Democracy for New Mexico

Quote of the Day

Sen. Feingold said the following to Fox News’ Trish Turner:

I’m amazed at Democrats, cowering with this president’s numbers so low. The administration just has to raise the specter of the war and the Democrats run and hide. … Too many Democrats are going to do the same thing they did in 2000 and 2004. In the face of this, they’ll say we’d better just focus on domestic issues. … [Democrats shouldn’t] cower to the argument, that whatever you do, if you question the administration, you’re helping the terrorists.

You know what to do. Call your Senators AGAIN and sign the MoveOn petition. (Tip o' the hat to Think Progress)

MoveOn Needs 250,000 Signatures to Support Feingold's Censure Resolution

Yesterday, Senator Feingold introduced a resolution to censure President Bush for breaking the law. If we can reach 250,000 signatures on our petition supporting the call for censure, we'll deliver your comments to your senators this week to show support for Senator Feingold's resolution.

From MoveOn:

Yesterday, Senator Russ Feingold introduced a resolution to censure President Bush for breaking the law by illegally wiretapping American citizens.

Censuring a sitting president is serious business. But when the president misleads the public and Congress while willfully and repeatedly breaking the law, there must be consequences—that's how the law works for everybody else.

While most politicians sat back and weighed the political pros and cons of holding the president accountable, Senator Feingold stuck his neck out and did it. Now it's up to us to show broad public support. Can you sign our petition asking Congress to join the call for censure? Sign petition

Right now it's unclear how many of Senator Feingold's colleagues will stand with him in this important fight. If we can reach 250,000 signatures, we'll deliver your comments to your senators this week to demonstrate widespread public support censuring the president for breaking the law. We'll also send a copy of the complete petition to Senator Feingold to show our support for his courage.

President Bush already had the authority to wiretap suspected terrorists—he could even wiretap first and get warrants 3 days later.  But he chose to get no warrants at all, clearly violating the law set up to protect innocent Americans and then he misled the Congress and the public about his program.¹

Censuring the president means Congress officially acknowledges that the president broke the law and condemns him for doing it. Given the scale of the president's problem, it's a very reasonable first step to holding him accountable. This is a key moment for Congress to show that they're serious about checks and balances.

Our country was founded on the idea that everyone—even the president— has to follow the law. Supporting censure is the best opportunity we've got to keep that ideal alive. Can you sign our petition today? Sign petition

Thanks for all you do,

–Eli, Nita, Tom, Adam, Joan and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Tuesday, March 14th, 2006

Sources:

1. If you would like more details on the case for censure, please click here

P.S. This is a big moment so we're including the beginning of Senator Feingold's speech outlining the case for censure below. You can read the censure resolution here.

Mr. President, when the President of the United States breaks the law, he must be held accountable. That is why today I am introducing a resolution to censure President George W. Bush.

The President authorized an illegal program to spy on American citizens on American soil, and then misled Congress and the public about the existence and legality of that program. It is up to this body to reaffirm the rule of law by condemning the President's actions.

All of us in this body took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and bear true allegiance to the same. Fulfilling that oath requires us to speak clearly and forcefully when the President violates the law. This resolution allows us to send a clear message that the President's conduct was wrong.

And we must do that. The President's actions demand a formal judgment from Congress.

At moments in our history like this, we are reminded why the founders balanced the powers of the different branches of government so carefully in the Constitution. At the very heart of our system of government lies the recognition that some leaders will do wrong, and that others in the government will then bear the responsibility to do right.

This President has done wrong. This body can do right by condemning his conduct and showing the people of this nation that his actions will not be allowed to stand unchallenged.

To date, members of Congress have responded in very different ways to the President's conduct. Some are responding by defending his conduct, ceding him the power he claims, and even seeking to grant him expanded statutory authorization powers to make his conduct legal. While we know he is breaking the law, we do not know the details of what the President has authorized or whether there is any need to change the law to allow it, yet some want to give him carte blanche to continue his illegal conduct. To approve the President's actions now, without demanding a full inquiry into this program, a detailed explanation for why the President authorized it, and accountability for his illegal actions, would be irresponsible. It would be to abandon the duty of the legislative branch under our constitutional system of separation of powers while the President recklessly grabs for power and ignores the rule of law.

