Democracy for New Mexico

Latest on NM Healthcare Reform

At least according to the Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign:

The House Health and Government Affairs Committee has been holding hearings on the governor's Health Solutions legislation and Rep. Picraux's Health Care Authority bill. This Saturday, January 26, the committee will hold a hearing on the Health Security Act (HB214) and make its decision about which bill or bills to support. (The committee will meet in Room 307 at 8:30 AM.)

Governor's Health Solutions Act: The governor's bill is very controversial. This legislation (HB62) would set up an authority that would be responsible for ensuring that all New Mexicans have health insurance. Everyone would be required to purchase insurance or, if eligible, enroll in a public program. It also contains some weak insurance reform measures that do not control premium prices.

The word in the capitol halls is that no one is happy with the bill. It is interesting to note who testified in favor of the legislation this past Wednesday: the insurance industry, cabinet secretaries and agency people, the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the Primary Care Association, and the Medical Society (although it is unclear whether the Medical Society was actually endorsing the bill or simply stating that the bill complied with its principles).

The opposition was incredible: the Restaurant Association, the Association of Commerce and Industry (the statewide chamber of commerce), FHIB (the small business association), the chile growers, 1199 (the Hospital Workers Union), along with health advocacy groups (including behavioral health groups), individuals and, of course, the Campaign.

Rep. Picraux's Health Care Authority Act: Yesterday, Rep. Danice Picraux presented the Health Care Authority Act (HB147). This legislation would set up a more balanced (joint legislative/governor appointed) authority consisting of experts who would be responsible for bringing a plan for universal health care to the legislature by January 1, 2009. It would also continue to study and bring forth recommendations to deal with other aspects of our health care delivery system.

Those who spoke in favor included Health Action, Health Care for All, AARP, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry, human service organizations, and individuals. Quite a few individuals expressed their support for the Health Security Act but felt that should the act not pass, this measure would be a backup.

The opposition included the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Educational Retirees, Secretaries Hyde (Human Services) and Vigil (Health), 1199 (the Hospital Workers Union), San Juan Independent Practice, and others. The testimony mostly focused on the concern that this bill was another study that would delay the important decisions that need to be made.

Our testimony raised questions based on comments we received from you. (Thank you so much for sending us your views on this and other health-care-related bills.) One of our important concerns was operational. How could this authority come up with a plan by January 1, only six months after the legislation's implementation? Would the authority do a cost analysis? Would the legislature want to do its own cost analysis? In addition, the criteria for the plan seemed to assume a private insurance model.

Some of the committee members questioned the short time frame to develop a plan and were concerned about another study that would delay the decisions needing to be made. Rep. Mimi Stewart, chair of the committee, suggested that Rep. Heaton, sponsor of the governor's bill, and Rep. Picraux, along with several others, meet to see if some agreement could be reached regarding the structure of the authority. She acknowledged that the Health Security proposal was substantially different from these other two.

This Weekend: So, this Saturday we will find out if there is any agreement and whether that means that Rep. Picraux's bill (Health Care Authority) will be rolled into the governor's bill (Health Solutions).

On Sunday, January 27, the Senate Public Affairs Committee will hear the Health Insurance Exchange Act (SB228), which sets up a private not-for-profit entity through which we would purchase insurance; Sen. Feldman's Health Care Authority legislation (SB225), which is the same as Rep. Picraux's; and the Health Security Act (SB3). (The committee will meet in Room 322 at 3:00 PM.)

And if this is not enough to keep our heads spinning, Sen. Michael Sanchez has introduced an insurance reform bill (SB377) with stronger reforms than in the governor's bill, and a mandate to purchase insurance, but without the creation of an authority. Legislators understandably are feeling frustrated and confused dealing with this major issue during the thirty-day session.

Keep in Mind the Two Paths: The big policy decision that has to be made, however, is simple. Do we continue to invest more and more public and private dollars into our broken private insurance system or do we do something new and finally shift the role of private insurance to a supplemental one? More and more people around the capitol are beginning to understand that this is the key choice. Everything else will flow from that policy decision.

Your Input Is Critical : Your calls to legislators and your presence at hearings are critical at this juncture to let legislators know that it is time to pass the Health Security Act.

If your legislator is on the House Health and Government Affairs Committee or on the Senate Public Affairs Committee, please call and ask him or her to support the Health Security Act (House Bill 214 / Senate Bill 3).

If you are not sure who your legislators are, please call your county clerk. You can also use the legislature's "find your legislator" feature (https://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/legislatorsearch.asp), but do double-check the district maps to make sure the result is correct.

Thank you for making these calls!

