Democracy for New Mexico

Lobbying Day Wed. for Memorial to Dismantle Kirtland Nukes

From Stop the War Machine:
State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino's office is writing a memorial that calls for the dismantlement of the 2000 nuclear weapons at Kirtland Air Force Base (the largest concentration of nuclear weapons anywhere -- If Albuquerque were to secede from the union, it would be the world's third largest nuclear power: Russia, USA, Albuquerque). The memorial will be introduced on Wednesday, January 31 (Peace and Justice Day) at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe.

Folks are invited to come to the Roundhouse in Santa Fe on Peace and Justice Day (Wed. Jan. 31) and meet at the Stop the War Machine table (west entrance to the Rotunda) at 10 AM to pick up materials and organize lobby groups. There will be a Press Conference at 11 AM in the Roundhouse Rotunda. All are invited.

All are invited to contact their state senators and state representatives to express support for this memorial.

To find contact information for your state legislator:
https://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/lcsdocs/HouseMailingList.PDF

To find contact information for your state senator:
https://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/lcsdocs/SenateMailingList.PDF

Questions? Contact Jeanne Pahls at 401-4808 or StoptheWarMachine@comcast.net

Barbaro, R.I.P.

A Champion to the End. What a magnificent animal and spirited example of speed, endurance, courage, character and beauty. Hope he's galloping down the home stretch, 10 lengths ahead, in the heavenly version of the Preakness. He loved to run, he loved to win, and now he is free from his damaged body to do so again, in the best of my imagination anyway. Adios Barbaro. We loved you.

Photos and Report from Saturday's Albuquerque Antiwar March

Crowd gathers to hear speakers at Albuquerque's Robinson Park after march. All photos courtesy of Tom Solomon. (Click on photos for larger versions.)

Submitted by Terry Riley:
What did we get done Saturday? We had about 1,000 people mobilized in Albuquerque to march from our three representatives' offices speaking out against the troop buildup AND against Bush. We all saw what was going on and the police saw what was going on. We did not affect many people's lives like we would if we shut down the Big I. What we did do though is we got coverage on ALL THREE Albuquerque network affiliates. We were interviewed and our signs appeared on TV screens all over Albuquerque. We got coverage in Sunday's paper as well. We collectively spoke out in support of SJR05, the resolution in the New Mexico Legislature to Impeach Bush and Cheney that is sponsored by Senators Gerald Ortiz y Pino and John Grubesic.

Marching in downtown Albuquerque

That is a lot! We got a lot done! We also lit fires under citizens who have been afraid to speak up, who feared that there was nothing that could be done. We have hope and Saturday's demonstration was an example of the hope!

Filling downtown sidewalk

Now that you have seen the power of the people I am asking everybody who reads this to PLEASE do EVERYTHING that you can possibly do to make sure that the New Mexico Legislature passes the resolution to Impeach Bush! We hold the power IF we work together! Now is the time to speak up!

Paul Stokes (2nd from left) of United Voters NM and crowd stopped at congressional offices

Call your state legislator - NOW! Call the Governor's office - NOW! (I mean during office hours.) Call Congressman Udall's office - NOW! New Mexico's legislators do respond to the people. We are allowed to speak in every committee hearing in the legislature and if we ask for an appointment we can demonstrate or hold a press conference in the Rotunda. We have the opportunity and we have the responsibility. I am asking any of you who can possibly do it to stay tuned and show up when this bill is heard in committee and support it, to call your state representatives and Governor and tell them that you want Bush and Cheny Impeached. If you have some time, call EVERY legislator. Public pressure can work! Try it! (Editor's Note: For more information on the NM impeachment effort and how to get involved, visit our archived posts on this issue.)

Terry Riley and Albuquerque CodePINK unfurl their Fire the Liars banner next to Robinson Park rally
Tom Solomon (in hat) and daughter (right) with his IM-PEACH sign
NM Rep. Dede Feldman (right) speaks at rally
No comment necessary
Speakers at Robinson Park in downtown Albuquerque
Charioteer for peace
Counter protestors - all 6 of them!

KRQE News online has reporting and video on the demonstration here and here.

Editor's Note: Thanks to Stop the War Machine and all the supporting organizations for a job well done. Thanks to Terry Riley for the report and Tom Solomon for the photos.

Guest Blog: Support the NM Bill to Ban Aspartame

Guest Blog by Stephen Fox:
The House bill for New Mexico to ban Aspartame was turned in; it has a number now, House Bill 391, with three committee assignments: Consumer and Public Affairs; Business and Industry, and Judiciary.