Others in Congress have taken important steps to check the President. Senator Specter has held hearings on the wiretapping program in the Judiciary Committee. He has even suggested that Congress may need to use the power of the purse in order to get some answers out of the Administration. And Senator Byrd has proposed that Congress establish an independent commission to investigate this program.

As we move forward, Congress will need to consider a range of possible actions, including investigations, independent commissions, legislation, or even impeachment. But, at a minimum, Congress should censure a president who has so plainly broken the law.
Our founders anticipated that these kinds of abuses would occur. Federalist Number 51 speaks of the Constitution's system of checks and balances:

"It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."

Mr. President, we are faced with an executive branch that places itself above the law. The founders understood that the branches must check each other to control abuses of government power. The president's actions are such an abuse, Mr. President. His actions must be checked, and he should be censured.

To continue reading, please click here.

Paid For by MoveOn.org Political Action  . Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Gather Saturday to Mark 3rd Anniverary of Iraq War

Events to mark the third anniversary of the Iraq War will be held all over America and the world this weekend. In Albuquerque, Stop the War Machine, Code Pink and many others will meet at the UNM bookstore at 11:00 AM on Saturday morning, 3/18. At 11:30 AM, the march will step off and visit the offices of Rep. Heather Wilson and Sen. Pete Domenici on the way to a rally at Robinson Park at 8th and Central downtown. Click for event flyer.

The rally will feature speeches by VA Nurse Laura Berg, who you may recall is being investigated for "sedition" because she wrote a letter to the Alibi critical of the President, as well as an Iraq War veteran. Live music, booths and solidarity are also on the agenda. Bring signs, bring water, bring yourself!

Dozens of activist groups have endorsed this event, including Democracy for New Mexico. There should be a huge turnout even though the State Democratic Party is holding its Pre-Primary Convention in Albuquerque from 10AM to at least 2:30 PM that same day. What a SNAFU. Oh well, many convention delegates, including me, are planning to leave the convention early to participate in the march and rally. We believe it's that important.

Given all the negative press about how toothless the antiwar movement has been in terms of street protests, it's essential we have a large turnout. Please plan to participate if you possibly can. We must keep up the pressure, now more than ever.

ACTION ALERT: Call Now On Censure Resolution

As described in a previous post, Senator Russ Feingold today introduced his resolution calling for Bush to be censured for his illegal conduct related to NSA domestic spying. Activists all over the blogosphere are urging that everyone CALL YOUR SENATORS TODAY to urge their support on this issue. We want to flood the Senate with calls to show that there is strong and massive support for this. I heard that Sen. Frist has called for a vote on the censure resolution today at 5:30PM EST, so please call NOW and ask if they support the censure. If not, ask why, so they have to go on record. You might mention that you hope they believe IN THE RULE OF LAW and go on record by supporting this.

Call Senator Jeff Bingman: (202) 224-5521
Call Senator Pete Domenici: (202) 224-6621

I called Senator Bingaman's office and they told me he hasn't yet made up his mind on this, so please call his office and tell them why you support this! Domenici's office said the same thing. Now is the time to push them.

Wireless Action Network Formed

From New Mexico IndyMedia:
Wireless Action Network of New Mexico (WAN-NM) has been formed to aid in linking and networking activists and individuals in New Mexico who are concerned with health hazards associated with wireless technologies. Concerned citizens and activists from New Mexico can participate in an internet forum at - https://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/wireless-action/

The recent explosive growth of wireless technologies, such as cellular phones and their base-stations ('towers"), WiFi systems, and the like, has been occuring without much public awareness of the real and potential health risks associated with the microwave radiation which these wireless technologies radiate.

The wireless communications industry, as with most government agenies, insists that the public has no scientifically-based reasons for personal or public health concerns, and that the Federal Communications Commission 's (FCC) exposure standards are adequate to the protection of our health.

