Democracy for New Mexico

Domenici's Approval Ratings Still Down From Last Year

It appears that Sen. Pete Domenici's entanglement in the U.S. Attorney firing scandal, as well as his continuing votes in support of Bush's Iraq occupation and other policies, are keeping his approval numbers well below those he received last year. According to the latest Survey USA poll, which collected its data from 08/10/2007 to 08/12/2007, only 52% approve of how Sen. Pete Domenici is doing his job while 41% disapprove. Those disapproving of Domenici have jumped from 25% last November to 41% now. By way of comparison, those polled approve of the job being done by Sen. Jeff Binaman by a margin of 61% to 31%.

Among Independents, only 38% approve. Among members of the military 48% approve and 46 disapprove, while 54% of non-mililtary respondents approve and 38% disapprove. I guess if you serve in the military, you're well aware of how damaging the Bush-Domenici war strategies have been.

Here's a comparison of recent Survey USA poll results on Domenici listed by release date, as provided by the blog Senate 2008 Guru:

Date, Approve, Disapprove of Domenici:

• August 21 2007: 52-41
• July 24, 2007: 55-41
• June 19, 2007: 51-42
• May 24, 2007: 52-42
• April 24, 2007: 54-38
• November 22, 2006: 68-25

New TV Ad: Tell Pete Domenici to End the War

Just released: Here's the new TV ad by Americans United for Change aking that citizens call Pete Domenici and urge him to vote to end the Iraq occupation. Do It Now:  202-224-6621. Here's the text of the ad along with documentation on the points it makes. See my previous post for more info.

This Saturday: Fundraiser for Reelection of Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver

Please join us for a fundraiser to keep Maggie Toulouse Oliver as Bernalillo County Clerk:

Where: At the lovely home of Jennifer Conn and Chris Catechis 5733 Guadalupe Trail, Albuquerque - Map

When: Saturday, August 25, 2007, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

$50 Suggested Contribution
Please RSVP to 505.231.2569



HOSTED BY:
Robert Adams, Alexis Blizman and Beth Adams,
Anathea Chino, Jennifer Conn and Chris Catechis,
Matt Farrauto, Chris Garcia, Michael Garcia,
Laura Harris, Marshall Martinez, Michelle Penson,
Matt Rivera, Giovanna Rossi, Christopher Salas,
Laura Sanchez, Carlos Trujillo, DeAnza Valencia

DOWNLOAD FLYER AND DISTRIBUTE TO FRIENDS & FAMILY

DIRECTIONS TO 5733 GUADALUPE TRAIL: Take I-25 to Montgomery/Montano Exit - Go West on Montano to 4th Street - At 4th Street take a right going North - The very first street on the left (right after Pawn City) is Gene - Take a left on  Gene going west to Guadalupe Trail (it will T with the street) - At Guadalupe Trail take a right - You will see a white wood fence in front of a two story immediately on your left - Immediately afterthat house is a small dirt road we are the second house on the dirt road (5733) - Park anywhere on Guadalupe.

(Updated) Today, 2 PM, ABQ Peace & Justice Center: TV Ad Release Calling on Domenici to Vote to End Iraq War

UPDATE: Here's the TV ad that was released today. Dial away.
****************
Isn't it time for Sen. Pete Domenici to see things as they are at last and vote to bring the war in Iraq to an end? Domenici has tried to get a lot of political mileage out of making a few public statements admitting Bush's Iraq strategy is on the wrong track, but he's still rubberstamping Bush's policies whenever push comes to shove. Americans United for Change, part of the coalition supporting the Iraq Summer Campaign folks, will unveil a new TV ad today that calls him on his lack of real action to end the war and bring our troops home. The ad is part of an ongoing effort to turn up the heat on Domenici in advance of "Take a Stand Day" on August 28th:

“With the war in Iraq now well into its 5th year and as U.S. forces continue to suffer tragic consequences there policing an endless religious civil war, Americans United for Change will unveil a TV ad campaign on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 2:00 PM at the Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center calling on Pete Domenici to vote to bring the war in Iraq to a safe and responsible end and criticizing him for continuing to stand with President Bush and his failed strategy in Iraq. You're invited to attend."

• WHO: Americans United for Change, Iraq Summer Campaign, Veterans and Iraq Servicemen Family Members
• WHAT: Unveiling new TV ad blitz calling on Senator Pete Domenici to "Take a Stand" and vote to bring war in Iraq to safe and responsible end
• WHERE: Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, 202 Harvard SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 (Map)
• WHEN: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at 2:00 PM

"The ad comes in advance of a forthcoming White House written report to Congress on the status of the war in September and as part of the Iraq Summer Campaign sponsored by the coalition Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, of which Americans United for Change is a leading partner. The ads are also running in advance of the coalition's national "Take a Stand Day" on August 28th during which thousands of citizens will attend hundreds of town hall meetings and vigils calling on Republicans in Congress to Take a Stand and vote to safely and responsibly end the war in Iraq."

