Democracy for New Mexico

NM Recount Case Hearing Monday at NM Supreme Court

From Holly Jacobson and Voter Action NM:
Oral arguments for the NM recount lawsuit are being heard at 9 AM, Monday, August 29, 2005 at the NM State Supreme Court, 237 Don Gaspar Avenue, Santa Fe. John Boyd will be arguing the case.

This should be interesting for anyone concerned about election reform issues and could impact how recounts are handled in future elections.

Open to the public.
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From Charlie Strauss and Verified Voting NM:
Mary-Charlotte did an interview with Will Doherty of Verified Voting.org, which will air on Monday, August 29th. 8:05 AM on KSFR, 90.7 FM, Santa Fe Public Radio. You can listen online too.

MUST SEE: Comedy Show to Benefit Living Wage Campaign

Tuesday, September 6th

8-9PM

Gorilla Tango Theater

With Special Guest Eric Griego

All proceeds to benefit Albuquerque Living Wage Campaign

Click for flyer.

Republican Noise Machine Rattles On

Soy Blue takes on the Republican Noise Machine and the hypocrisy at its core. Heather Wilson? Demoralizing our troops and endangering their lives? Go read and comment.

Conservation Voters New Mexico Endorses Candidates for Albuquerque City Council

From Conservation Voters New Mexico:
Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM) is pleased to announce its endorsements of Miguel Gomez (District 1), Isaac Benton (District 3), Marianne Dickinson (District 7) and Chris Catechis (District 9) for Albuquerque City Council.  CVNM has already endorsed Eric Griego for Mayor.  (Note: You can visit these candidates' websites by clicking on the links on the left-hand sidebar of this page.)

“All these candidates have demonstrated a commitment to protecting the qualities that make Albuquerque a great city,” said Sandy Buffett, Executive Director of CVNM.  “We look forward to working with these talented individuals to build vibrant neighborhoods that bring people together.”

Conservation Voters New Mexico, a nonpartisan organization, works to protect New Mexico's natural environment and our cherished way of life.  CVNM’s mission is to make sensible conservation policies a top priority for elected officials, political candidates, and voters across the state. 

More information on Conservation Voters New Mexico can be found on our web site at: www.cvnm.org

Sandy Buffett, Executive Director
Conservation Voters New Mexico
320 Aztec Street, Ste. B
Santa Fe, New Mexico  87501
tel:   505.992.8683   cell: 505.270.5743
sandy@cvnm.org

Support CVNM's efforts to hold NM elected officials accountable for their environmental decisions and to elect a pro-conservation majority!!  https://www.cvnm.org

Editor's Note: Click to find your . You must be registered to vote by 5:00 PM on September 6 to vote in the October 4 municipal election. The League of Women Voters has information on registration and voting at its website, or you can call the Democratic Party of New Mexico at 505-830-3650 or the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County at 256-1855 for more information.

ACTION ALERT: Living Wage

From the Democratic Party of New Mexico:

Hey, you!  Get of yer bum.  That’s right, you heard me. 

Not doing anything in the next couple hours, or working downtown?  How about showing your support for the Albuquerque Living Wage Campaign, and for all the full time workers who live below poverty?

It’s just not right that someone would work one, two, maybe even three jobs and fall below poverty, while Congress – Congresswoman Heather Wilson included – just voted themselves several thousand dollars in raises.  Unbelievable, but true – it’s shameful.

As the campaign to pass a $7.50 Albuquerque minimum wage ordinance heats up for October 4, elected officials from the Albuquerque area are speaking out in support of the proposal.

TODAY, you can join City Councilor Martin Heinrich, City Councilor and Mayoral Candidate Eric Griego, Attorney General Patricia Madrid, and former Governor David Cargo for a press conference.

Thursday, August 25
11:00 AM
1 Civic Plaza
Downtown Albuquerque

To learn more about The Albuquerque Living Wage Campaign visit https://www.abqlivingwage.org/ or call 505-242-7411.

The Democratic Party of New Mexico believes in rewarding work and that no one who works full-time should get a wage so low that they live in poverty.  You are encouraged to support the Albuquerque Living Wage Campaign.

