Democracy for New Mexico

Let Them Eat Cake: DFA-DFNM Meetup Tonight

Counting votes for SCC at DPBC Central Committee Meeting

Our regular monthly Albuquerque DFA-DFNM Meetup is set for tonight at 7:00 PM at the Social Hall of the First Unitarian Church at Carlisle and Comanche. Tonight's agenda will feature the newly elected Democratic Party of Bernalillo County officers -- Chair ANA CANALES, 1st Vice Chair JIM BUHAUG, 2nd Vice Chair CHERYL HARRIS -- in a discussion about the Party's plans for the coming months, your suggestions and how we can help. We'll also be hearing from JENNIFER FORD of America Votes - New Mexico and what they're up to.

STAY AFTER THE MEETING FOR CAKE and mingling in celebration of all those who won Democratic Party elections including State and County Party officers, ward and precinct officers, County Central Committee members and State Central Committee members, as well as everyone who ran for office and everyone who's working for change.

If you'd like to join our group, visit our Meetup page. You can also RSVP for tonight's Meetup at the site. We also suggest you sign up at DFA Link-Up, which gets you on the mailing list for the national group Democracy for America, with which DFNM is loosely affiliated.

See our previous post for more on the DPBC elections, as well as a Flickr album of photos from the Bernalillo County Party meeting. Click here and here for posts on the DPNM State Central Committee meeting in Las Cruces.

LA Police Out of Control at Immigration Rally

Here's the story (with video), plus additional video here, here and here, that clearly documents the abuse of force by the members of the LA Police, who appeared to be dressed for war rather than a peaceful demonstration, at yesterday's immigration rights rally at MacArthur Park. Even the police chief admits it looks like some officers were acting inappropriately. Video to the rescue. Note that police seemed to take a special interest in hitting and shoving people with cameras.

After a peaceful day of marching and rallying, it looked to many like the cops decided to cause trouble by suddenly deciding to get rough with people who were off the sidewalk and/or not clearing the park quickly enough. Many who were manhandled were walking away from the scene, not challenging anyone. A few reacted by throwing things, which gave the cops a good excuse to move into overdrive using their clubs and rubber bullets on people, regardless of who they were and what they were doing.

Oh, the rubber bullets fired without warning were "non-lethal," meaning they only inflict intense pain or, perhaps, knock an eye or two out in the process. No big deal if you're the cop wearing the war gear. Beware women pushing strollers who don't get out of the way fast enough to suit the officers.

The Los Angeles CBS affiliate reports:

Police Chief William J. Bratton said Wednesday some of the police tactics to clear immigration protesters from a park were "inappropriate," as numerous news videos showed officers striking people with batons and firing rubber bullets into crowds that included children.

Images showed police hitting a television cameraman to the ground and shoving people who were walking away from officers at Tuesday's demonstration. Some injured people were seen in the videos, including a Hispanic man with a bleeding welt on his stomach.

Edwards' Iraq Ad: I Like It

I encourage you to visit JohnEdwards.com/WeThePeople/ and donate a few bucks to keep this ad on the air. I just did. You can also upload a clip of yourself stating your We The People opinion on Iraq for use in the online version of the ad. Edwards definitely seems to be staking out one of the strongest bring-the-troops-home-now Iraq war positions of the prez candidates (along with Richardson and Kucinich). Thank goodness someone is. Our House and Senate Dems need a constant push to keep up the fight. Right after Bush's veto of the war funding bill, rumors of "compromising" with Bush about a firm deadline popped up everywhere. Let's encourage our Dems stand their ground!

Participate Now in National Parity Day

From Wellstone Action: Today, as part of National Parity Day, David Wellstone is meeting with members of Congress to urge them to finally pass legislation that his father championed for over a decade, a bill now known as the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. The Wellstone bill is co-sponsored by a majority of members of the House, but unless action is taken in the next two months in committee, the bill will likely not pass this year.

Today, please call the national parity hotline (1-866-PARITY4) and ask to be connected to your member of Congress. The message is simple:

"I am calling to urge you to support the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. This is a bipartisan bill that is co-sponsored by a majority of House members. It is common sense legislation that ends discrimination against people suffering from mental illness and addiction. The Wellstone bill is fair, just, and long overdue. Please support this bill and urge your colleagues to finally pass it out of the House this year."

Thanks for your help in getting the Wellstone bill passed. For more information about the bill and other things you can do to help, click here.

Four Years Ago Today: Mission Accomplished

From Digital Museum of Modern Art

Today is the fourth anniversary of Bush's declaration of Mission Accomplished in the Iraq war. Think Progress has the depressing numbers on what's happened in Iraq since that day. Senate Democrats provide data on what the war has meant for New Mexico and other states.

is running the above TV ad now that Bush has vetoed the Iraq supplemental bill.

Mr. President, you can veto a bill but you can't . Call Bush at 202-456-111.

Recalling what happened four years ago, Media Matters reports:

On May 1, 2003, President Bush landed on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln aboard an S-3B Viking jet, emerged from the aircraft in full flight gear, and proceeded to "press[] flesh," as The Washington Post put it, as he shook hands and hugged crew members in front of the cameras. Later that day, Bush delivered a nationally televised speech from the deck of the Abraham Lincoln in which he declared that "[m]ajor combat operations in Iraq have ended," all the while standing under a banner reading: "Mission Accomplished." Despite lingering questions over the continued violence in Iraq, the failure to locate weapons of mass destruction, and the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein, as well as evidence that Bush may have shirked his responsibilities in the Texas Air National Guard (TANG) during the Vietnam War, the print and televised media fawned over Bush's "grand entrance" and the image of Bush as the "jet pilot" and the "Fighter Dog."

Juan Cole has a commentary in links. Now even Republicans are talking about benchmarks for any future war funding bills. Here are the endorsements of five retired generals for the Iraq funding bill.

Sign Up for Wednesday's MoveOn Veto Rally

From Terry Riley: I am hosting an Albuquerque rally for MoveOn at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, May 2nd, at San Mateo and Montgomery to speak out against Bush's VETO of the military funding bill. Please RSVP now by clicking . I would like to see a really large turn out.

If people can come early, I will be there before 4:30 PM and plan to stay through 6:30 PM. Come as soon as you can and stay as long as you can! There is plenty of parking in the Albertson's parking lot on the SW corner. I will have many signs but please feel free to bring your own signs, LARGE!

Network of Spiritual Progressives Set to Meet This Week

From The Network of Spiritual Progressives: NSP - The Network of Spiritual Progressives - is a movement of spiritually motivated progressives who believe that spirituality should be an ingredient added to the mix of political discourse. At their regular monthly meeting, NSP will be presenting a panel discussion entitled: Politics and Religion, Taboo or not Taboo.

Sunday, May 6, 1:00 - 2:30, First Unitarian Church, Albq.

A panel of NSP members and non-NSP members will share their experiences and points of view about the role of spirituality in politics. The discussion is described as a patchwork of voices that reflect the diversity of our progressive, American experience. It is a challenge for all of us to learn how to be more inclusive of our diversity, as well as to be effective agents for change. This panel is a step forward towards integration with all Progressives who envision a world of peace, justice, love and res pect.

For more information you can contact Janet Resnick-Wandel at 350-4281 or jresnick@hotmail.com.