Democracy for New Mexico

More on Joanie Griffin's Ethical Problems (and The Albuquerque Journal's?)

Required reading if you live in Albuquerque's City Council District 6 (or even if you don't): Countdown to Oct. 2: The Journal and Joanie, another revealing political post by Coco over at Duke City Fix. Be sure to follow the links to other posts Coco provides in order to connect the dots fully. It's a fairly complicated web. It often is when Mayor Chavez, the city's ethics board, Greg Payne, Don Harris, Paulette de'Pascal, Joanie Griffin and the Albuquerque Journal, among others, are involved.

Sunday Bird Blogging: Sunny the Couch Clown

Sunny the sun conure loves to play games on the couch. He likes to hang out there with us, mess around with his toys and eat cashews. I'm not kidding, cashews (and almonds and peanuts in the shell) are among his most prized treats. Here he is playing one of his favorite games -- hustling through the pillow tunnel with his toy balls and/or lying on his back while jerking the balls around with his feet. He really digs it when he can throw one onto the floor and make a big noise.

Ignore me droning on at the beginning of the video. I'm reading Naomi Klein's powerful and revealing new book, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, and I can't help passing on my discoveries as I go. You can also hear our parakeets singing. They do that a lot, as is their destiny.

Sorry about the grainy quality of the video. Our digital camera has started acting strangely and we don't know why. We don't know if that's connected with our sudden problem with uploading videos to You Tube. They upload to 100% and then You Tube tells us the upload failed with no explanation. I love computer glitches, don't you?

Saturday Music Hall: Seeds

I'm at Focus Ink's progressive gathering today. Come on down. We need to sprout more seeds for peace, justice and equality.

A few more ...

(Updated) Rush Betrays Soldiers But No Congressional Bills Rushed to Floor

UPDATE 6:42 PM: Talking Points Memo :

I've just learned that Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO) will be introducing a resolution in the House of Representatives on Monday condemning Rush Limbaugh for his "phony soldiers" remark.

This is significant because it has the potential to dramatically up the stakes in this fight. If the Democratic leadership allows it to go for a vote, it will force all the Republicans in the House to either vote for it, against it, or skip the vote -- and to pass judgment on the powerful conservative talk show host's contention that troops who don't support President Bush's war policies are "phony soldiers."

Also, according to a diary on Daily Kos by Rep. John Hall (D-NY), he will be introducing a resolution bagging Rush as well. Oh how I would love to see Repubs forced to vote to condemn the nasty speech of their sick hero.
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So do you think the U.S. Senate and U.S. House will take up bills to castigate Rush Limbaugh (and the rightwingers) for his horrible, disrespectful, unpatriotic attacks on our troops? Guess not. After much prompting, all our Dems have come up with so far is a sternly worded letter. So do you think the corporate media will run with this story day and night, melodramatically wring their hands about how nasty Rush is and interview Repub after Repub to get their reactions? Don't hold your breath.

Well, what can we expect? Rush has never been called on the carpet by Congress or the punditry for his insults like those compiled in the video above either. Some people are just immune. Especially when they're on the right. Even if they got out of the draft by claiming to have boils on their fanny after going through student deferrment time, as Rush did.

Funny how that works, even with Democratic members of Congress. Step outta line the man take you away -- unless you're a staunch defender of the neocon agenda and a favorite of the Repub "base." First amendment rights? Reserved for those on the extreme right wing. Expect no press releases or media interviews with our Congressional Dems or presidential candidates about the Rush betrayal. Those are reserved for bashing activists in the Dem base.

Tonight: NARAL Auction for Choice

From NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico: Pull on your finest Western-wear and join us for

NARAL Pro-Choice NM's 27th Annual Auction for Choice
"Even Cowgirls Get to Choose"
Friday, September 28, 6 PM
Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road, NW
Food by Ambrozia & Artichoke Café
Emcee: Eric Griego; Music by Long Gone Trio
Tickets are $30
To RSVP, call 505-243-4443 or email info@prochoicenm.org.

Join other pro-choice New Mexicans for an evening of "Western Glitz" as you support NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico and the political work we do to protect a woman's right to choose in New Mexico. This year's auction items include hot air balloon rides, luxurious spa packages, and a weekend in California wine country!

ABQ United Nations Association to Present Congressional Candidate Forum on UN Issues

The Albuquerque chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA and the UNM World Affairs Delegation will present a Congressional candidate forum to address USA-United Nations issues. The focus: How should the United States of America work with the United Nations to combat terrorism, reduce povery, reduce abuses of human rights and control epidemic infectious diseases?

The forum will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 7:00 PM at the Albuquerque Mennonite Church, 1300 Girard NE (one block north of Constitution; about 8 blocks from the UNM Law School or 500 yards north of Lomas). The event is open to the public at no charge.

All candidates in the NM primary election races for the US House of Representatives and Senate have been invited to present their views of United States-United Nations issues. Since the United Nations has so many facets, each participant may select his or her own topic to discuss. However, we have suggested concentrating on controversial subjects such as:

• Enlargement of the Security Council.
• To block a Security Council action, more than one permanent member must cast a veto.
• Should the USA become a member state of the International Criminal Court?
• Should there be a permanent UN rapid reaction force?
• What role is there for the UN in Iraq?