The bill is to ban the sale of Aspartame in New Mexico. This is a neurotoxic artificial sweetener that metabolizes as methanol and formaldehyde and even one more brain tumor causing agent, diketopiperazine. Its approval was forced through the FDA in 1981 by then CEO of G.D. Searle, Donald Rumsfeld, for vast personal gain, despite the FDA having turned down the approval for 15 prior years.

This broad base of support in the New Mexico House of Representatives proves that there is deep concern among legislators for the failures of the USA FDA to recognize the harm done by Aspartame to rescind FDA approval; therefore, the legislators are choosing to act at the state level in order to protect the health of all New Mexicans from further damage caused by this neurotoxic carcinogen, presently found in 6000 USA food products including diet sodas, sugarless gum, low fat yogurt and Equal (table sweetener), as well as more than 500 medications, including children's vitamins and aspirin.

These 19 Representatives have signed HB391:
Irvin Harrison (Sponsor, Vice Chair, Consumer and Public Affairs Committee)
W. Ken Martinez (Majority Leader New Mexico House of Representatives)
Henry Kiki Saavedra (Chairman, House Appropriations Committee)
Gail Chasey (Chair, House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee)
Debbie Rodella (Chair, House Business and Industry Committee)
Roger Madalena (Chair, Energy and Natural Resources)
Dan Silva (Chair, House Transportation Committee)
Jose Campos (Chair, Voters and Elections)
Miguel Garcia (Chair, Labor and Human Resources)
Nick Salazar (Chair, Rules and Order of Business; Vice Chair,Health and Government Affairs)
Bobby Gonzales (Vice Chair, Taxation and Revenue)
Patricia Lundstrom (Vice Chair, Transportation)
Ray Begaye (Vice Chair, Agriculture and Water Resources)
Joni Gutierrez (Member, Appropriations and Finance)
Elias Barela (Vice Chair, Enrolling and Engrossing)
Dr. Danice Picraux (Vice Chair, Finance and Appropriations)
Jim Trujillo (Vice Chair, Energy and Natural Resources)
Tom Swisstack (Member, Judiciary)
Andrew Barreras (Member, Business and Industry)

The Committee Assignments (3) are challenging; following are lists identifying the members of which committees we should be concentrating our efforts on to convince. Those wanting to help this effort could send quick 2 sentence notes of thanks and appreciation to these members above. Here are their email addresses, and if they don't do email, I have listed their Capitol Telephone numbers.  Letters to Governor Richardson and to Lt. Governor Denish are also helpful; they have email forms at their respective websites.

Irvin Harrison (irv4u@cnetco.com)
Ken Martinez (mlo1@7cities.net)
Henry Saavedra, in care of Buffie.Saavedra@state.nm.us
Gail Chasey gailchasey@msn.com
Roger Madalena: 505 986-4417
Debbie.Rodella@nmlegis.gov
Jose Campos josephs@plateautel.net
Miguel Garcia  Miguel.garcia@nmlegis.gov
Nick Salazar  nlsalazar@lanl.gov
plundstrom@nwnmcog.com
Danice.picraux@nmlegis.gov
Joni Gutierrez jonig@zianet.com
Dan Silva (505) 986-4425
ray.begaye@nmlegis.gov
danice.picraux@nmlegis.gov
jimtrujillo@msn.com
Tom Swisstack tswiss1@msn.com
elias@barelalaw.com
ajbarreras4staterep@hotmail.com

Thanks for helping so much, thus far....I think the real battle is going to be in the committees where the corporate lobbyists will concentrate on trying to slow down, subvert, and defeat this vital, long overdue legislation entirely. Some members I don't list because they have already informed me
that they will vote against it, so we won't waste effort on opponents: there is plenty to do to convince the fence-sitters!

Key Committee members are going to be:

House Consumer and Public Affairs:
antonio@moejustice.com Antonio Maestas
alpark.nm@gmail.com Al Park, also Chairman of House Judiciary
noralee@cableone.net Nora Espinosa, Republican from Roswell
Dub Williams (505 986-4454)

Business and Industry:
George Hanosh (Vice Chair) 505 986-4243
Justine Fox Young (Albuquerque Republican) jfoxyoung@gmail.com
Tom Garcia (ocate@hotmail.com)
Dona Irwin (donagale@zianet.com)
Tom Taylor (tom@tomtaylor.net) House Republican Leader
Gloria Vaughn Alamogordo Republican 986-4453
Richard Vigil rrvigil@plateautel.net

