Democracy for New Mexico

Join Live Blogging with Martin Heinrich on Kos Today at Noon

UPDATE: Here's the link to Martin's live blogging diary:
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/27/134338/983
(keep refreshing the diary when there)
*****************
Martin Heinrich, running to take on Repub Heather Wilson in the NM-01 Congressional race, will be live blogging at the national polical blog Daily Kos today starting at Noon Mountain Time. What this means is he'll launch a user diary at Kos and hang out to respond to your comments and questions entered in the thread. To participate, head over to https://www.DailyKos.com, look on the right-hand sidebar for Heinrich's diary and click on it. If you're registered at Daily Kos you can recommend the diary so it moves up in the rankings and stays on the front page. Any visitor can comment on the thread, and Martin will be there to interact with any and all participants. It's a great way to learn more about Heinrich's campaign and get your questions answered.

You should also check out Heinrich's totally revamped campaign website and blog, which was launched yesterday. Visit https://www.martinheinrich.com/ and check out all the new tools, info and resources that make it easy to hook up with the campaign and stay current on what's happening. Impressive.

You can also sign a petition at the website to end the Iraq occupation:

Heather Wilson has supported George Bush and his War in Iraq every step of the way. Martin Heinrich opposed this ill-conceived war from the beginning and, like a majority of New Mexicans, he believes that it's time for this war to come to an honorable end.

We, the undersigned, believe that Heather Wilson, George Bush and Dick Cheney have created a quagmire in Iraq. We call upon President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Congresswoman Wilson to show strong support for our troops by beginning to bring them home immediately. We appreciate deeply all the sacrifices our brave men and women make, and we call upon our elected officials to make sure that they are taken care of properly when they return home.

To read our previous posts on congressional race in NM's first district, visit our archive.

The third quarter campaign fundraising deadline is September 30th. To help Heinrich show he's got strong support in the district, donate a few bucks at the DFNM Netroots for Heinrich page at ActBlue or contribute via his new website.

Joanie Griffin Campaign Admits Negative "Push Polling" in ABQ District 6 City Council Race

Below is a release from the Rey Garduño campaign reporting on negative telephone "push polling" that the Joanie Griffin campaign has allegedly admitted it is behind. When the Garduño campaign learned of the calls, they got voters in District 6 to record info from them and passed it on to Dan McKay of the Albuquerque Journal. According to Garduño, McKay followed up and Griffin (above right) eventually admitted she had paid for the anonymous push polling.

Those familiar with Albuquerque politics may remember that similar push polling was done against Martin Heinrich and Debbie O'Malley four years ago. Funny how push polling and other negative campaign tactics often get employed against candidates who are not to Mayor Marty Chavez's liking, isn't it? No proof. Just saying.

From Rey Garduño for City Council:
ALBUQUERQUE (Wednesday, September 26, 2007). Starting early this morning voters in City Council District 6 received an anonymous "push poll”-- or calls that pretended to be a poll but whose purpose was to include negative information about Rey Garduño. Push polling is universally denounced as an unethical campaign tactic.

In violation of the city’s ethics code, the calls were anonymous and when voters pressed the caller to disclose who was paying for the calls, the caller either hung up or said they could not disclose that information. Later it was revealed that candidate Joanie Griffin paid to have the calls made.

On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 26, the Albuquerque Journal asked Griffin if she was behind the anonymous push poll, which she admitted she was. As late as 7:30 PM, Griffin did not change the phone script to include a disclosure nor did she stop the calls from being made.

"Push polls are universally denounced as unethical campaign tactics. They mislead the public to think they are participating in a legitimate poll when are in fact the purpose is only to malign candidates. I am disappointed that she stooped to this level," said Rey Garduño.

"The fact that she did unethical push polls was bad enough. Even though she admitted to the wrong doing she still allowed the calls to continue in violation of the city’s ethics code. At a minimum, Griffin should apologize to the voters in District 6 for engaging in unethical dirty campaigning," said Rey Garduño.

Albuquerque's municipal election is set for October 2nd, 2007. Both mail-in (absentee) and in-person early voting is going on right now. To read our previous posts on the city election, visit our archive. You might also want to see a previous post about other rather shady practices used by the Griffin campaign.

Heinrich Critical of Congressional Votes Against MoveOn Ad

Unbelieveably, the U.S. House just joined the U.S. Senate in voting to condemn MoveOn's recent Petraeus Betray-Us ad. The margin was:

Democrats: 146 Yea, 79 Nay, 6 Not Voting
Republicans: 195 Yea, 0 Nay, 6 Not Voting      
TOTALS: 341 Yea, 79 Nay, 12 Not Voting

Yes, you read that right. I guess the House was tired of seeing the Senate getting all the fruitcake praise on this pseudo-issue, so Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) brought it up on the House side and got it passed. What's worse? Many Dems, including Rep. Tom Udall (NM-03) voted FOR the travesty. Here's the tally.

