Democracy for New Mexico

Santa Fe's Pride on the Plaza Needs Dem Volunteers

From the Richardson for Governor Northern NM HQ:
Please join the Santa Fe Democratic Party at Pride on the Plaza on Saturday June 24, 2006 from noon to 4 PM. The Democratic Party booth will be at space 13. We will set up at 11:30 AM and remain there until the end of the event. Come meet and join Democrats who support equal rights for all New Mexicans. Stop by to volunteer or to show your support. Refreshments will be provided. Please call or Email the Richardson for Governor Northern New Mexico Headquarters (at 982-2291or vsalazar@billrichardson2006.com) for more information.  Let's show our pride in the Democratic Party and New Mexico! Click for flyer.

House Panel Approves Sen. Udall's Bill to Protect Valle Vidal

From the NM Wilderness Alliance:
WASHINGTON— A key U.S. House committee voted Wednesday to protect the Valle Vidal— 102,000 acres in New Mexico's Carson National Forest— from gas drilling. HR 3817 (Udall, NM), the “Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005," was approved by the U.S. House Resources Committee on a unanimous voice vote. The bill could next be heard by the full House.

"This is a huge step forward in the process to protect one of New Mexico's most precious gems," said Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., who authored the measure. "Protecting the Valle Vidal means preserving for New Mexico and the nation a land rich in history and culture and abundant in wildlife."

The U.S. Forest Service, which manages the Valle Vidal, has been considering whether to open 40,000 acres of the land to coal-bed methane drilling. The Forest Service solicited public opinion on the proposal and received 54,000 responses, only nine of which supported drilling in the area, according to an analysis by the Coalition for the Valle Vidal, which opposes opening up the Valle Vidal to gas drilling.

The Valle Vidal, located in Taos and Colfax counties, is home to one of the largest elk herds in the state and has been described as an outdoorsman's paradise. Udall also said the Valle Vidal was home to some of America's earliest inhabitants — including Native Americans, Spanish settlers and myriad forms of wildlife.

"I believe we have a responsibility to protect it for future generations," he said.

The Valle Vidal tract was donated to the Forest Service in 1982 by Pennzoil Co., which never drilled in the area.

Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., who sits on the House Resources Committee, said Wednesday he supported the protection. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., became a co-sponsor of the measure after it passed the committee Wednesday. She had previously declined to publicly support or oppose the legislation, saying she wanted to study the matter and hear public feedback.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M, has sponsored similar legislation in the Senate, but Sen. Pete Domenici, chairman of the Senate Energy Natural Resources Committee, has not yet declared a position on the Valle Vidal Protection Act.

Editor's Note: You can thank Rep. Tom Udall by contacting him here. It also might be good to thank Rep. Heather Wison for her better late than never support here, and Rep. Pearce for his support here. It's just as important to thank elected officials for doing the right thing as it is to express criticism when they do things we don't support.

Most of all, please urge Senator Pete Domenici to support protection of the Valle Vidal here. Isn't it time for Domenici to support one of New Mexico's (and the West's) most valuable natural resources? Time will tell if he decides to do the right thing or continues to do the bidding of his big donors and the highly paid lobbyists of oil and gas corporations.

You're also urged to support the work of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal.

The Ties That Bind: Wilson & Abramoff & Safavian & Cunningham & DeLay

More evidence of Rep. Heather Wilson's ties to the Jack Abramoff scandal emerged this week. On Tuesday, David Safavian (right), an Abramoff crony and former member of the Bush administration, was convicted for obstruction of justice as part of the wide-ranging Abramoff investigation. Wilson's campaign has accepted money from both Safavian and Abramoff, as well as the now jailed former California Congressman, Duke Cunningham, and the indicted and disgraced former House Majority Leader, Tom DeLay. Peas in a pod?

According to campaign reports, Wilson got these amounts from Republican members of the culture of corruption:

• David Safavian: $500
• Tom DeLay: $46,959
• Duke Cunningham: $5,000
• Jack Abramoff: $1,000

Safavian was Bush's top federal procurement official in the White House Office of Management and Budget, where he was responsible for setting purchasing policy for the entire government. Previously, he was chief of staff for the General Services Administration (GSA). Wikipedia provides an excellent summary of his career, his ties to Abramoff and others and the charges for which he was convicted. Excerpt:

On June 20, 2006, Safavian was found guilty by a jury in federal court on four of five felony charges. He was found guilty of lying to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, lying to a GSA ethics official, lying to the GSA's Office of Inspector General, and obstructing the work of the GSA inspector general. Safavian was cleared of of obstructing the committee's investigation.