The moderator will be Professor Mark Peceny, Chair of the Dept. of Political Science at UNM. Each candidate would speak for 10 minutes. After each has spoken, there would be questions from the audience, from the moderator and from one another. Please contact Maureen Wright for more info: 881-4536, mgwright@comcast.net.

Editor's Note: You're urged to encourage the Congressional primary candidates of both parties in your district to participate in this forum. You know what to do!

October Community Health Care Forums

Community forums to discuss healthcare reform in New Mexico were held in many parts of New Mexico this summer. Scheduled events continue through October. This is your chance to hear first hand about the results of Mathematica's study on reform options and to speak up about what you'd like healthcare reform legislation to look like when it's taken up in the NM Legislature.

Community Forums: Achieving Healthcare for All, October 2007 - Statewide Cosponsors: Health Care for All Campaign, New Mexico Voices for Children, League of Women Voters NM, AARP, New Mexico Conference of Churches, New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness, Health Action New Mexico, NM Public Health Association, NM Human Needs Coordinating Council, Con Alma Health Foundation, National , Association of Social Workers-NM, CWA.

Upcoming forums:

Torrance County--Moriarty
Date: Wednesday, October 3, 12-2:00 PM

• Location: Teen Center/ Moriarty
• Sponsors: The Partnership for a Healthy Torrance County (Torrance Health Council)
• Local Contact: Billie Clark, Program Manager, Torrance County Project Office 505.832.0332, pmanager@lobo.net

Valencia County:
Date: Wednesday, October 3rd, 5:30-8:00 PM

• Location: UNM-Valencia campus
• Sponsor: Valencia Community Partnership
• Local Contacts: Peggy Gutjahr 385-0160/peggyrae@datasages.com and Sandra Chavez 865-3999, schavez@ydinm.org

McKinley County
Date: Thursday, October 4, 6:30-8:30 PM (time pending)

• Location: UNM-Gallup/ Calvin Hall Auditorium, 200 College Drive, Gallup
• Sponsor: McKinley County Health Alliance
• Local Contact: Ophelia Reeder, 505-863-5107, McKinley County Health Alliance, Ophelia_reeder@pmsnet.org ­

­Otero County/ Alamogordo
Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2 PM and 6 PM

• Location: 907 New York Ave., Alamogordo
• Sponsor: CAPPED, Inc.
• Local Contact: Tresa VanWinkle, RN, Executive Director CAPPED, Inc., tresa@capped.org
  PH: (505) 434-HOPE (4673), FAX: (505) 434-1177

For more information on the health care reform issue and scheduled events visit Health Action New Mexico.

Vote Yes on ABQ GO Bond #10: Workforce Housing

There are ten General Obligation Bonds on the ballot for the October 2, 2007 election. All the bond issues have strong support across the political spectrum but one is of special importance. If approved, General Obligation Bond #10 would provide $10.1 million to a trust fund over the next two years for the construction, rehabilitation and financing of high-quality housing for young families and the elderly as set forth in the Workforce Housing bill sponsored by Councilor Debbie O'Malley and passed by the City Council. Such funding would get a generous match from the private sector so it could be stretched even farther. With housing costs so high in Albuquerque and many salaries so low, public support for affordable housing for working families and seniors is essential if we want to preserve the special character of our city.

Learn more about GO Bond #10 at the Workforce Housing blog.

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, the alibi and the Albuquerque Journal are among a long list of supporters of GO Bond #10:

• Read this op-ed by Diane Denish (doc)
• Read this Albuquerque Journal editorial (doc)
• See this alibi endorsement

For a more indepth analysis on the Workforce Housing Opportunity Act this bond will help fund, check out these videos:

To view the series of four videos in a larger format, go here.

TONIGHT: Watch ABQ City Council District 6 Candidate Forum

Just wanted to remind you that a District 6 candidate forum will be presented by 'We The People' tonight, Thursday, September 27, 2007, and broadcast live on Albuquerque Cable Channel 27 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. It will also be live streamed online. The forum will be moderated by the League of Women Voters and will feature candidates Rey Garduño, Blair Kaufman, Kevin Wilson, and Joanie Griffin. Given the heated race going on in District 6, this is must-see TV for those interested in the future of our city.

Also note that video clips are now available from the recent Albuquerque United Candidates Forum sponsored by 1000 Friends of New Mexico, Southwest Organizing Project, Sage Council and the League of Young Voters.

Friday: Last Day to Vote Early in ABQ Municipal Election

Friday, September 28, 2007 is the last day for the Albuquerque City Clerk to mail absentee ballots requested by voters and the last day to cast absentee ballots in person. It's also the last day to vote absentee on a paper ballot at City Clerk's office or to vote at the other satellite locations. The city election will be held on October 2, 2007 and polls will be open from 7 AM to 7 PM. You can learn more about the election and voting here, where's there's also a link to the nonpartisan League of Women Voters guide to the election. You can find out where to vote on October 2nd and which district you reside in here. To read our previous posts on the municipal election, visit our archive.