At least one New Mexico Dem -- Martin Heinrich -- has refused to stop making sense. As reported by Howie Klein at Down With Tyranny:

At the time the vote came down I was talking on the phone with Albuquerque City Councilmember Martin Heinrich, the progressive Democrat running against corrupt rubber stamp Heather Wilson (NM-01). He was very disappointed that the Democratic Leadership even allowed this idiotic voted to come to the floor. Martin's answer was what every Democrat should be saying. "There's a grand diversion for you... It's not something that I'd have been willing to support because it takes us away from the focus of actually making a difference on the ground in Iraq. What we ought to be voting on is a timetable to redeploy our troops."

What can we do to thank Martin Heinrich for speaking out and getting it right on this issue? September 30th is the end of this campaign fundraising quarter. The Heinrich campaign needs good numbers to show that he's the strongest Dem choice to run against Heather Wilson. I urge you to donate a few bucks NOW at the DFNM Netroots for Heinrich page at ActBlue.

Here's a released by MoveOn after the House joined the Senate in fiddling while our democracy, Iraq (and maybe now Iran) burns:

“With every passing day, more information comes to light casting more and more doubt on the validity of the facts and conclusions presented by General Petraeus in his testimony before Congress.

With every passing day, more American soldiers and Iraqi civilians lose their lives in this unwinnable civil war. It is unconscionable and outrageous  that instead of doing the people's work and ending this war, Congress chooses meaningless and distracting gestures.

With every passing day, America's frustration with politicians in Washington drops the approval ratings for this Congress to new lows.  Congress is fiddling with an ad while Iraq burns.

We will continue our ad campaign to accuse the Republicans who are blocking an end to the war of a 'Betrayal of Trust.'”

-- “Petraeus’s numbers differ substantially from the Pentagon’s own numbers – his show progress, and theirs don’t.  The Pentagon’s numbers are the official MNF-I numbers, which Petraeus himself called the most reliable possible.  Petraeus’ numbers differ, the military says, because he includes reports from Iraqi police – the same police the NIE said are corrupt, riddled with sectarianism, and ought to be disbanded.  The actual Iraqi government numbers are nowhere near as positive.” Washington Post, Tuesday, September 25, 2007

-- The NYT reported today that Sunni extremists are targeting Iraqi police and officials.  This is a new trend in violence – but according to the methodology MNF-I released last week, none of these murders would have been counted by Petraeus. New York Times, Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Madness: Threatening Lieberman-Kyl Amendment on Iran Passes

The U.S. Senate just passed the dangerous Lieberman-Kyl Amendment to the Defense Authorization Act by a margin of 76-22 with 2 not voting (McCain and Obama). Lieberman-Kyle expresses the "sense of the Senate" about Iran. Some changes to the original amendment were made today to tone down some of the language but it's still a threatening, warmongering measure. Especially disturbing is the language placing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard on the list of "Specially Designated Global Terrorists," which officially makes them targets in the war on terror and may be used to justify U.S. military attacks on them within Iran. Here's the marked up version that passed.

All those voting against the measure were Democrats except for Sen. Lugar of Indiana, Sen. Hagel of Nebraska and Independent Sen. Sanders of Vermont. The nay voters included our own Sen. Jeff Bingaman. Hurrah for Sen. Bingaman for voting against the madness instead of joining the herd that's apparently running scared from potential Repub smears. As might be expected, Sen. Pete Domenici voted for it. Shamefully, 30 Dems, including "Independent" Joe Lieberman, voted for the amendment (see list below).

Yesterday, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) called the amendment "Dick Cheney’s fondest pipe dream" and said that it could be interpreted to declare war on Iran. He added: "Those who regret their vote five years ago to authorize military action in Iraq should think hard before supporting this approach. Because, in my view, it has the same potential to do harm where many are seeking to do good. At best, it’s a deliberate attempt to divert attention from a failed diplomatic policy. At worst, it could be read as a backdoor method of gaining Congressional validation for military action, without one hearing and without serious debate.”