Show Your Support for Ending the War at Albuquerque's "Take a Stand Day" Event: In Albuquerque, the August 28th "Take a Stand Day" event will be held at the UNM Continuing Education Auditorium at 1634 University NE at 7:00 PM (). Both Sen. Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson have been invited to attend and respond to constituent calls for an end to the Iraq occupation. Neither one has so far accepted the invitation. For one thing, Domenici will probably be completely pooped from attending that private, big dollar fundraiser in Los Ranchos the night before, where George Bush is scheduled to appear for expensive photo ops and backslapping on behalf of Pete's reelection campaign. You know how tedious and draining it can be to witness The Decider's sophomoric antics!

Martin Heinrich, running for Congress in NM-01, Wilson's district, has indicated he'll attend the "Take a Stand Day" event on 8/28, and anyone who wants to see our troops come home as soon as possible is also urged to attend.

Click to sign up for updates.

Independent Study Gives Good Marks to NM's Paper Ballot System

According to a press release from the office of Governor Bill Richardson, independent researchers from the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project, the University of New Mexico and the University of Utah issued a report yesterday on the administration of the 2006 General Election and the state’s transition to a paper ballot voting system. Over eight in 10 voters rated their voting experience excellent or good and the report concluded that “New Mexico is on the cutting edge of election administration and has executive and local leadership forging aggressively ahead with the intent of building a better, strong, efficacious and more voter confident voting system.”

“This independent report confirms that our state’s transition to a paper ballot system has been successful,” said Governor Bill Richardson. “Voters and poll workers favored the new voting process and gave it high marks for reliability, privacy and ease of use. Our experience clearly demonstrates that states can transition to paper ballot in less than a year and conduct accurate and transparent elections.

Gov. Richardson signs 2006 paper ballot blll while bill sponsors and election reform activists watch

According to researchers, New Mexico is the first state to move from a predominantly electronic voting system to a single durable paper ballot system statewide, using optical scanners. Governor Richardson, working closely with New Mexico election reform groups and key state legislators passed legislation in 2005 requiring all state elections to be conducted with a voter verifiable paper trail, but could allow for continued use of Direct Recording Electronic voting systems (DREs). Recognizing state and national concerns over continued use of DREs, during the 2006 legislative session Governor Richardson pushed for a single state-wide voting system using durable paper ballots, which represent the official record of the vote. The paper ballot system allows for recounts of New Mexico elections, which the DRE systems did not, and it also allows elections to be audited for accuracy and provide an environment that promotes greater voter confidence, which the previous electronic systems could not accommodate.

Read the rest of the press release. Click to read the entire independent report.

Editor's Note: Members of United Voters NM, Voter Action NM, Democracy for New Mexico and many others built momentum and worked with key legislators and the governor on the 2006 paper ballot bill. In addition, a lawsuit launched on behalf of New Mexico voters who claimed touchscreen voting machines malfunctioned in the 2004 election gave further impetus to the statewide change. You can read more about the legal case here. Work continues on refining the automatic audit and other provisions to make our voting system even more accurate, transparent and accountable.

Santa Fe Sheriff Greg Solano Announces Bid for NM Lt. Governor

Sheriff Greg Solano, a Democrat, announced his intention to run for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico in 2010 at a press conference at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe today. The Santa Fe New Mexican has audio (MP3) of the announcement as well as the text of his prepared remarks. Kate Nash at the Albuquerque Tribune also has the story.

Besides giving Solano plenty of time to allow voters all over the state to get to know him, the early announcement might serve him well if Gov. Bill Richardson leaves his post early for Washington, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish moves up to the governorship and a replacement is needed for her current role. In order for an LG replacement to be named, a constitutional amendment would need to pass defining how that would happen. Currently no replacement process is defined. The current terms of both Richardson and Denish expire in 2010.

According to the Santa Fe Reporter:

“I’m running because I care,” Solano said at the Roundhouse press conference, as he ticked off a laundry list of concerns ranging from improving schools and access to health care, to supporting mass transit and sustainable energy.

Flanked by his wife, son and daughter, Solano read a prepared statement highlighting his Santa Fe roots, noting that as a child he spent many hours in the Roundhouse where his grandmother worked as a custodian.