If you accept money from the sleazy Abramoff pay-for-play A-team, does that make you a part of the scheme? I think it does. The corrupt, influence-buying methods of the Abramoff-DeLay cabal were an open secret in Washington and beyond for years. Could Wilson have been naive about what they were doing? Hardly. And yet she took the tainted money and kept almost all of it. To date, she's reported returned only $10,000 of the money from DeLay. The rest remains in her coffers.

What Abramoff, Safavian, DeLay and others constructed was a massive web of corruption and payoffs with strands stretching far and wide -- including into the Heather Wilson campaign. By all accounts the conviction of Safavian is only the tip of the iceberg, the first of many anticipated indictments and convictions against the Republican corruption machine. More will undoubtedly be revealed.

(Safavian photo credit: Melina Mara/twp - The Washington Post)

Purchase Artwork to Support Los Alamos Study Group

From the Los Alamos Study Group:
The Study Group was recently given a valuable gift by Northern New Mexico artist Diana Bryer.  Diana created an original oil painting for the Study Group entitled, "One Earth, One Family" (see above). This 30" x 42" oil-on-linen painting is currently being shown at the Wilder Nightingale Fine Art Gallery in Taos. 

Diana's belief in the Study Group's nuclear disarmament work, as well as her wish that all people should speak out and protect our fragile planet and all life, inspired her to create this gorgeous, brilliantly-colored painting. She has given the Study Group permission to sell the limited edition prints, both offset litho and giclee, as well as posters made from the painting, to raise money for our work.

The posters and signed and numbered prints are:

* Offset litho prints on 100 lb archival paper, acid free ink, limited edition of 100, outer dimensions 18" x 24" and inner print dimensions 16" x 22", signed and numbered by the artist, with accompanying certificate of authenticity. Price: $175 (shipping is extra).

* Giclee prints on 100 pound rag paper, endurachrome ink, limited edition of 275, outer dimensions 10 7/8" x 8" and inner print dimensions 10" x 7 1/8", signed and numbered by the artist, with accompanying certificate of authenticity. Price: $135 (shipping is extra). Ten artist's proofs of the giclee prints are being offered for $225 each (shipping is extra).

You can also purchase an offset litho poster on 100 lb archival paper, using acid free ink, for $35 (again, shipping is extra). These posters have the artist's name and copyright in the lower right-hand corner, title of the painting in the center ("One Earth One Family") with the Los Alamos Study Group and web site below, and the description of the original painting in the lower left-hand corner.

Write or call us, or visit our website to purchase one of these prints or posters! Quantities are limited! Call or email me if you have any questions.

To save on shipping you can visit our Albuquerque office (address below) and buy any of the prints or the poster, or you can buy the poster when you visit the Los Alamos Disarmament Center.

Thank you for your support of the Study Group and our programs!

Trish Williams-Mello
----
Greg Mello
Los Alamos Study Group
2901 Summit Place NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-265-1200 voice
505-265-1207 fax
505-577-8563 cell
    (signal very weak in the office; messages
    on cell phone may not be received promptly)
gmello@lasg.org
www.lasg.org

Quote of the Day: Election, Campaign Finance & Media Reform

"US politics is now based not on voters but on donors, just as the media here is based far less on readers/viewers/listeners than on the media cartel's advertisers and big shareholders. The point here is that we need election reform and campaign finance reform and media reform. There is no separating them. What we need amounts to revolution." -- Mark Crispin Miller, Words of Power interview, 6-20-06

The entire interview is a must read....

Dems Offer A New Direction for America

Pelosi, Reid. Photo credit: AP/Dennis Cook

As you've probably noticed, I offer a fair amount of criticism about Democrats. Most Democratic bloggers do. I think it's a positive thing. Holding our leaders and representatives accountable and chronicling their actions (or inaction), good and bad, can only serve to strengthen us in the long run. This time, I want to stress some of the very positive developments that would occur if Dems regain power in at least one House of Congress.

Last week, Congressional Dems introduced a new frame for their efforts to counteract Bush's incompetent fantasyland approach to governing. They want to take America in A New Direction, presumably one where decisions are made based on facts and choices are made based on realities, fairness and reason.

I think we can all agree that the Repubs have been steering us in the Wrong Direction for years now, if not decades. We need fresh eyes on the problems. We  need fresh solutions. We need a return to serving the people instead of the ideology, to working for the common good of all Americans, not just the privileged few.