Cowardly Dems Voting for Lieberman-Kyl
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Whitehouse (D-RI)

Brave Nay Votes Against Lieberman-Kyl
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Dodd (D-CT)
Feingold (D-WI)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Leahy (D-VT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Tester (D-MT)
Webb (D-VA)
Wyden (D-OR

Domenici's Approval Rating Takes Big Plunge; Wiviott & Dems Gain Momentum

"Pajama Pete"  Domenici

As you've probably heard by now, Sen. Pete Domenici's approval rating tumbled to 41% in the latest Survey USA poll commissioned by Albuquerque's KOB-TV. This is down from 52% who approved in Survey USA's August poll. Six hundred adults in New Mexico were surveyed by telephone for this month's poll during the period 09/14/2007 - 09/16/2007. Ominously, 54% disapproved of Domenici with only 6% not sure. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4.1%.

Dem State Party Chair Brian S. Colón weighed in on Domenici's falling numbers: "The people of New Mexico are clearly unhappy that Pete Domenici is more loyal to George Bush and his failed policies than to the families of New Mexico. This poll confirms that Domenici is in serious danger of losing his job when New Mexicans go to the polls next year."

Only 38% of women and 37% of Hispanics approved of Domenici, while a mere 34% of independents and 40% of moderates -- groups Domenici needs to win if he's to keep his seat -- approved of the job he's doing.

Down, Down, Down
Pete's numbers have generally been trending downward since last November when 68% approved. You can track the trend lines here. The number started dipping at the beginning of 2007, when 66% approved. In March 2007, his approval dropped to 57% as the U.S. attorney firing scandal story broke and Domenici was implicated in the firing of David Iglesias, the U.S. Attorney in New Mexico. The damage has continued as Domenici became the subject of a Senate Ethics Committee probe about his dealings with Iglesias and Pete continued to vote in support of Bush's failed policies in Iraq. Despite trying to distance himself rhetorically from the president's positions, Domenici hasn't really budged from his rubberstamping of Bush's policies. Tellingly, Bush traveled to Albuquerque in August to raise campaign funds for Pete.

Domenici's between a rock and a hard place on Iraq. If he sides with the Dems in trying to end the occupation, he may lose his conservative base in New Mexico. If he continues to stick with the sinking ship that is the Bush administration, he has a good chance of going down with it. Meanwhile, ads pointing out Pete's loyalty to Bush on Iraq, like the latest by Americans United for Change, will no doubt increase in frequency. And ad campaigns from the conservative side, like the one by the Swifboat-related "Freedom's Watch" that spent more than $200,000 recently on an ad buy supporting Pete, don't seem to be making a dent.

With Domenici being named to a recent list of the 22 most corrupt members of Congress, reports that the Senate ethics probe into his involvement in the Iglesias firing is heating up and rumors circulating about Pete's weakening mental and phyiscal health, you've got the makings of a perfect storm to take him down.

The Domenici camp has to be alarmed at the lastest plunge of more than 10 percentage points since last month. The rule of thumb is that an incumbent is in trouble if approval ratings drop below the 50% mark. Domenici's approval rating has never been as low as it is today during his lengthy career in the Senate, which began in 1972. Given his long-standing popularity with the majority of New Mexico voters, the numbers this month are truly shocking.

Wiviott and the Dems

On the other hand, would-be Democratic challengers have got to be encouraged by the lastest polling. Don Wiviott (above), who just yesterday held a meet and greet and free dinner at Ladera Golf Course on Albuquerque's West Side, is the major beneficiary right now. Wiviott, who's creating a growing buzz and has been very successful in raising campaign money via ActBlue, needs to show good fundraising numbers when the third quarter ends on September 30th. According to FEC rules, candidates must release their totals by October 15th.

As expected, some pundits and unnamed Dem sources have been repeatedly lamenting that a so-called "big name" candidate hasn't stepped up to run on the Dem side. In an election season characterized by deep distain for DC insiders and business as usual politicos, I think the time couldn't be more right for a run by someone outside the inner circle of power brokers -- especially someone with Wiviott's talents, positions and passion. Clearly, a large percentage of the electorate is looking for candidates with integrity who have solved real problems in the real world, not familiar faces who've spent decades bloviating for the cameras and raising campaign funds from all the wrong people.

Just because someone has made a "name" in politics doesn't mean it's a good name. In fact, in this era, it's the best known "name" politicians who have most often abandoned the needs of ordinary people and instead spent their time bowing down to big-monied interests and lobbyists. Do we need more of that in the U.S. Senate? I don't think so. If you agree, you're encouraged to donate a few bucks to the cause at Beat Back Bush New Mexico to improve fundraising numbers before the September 30th deadline for the quarter.

For our previous posts on the 2008 Senate race in New Mexico, visit our archive. Thanks to the Down With Tyranny gang for the graphic. Thanks to Terry Riley for the Don Wiviott video clip.