“I remember playing in Gov. Bruce King’s office on the fourth floor,” Solano recalled. “He always was my favorite governor.”
In his remarks, Solano emphasized his own modest background.

“So many politicians are men and women of great wealth and high power,” he said. “How often does one of the masses run?”

After Solano lost a 1998 run for Santa Fe Sheriff by a couple hundred votes, he ran for the office again in 2002 and won. Last year, he won reelection by a large margin. Term limits preclude him from running for Sheriff again in 2010, when his current term ends. For more info see the Wikipedia entry on Solano.

Heinrich Gaining Momentum in Quest to Take On Heather Wilson

Current Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich (left, speaking at Dem picnic), who's running for a chance to be the Dem nominee in the NM-01 Congressional race against Repub incumbent Heather Wilson, is racking up the endorsements these days. Martin, who also Chairs the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority and serves as the Natural Resources Trustee for the State of New Mexico, recently announced that the following prominent public officials were formally supporting his candidacy:

• State Senator Jerry Ortiz-y-Pino
• State Senator Cisco McSorley
• State Representative Antonio "Moe" Maestas
• State Representative Mimi Stewart
• State Representative Gail Chasey
  State Representative Danice Picraux
• Former Bernalillo County Commissioner Steve Gallegos
• Albuquerque City Councilor Debbie O’Malley
• Albuquerque City Councilor Michael Cadigan
• Albuquerque City Councilor Isaac Benton
• Edgewood City Councilor Brad Hill
• Former Mayor of Ranchos de Albuquerque John Hooker
• Vice Chairman of the Public Regulation Commission Jason Marks
• Prominent Albuquerque businessman and political activist Antonio Sandoval
• Former Democratic candidate for the first Congressional district Miles Nelson

Heinrich was the keynote speaker at our DFA-DFNM Meetup earlier this month and by all accounts wowed the crowd with his intelligent, knowledgeable positions, his forthright and articulate answers to questions from attendees and his enthusiasm to take on Wilson. Not only that -- but when he didn't know an answer, he admitted it and pledged to do the necessary research. Imagine that. Honesty on the stump!

Excerpts from Heinrich at Meetup:
Asked what he was most proud of during his prior four years as City Council President, Heinrich cited the Council's successful passage of a raise in the city's minimum wage, but stressed that more should be done to make sure the wage rises with inflation. He also pointed to ethics reform achievements, including voluntary public funding for candidates in municipal elections and a tightening of rules about City contracting. Saying he's working within a broken election system that relies on candidates raising large sums of money, he pledged that he'd work for public campaign financing nationwide if elected.

Why is he running? So that he can have some hope for his kids and the world they'll inherit. In that vein, he said he strongly supports an "Apollo project" to achieve energy independence by speeding green technology advances and a switch to renewable energy sources. Commenting on how far ahead other nations are in this change, he noted that almost 100 percent of the products produced by Albuquerque-based Advent Solar will go to Germany, even though we have much more sun. Asked about nuclear power, he said that we shouldn't be viewing it as the answer or as a magic pill. We need to subsidize and generously fund the future in terms of new technologies, not the past.

As for the Iraq occupation, Heinrich said he believes that Congress mishandled the supplemental appropriation bill and that Dems should have kept putting their bill back into the President's lap after he vetoed it because of the troop redeployment requirements. He agreed that our troops need to come home as quickly as an orderly drawdown can be achieved, and said that Dems need to remember that leading with their values will lead to respect.

Regarding healthcare, Heinrich stressed that it's a basic human right and that Medicare is an excellent model because everyone is in the same insurance pool. He praised the current federal SCHIP bill that would greatly expand Medicaid healthcare coverage for children and noted that Heather Wilson voted against it and with Bush and the tobacco companies. He said he thinks a new approach is needed in financing healthcare and that the free market cannot solve all problems, especially in areas like healthcare.

Asked if he would support impeachment of Bush, Martin said we should start by impeaching Alberto Gonzales and take it from there.

Heinrich said No Child Left Behind should be repealed but funded in the meantime. We need to teach kids to think, not just take tests, he said.

After Heinrich finished answering questions, Meetup attendees were so motivated to contribute to his campaign that additional donation envelopes had to be retrieved from his car when the original supply proved insufficient. That's putting your money where you mouth is -- something we have to keep doing if we want Martin to clear the field and be the Dem nominee. If you'd like to help Heinrich keep his big mo' building, kick in a few bucks for his campaign at the DFNM Netroots page at Act Blue.