House Health and Government Affairs Committee

• Rep. Mimi Stewart, Chair (District 21 - Albuquerque), 505-986-4840
• Rep. Nick L. Salazar, Vice Chair (District 40 - Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Santa Fe & Taos counties), 505-986-4433
• Rep. Paul C. Bandy (District 3 - San Juan County), 505-986-4214
• Rep. Justine Fox-Young (District 30 - Albuquerque), 505-986-4450
• Rep. John A. Heaton (District 55 - Eddy County), 505-986-4432
• Rep. Jeff Steinborn (District 37 - Dona Ana County), 505-986-4248
• Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela (District 48 - Santa Fe), 505-986-4318
• Rep. Jeannette O. Wallace (District 43 - Los Alamos, Sandoval & Santa Fe counties), 505-986-4452

Senate Public Affairs Committee

• Sen. Dede Feldman, Chair, (District 13 - Albuquerque), 505-986-4482
• Sen. Mary Jane Garcia, Vice Chair, (District 36 - Dona Ana County ), 505-986-4726
• Sen. Steve Komadina, Ranking Member, (District 9 -Sandoval County), 505-986-4377
• Sen. Stuart Ingle (District 27 - Chaves, Curry, De Baca & Roosevelt counties), 505-986-4702
• Sen. Gay G. Kernan (District 42 - Chaves, Curry, Eddy, Lea & Roosevelt counties), 505-986-4274
• Sen. Howie C. Morales (District 28 - Catron, Grant & Socorro counties), 505-986-4863
• Sen. Steven P. Neville (District 2 - San Juan County), 505-986-4266
• Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino (District 12 - Albuquerque), 505-986-4380
• Sen. David Ulibarri (District 30 - Cibola, Socorro & Valencia counties), 505-986-4265

If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Josette at 505-771-8763 or jhaddad@cableone.net. Or visit our website at www.nmhealthsecurity.org.

ACTION ALERT: Call NM House & Senate Leaders About Clean Elections

From Common Cause NM:
Most New Mexicans agree that we need to clean up our corrupt political system by passing Clean Elections. But now, with the session underway, we're suddenly hearing that House and Senate leaders are trying to put the brakes on the public campaign financing bill this year.

With recent scandals and growing public distrust of our legislators, we need a vote for passage of the Clean Elections program in New Mexico now, not stalling tactics and backroom deals.

Please call the leaders of the state Senate and House and urge them to allow the Clean Elections bill to be introduced and voted on right away:

Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez: (505) 986-4727
House Majority Leader Ken Martinez: (505) 986-4776

A brief and urgent phone call from enough of us will send a strong message.  Please let us know that you made the call by reporting back to us.

Last year, we won a big victory by passing public campaign financing for statewide judicial races. This past summer, the Governor's ethics task force recommended that the program be expanded to include statewide offices. We need to follow their lead -- and our elected officials should be leading us to take corrupting big money out of politics, not obstructing progress.

Please call the two key leaders in the New Mexico Senate and House and urge them to allow the Clean Elections bill to be introduced, so we can continue to tackle corruption here at home. Thanks again for your help to clean up New Mexico politics.

Sincerely,
Steven Robert Allen
Executive Director, Common Cause New Mexico

ACLU Sues Bernalillo County Metro Detention Center for Rape of Inmate

Yesterday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico filed a lawsuit against the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) for failing to protect inmate Roman Gallardo from physical and sexual assault by another prisoner while Gallardo was incarcerated for a DWI offense in 2006.  The rape took place after Gallardo, an openly gay man, was forced to share a cell with an inmate who was known to have sexually assaulted at least one other prisoner.

“Jail officials knowingly placed Mr. Gallardo in a dangerous situation,” said Peter Simonson, ACLU of New Mexico Executive Director.  “Their failure to adequately train and supervise detention officers and provide safeguards against physical and sexual violence amounted to deliberate indifference towards Gallardo’s safety, rights, and bodily integrity.”

According to ACLU legal papers, inmates and custody officers knew that Gallardo was gay and ridiculed him on a daily basis.  The director of MDC, Ronald Torres, failed to address the situation and, in January, 2006, allowed Gallardo to be housed in a cell with inmate Niklas Trujeque. 

Months earlier, Torres and former jail director Harry Tipton had received a letter from an Albuquerque attorney informing them that the attorney’s client had been raped by Trujeque while incarcerated at MDC.

Roman Gallardo made the following statement, “I was denied my rights as a human being while I was under the care of MDC, and they didn’t care for my well being. I don't want this to happen to anyone else, male or female.  It is wrong and can be prevented.”