House Judiciary: Most emails should be sent to Al Park, Joe Cervantes,Dan Foley, Bill Rehm, Mimi Stewart, Eric Youngberg, and Teresa Zanetti

Al Park, Chair Democrat (alpark.nm@gmail.com)
Joseph Cervantes, Vice Chair Democrat (cervanteslaw@zianet.com)
Elias Barela, Democrat (elias@barelalaw.com)
Gail Chasey, Democrat gailchasey@msn.com
Daniel R. Foley, Republican (Arch conservative, Minority Whip)
daniel.foley@nmlegis.gov

Antonio "Moe" Maestas, Democrat antonio@moejustice.com
W. Ken Martinez, Democrat mlo1@7cities.net
William "Bill" R. Rehm, Republican bill.rehm@comcast.net
Mimi Stewart, Democrat mstewart@osogrande.com
Thomas E. Swisstack, Democrat tswiss1@msn.com
Gloria C. Vaughn, Republican 505 986-4453
Eric A. Youngberg, Republican eric_youngberg@msn.com
Teresa A. Zanetti, Republican electzanetti@comcast.net

I appreciate your immediate attention to these requests for correspondence in favor of banning aspartame: they will make the difference. In all cases, even with telephoning, always ask for a response in writing which will state their position. This will be invaluable in assesing where we stand, i.e., in counting the votes....

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Respectfully,
Stephen Fox
stephen@santafefineart.com
Santa Fe, NM 87501
505-983-2002

Editor's Note: This is a Guest Blog by Stephen Fox. If you'd like to submit a post for possible publication as a Guest Blog, please contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of our main page. Guest Blogs provide an opportunity for readers to express their opinions on issues of interest to them and don't necessarily reflect the views of DFNM or myself.

Citizen's Lobby Day on Surface Owners' Protection Act

Passed along by the Coalition for the Valle Vidal:
COME ONE! COME ALL! NM Surface Owners’ Protection Act Citizen’s Lobby Day and Press Conference

Representative Andy Nuñez (D-Hatch) invites you and yours to Santa Fe for a special press conference and citizen’s lobby day in support of the Surface Owners’ Protection Act, a strong bill that would protect landowners’ facing oil and gas development on their property:

Tuesday, January 30, 2007
11:00 AM – Citizen’s Lobby Orientation (location TBA)
12:30 PM – Press Conference, State Capitol Room 310
Santa Fe, New Mexico

A brief orientation session on the legislative process and the Surface Owners’ Protection Act will take place at 11:00 AM. We are in the process of confirming the location for this session. A press conference in support of the Surface Owners’ Protection Act will take place at 12:30 PM in Room 310 of the Roundhouse. Your attendance at the both the orientation and the press conference is requested. Those travelling to Santa Fe are encouraged to call their State Representatives and Senators and let them know you would like to meet next Tuesday to discuss the need for passage of a strong bill protecting landowners’ facing oil and gas development on their property. For a list of all legislators, visit https://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/

Background
The Surface Owners’ Protection Act, if passed, will for the first time, require companies in New Mexico to: notify landowners 30 days in advance of drilling operations; negotiate a surface use agreement with the landowner; and, adequately compensate the landowner for damages and use of the land. Representative Andy Nuñez (D-Hatch) has led the charge to pass the bill for the past two legislative sessions in Santa Fe. In 2005 the bill made it through the House of Representatives but
the session ended before the bill could be voted on in the Senate. In 2006 the bill was pulled because it was amended heavily in committee and watered down by the oil and gas industry to the point that it lacked key landowner protections. With your support and involvement, Representative Nuñez is hopeful the bill will pass in 2007. (Final bill language should be available on-line very soon). 

For more information, call Gwen at 970-759-4387.

Sunday Bird Blogging: Tie-Dye Edition

Click on image for larger version.

You didn't know that Sunny the sun conure parrot is a hippie, did you? Check out his tie-dyed sleeping and playing "nest" where he likes to cuddle in at night and act groovy during the day. Note the other day glow items in his cage including, well, Sunny himself. Sunny wanted to show solidarity today with all the other "dirty hippies" who are marching for peace, lobbying for peace, contacting members of Congress for peace and trying to gain support for Bush-Cheney impeachment this week. Are you with him? Keep on truckin'!

Saturday Music Hall: Beware of Darkness

Given all the dark energies swirling in and around the White House and zigging zagging out into the wider world these days, I thought we could all use a little George Harrison to help help us keep our spirits strong. Here he is in 1971 at his Concert for Bangladesh.

No More War: Protests Nationwide Today

Today's DC protest. Click for slideshow of more.

