Democracy for New Mexico

NM DNC Members Now Endorse Dean for Chair

From Charlotte Roybal:

Good news. The NM DNC members have all endorsed Howard Dean. It has all happened since Monday. I spoke with John Wertheim, State Chair, today and he told me. I had talked to Gloria Nieto and she and Annadelle Sanchez who both went with the Hispanic Caucus on Monday. I spoke with Raymond Sanchez and he is on board. The one we forgot to ask is Patricia Madrid and I saw her today and she said she was on board now that her candidate dropped out. So good job DFAers and other for helping Dean.

I also attended the Progressive Democrats of America Conference in DC and would love to give a presentation  any progressive group in NM about it.  Let me know at (505) 930-0563 or email: croybal@aol.com  I also met with Chris Warshaw from DFA.

The web site is: www.pdamerica.com

Editor's Note: DFNM is an ally/partner organization of Progessive Democrats of America, and Howard Dean is a supporter. Here's a that support PDA.

Ownership Society?

An Open Letter to the President from Progressive Democrats of America:

Dear Mr. President:

Tonight, I took great comfort from the fact that you did not describe Social Security as “a grave and gathering danger.” True, your promise that privatization will allow Social Security accounts to “grow at a faster rate” than the current Trust Fund was faith-based but I am so happy that the Frantz Luntz (I presume) focus groups have convinced you to drop the words “crisis” and “privatization” in favor of “problem” and “personal retirement accounts.”

And I am also thrilled that you are dipping into your reserves of political capital because some say your reserves of credibility seem to have dried up. Yes, I have heard with shocked admiration the familiar echo that the French, Germans, the U.N. and, damnit, even Bill Clinton agreed with you about the WMDs. Frankly, I think it is admirable when an individual doesn’t allow one lie to stop a cover-up lie. Your single-minded or should I say “single-celled” ability never to take responsibility for mistakes sets you apart from run-of-the-mill politicians. You have been apotheosized and ascended to the Pantheon of Richard Nixon and Warren Harding.

I must also admit that I love it when you talk like a Populist and not like a member of the ownership class. “Freedom” is a great word and it sounded great in the Inaugural and “ownership” also sounds just super.

However, if you don’t mind a suggestion. There are naysayers out there who question your real dedication to promoting an ownership society. Strange but true. Apparently, they come from the small number that did not help you attain your overwhelming mandate. Not to nitpick, but some of those 59+ million complain and whine that:

1) The minimum wage of $5.15 has remained frozen since 1997. If, by the way, the minimum wage kept up with CEO salaries since just 1993, they say it would now be $15.71 an hour. Where they get the nerve to compare peasants to kings just floors me.

2) They quote America’s greatest investor,Warren Buffett, as saying: “If there is class warfare in this country, my class has won.” Evidently, he was pointing to the fact that he will pay a smaller share of his income in taxes than his secretary if the tax cuts become permanent. And she is not worth $43 billion. The reality is that if the tax cuts are made permanent he would be paying about 17.8% while his secretary’s rate would be paying about 18%. The people saying this obviously want to penalize those who create the jobs. The rich lead frantic lives trying at every moment to make others rich. Such labors should not go unrewarded. Why punish the rich?

3) The $11.6 trillion price tag of keeping the tax cuts permanent dwarfs the Congressional Budget Office’s forecast of the Social Security shortfall of $2 billion and $3.7 billion by the Social Security Administration. They say that just cutting the permanent tax cuts for those in the top bracket who earn, on average, $1.2 million a year would plug the shortfall. In fact, they insist that just raising the salary cap on wages that must pay Social Security from $90,000 to $110,000 would solve the problem as the CBO sees it. Clearly, these “soak the rich” liberals just don’t get it.

4) The top 13,400 households in the U.S. have the same yearly income as the bottom 96 million. This figure is taken from David Cay Johnston’s book: “Perfectly Legal.” But then again he is a New York Times writer! His book and “Wealth and Democracy” by Kevin Phillips seem to indicate that our ownership society is one in which fewer and fewer people own more and more. And I say, “Why shouldn’t they? They’re smarter, work harder and MAKE JOBS for the great unwashed who, clearly, are not as grateful as they should be.