Jason Marks PRC Reelection Campaign Kickoff Set for Oct. 10th

Help reelect your consumer watchdog! Jason Marks is one of our most progressive and ethical members of the Public Regulation Commission (PRC). Marks has long been a supporter of and participant in Democratic grassroots politics and has worked hard to represent the interests of ordinary people on the PRC. He's also a strong advocate for clean and renewable energy. Marks is up for reelection in 2008 in District 1 (Albuquerque area) and will kick off his campaign with a get-together and "seed money" fundraiser next month. I plan to be there and hope you will be too:

Jason Marks - PRC District 1
2008 Reelection Campaign
Kick-Off and Fundraiser
Wed., October 10, 2007, 6-8 PM
Ladera Golf Course Banquet Room
3401 Ladera Drive NW, Albuquerque

Click for FLYER (pdf). Click for a description of highlights from Jason Marks' service on the PRC from 2005-07.

Keep Jason working hard for us:

• Holding Qwest Accountable
• Fighting for a Clean and Sustainable Energy Future
• Restoring Respect and Integrity to the PRC
• Protecting Consumers from Rate Increases and Unfair Practices
• Preserving the 505 Area Code

Suggested contribution - $50 (Jason will be running under public financing, but we need to raise "seed money" to operate our campaign until the financing is released in the Spring.) Jason appreciates seed money contributions up to the legal maximum of $100 per person. Personal and PAC contributions ONLY, no corporation or union allowed. For more info visit www.jasonmarks.com/pubfin.

Checks may be mailed to Jason Marks Reelection Fund, 4916 El Aguila NW, Albuquerque 87120

For more info on this event, call Maxine Marks at 573-4593 or email kickoff@jasonmarks.com. Jason Marks Reelection Fund, Ken Sanchez, Treasurer.

Say No To Dirty Pit Waste in New Mexico

From Earthworks:
This October, New Mexico will begin revising the state's rules governing oil and gas pits. Oil and gas pits contain a range of toxic, carcinogenic and hazardous materials. Take action to strengthen these rules! (NOTE: Please take action only if you're from New Mexico.)

Toxic pits for you, no questions asked (or answered). The oil and gas industry is pushing rules that would:

• permit on-site, in-place burial of drilling waste;
• not require notification of surface owners - let alone their permission;
• prohibit testing of pit contents before burial; and
• not require post-burial monitoring of any kind.

Burying toxic pit waste threatens our precious groundwater, the people who live in proximity to these dumps, and private property. Don't let the oil and gas industry leave thousands of unmonitored and dirty mini-waste dumps across the state!

What You Can Do
Take action! Tell Governor Bill Richardson, and Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Joanna Prukop these rules should protect land owners and the environment. Tell them the rules should prohibit on-site pit burial of toxic waste.

Thank you for your support,
Jennifer Goldman, Oil & Gas Accountability Project
Alan Septoff, EARTHWORKS

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Go to the action page.
• Read the sample letter and modify if you can. Personalized letter text and/or subject headers will increase the impact your letter has on your Representative.
• On the action page, clicking "Send My Message" will send your letter via email to Gov. Richardson.

Pause. Think. Do Something.

Someone forwarded this to me the other day and said: It gave me pause. It might do the same for you. This is a set of fascinating photographs of contemporary Teheran accompanied by music. Any of you who have ever visited Teheran or lived there will be especially touched by these remarkably illuminating images. All who are deeply concerned about the possibility of another tragic and unnecessary war in the Middle East will be deeply moved by the message they convey. You may wish to share this message with others. Click Here: Check out "peacetrain"

Richardson Gains National Blogger Support for Iraq Position

The Bill Richardson campaign has released a new 4+ minute online video (above) stressing that he's the only Democratic candidate for president among the top four who is advocating removing all the troops from Iraq. The video contrasts his stance with with the positions of Clinton, Obama and Edwards in no uncertain terms. The video also features appearances in support of his Iraq position by national bloggers Chris Bowers and Matt Stoller of OpenLeft and Christina Siun O'Connell of Firedoglake. A shorter version of the video will be used as Richardson's next TV ad in New Hampshire.

The campaign has also established a web page entitled where visitors can submit links to their own videos, upload photos or leave messages to tell those in power in DC to end the war now and bring all the troops home.

