generation of leaders and activists with the campaign skills and tools necessary to fight for democracy in every election cycle.

Dean Delegate Report

Hi folks, this is Mona Blaber, a New Mexico Dean at-large delegate, back from the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

If you watched on TV, you probably got a good sense of what we felt in the Fleet Center: It was thrilling. The energy, excitement and enthusiasm the convention generated will last a long time in me and most everyone who attended, and hopefully also in people all across the country who were watching.

Many of us feel frustrated at times that the Democratic Party goes too far to the right at the expense of our values, but it was clear in Boston that those who call ourselves "progressives" make up a huge part of the party -- more than we probably realize. The convention was a celebration of the Democratic ideals that mean so much to us: social justice, equal rights and a sense of responsibility for everyone's welfare, not just our own.

Of course, we know that politicians often neglect the thorniest parts of those issues when not speaking to an arena full of Democrats. But there were so many people there from "the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" and so much enthusiasm for those issues from all facets of the party that I left with a lot of hope that, if we can help return Congress and the White House to Democrats, many of our progressive causes that have been swept under the rug will see the light of day again.

Dean's Meeting With His Delegates
One important event you didn't see on television was Howard Dean's meeting with his delegates on Monday, the day before his speech to the convention. The convention address, where he got the longest opening ovation of any speaker, was shorter and not as powerful as what he told his delegates.

At that meeting, Howard Dean found the place in our hearts that made us work so passionately for him and inspired us to use that same passion for John Kerry and for every cause we take up.

While many of us former Dean supporters have already moved on to helping Kerry in some capacity, we might be finding it hard to generate the same level of enthusiasm. But by allying himself with Kerry, by telling us that Kerry listens to him and therefore listens to us, by pointing out that Kerry really does represent those basic Democratic ideals we hold so dear and will bring America much closer to those ideals than George Bush ever could want to, Howard Dean activated that enthusiasm and energy in us again. It was an emotional meeting, and I think everyone left excited to work for Kerry -- and for candidates at every level who will listen to us because they care about many of the same things we do and because we used that Dean network and energy to support them.

Many Dean delegates also spoke at that meeting. Several people thanked him for transforming lives and for making people feel that an individual could make a difference again and be part of something meaningful.

We might not have gotten the result we wanted for Howard Dean's campaign, but we did make a huge impact. One of Gov. Dean's greatest contributions was the huge pool of people his candidacy stirred to action. It may take years or just a few months, but that network of people can make a big difference and continue to increase in power. In New Mexico, we're using our networks to help connect former Dean supporters with the issues and candidates they care most about, and we're showing our strength to the local Democratic Party, ACT and other groups and advocacy organizations through our impressive volunteer base.

With each candidate or each issue that succeeds with our help, we increase our voice and influence. Howard Dean remains a representative for the values this group shares, and the strength of our own participation will make clear to everyone how many people care about those values and how hard we will work for them.

What we've done so far is impressive, but our impact and influence as a group can grow and take shape if we continue to work hard together.

That's the message Howard Dean shared with us in Boston, and from everything I witnessed there, I believe he's got a point.

Mona Blaber

Dean Hosts Topic-A: Your Thoughts?

Did anyone else watch Howard Dean guest host on Topic-A last night on CNBC? His guests included Jon Stewart of The Daily Show, Tavis Smiley, Bev Harris of Black Box Voting and comedian Margaret Cho and I thought he did an excellent job. What did you think?

You can stream or download Quicktime video of the show here:
Blog for Alaska

Investigative journalist Greg Palast was featured on the DFA Summer Book Club blog yesterday, discussing his book, "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy: An Investigative Reporter Exposes the Truth About Globalization, Corporate Cons, and High-Finance Fraudsters" with bloggers. Check it out at:
Palast Thread

Photos from Kerry/Edwards NM Visit

The Kerry/Edwards bunch made quite a splash traveling through New Mexico by train over the weekend. From crowds lining the tracks at Raton, to the speeches at the Las Vegas train station, to Albuquerque's Old Town and Mass at San Felipe de Neri and lunch at La Hacienda, to shopping at Western Warehouse and attendance at the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial and Pow Wow in Gallup, the Dem ticket attracted enthusiastic crowds. It was the first time a presidential candidate visited Las Vegas since 1948 when Harry Truman spoke at the train station. The Kerry/Edwards folks used the very same train cars used by Truman during his 1948 whistlestop campaign tour.

Yahoo has photos from the NM visit at
Yahoo News Photos
and the Official Kerry Blog has more photos and commentary at:
Kerry Blog
The photo above of the crowd at the train station in Las Vegas is from the Kerry Blog.

Bush/McCain Visit Albuquerque

I also read that Bush and Senator McCain are coming to Albuquerque for an "Ask President Bush" event
this coming Wednesday, August 11, 2004 at 1:50 pm MDT. Get your protest signs ready!

DFA Q2 Financial Report

Maura in VA, a well-known DFA blogger, posted an excellent analysis of the 2nd quarter FEC report for DFA. With permission, I'm reprinting some of it here, but it's worth a look at the Daily Kos link below.

Who's Giving In the who's giving category for DFA's non-federal 527 account: SEIU and AFSCME continue to be great friends, with fair-weather pal Gerald McEntee going a long way to expiating his unfortunate "nuts" comment by donating $115,000 to DFA's non-federal account, followed closely by Andy Stern and our purple friends at SEIU, donating $100,000. Overshadowing both of those donations, though, was the quiet support of George Soros, from whom Dean scored a quarter of a million dollar donation for DFA's non-federal account.

Aside from that, well, pages and pages and pages and pages of small donations from grassroots supporters to the federal PAC, all of which appears to add up to a whopping $1,475,052 take for DFA in 2nd quarter, ending the quarter with $883,146 on hand. It's nothing like last year's Q2 take, but impressive for a PAC startup.

Who's Getting I'll leave it to others to comb through all of the contributions to non-federal candidates this quarter. In addition to small contributions to non-federal Dean Dozen candidates, DFA also made $1,000 contributions to dozens of state candidates, including a large number of NH state candidates, many of whom supported Dean in the primary.

For federal candidates, this is a list of who got turkee from DFA in Q2. They're listed in the order in which they appeared in the FEC report (click for more).

https://maura-in-va.dailykos.com/story/2004/7/19/63210/0449

Jim Hightower in Albuquerque

Jim Hightower: America's Most Popular Populist

No one in America today delivers a motivational speech like Jim Hightower, bringing home a hard-hitting, tell-it-like-it-is political message, yet keeping his audience doubled-up with laughter. In the tradition of Mark Twain, Will Rogers, and Woody Guthrie, he skewers the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought to Be -- America's workaday folks.

Albuquerque, NM -- Wednesday, Aug 18,2004
Come see Jim Hightower at Reception and Rally.

**** 5:30pm Fundraiser ****
The reception for Richard Romero will be held at the Golden West Saloon from 5:30 to 6:30. With a suggested contribution of $100, you will receive a copy of Jim's NEW book, Let's Stop Beating Around the Bush.

**** 7:00pm: Free Rally ****
Then join Jim at rally at 7 pm at the El Rey Theater. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Strat or Abby at 505-244-0969.