“The Albuquerque Living Wage Ordinance provides an economic development strategy for Albuquerque that works, paying workers a wage that supports a family, putting new wealth into our local economy, and leveling the playing field for the small businesses that employ a majority of the Albuquerque workforce.”
(https://www.abqlivingwage.org/index.php?id=1243)

To read Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman John Wertheim’s oped in support of the Living Wage, go to:
https://www.nmdemocrats.org/index.php?display=ArticleDetails&i=580055&pid=360037

Spread the word about the Albuquerque Living Wage.   You can help the Albuquerque Living Wage Campaign in a number of ways.  Write letters-to-the editor, sign up to volunteer for the campaign, or even host a house party. 

Did you know “Raising the Minimum Wage in Albuquerque to $7.50 will lift 40,000 people out of poverty and prove that in Albuquerque, we reward work over welfare by valuing a hard day’s work.”

Contact the Albuquerque Living Wage Campaign The Albuquerque Living Wage Campaign is hosted at the offices of ACORN. For more information, contact us there: nmacorn@acorn.org, 505-242-7411, 411 Bellamah NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

Albuquerque Living Wage Talking Points:

Albuquerque Living Wage Talking Points:

Raising the Minimum Wage in Albuquerque to $7.50 will lift 40,000 people out of poverty and prove that in Albuquerque, we reward work over welfare by valueing a hard day’s work.

The Living Wage Initiative Shows That in Albuquerque, we value a hard day’s work:
The minimum wage is our way of saying that we value work, especially the tough jobs performed by the hotel maids, childcare workers, and nursing home employees.  We should make sure the workers who are the back bone of our economy receive fair paychecks that keep up with inflation and put them and their families above the poverty line.

Raising the Minimum Wage is an Effective Way to Reward Work and Keep People off of Welfare: When the minimum wage is as low as it is now, some full-time minimum wage workers in Albuquerque make less money than they would on welfare.  Raising the minimum wage sends the right message to people – we value hard work.  And when people choose work over welfare, they become productive members of society and Albuquerque taxpayers save money on social services.  After Santa Fe implemented its Living Wage Ordinance, average monthly unemployment dropped by .6 percent.  Santa Fe’s caseload of families receiving welfare cash assistance dropped by an average of 4.9 percent while at the State level, this figure rose by just over 4.5 percent.

No One Who Works Full-Time Should Get a Wage so Low That They Live in Poverty: Raising the minimum wage would lift 40,000 families out of poverty.  A full-time worker making the minimum wage makes just $206 a week, much less than it takes to make ends meet for food, rent, health care, childcare, transportation, and other necessary expenses.

The Living Wage Initiative will be an Economic Boon to Albuquerque: In states that boosted their minimum wage, employment has grown since 1997 by 50 percent more than it has in states still at the federal level. We can expect this effect in Albuquerque as local businesses reap the benefits of 40,000 workers having up to $4,700 more a year to spend.

Paid for by the New Mexico Democratic Party, 1301 San Pedro NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. www.nmdemocrats.org

More on Petroglyphs and Paseo

A report by the SAGE Council's Laurie Weahkee on the Cultural Properties Review Committee hearing on getting tribal input about moving Petroglyphs is at SWOPblogger. See our earlier post, an op-ed, on this issue.

Sound Off From "progressive dem": Who Will Take On Heather?

Editor's Note: I'm bumping this up from the comments section of several posts. I don't know who "progressive dem" is, but I think he or she is asking the right questions at the right time about who we can get to run against Rep. Heather Wilson (R-CD1) in 2006.

As Monahan reports, NO-ONE is stepping up to run against Scary Heather, despite the fact that the DNC is strongly pushing its 50 State Strategy in challenging Republicans. How can we allow this to happen? I know that finding, developing and supporting candidates is one of the most vital functions of the State Dem Party. However, years of neglect in Party building and member recruitment, coupled with establishment efforts to keep out "new blood" that doesn't toe the line of the bigwigs, has resulted in a very small and weak pool of potential candidates. Yes men and yes women usually don't make passionate and inspiring candidates.

