Democracy for New Mexico

The Latest Anti-Dean Candidate for DNC Chair

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and possibly Gov. Bill Richardson are pushing ex-Indiana Congressman and 9-11 Commission member, Tim Roemer, as the new anti-Howard Dean candidate for DNC Chair. Daily Kos has an excellent diary on Roemer, which includes this recitation of his voting record:

• Voted YES on banning human cloning, including medical research. (Jul 2001)
• Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad. (May 2001)
• Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes. (Apr 2001)
• Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions. (Apr 2000)
• Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion. (Jun 1999)
• Voted YES on Constitutional amendment prohibiting Flag Desecration. (Jul 2001)
• Voted NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons. (Jun 2000)
• Voted YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime. (Jun 1999)
• Voted NO on maintaining right of habeus corpus in Death Penalty Appeals. (Mar 1996)
• Voted YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder. (Feb 1995)
• Voted NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels. (Aug 2001)
• Voted NO on banning soft money donations to national political parties. (Jul 2001)
• Voted NO on allowing suing HMOs, but under federal rules & limited award. (Aug 2001)
• Voted NO on Prescription Drug Coverage under Medicare. (Jun 2000)
• Voted YES on banning physician-assisted suicide. (Oct 1999)
• Voted YES on deploying SDI (Star Wars). (Mar 1999)
• Member of Democratic Leadership Council. (Nov 2000)

While still in the Congress, Roemer also voted against the 2001 Filcher Amendment, which would have stopped any funds from going towards Social Security "privatization." He is strongly anti-choice in regard to women's reproductive rights.

Chris Bowers at MyDD (with 5 million readers) has this to say about Roemer as DNC Chair:

Unless Roemer publicly, loudly and completely repudiates his recent position on Social Security, he is utterly unacceptable as DNC chair. Mark my words: if Roemer becomes chair without doing this, I will actively encourage all progressive activists to donate and volunteer to third-party groups instead of and at the expense of the DNC. The Fainthearted Faction has no place in the Democratic leadership.

As for me, if Roemer gets the nod I won't be giving one red cent to the DNC, regardless of whether or not he reneges on his Social Security position. At a time when it's essential for the Party and its candidates to take strong, Democratic stands on every issue, THIS is the guy that alleged liberal Nancy Pelosi is pushing? Oh, these insider Dems are scared to death to have an honest and unabashed DEMOCRAT running the DNC, arent' they?

What's your take on all this?

Help Tsunami Victims

With more than 23,000 33,000 59,000 100,000 116,000 135,000 155,000 people killed in Asia and many more injured, with millions homeless or without food, shelter or clean water, now is the time to open up our hearts and pockets to help the victims of the earthquake and tsunami. Here are links to organizations that are helping now and that will be helping for many months to come:

Save the Children
Oxfam
UNICEF
Relief Web
CARE
Doctors Without Borders (Medcins sans Frontiers)
Caritas
Red Cross

Democratic Leadership Rethinking Abortion

Why do these people believe they are "Democratic Leaders" when they don't believe they need to defend Democratic values and positions? These so-called "leaders" want to adopt Republican postions not because they believe they are right, but because they believe they are "winners." I guess in their world the end justifies the means. Winning at any cost is preferable to the hard work of winning over your opponents by developing an honest and effective framing of the issues. What does the Democratic Party stand for these days? Considering the views of these "leaders," the answer has to be next to nothing. From a 12/24 LA Times article:

WASHINGTON — After long defining itself as an undisputed defender of abortion rights, the Democratic Party is suddenly locked in an internal struggle over whether to redefine its position to appeal to a broader array of voters.

The fight is a central theme of the contest to head the Democratic National Committee, particularly between two leading candidates: former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who supports abortion rights, and former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer, an abortion foe who argues that the party cannot rebound from its losses in the November election unless it shows more tolerance on one of society's most emotional conflicts.

Roemer is running with the encouragement of the party's two highest-ranking members of Congress, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and incoming Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Dean, a former presidential candidate, is popular with the party's liberal wing.