You can read why Chris Bowers decided to appear in the ad and video here. Excerpt:

One of my greatest frustrations as a Democratic and progressive activist has been finding prominent Democrats who will take up popular progressive positions and messaging, and make the case for those positions nationwide. In 2002 and 2003, this frustration was centered around finding Democratic leaders who would speak out against the war before it began, even though a large percentage of America was yearning for someone to take up that mantle. Thus, Howard Dean emerged. In 2005, this frustration was centered around finding Democrats who would speak out in favor of withdrawal, even though a majority of the country favored withdrawal. Thus, Ned Lamont emerged. Now, for over five months, I have tried to push for a more prominent public debate on Democratic plans for residual forces in Iraq. This time, is has been Bill Richardson who has shown leadership on this issue. Not only has he repeatedly pledged to have no residual forces in Iraq, the largest focus of his campaign to date has been trying to force a public debate on residual forces in Iraq. He has deservedly risen in Iowa and New Hampshire polls as a result.

I am thrilled to be working with Bill Richardson on this issue. While this ad is not an official endorsement of Bill Richardson's candidacy, it is an endorsement of his no residual forces plan for Iraq. It is an endorsement of his leadership on the issue. It is an endorsement of the need for a public debate on how many troops Democrats plan to leave in Iraq, what those troops will do, and how long they will stay in Iraq. Every Democrat should be aware of all candidate plans for residual forces in Iraq before they decide who to support in the primaries. Just because a candidate says he or she will end American military involvement in the war in Iraq does not mean that he or she is actually proposing to end American military involvement in the war in Iraq.

Here's Siun's post about appearing in the Richardson ad. Excerpt:

While the candidates all say they will “end the war,” the frontrunners have ducked the question of residual troops every time they are asked - and they have been asked often by Gov. Richardson in the debates and by several of us privately and in numerous posts.

... While none of us are endorsing a presidential candidate - and Firedoglake has a policy of non-endorsement - Chris, Matt and I all agreed that this question must be answered. We support Bill Richardson’s plan to leave no troops behind - and we support his effort to get the other candidates to step up and answer.

"I believe we should bring all of the troops home with no residual forces left behind," Richardson says in the video. "This is critically important. This war is a quagmire, it is endless, and the time has come to bring the troops home."

The video cites chapter eight of the U.S. Army Field Manual, as noted in the Center for American Progress report "How to Redeploy: Implementing a Responsible Drawdown of U.S. Forces from Iraq," to support that "standard military procedure calls for non-combat troops to withdraw first, so they can be protected by combat forces."

"Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards would leave tens of thousands of non-combat troops behind in Iraq," campaign manager Dave Contarino said. "An estimated 97,000 American non-combat troops are in Iraq. Leaving behind up to 97,000 American troops does not end this war. As President, Bill Richardson will withdraw non-combat troops in tandem with combat troops to get them all out of Iraq safely."

My Take
What do I think? I certainly support how Richardson is continuing to assert pressure on the three top-polling Dems in the prez race to come clean about how many and what kind of troops they'd leave behind -- and for how long. And I strongly support the position he's taking on removing all the troops now. I believe anyone making clearcut statements like these about the occupation should be applauded at a time when too many Dems are afraid to speak out clearly (and afraid to be seen with anyone in the netroots or activist community doing so). If we have any chance to be successful in convincing the DC Dems, especially the Senate, to take meaningful, courageous action NOW regarding bringing the troops home, we need to band together with anyone and everyone willing to call their bluff. With this effort, Richardson is definitely doing just that. I hope he's doing it for the right reasons and not just to differentiate himself from the pack.

HOWEVER, it still bugs me that Gov. Richardson couldn't seem to refrain from criticizing MoveOn, thus helping the Repubs pump up the fake media frenzy on the ad. I know, his criticism was mild compared with many others and at least he didn't appear on almost every major news outlet to make a point of bashing MoveOn like Hillary Clinton did, but still. If Democrats want us to have their backs, they need to  have ours, you know?

Tonight on Espejos: Affordable Housing in ABQ

From Javier Benavidez: Check out KUNM 89.9FM TONIGHT, Monday, September 24th, at 8:00 PM for a live discussion with organizers of the Workforce Housing Opportunity Act (WHOA), an effort to establish a trust fund for permanently affordable housing in Albuquerque.

This past summer, organizers achieved the placement of the bond question on the ballot to be voted on by Albuquerqueans in the muncipal election on Tuesday, October 2nd, 2007. If approved, the fund will provide more than $5 million per year (with a required match of $20 million from non-city funds) for land banking and the construction, financing, and rehabilitation of affordable housing in Albuquerque.

Issues including national housing market trends, the mortgage lending industry crisis, and gentrification have made home ownership challenging in Albuquerque's established neighborhoods for low to moderate income residents. Please tune in for a discussion about the struggle for permanently affordable housing in Albuquerque and beyond.

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 .