Others in the Race
Three other contenders for the Dem nomination in CD1 have come forward in recent weeks. Bryon Paez, who works for the powerful NM lobbying firm run by the Guv's friend, Bruce Maki, has said he intends to enter the race. Attorney Jon Adams has also tossed his hat in the ring. According to Kate Nash at the Albuquerque Tribune, Adams raised $10,000 in campaign cash during the first week of his campaign. Most recently, Jason Call has announced his entry into the race as a "small d independent democrat."

To read previous posts on the NM-01 Congressional race, visit our archive. Thanks to EB for taking such good notes at the Meetup with Heinrich while I was at YearlyKos in Chicago. Photo credit: M.E. Broderick.

Sign Petition to Support Voter Action Call for Congressional Investigation of Voting Systems Companies

From Voter Action:
Public Call Issued Following New Evidence Revealed by Dan Rather Reports -- "The Trouble with Touch Screens"-- Group Says Voting Systems Companies May Have Engaged in Commercial Fraud

Last week, Voter Action released the following statement calling for a full congressional investigation into the new evidence revealed by Dan Rather Reports - "The Trouble with Touch Screens", which aired recently on HDnet and can now be accessed via .

The recent broadcast by Dan Rather Reports of "The Trouble with Touch Screens" raises serious questions as to whether US voting systems companies have engaged in commercial fraud by knowingly marketing defective products to jurisdictions throughout the country. It also serves as a wake-up call to the nation of the dangers associated with the outsourcing of key election functions to private vendors. Voter Action calls on the United States Congress to launch a full investigation into the increasing influence and control that private companies wage in the way we conduct our elections and to determine whether certain US voting systems companies have committed crimes under federal and state anti-fraud statutes which should be referred to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

This investigation should include a focus on the following revelations emerging from "The Trouble with Touch Screens":

•   The report quotes an employee of a contractor for the ES&S voting machine company who was sent to overhaul operations at a factory in the Philippines as saying that 15,000 or more potentially defective voting machines were shipped from that factory to the United States. Did the ES&S voting machine company knowingly market defective voting machines to jurisdictions throughout the United States? Did the company's subcontractors knowingly market defective parts in the manufacturing of these machines? Have any of the other voting machine manufacturers or their subcontractors knowingly marketed defective products for conducting our elections?

•   The report cites the 2006 election for Florida's 13th congressional district as an example of the problems with electronic voting machines. Where did the potentially defective voting machines assembled at a Manila factory get used and in which elections? Are there previously unknown discrepancies in those election outcomes? Are those machines still in use?

•   The report cites seven former employees of Sequoia, the companyvthat made punch card ballots used in the 2000 election in Florida, as saying that in 2000, the company began printing ballots on cheaper and possibly defective paper. Did the Sequoia company knowingly market defective paper for the printing of ballots in the 2000 election in Florida? Have any of the other voting systems companies knowingly marketed defective paper for the printing of ballots and, if so, in which other US elections have voters cast their votes on such ballots?

•   The report demonstrates that election officials in this country increasingly rely on private vendors to carry out key functions of our democracy - from the printing of ballots to the counting and recording
of our votes. This outsourcing extends to other critical aspects of the way we conduct our elections, including the maintenance of voter registration databases, the use of electronic poll books, and the means by which we recount and audit our elections. What is the relationship between election officials and vendors? How prevalent is the pattern of election officials becoming employees of the private vendors after leaving their public positions or becoming otherwise compromised? What standards, if any, are in place in the nation to avoid actual conflicts or the appearance of conflicts between the public and private interests at stake in this arena?

The American public deserves answers to these questions and others emerging from this report. Congress should get to the bottom of this and should determine whether any private voting systems companies have committed commercial fraud in the marketing of their products to election officials around the country. Further, it should fully investigate the threat to our democracy posed by the outsourcing of key election functions to private companies, and it should take all necessary measures to reclaim our elections for the public domain.

We urge voters across the nation to join us in this public call by signing our petition here.

For further review of the performance of voting system companies, click here.

Editor's Note: So much is happening in the realm of voting systems and election reform that it would take long hours of daily effort to keep up with it. One blogger who does just that is Brad Friedman at BradBlog. Highly recommended as an excellent source of info on this issue.

Public Meetings This Week: Speak Up On NM Health Care Reform

From the Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign:
Speak Up in Your Community! Public forums (sponsored by Health Care for All, with other organizations) are being held around the state to discuss the results of the Mathematica study and the direction of health care reform in New Mexico.

Below are the forums taking place in the next two weeks.