There are promises being made about what the Dems would do if they win back the House of Representatives and/or the Senate. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and others pledged they would immediately introduce legislation to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour when we regain the majority. In the first week Dems would also introduce legislation to:

• cut student loan interest rates in half
• drive down the costs of prescription drugs by authorizing the Secretary of Health and Humans Services to negotiate with Big Pharma on price
• adopt all the recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission to boost national security and funding for it
• eliminate about $18 billion in tax breaks and subsidies for oil companies and using the savings to develop alternative fuels

The complete list of proposed actions is summarized here. According to an article in USA Today, Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Reid had this to say about the Dem plan:

"The American people need to know, if you win, what are your priorities," she said. Reid said the party is standing "with the people we have always stood with: seniors, students and the hardworking families of America. We intend to tackle the issues that matter most."

If they win back power, Dems plan to introduce domestic policy legislation in three main areas: a reform package to reestablish an honest Congress, a civility package to make it a bipartisan Congress and an accountability package that ensures no new deficit spending, sticks to pay-as-you go and requires an honest audit of the books.

In a statement, Pelosi also addressed the need for A New Direction on Iraq:

Nowhere is the need for a New Direction for America more obvious than in Iraq. Certainly, the most important is the loss of life; we passed 2,500 lives lost, and nearly 20,000 have been injured, half of them permanently. We also face the loss of our reputation in the world and the loss of our strength in terms of our military capability to protect our security. But, what about the money?

As to the cost of reconstruction -- $9 billion is unaccounted for. The American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent and if it’s in furtherance of the goals as stated by the Bush Administration.

... Democrats want to take us in a different direction. Energy, minimum wage, health care, higher education, fiscal soundness – this is the New Direction in which we want to take our country. It meets the needs of the American people; it respects their concerns, their aspirations, their hopes, their dreams, and their challenges. But we must do it in a fiscally sound way.

Just imagine how much more powerful all this would be if more Democrats would join Pelosi in supporting Rep. John Murtha's exit plan for Iraq. Pelosi has reportedly been pushing hard to convince more Dems to join with Murtha but, as we know, some Dems would rather get struck by lightening than come out of the shadows and take a strong stand on the war.

Election Reform Activist Paul Stokes on 'We The People' Thursday

Paul Stokes (R) speaks to reporter after offficial bill signing for NM paper ballot legislation in March 2006

WE THE PEOPLE, JUNE 22, 2006: Guest: PAUL STOKES
Paul is the Director of United Voters of New Mexico, a coalition of concerned citizens and voting rights organizations which provides a forum for information sharing, citizen action, and educational opportunities to improve the accuracy, accountability and transparency of the election process. The group actively lobbied for Paper Ballots.

View Albuquerque TV Channel 27 Live! Worldwide!
Click here
Thursday, 7-8 PM Mountain Time
Albuquerque Community Cable Channel 27
Call-in:  346-1633
HOSTS: Mickey Bock & Judith Binder

WE THE PEOPLE is an innovative call-in television show looking for TRUTH and TRANSPARENCY in local, state and federal governments. THANKS FOR WATCHING.

Dendahl's Follies

John Dendahl. Photo credit: Rio Grande Foundation

Lots of talk and reporting these days about the new Republican candidate for governor, John Dendahl. Dendahl reportedly was inserted into the race by 100 members of the Republican Central Committee after J. R. Damron left the race because of what were termed family considerations. I bet. Unable to mount a real candidate running a genuine campaign, NM Repubs have resorted to nominating New Mexico's version of Rush Limbaugh, only slightly smarter, to carry the GOP banner in the governor's race. Spewing all the way. Today, Joe Monahan claims he's been informed that it was Sen. Pete Domenici who "encouraged" the switch to Dendahl for a variety of reasons.

What Dendahl will bring to the race is often well-spoken but ultimately juvenile and mean-spirited pronouncements meant to irritate rather than enlighten. I see the poisonous presence of Karl Rove seeping into New Mexico to ensure a Swiftboat tone to the political dialogue, with the races for governor and CD1 rep garnering national attention.

This is the guy who offered $100,000 to the NM Green Party if they fielded candidates in two Congressional races in 2004. According to an article in the New York Times, "Mr. Dendahl described the money as a political contribution from someone in Washington. He did not identify the donor, but said he was not an elected official or affiliated with the National Republican Committee." Maybe it was Rove himself.