But the FCC's exposure standards, and those similar to them in other nations, have long been in serious doubt by many scientists around the world. A substantial body of scientific evidence suggests that wireless technologies may have serious negative public health conseqences.

Amazingly, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 resulted in local communities and state governments losing their right to regulate the placement of wireless communications base-stations (towers, antennas) on public health grounds, effectively robbing local communities of their democratic rights. ( See: https://www.wave-guide.org/library/tca_hist.html )

Wireless Action Network of New Mexico has begun as an internet-based connecting and networking tool. WAN-NM members plan to evolve and grow their networking resources and tools so that those who do not use the interent can participate fully.

You can participate in the forum, or learn about the issues at - https://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/wireless-action/

West Side LWV Presents Openness in Government Event

From the Sandoval Signpost:
The West Side League of Women Voters will present Judge George P. Eichwald, speaking from his courtroom on “Openness in Government,” on March 15 from Noon to 1:30 PM. The program is designed to broaden public awareness about the issues involved in the threats related to openness in government.

The talk will be given at the new county judicial complex, at NM 528 and Idalia Road in Bernalillo. For further information, please contact Maryann Swartz at 994-1666. Free and open to the public.

Sunday (Snow) Bird Blogging

My my, hey hey! Albuquerque finally got a few inches of snow this morning, after months of virtually nothing in the way of precipitation. The snow put Bosco the peach-faced lovebird in a contemplative mood (above).

His pal, the Roswell green alien, was moved to give the peace sign since this week will, unfortunately, mark the third anniversary of the start of the Iraq War.

Feingold to Introduce Censure of Bush

UPDATE: Here's a PDF of Sen. Feingold's censure resolution as introduced in the Senate on 3/13/06.

The courageous and patriotic Senator Russ Feingold announced this morning on ABC's This Week that he will be introducing a resolution Monday to censure President Bush for his illegal conduct in authorizing a domestic NSA surveillance program. Is there a Democrat with more backbone than Feingold these days? The Senator said President Bush’s actions were “right in the strike zone of the concept of high crimes and misdemeanors.” Click for video and a transcript of Feingold's appearance, courtesy of Think Progress. Excerpt:

FEINGOLD: You know, we’ve had a chance here for three months to look at whether there’s any legal basis for this, and they’re using shifting legal justifications. First they try to argue that somehow, under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, they can do this. It’s pretty clear that they can’t. Then there’s the argument that somehow the military authorization for Afghanistan allowed this. This has basically been laughed out of the room in the Congress. So the last resort is to somehow say that the President has inherent authority to ignore the law of the United States of America, and that has the consequence that the President could even order the assassination of American citizens if that’s the law. So there is no sort of independent inherent authority that allows the president to override the laws passed by the Congress of the United States.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So if you’re so convinced that the President has broken the law, why not file an article of impeachment?

FEINGOLD: Well, you know, that’s an option we could look at, if somebody thought that was a really good idea. There are other options out there. In fact, this conduct is right in the strike zone — even though the Founding Fathers didn’t have strike zones, they didn’t have baseball — but it is right in the strike zone of the concept of high crimes and misdemeanors. We have to consider, is it best for the country to start impeachment proceedings? Is it best for the country to consider removing the President? We’re not mandated to impeach a president who has broken the law, but I think we are required to do our job, to live up to our oath of office, and say, wait a minute, there has to be — at least as a first step — some accountability. Proper accountability is a censuring of the President, to say, “Mr. President, acknowledge you broke the law, return to the law, return to our system of government.” That’s what I think we should do.

Senator Feingold lays out his reasoning for censuring Bush at his Senate website. And here's an ABC News story about it.

Now we need to start contacting our Senators to go on the record in support of Feingold's resolution. Are you ready, activists? Contact info here.

So will the 2008 Dem ticket be Gore-Feingold or Feingold-Gore?