If Roemer were to succeed Terry McAuliffe as Democratic chairman in the Feb. 10 vote, the party long viewed as the guardian of abortion rights would suddenly have two antiabortion advocates at its helm. Reid, too, opposes abortion and once voted for a nonbinding resolution opposing Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion.

Party leaders say their support for preserving the landmark ruling will not change. But they are looking at ways to soften the hard line, such as promoting adoption and embracing parental notification requirements for minors and bans on late-term abortions. Their thinking reflects a sense among strategists that Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry and the party's congressional candidates lost votes because the GOP conveyed a more compelling message on social issues.

But in opening a discussion about new appeals to abortion opponents, party leaders are moving into uncertain terrain. Abortion rights activists are critical pillars of the Democratic Party, providing money and grass-roots energy. Some of them say they are concerned that Democratic leaders are entertaining any changes to the party's approach to abortion.

A senior official of one of the nation's largest abortion rights groups said she would be concerned if the party were to choose Roemer to head the Democratic National Committee.

"We want people who are pro-choice. Of course I would be disappointed," said the official, who asked that her name be withheld because of her close alliance with party officials.

Gloria Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said Democratic strategists who were pushing for the abortion discussion had misconstrued the results of the November election by overstating the strength of "values" voters.

She said the party should remain committed to the "women of America, and their health and their lives and their rights."

For the rest of this article, .

Recap on NM Recount Saga

A diary at Daily Kos provides a top-notch recap of what has gone on in the continuing saga of the Green and Libertarian Party efforts to obtain a legally required recount of the presidential vote in New Mexico. The diary is written by Claude Hayward of Anton Chico, whom I was pleased to break bread (well, actually pizza) with at Il Vicinco recently at a gathering of New Mexico's Kossians.

The lastest twists in this story of Gov. Richardson's refusal to follow the law, in collusion with Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Griron and other high-ranking Democrats, is revealed in a 12/24 Albuquerque Journal story detailing a high percentage of so-called overvotes and "phantom" votes in New Mexico.

Green Party candidate David Cobb said he may take this case to the U.S. Supreme Court and Cobb's lawyer said they may still post the $1.4 million "deposit" required by the NM Canvassing Board for the recount. A lawyer for the state, however, says the deadline for that is long past and the state will not reconsider.

Cobb's attorney, Lowell Finley, says in the article, "As far as we're concerned, this is not over. And we are going to continue pursuing every reasonable, available option to see that there's a meaningful audit of this election."

Read all the details in Claude's diary.

A little Beatles Holiday Cheer

Thanks to Altercation, here's a place where you can download some cheer of Christmases past:

"If you were fortunate enough to have been a member of the official Beatles fan club between 1963 and 1969, then you likely have heard one or more of these records. The Beatles recorded them and sent them out to their adoring fans every year, finally collecting them all on one album for the 1970 edition. Now rare and quite pricey to obtain, these seldom heard recordings offer a rare glimpse of the fabs at their funniest."

To download: .

Happy Holidays to All and to All a Good Day!

Free Delivery: Ugly Christmas Lights

Since it's so cold outside in New Mexico today (Albuquerque - high 24, low -4), I thought I'd provide you with an opportunity to view some outrageous Christmas lights while hanging out by your keyboards. Courtesy of UglyChristmasLights.com. Some samples (click photo for larger image):

Because this is New Mexico, I had to include some luminaria (or is that farolito) action:

Top Ten Most Outrageous Statements by Media in 2004

Given all the misleading, misinformed and miserable statements we've heard and read this year in the mainstream media, it must have been difficult to limit themselves to only the ten worst statements. From Media Matters for America:

• Rush Limbaugh: on the Abu Ghraib photos: "I'm talking about people having a good time, these people, you ever heard of emotional release? You ever heard of need to blow some steam off?"
• Ann Coulter: "[Senator John] Kerry will improve the economy in the emergency services and body bag industry."
• Tony Blankley called philanthropist George Soros "a Jew who figured out a way to survive the Holocaust."
• Michael Savage: "When you hear 'human rights,' think gays. ... [T]hink only one thing: someone who wants to rape your son."
• Oliver North: "Every terrorist out there is hoping John Kerry is the next president of the United States."
• Pat Robertson on gays and lesbians: "[S]elf-absorbed hedonists ... that want to impose their particular sexuality on the rest of America."
• Pat Buchanan: "[H]omosexuality is an affliction, like alcoholism."
• Bill O'Reilly to Jewish caller: "[I]f you are really offended, you gotta go to Israel."
• Bill Cunningham (Clear Channel radio host who appeared as a guest on The Sean Hannity Show): The election is over because "Elizabeth Edwards has now sung."
• Jerry Falwell: "And we're going to invite PETA [to "wild game night"] as our special guest, P-E-T-A -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. We want you to come, we're going to give you a top seat there, so you can sit there and suffer. This is one of my special groups, another one's the ACLU, another is the NOW -- the National Order of Witches [sic]. We've got -- I've got a lot of special groups."

Video on Ohio Voter Suppression

From the , mirroring the Free Speech Zone:

This video footage is a must see for everyone who feels a concern regarding the gross injustices that took place in African American precincts in Ohio on election day. We have done the civil rights movement in this country already. Heck we have had to do it a few times. Yet, if you feel that everyone is indeed equal, then you are not paying attention. Through deceitful manipulation of information and equiptment, the citizens of Ohio were often turned away from voting booths. This footage, which is in 2 parts, is a documentaion of what took place on Nov 2nd. It is only a small part of the larger story.

A press release was sent out today to the press and public this morning.

The video footage provides a first hand glimpse of what transpired in Franklin County on Election Day, only in heavily leaning Democratic precincts, including unexplained voting machine shortages, organized campaigns directing voters to the wrong polling places, malfunctioning voter tabulation equipment, election worker confusion and incompetence, and a host of other problems. However, as detailed in an official affidavit by Richard Hayes Phillips, a geomorphology Ph.D. from University of Oregon, the extent of voter disenfranchisement was systematic and widespread in African American precincts throughout the state. Dr. Phillips sworn testimony read:

"For the second Presidential election in a row African American voters have been subjugated to second class citizens through systematic efforts by Republicans to suppress, intimidate, and disenfranchise our vote," said Rev. Bill Moss, the original Plaintiff in Ohio, and founder of the Center for Freedom and Justice. "Whether its Katherine Harris or Kenneth Blackwell, the purpose is the same: do everything in their power to ensure George W. Bush becomes President. If those in power are willing and able to thwart democracy and abuse the civil rights of American voters, right in the face of the press and public, what won’t they do? I am contesting this election because tyranny, particularly in the guise of democracy, is our civic duty to fight."

Read the rest. Here is how you can help:

• Watch the video and e-mail everyone you know

• E-mail or call the main stream news media outlets and demand that they cover this story. (Contact information below)

Once you have seen this please let the world know!

Click here for contact information for Government employees
Click here for media contact information.

Thank you!

Ohio Voter Suppression Videos: .

Kerry Enters Ohio Recount

According to William Rivers Pitt at truthout, Kerry is entering the Ohio recount in a significant way, by "filing  a request for expedited discover regarding Triad Systems voting marchines, as well as a motion for a preservation order to protect any and all discovery and preserve any evidence on this matter."

According to Pitt, "It should be noted that Kerry's filing of these requests does not indicate his complete entry into the recount process, but does clearly indicate that he is moving decisively in that direction. His previous stance on the matter was based simply on his desire to defend the right to have a recount in the first place. The evidence of election tampering in Ohio, specifically surrounding Triad, has motivated him to actively join the fight. The Democratic Party is also quietly putting financial resources into the Ohio recount effort.

Read more of this article.

Rear Window

What the Democratic National Committee will see if they pick an anti-choice, corporatist, bland, don't-rock-the-boat insider Dem to chair the Party:

And if the trad holidays at this time of year aren't your cup of eggnog, try Festivus. In fact, Festivus is celebrated TODAY, so get crackin'.