Known for his taunting and name calling, Dendahl was eventually too much for even NM Repubs. He was a primary player in a devisive fight within the Party in late 2003 and early 2004. The battle pitted the forces of Ramsay Gorham against the Dendahl faction that had dominated the Party for about 8 years, with Dendahl as state chair. He was ousted by the Gorham supporters in a heated and nasty internecine fight.

Since then he's been holding forth in gadfly fashion as a weekly opinion page columnist at the Albuquerque Journal, as well as a regular panel member on KNME's Friday night show, 'The Line.' I guess he'll have to give up both those gigs to make time for his Rovian duties in the governor's race. His pet rant topics included anything to do with Bill Richardson, tribal sovereignty, building a huge wall on the Mexican border, English as the official U.S. language and labeling anything done for the common good by government as a communist - Marxian - socialist (take your pick) plot.

Some of Dendahl's rightwingo positions:

Dendahl labels anyone who doesn't agree with him as a communist or socialist. This includes anyone who supports such things as the provision of pre-kindergarten education by the state, establishment of a commuter rail line or maintaining the estate tax.

He's against the Endangered Species Act, minimum or living wage increases, honoring our state's Hispanic and Native American languages, tribal sovereignty, protection of indigenous sacred sites and universal healthcare.

He's for the legalization of marijuana and some other drugs. This is the only case where he and I see eye to eye. However, Sen. Pete Domenici and others in his Party were incredibly riled by this stand, and demanded he resign as State Chair when he publicly sided with ex-Gov. Gary Johnson on the issue. Reports are that Domenici has reconciled with Dendahl because he cares more about battering Richardson than past Party battles.

Dendahl is also reportedly for more tax cuts for the rich, the abolishment of Affirmative Action, completely deregulating capitalism, drilling in the Valle Vidal and on Otero Mesa and nuclear power. Not that any of these positions really matter. It's obvious he isn't in the race to win or put forth a positive agenda, but merely to be the vocal carrier of insults and rants on behalf of BushCo, Domenici and their cronies. What can moderate Republicans around the state be thinking about this coup? Only time will tell.

Final Reminder: Register for Common Cause Ethics and Campaign Reform Event

Editor's Note: This is a very important gathering to kick off efforts to pursuade every legislative candidate and officeholder in the state to support meaningful ethics and campaign finance reform. If you only go to one political event this summer, I think this is the one to attend. Is there any issue more important to the future of our democracy than restoring ethics to our political process?

If we want to lessen the effects of big donor money on our elected officials and candidates, we need to take an active role in supporting public financing for elections and achieving other important reforms to clean up how things operate. To do that, we need to support efforts like this one with everything we've got.

From Common Cause NM:
I know you've heard a lot about it over the past few weeks, but I want to send you one last reminder. The Common Cause Ethics and Campaign Reform kick-off event will be held on Wednesday, June 21 at the home of Michelle Rizek and Eric Griego in Albuquerque. If you haven't already done so, please take a moment to reserve your spot for this event online.

As you know, we are trying to get at least 100 Common Cause members and friends to show their support for ethics and campaign reform on June 21, so please sign-up now!

When: Wednesday, June 21, 2006, 6:00 to 8:00 PM

Where: The home of Michelle Rizek and Eric Griego: 1421 Marble NW (three blocks from Tiguex Park, near Old Town, on the northeast corner of 15th Street NW and Marble).

Suggested donation: $50 per person to Common Cause New Mexico.  (Please note that Common Cause does not accept donations from active candidate committees.)

Sign up to join us today!  Or, if you cannot come, please consider making a contribution to our campaign efforts anyway:

https://www.commoncause.org/NMcampaignkickoff

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at Eric and Michelle's on June 21!

Sincerely,
Matt Brix, Executive Director
Common Cause New Mexico

James Lewis Campaign Event This Thursday

From James B. Lewis for State Treasurer:

The Hon. Hector Balderas, Chris Berkheimer, John Blair,
Dr. Louis Bush, Mo Chavez, Brian S. Colon,
Chad D. Cooper, Ursula McLean, S. Carolyn Ramos,
DeAnza Valencia, Delvin Celeste Ward, Vince Ward
Cordially invite you to attend a reception
in honor of New Mexico's next State Treasurer,
James B. Lewis
Thursday, June 22, 20065:30 - 7:00 PM at Gulp!
3124 Central Ave SE, Albq.
(Next door to Graze by Jennifer James in Nob Hill)

Suggested Contribution: $50 Per Person. Personal or Business Checks Accepted. Please RSVP to (505) 688-4726 or chad.cooper@prudential.com.