• Taos County, Wednesday, August 22 (Taos Convention Center, Rio Grande Hall, 120 Civic Plaza Drive, Taos), 6:00-8:00 PM
• Sandoval County, Thursday, August 23 (Meadowlark Senior Center, 4330 Meadowlark Lane, Rio Rancho), 7:00- 8:30 PM
• San Miguel County, Tuesday, August 28 (Luna Community College, 366 Luna Drive, Las Vegas), 4:00-6:00 PM

September forums are currently scheduled for Carlsbad, Bayard, Santa Fe, Roswell, and Los Alamos. We'll keep you posted.

Here's Your Chance to Influence the Interim Legislative Committee: The Interim Legislative Health and Human Services Committee is also holding meetings this week. The meetings focus on the study and the path New Mexico should follow in regard to health care reform. Presentations on the results of the Mathematica study will be made on Wednesday, August 22, and Thursday, August 23. You can check out the agenda for the Zuni and Gallup meetings here.

• Zuni: The Interim Health and Human Services Committee will meet at 1:00 PM on Wednesday, August 22, in Zuni at the UNM Gallup/Zuni Campus, Room 102. Public comment is scheduled for 5:20 PM.
• Gallup: The committee will meet on Thursday and Friday, August 23 and 24, in Gallup at UNM Gallup, Gurley Hall, Room 205/207. Thursday's meeting begins at 10:30 AM, with public comment scheduled for 5:15 PM. Friday's meeting begins at 9:00 AM.

September interim committee meetings are tentatively scheduled for Hobbs and Roswell. We'll let you know more when the committee schedule is firm.

Please Make a Point of Attending the Forums and Interim Committee Meetings in Your Area: It is very important that those of you who live in these communities attend and make the forum organizers and the interim committee members aware of your support for the Health Security Act.

Here are some possible talking points.

• The Mathematica study clearly indicates that the Health Security Act is the only proposal that reduces health care costs and covers everyone. Only the Health Security Act costs less than the current system. It is the only model that saves money. Even after five years of operation, the other two models still cost more than the current system.
• Taxpayer dollars have been spent on a study, which is being ignored.
• This is the second time that a New Mexico study has concluded that including all or most New Mexicans in one health risk pool will save hundreds of millions of dollars. (The first was in 1994.)
• Solutions that rely on the private insurance system are not acceptable.
• The Health Security Act has had input from thousands of New Mexicans over the years. The Act is supported by 128 organizations and 26 counties and cities. It is the only proposal with public support.
• It is time to pass the Health Security Act (explain why you support it).

If you want us to send you a copy of the Mathematica study's results, contact Josette (see below). Let us know what happens at the meetings you are able to attend. Your feedback is always important to us.

Contacting the Governor: Governor Richardson has publicly stated that he does not like any of the models that were studied by his Health Coverage for New Mexicans Committee and that he is committed to a system where private insurers play a dominant role. Despite the study's conclusion that the Health Security Act would save New Mexico hundreds of millions of dollars, the Act does not have the Governor's support.

Please contact Governor Richardson and ask him to support the Health Security Act. His office can be reached at 505-476-2200. If you prefer to write him a letter, his mailing address is Office of the Governor, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400, Santa Fe, NM 87501. You can also email him through his website.

If you have any questions, contact Josette at 505-771-8763 or jhaddad@cableone.net.

Tonight On KUNM's Espejos de Aztlan: Topahkal Health Collective

From Javier Benavidez:
Check out KUNM 89.9FM tonight, Monday, August 20th, at 8:00 PM for a half-hour live interview with Andru Ziwasimon, MD, of the Topahkal Health Collaborative. Topahkal is an independent clinic interweaving traditional/indigenous medicines with conventional family practice medicine. They serve over 5,000 uninsured individuals and families annually and are located in the heart of the South Valley in Albuquerque, NM.

Next Sunday, August 26th, from 6 PM to 10 PM, Topahkal will host a celebration and fund-raiser at the Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center (on the corner of Silver and Harvard in the university area). Music will be provided by Nuevo Mexico Presente, La Junta and Le Chat Lunatique. Patients, their families, and supporters are invited to join in the homemade food, silent art auction, dancing and fun. For more information, please contact Cecilia at the Peace and Justice Center at (505) 268-9557.

Espejos de Aztlan has been on-air since 1979 and is part of the Raices Collective which conducts programming on news, culture and music from a Latino perspective on KUNM 89.9FM. For more information or to submit input about Espejos de Aztlan, please visit the "Raices" link at .

Editor's Note: For more information on the work of Topahkal Health Collaborative, click:

• Healing Ourselves, Healing the Earth
• Healthy Choices; The Topahkal Health Collaborative Blends Traditional and Alternative Methods
• Albuquerque Tribune Event Item