5) The top 1% of Americans have the same wealth as the bottom 95% and the top 15% of Americans own virtually all financial assets. God, when will these people put down the weapons of class warfare. How uncivilized!

6) Over the last 50 years corporate taxes as a percentage of federal tax receipts have fallen from 34% to 7% while taxes on workers as a percentage have increased. And they think this is wrong!

7) The average salary of American workers have increased only about a nickel an hour for the last two decades and during what the administration calls a “recovery” have increased more slowly than in any modern economic recovery. Americans who want real raises should do real work. Enough said.

8) Lastly, some people say that Health Care is in a crisis in this country because so many have little or no coverage and rates are skyrocketing for others. Read my lips. People with jobs get health care; those without don’t deserve it. And these liberals say they believe in Darwin. Funny, they don’t seem to want to live it.

Of course, I say to hell with all of them. If God wanted everyone to be wealthy he would make rich women far more fertile. I think with help from Frank and other spinmeisters we can keep the minds of young workers focused on how we should divvy up their meager Social Security contributions – not on their overall deteriorating financial health. We certainly don’t want them to think of how much more of the tax burden they bear than they should or how their wages are stagnant and savings nonexistent. Let’s keep them focused on how they can give up their life, disability and old age insurance in exchange for a random walk down Wall Street.

Young people love roller coasters. It’s a fact. I also know from watching the X-treme Games that young people love walking a tightrope without a net and we are going to provide them that opportunity.

A couple of last suggestions. A lot of people grouse about the “Transition costs” of perhaps $16 trillion and the fact that the Social Security forecasts on the economy are inconsistent with the necessary robust growth of stocks that privateers tout. Ignore them. Yes, price –earning multiples of 100 may seem excessive but I intend to sell when they reach 99. If Ari and Scott have taught me anything it’s that after you refuse to answer a question several times, the press will accommodate you and stop asking it.

Another suggestion: Do not let the Social Security actuaries or those of the Congressional Budget Office testify in front of Congress. Actuaries typically don’t understand politics. Some say that actuaries are accountants without the charisma but that is just not true. I have met numerous actuaries who have looked at my shoes rather than their own! But they are dangerous because they just say stuff without thinking of how it will sell to the American public.

Perhaps you could have former CMS head, Tom Scully, return to the government. Now, that’s a man who knows how to handle actuaries! When the chief Medicare actuary, Richard Foster, determined that the actual cost of the Medicare Drug Bill was 25 to 50% higher than the public statements, Scully knew just what to do. He told the upstart to keep the information to himself or he would kill him. Actually, he didn’t have the guts to say that but he should have. He was a voice of moderation. He only said he would fire him if he gave the information to those evil Democrats. Mission Accomplished.

The Drug Bill passed, the Drug companies got their $140 billion in guaranteed profits and Medicare was put on the chopping block. What’s not to admire?

Lastly, while it is not their area, I think Condi Rice and Alberto Gonzales could help. Americans were awestruck when they didn’t answer whether drowning another human is torture. With their help we can define poverty as only major organ failure and cut Social Security benefits to where they should be: bare sustenance level. I also like the John Ashcroft suggestion that paupers, those receiving Social Security, be forced to wear a “P” on their chest as they did in Colonial Days. Never encourage dependency. While Ashcroft has not made his plan public I am certain he will after he finishes his legal paper on the efficacy of Judge Hawthorne’s decisions at Salem.

Women also deserve your tough love. Turning Social Security into a defined contribution plan will finally help level the life expectancies of men and women. Because women earn less, have fewer years of earnings and live longer, a defined contribution plan absolutely guarantees that they will receive less per month than men – even men that earn the same wages! By cutting their caloric intake and the BTUs in their homes, I know that we can finally have women and men expire at the same ages. What could be more compassionate than aiding spouses of the same age to expire together?

Most of all you need to mobilize your core supporters. Those who believe the world is 6,000 years old despite all the evidence to the contrary. Get these people out on the talk show circuit because evidence never confuses them. They know what to believe and they stick with it. While you already have Rush, Michael, Sean and Bill, they seem embarrassed to ever raise the issue of intelligent design, so they need help from more junior high graduates.

Thanks for listening. Did you finish the book on Joe DiMaggio? Class guy that Yankee Clipper and you, sir, are also in a class of your own!