UPDATE 1.28.07: The LA Times is reporting the DC crowd as "almost 100,000"!
Good to see there's a large turnout at today's bring the troops home march in DC, organized by United for Peace and Justice. The media is reporting numbers in the "tens of thousands." CSPAN had live TV coverage this morning that will probably be repeated, and should have video on their website later. Activities will continue on Monday when activists will be walking the halls of Congress lobbying members to take action to stop the escalation and start bringing the troops home. Marches and rallies are also taking place in communities all over America today, including right here in Albuquerque. Large events are empowering but sometimes I think it's the smaller, local events that can be the most effective, tied to the communities where they take place.

If you have comments about protest events you attended today, add them here. If you have photos from an event and would like to see them posted here, send them to me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of our main page. In the meantime, here are some photos sent in by Stephen Fettig of a march in Los Alamos earlier this month, when there were thousands of demonstrations all across the nation to stop more troops from being sent to Iraq. Click on photos for larger images:

No ...More ...
Troops!

Saturday's Insight NM Radio Show to Feature Maestas, Grant, Burgos

Eric Griego's weekly political talk and call-in show, Insight New Mexico, produced by Suzanne Prescott, will again be aired on Progressive Talk Radio 1350 AM in Albuquerque tomorrow, Saturday, January 27th, from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. The show is also rebroadcast on Sunday's from 7-8 AM. We need to support the show if we want it to remain on the air!

The January 27 Show Lineup Includes: Democratic NM State Rep. Moe Maestas, Albuquerque Tribune columnist Gene Grant, NM conservative blogger Mario Burgos and a surprise guest. More on the guests:

Moe Maestas - is a Democrat serving in the New Mexico House of Representative from District 16 in Albuquerque. He's a 'freshman' legislator and sits on the Consumer & Public Affairs Committee, Judiciary Committee and is the Chair of Enrolling and Engrossing. We're not sure what the last assignment is but we hope to find out. He is sponsor of the following Bills:

HB183 PROHIBIT UNAUTHORIZED PRACTICE OF LAW
HB184 UNIFORM REVISED LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ACT
HB271 IDENTIFY MINORS & DEPENDENTS UPON ARRESTS
HB272 CORRECTIONS POPULATION CONTROL ACT CHANGES

Moe Maestas can be reached at: antonio@moejustice.com.

Gene Grant - is the host of "The Line," the round table public affairs program that airs Friday nights at 7pm on KNME. Grant is also a columnist for the Albuquerque Tribune on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Whether art, culture or politics Gene presents a unique and insightful blend. Contact Gene at https://www.abqtrib.com/staff/gene-grant/contact/.

Mario Burgos - Mario's blog is popular in New Mexico and has a pronounced conservative take on New Mexico politics. Compare our guests' points of view. How persuasive are their arguments concerning issues you care about? If not Mario, then someone should remind you "not to believe everything you think." Visit Mario Burgos, the blog. 

A Surprise Special Guest - Eric will feature a guest from one of Albuquerque's active advocacy groups.

Plea from Reporter: CBS Filtering TV News on Iraq

Very important: A plea from the CBS Senior Foreign Correspondent in Baghdad, embedded with the U.S. military, for citizens to urge CBS News to air one of her reports on their TV news show rather than solely on their website. Click for a Daily Kos diary on this that includes a link to the powerful and graphic video story filed by reporter Lara Logan about the two-week old, ongoing battles on Haifa Street in Baghdad.

Images can change people's minds. Apparently CBS News doesn't want its TV viewers to be exposed to the truth of what's going on in the streets of central Baghdad. Here's their excuse: "the Executive Producer of the Evening News thought some of the images in it were a bit strong­ plus on that day the program was already packed with other Iraq news." News programmers outside the U.S. aren't worried about airing "strong" video. Here's an example shown by Britain's Channel 4 News.

You can contact CBS News via a link in the Kos diary. There's also a suggestion that we send the video link to our members of Congress.

And here's another example of how war news is being "managed" in the U.S. Quote:

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Contrary to U.S. military statements, four U.S. soldiers did not die repelling a sneak attack at the governor's office in the Shiite holy city of Karbala last week. New information obtained by The Associated Press shows they were abducted and found dead or dying as far as 25 miles away.

The brazen assault 50 miles south of Baghdad was launched Jan. 20 by a group of nine to 12 militants. They traveled in black GMC Suburban vehicles -- the type used by U.S. government convoys, had American weapons, wore new U.S. military combat fatigues and spoke English.

More news like this at Spread the Word: Iraq-Nam.