CCA Screenings All Week of 'Why We Fight' Plus Panel Discussion Today

From CCA Cinematheque Santa Fe:
Greetings! Why We Fight will be shown all week, ending Thursday, 3/16. Don't miss the special screening of "Why We Fight" with a panel discussion on Saturday 3/11. Why We Fight won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival 

Veterans for Peace, Santa Fe presents: Special screening and panel discussion with Why We Fight at 7 PM on March 11. After the 7 PM screening, a panel discussion will follow featuring former Time magazine correspondent and bureau chief William Morgan Stewart; Colonel Richard Rael, who was honored for his service in Iraq; journalist Zeile Pollon, who has interviewed more than 100 Iraqis during the Iraq War; and Vietnam veteran Ken Mayers and Gulf War vet Daniel Craig of Veterans for Peace. A reception in honor of the Veterans for Peace will follow.

SHOWTIMES
SATURDAY 3/11 at 2.30 PM & 7.00 PM
     (7.00 PM Panel & Reception)
SUNDAY at 3.30 PM & 7.30 PM
MONDAY - THURSDAY at 3.00 & 7.15 PM
CCA location: 1050 Old Pecos Trail Santa Fe, 505.982.1338

"Very much the movie FAHRENHEIT 9/11 should have been, and an experience audiences of every political conviction need to contend with." Ty Burr

Eugene Jarecki (THE TRIAL OF HENRY KISSINGER) explores the economic underpinnings of the American military. Are our soldiers being put in harm's way for the benefit of the manufacturers of guns, tanks, bullets and bombs? Tracing the history of what Dwight D. Eisenhower, back in 1961, dubbed "the military-industrial complex," Jarecki reveals a disturbingly intimate bond between Congress, the Pentagon and military companies. WHY WE FIGHT argues that weapon makers have become a fourth branch of government, and, as a result, American foreign policy has grown senselessly trigger-happy. Whether you believe America's occupation of Iraq is well justified, or you find Halliburton as guilty as Saddam, WHY WE FIGHT offers a troubling new perspective on the U.S. military machine.

. More information on the movie at the Film Website.

Gov. Richardson Encourages New Mexicans to Submit Ideas for State Quarter

March 10, 2006 (Santa Fe, New Mexico) – Governor Richardson announced today that the state is seeking narrative concepts from New Mexicans for the New Mexico State Quarter.

Citizens are encouraged to participate in the New Mexico State Quarter Project and provide their input for what should appear on the back of New Mexico's State Quarter. The state quarter is New Mexico's contribution to the United States Mint's "50 State Quarters Program." As the 47th state to enter the Union, New Mexico's quarter will be released in 2008.

"I encourage New Mexicans of all ages to participate in this once in a lifetime project that will represent our state across the United States," Governor Richardson said. "The New Mexico State Quarter Project provides a unique opportunity to discuss what are the important themes, symbols and images of New Mexico and its history."

Narrative concepts from the public will be reviewed by the New Mexico Coin Commission, who is responsible for working in collaboration with the United States Mint to create the state quarter. The New Mexico Coin Commission was created during the 2005 Legislative session. The Coin Commission will review all submitted narrative concepts in order to submit three narrative concepts to the United States Mint by September 1, 2006.  The U.S. Mint's artists and engravers will then take the concepts and create three candidate coin designs.  The renderings will come back to New Mexico for a final recommendation.

The deadline for submissions is May 12, 2006. 

For more information on the New Mexico State Quarter Project and to download a submission form visit www.governor.state.nm.us and click on New Mexico Quarter Project or call 505-476-2231.

Background on the United States Mint's 50 State Quarters Program: In 1997, the United States Congress approved and the President signed the "Fifty States Commemorative Coin Program Act", Public Law 105-124 (the "Act"), which established a new series of quarters to commemorate each of the 50 States.  Over a ten year period (1999-2008), the United States Mint will issue quarters with designs emblematic of each state.  State quarters are issued in the order in which the states ratified the Constitution and joined the Union.  New Mexico joined the Union on January 6, 1912. For more information or to view other state's quarters visit https://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/index.cfm?action=50_state_quarters_program.