Your devoted fan,

David Kelley
PDA Senior Policy Advisor
Chair of the Subcommittee on Social Security
https://www.pdamerica.org
david@pdamerica.org
**********************************
Editor's Note: You can use some of David's talking points in your own letter to President Bush or to the editor of your newspaper.

Sound Off! State of the Union Follies

So did everyone enjoy watching liar, liar, pants on fire do his freedom and liberty for all bit last night? I know many of you probably couldn't stomach the spectacle and filled the time reading "Bush On the Couch" or some other political tome that dissects the pathology at the heart of the current administration. But some of us couldn't help ourselves and felt compelled to tune in.

My first reaction was to wonder when exactly it happened that right-wing Republicans became hysterically attached to freedom, justice and liberty. Then it dawned on me: when the WMD excuse for the occupation of Iraq went down the tubes, they needed something to cover over the real reasons they found Iraq so attractive. I mean, you can't just ask American freedom-lovers to rally behind controlling the largest oil reserves left in the world and grabbing land for (at last count) twelve military bases smack in the middle of the oil reserves, now can you?

Didn't you just love the courageous and mature display of purple fingers in "support" of the Iraqi voters? I wondered if it dawned on these people that the Iraqi people got to vote despite the Bush administration's dedication since the fall of Baghdad to keep them from doing so anytime soon. We went from plans to have the thieving Chalabi rule, to the Bremer rule, to a handpicked "coalition" concept to finally having to succumb to the preferences of al Sistani when he got tens of thousands of Shia into the streets demanding it.

The high point of the speech to me, however, was the news that Laura Bush would be tackling the problems of gangs in the old US of A. Who knew she had the street smarts to convince gang members to refrain from their untidy practices? I have to admit, folks, it made me feel safer. Phew.

Then there was the push for destroying Social Security, clothed in the "I care so much" rhetoric that always pops out when Bush decides the people need to see how compassionate the king is. It was a welcome, if minor miracle that a buncha Dems actually provided some vocal "Noooo Nooooooo's" when Bush was citing some of his most blantant lies about the CRISIS. The CRISIS! Hmmm. I wonder why the king offered next to no details about his plan to transfer more wealth to Wall Street? Despite his reticence, the devils in the details are already coming out in force, and I'll be covering them here in the coming days. It'll take alot of ink.

Finally, did anyone else notice Senator Lieberman acting like a jack-in-the-box last night? He seemed eerily determined to be the first one to jump out of his seat and applaud wildly every time Bush paused between focus-group lines. The topper was when he RAN up to Bush after the speech and engaged in a sloppy kiss with George, Dubbie holding Lieberman's head in a smoochy grasp. Ah the grand drama of theater. Even if it's of the absurd variety. The upside-down, inside-out world of Alice reigns again. Hookah anyone? --Barb

DNC Hispanic Caucus Votes Overwhelmingly to Endorse Dean

As published on DFA's

The members of the Hispanic Caucus of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) voted overwhelmingly today to officially endorse Gov. Howard Dean for Chair of the national Democratic Party. The endorsement is the first from any DNC caucus to be granted and guarantees Gov. Dean at least 35 of the 45 votes in the caucus. Nine caucus members were unavailable to participate in the deliberations and voting, which took place via conference call today.

"Gov. Dean has proven himself to be a terrific fundraiser and he has the character and stature to speak for the Democratic Party," said Sen. Iris Martinez, Illinois General Assembly member and Secretary of the Hispanic caucus, "most importantly, Gov. Dean understands that rolling back the advances Republicans have made among the Hispanic electorate will be critical to not just winning back the White House but also to keeping crucial states in the Democratic column."

Governor Dean has a unique perspective on building the grassroots as demonstrated in his organization, Democracy for America and his presidential campaign. As governor, Dean created a record based on fiscally conservative principles while promoting equality and opportunity for all the citizens of Vermont. In extending its vote of confidence to Gov. Dean, the Hispanic Caucus expects Gov. Dean to use his energy, creativity and boldness to assist the Caucus and the Party to move the Hispanic community into becoming a solid base for our democratic agenda.