It seems cruelly ironic that Miles Nelson, one of the most popular and passionate outsider candidates to date , was eternally stymied by the Governor and the powers that be when he ran for the chance to go up against Wilson last time. You know what happened. Now Miles lives out of the district and NOT ONE DEM is stepping up to the plate.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT? Let's hear your thoughts after you read what "progressive dem" has to say. Can we come up with a candidate? -BW

REMINDER: Important Sessions on Development of New Nuclear Weapon Presented by Union of Concerned Scientists Next Week Around NM

From the Union of Concerned Scientists:
We wanted to remind you that next week the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) will be in your area talking with activists and supporters about our government’s dangerous proposal to build new nuclear weapons. Please see the schedule below for details. We hope to see you there!

Learn About Misguided U.S. Plans to Develop a New Nuclear Weapon!

During the last week of August, Dr. Robert Nelson, a physicist from the Union of Concerned Scientists, will give a series of presentations in New Mexico about the government’s proposal to build a new nuclear weapon—the “Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator” (RNEP). Numerous scientific critiques, including one by the National Academy of Science, have found that in many cases such a weapon would be ineffective. In addition, the nuclear blast and radioactive fall-out could kill millions of innocent people in surrounding areas.

New Mexicans can play an important role in influencing the fate of this weapon because Senator Pete Domenici chairs the committee that funds RNEP development.

Please join us in Taos, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Socorro or (NEW) Las Cruces. Check the schedule posted on the UCS website for additional venues or changes. If you have questions, please contact us at globalsecurity@ucsusa.org or telephone 202-331-5422.

Currently scheduled events:

Taos
Monday, August 29
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Enos Garcia Elementary School
305 Don Fernando Street

Santa Fe
Tuesday, August 30
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Santa Fe Unitarian Universalist Church
107 West Barcelona Street

Albuquerque
Wednesday, August 31
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Friends Meeting House
1600 Fifth Street NW

Socorro
Thursday, September 1
7:30 to 9:00 pm
New Mexico Tech
Workman Building 101

NEW EVENT!
Las Cruces
Friday, September 2
Brown Bag Lunch Presentation
12:00 to 1:00 pm
New Mexico State University
Room 229 Gardiner Hall (Physics Building)

Please invite your friends to attend these events.

Click to join the email list for the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Hear No Evil

Bill Moyer, 73, wears a "Bullshit Protector" flap over his ear while President George W. Bush addresses the Veterans of Foreign Wars Monday in Salt Lake City. Via Atrios.

This is for real. Now we know for sure that disgust with Bush and his policies and his war and his lies are moving out into the mainstream, big time.

YOU'RE INVITED: A Night of Music to Benefit Eric Griego for Mayor

Join us for a night of live music
to benefit Eric Griego for Mayor!
 
Live music featuring:
Red Earth,
Mystic Vision,
Elliott's Ramblers
and dv8.

Location: Sauce, 4th & Central Downtown
When: Tuesday, August 30, 2005
from 5:30-10:00 PM

Enjoy food, live music & spirits

Contact Tara at 224-9042 or tara@ericgriego.com for more information.

Contributions will be taken at the door.

Young Professionals Host Committee

City Councilor Martin Heinrich
County Commissioner Deanna Archuleta-Loeser
APS Boardmember Miguel Acosta
Josh Anderson
Diane Albert
Tara Aschenbrener Geise
Ozawa Bineshi Albert
Amber Carrillo
Jennifer DeGarmo
Gwyneth Doland
Brian Egolf
Josh Geise
Moises Gonzales
Michael Henningsen
Cheryl Hooks
Wade Irving
Tara Javaheripour
Jessie Keefe
Rachel Lazar
Antonio "Moe" Maestas
Gabriel Nims
Giovanna Rossi
Jared Saia

Click to dowload a pdf flyer on this event

Editor's Note: DFA-Democracy for New Mexico has endorsed Eric Griego for Mayor. You're urged to attend this event and pass the flyer on to friends, neighbors and coworkers. Only WE can provide the support that can make Eric Griego the next Mayor of Albuquerque! Visit Eric's website NOW to volunteer some hours or make a donation.