"Our decision today exemplifies the type of leadership we will exercise to help Chairman Dean reach out to the Hispanic community which will be the most critical voting bloc in every election in the foreseeable future," said Sen. Martinez.

DNC Hispanic Caucus Members Endorsing Gov. Howard Dean:

Steven K. Alari, Dr. Celita Arroyo de Roques, Cathy Bartolotti, Tonio Burgos, Luisette Cabanas, Linda Chavez-Thompson, Alvaro Cifuentes, Maria Echaveste, Edward Espinoza, Norma Fisher Flores, Nely Galan, Alexandra Gallardo Rooker, Maria Garcia, Carmen Gonzalez, Teresa Krusor, Dr. Miguel D. Lausell Esq., Debbie Marquez, Hon. Iris Y. Martinez, Hon. Ramona Martinez, Hon. Antonio Villaraigosa, Raul Martinez, Hon. Kenneth McClintock, Hon. Gloria Molina, Gloria Nieto, John A. Perez, Hon. Roberto L. Prats, Hon. Roberto Ramirez, Joe Rios, Lula Rodriguez, Mannie Rodriguez, Mirian Saez, Annadelle Sanchez, Hon. Oscar Soliz, Alexis Tameron, Hon. Art Torres, Norma Torres, Steven Ybarra
***********************
(Click for a Spanish language version of this article.)

Editor's Note: Notice the two names in boldface on this list. Both are voting members of the DNC from New Mexico. If you'd like to send a note of thanks to Gloria Nieto and Annadelle Sanchez, here is their contact info:

Gloria Nieto
1451 Santa Cruz
Santa Fe, NM  87505
505-474-7602
Glorianieto@comcast.net

Annadelle Sanchez
920 Denton ST
Espanola, NM 87532
505-753-4869

Also good to remember: Several other Hispanic members of the DNC from New Mexico are not on this list of Dean endorsements: Raymond Sanchez, Gov. Bill Richardson and Attorney General Patricia Madrid. The official election for DNC Chair will take place on February 12th. It will be interesting to see if these three vote for Dean then, despite not endorsing him now. I recall that Madrid was originally a supporter of Martin Frost, who dropped out of the race yesterday. No word on who Sanchez and Richardson are supporting.

Higher Pay for Teachers Better Investment than Charters

From Judy Binder:
Response to Albuquerque Journal OP ED, “School Choice Helps Low-Income Families” by Micha Gisser and Sarah Hunt, January 6, 2005 (A slightly different version of this appeared in the Albuquerque Journal.)

Economist Micha Gisser, whose research generally covers agricultural economics, water rights and industrial organization, and Sarah Hunt, a UNM graduate in political science, have taken an assault on public education based on results gathered from the 2003 Terra Nova tests. Unfortunately, there is no data on how many children were tested, what subject matter was covered, or that their results might have been compared with other states that use the Terra Nova. Did a thorough analysis of their research show such startling results that all schools and all districts in New Mexico are hopeless? It is no great secret that students from minority or low economic neighborhoods do poorly on standardized tests; these tests are already culturally skewed, and testing results can be controlled.

The authors have analyzed the testing and cite “At least one study of the Milwaukee school choice program demonstrates that when compared to demographically similar students who remain in the public schools, low-income students show measurable gains in scholastic achievement after merely three years in a choice school.”

However, the results of the Milwaukee schools have been found by others to be lacking in scope and subject to interpretation.

The authors further suggest that to correct the imbalance in local test scores, brought on by residence in low-income neighborhoods, New Mexico ought to consider a school choice program.

This is a rather simplistic approach to a significantly complicated problem. In New Mexico, school choice within the public school system is an option for every student. It is called open enrollment. Unfortunately, school choice is unknown to many low-income families because some parents have not understood that this service is available and others are unable to read the documentation sent home. Having inquired from several classrooms of students in grades four through eight of the reading material found in their homes, we learned that most families, especially in low-income neighborhoods, did not subscribe to newspapers. However, children who have received vouchers are enrolled in private schools because their families—usually middle or upper class—are focused on academic success and have made the effort. Other parents may prefer their children to be safely educated close to home because a sibling or neighbor offers companionship. And others may feel self-conscious traveling into distant neighborhoods. In addition, studies have shown that the pressing need is for more qualified and better paid teachers. It is also important to note that parents and taxpayers would have to share the burden of supporting two school systems, public and private.

As an economist, Dr. Gisser has equated students, teachers, and administrators with widgets, assembly lines, and auto-ejection. If a widget is flawed, it is tossed on the trash heap. When a child comes through the system safe and sound, we bestow a diploma; those children who cannot make progress must still find a place in society.

Widgets, like dollars, have no feelings, no emotions, and no need for special attention. In APS we have 87,000 students and 10,000 teachers and administrative personnel, each of whom deserves proper compensation and respect.

From an educational forum co-sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trust and Georgetown University, Stanford Professor of Education and Economics Martin Carnoy, argues that “close examination of several existing voucher programs in the United States and abroad reveals that the academic gains for struggling students and schools are marginal at best, and often simply non-existent.

In addition, more and more data reveal that children educated in charter schools "do no better in math and reading than their peers at regular public schools...” (Michael Dobbs, Washington Post, Albuquerque Journal, Dec. 2004).

In conclusion, Gisser and Hunt lack the necessary background and research data to be able to come to the conclusion that poor kids would be better served by private schools.

What has actually happened? “A Nation at Risk,” published in 1983, indicated that “education is the major foundation for the future strength of this country;” [and] “education occupied first place among 12 funding categories considered in the survey—above health care, welfare, and military defense and that survey respondents ranked education first among categories including health care, defense and welfare.

Sadly most politicians only pay lip service toward improving education. We believe that it is economically productive to make teachers’ salaries commensurate with those of business leaders and other professionals in order to keep smart, dedicated, and powerful teachers in the classroom. Students who receive a first-class education will earn higher salaries. It is likely that we will need their contributions to support us all in our old age.

Judith Binder, Substitute Teacher, Albuquerque Public Schools
Julia Rosa Lopez-Emslie, Professor Emerita of Education, ENMU

DFA Meetups Tomorrow . . . And Thursday

DFA-DFNM Meetups in Santa Fe and Las Cruces are being held Wednesday, February 2nd at 7 PM, while Albuquerque's Meetup has moved to the first Thursday of the month, or February 3rd. Click on the links in the Coming Events area on the right-hand sidebar on this page to register or find out more.

In Albuquerque, we'll hear from Marvin Moss, Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party of NM, past Congressional primary candidate, Eli Chavez, Nathan Newcomer of the NM Wilderness Alliance and more. We'll be focusing on precinct and ward building, election reform bills at the NM Legislature, writing letters to the editor in support of Howard Dean's run for DNC Chair, and learning about ways we can visit the Legislature and lobby our state senators and representatives. There will be updates on the progressive billboard project, planning for our workshop on George Lakoff and framing and other ongoing projects.

Once again, bring your food and dollar donations for our Foodboxes for Families program. This Meetup, the person who donates the most to this excellent project will win something very boxer-like from Barbara Boxer. Come on out and see what it is!

Frost Drops Out of Race for DNC Chair

Can it be? Will Dean win this time? According to an AP article in The Guardian:

Former Texas Rep. Martin Frost dropped out of the race for Democratic national chairman on Tuesday, winnowing the field to front-runner Howard Dean and three challengers.

Frost's decision came hours after AFL-CIO leaders decided not to make an endorsement in the race for Democratic National Committee chairman.

Frost had counted heavily on organized labor to give him a boost and many in the AFL-CIO were prepared to back him at one point, but Frost had not shown the strength in the race to get an endorsement, union officials said.
[. . .] 
The decision Monday by state party leaders to endorse Dean prompted many in the party to comment that Dean is looking unbeatable. Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb dropped out of the race and endorsed Dean Monday.

UPDATE: Daily Kos has an excellent story on this, plus an excerpt of a remarkable letter from Donna Brazile giving advice to Dean. There's also some info on Rep. Nancy's Pelosi's involvement in the DNC Chair process. There are only three other candidates left in the race: Roemer, Donnie Fowler and Simon Rosenberg, and Dean has a big and growing lead in voting members.

UPDATE 2: They're dropping like flies. is reporting that Rosenberg is out and Roemer will be next, leaving only Donnie Fowler. And as the post explains, he's enmeshed in a scandal coming out of Michigan.