Attorneys in the lawsuit are Kari Morrissey, cooperating attorney for the ACLU and George Bach, ACLU of New Mexico Staff Attorney.  In addition to Ronald Torres, the ACLU’s legal complaint cites the City of Albuquerque and the Bernalillo County Commission as defendants.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

The ACLU’s complaint is available online at: here (pdf).

(Updated) HB9: 2008 NM Domestic Partner Act Passes House 33-31

One house down. Steve Terrell has the story. More later. Update 1: The AP has the roll calll on today's vote on HB9 in the New Mexico House. See below. Here's what Barry Massey at the AP had to say. He included a few quotes from legislators.

Update 2: From EQNM - This was an extremely close vote and we expect the vote in the Senate to be even closer. Before we make it there, we will have to pass two committees on the Senate side. It is our expectation that we will be heard on Tuesday, January 29, 2008. Please plan to attend this important committee hearing and prepare testimony on why Domestic Partnership is important to you. If your representative voted for the bill, please take action and thank them by clicking here.

February 4th we plan to have the largest lobby day in Equality New Mexico History. It is our hope to have the bill near the Senate Floor at this time. Please take time to rally with hundreds of other New Mexicans in support of HB9. We will be hosting three separate Lobby Day Trainings this year at 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Please sign up by e-mailing chris@eqnm.org or calling 505.224.2766 and we will send you more information closer to the 4th.

(If you don't know who your representative is, click here and enter your district or zip code.)

The 33-31 vote by the House on Thursday to approve a bill establishing domestic partnerships for gay or heterosexual couples. Voting yes were two Republicans and 31 Democrats. Voting no were 24 Republicans and seven Democrats. Not voting or excused were 2 Republicans and 4 Democrats.

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES
Justine Fox-Young (Albuquerque).
Kathy McCoy (Cedar Crest).

REPUBLICANS VOTING NO
Thomas Anderson (Albuquerque).
Janice Arnold-Jones (Albuquerque).
Paul Bandy (Aztec).
Richard Berry (Albuquerque).
Donald Bratton (Hobbs).
Anna Crook (Clovis).
Nora Espinoza (Roswell).
Candy Spence Ezzell (Roswell).
Daniel Foley (Roswell).
Keith Gardner (Roswell).
William Gray (Artesia).
Jimmie Hall (Albuquerque).
Larry Larranaga (Albuquerque).
Brian Moore (Clayton).
Jane Powdrell-Culbert (Corrales).
Bill Rehm (Albuquerque).
James Strickler (Farmington).
Thomas Taylor (Farmington).
Don Tripp (Socorro).
Shirley Tyler (Lovington).
Gloria Vaughn (Alamogordo).
Jeannette Wallace (Los Alamos).
W. C. “Dub” Williams (Glencoe).
Teresa Zanetti (Albuquerque).

DEMOCRATS VOTING YES
Elias Barela (Belen).
Jose Campos (Santa Rosa).
Joseph Cervantes (Las Cruces).
Gail Chasey (Albuquerque).
Ernest Chavez (Albuquerque).
Nathan Cote (Las Cruces).
Mary Helen Garcia (Las Cruces).
Miguel Garcia (Albuquerque).
Roberto “Bobby” Gonzales (Taos).
Joni Marie Gutierrez (Las Cruces).
Antonio Lujan (Las Cruces).
Ben Lujan (Santa Fe).
James Roger Madalena (Jemez Pueblo).
Antonio “Moe” Maestas (Albuquerque).
Rodolpho “Rudy” Martinez (Bayard).
W. Ken Martinez (Grants).
Rick Miera (Albuquerque).
Al Park (Albuquerque).
John Pena (Gallup).
Danice Picraux (Albuquerque).
Henry Kiki Saavedra (Albuquerque).
Nick Salazar (Ohkay Owingeh).
Edward Sandoval (Albuquerque).
Daniel Silva (Albuquerque).
Sheryl Williams Stapleton (Albuquerque).
Jeff Steinborn (Las Cruces).
Mimi Stewart (Albuquerque).
Thomas Swisstack (Rio Rancho).
Jim Trujillo (Santa Fe).
Luciano “Lucky” Varela (Santa Fe).
Peter Wirth (Santa Fe).

DEMOCRATS VOTING NO
Thomas Garcia (Ocate).
John Heaton (Carlsbad).
Dona Irwin (Deming).
Rhonda King (Stanley).
Andy Nunez (Hatch).
Debbie Rodella (Espanola).
Richard Vigil (Ribera).

DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING
Andrew Barreras (Tome).
Ray Begaye (Shiprock).
George Hanosh (Grants).
Patricia Lundstrom (Gallup).

REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING
Dianne Miller Hamilton (Silver City).
Eric Youngberg (Corrales).

Kucinich Withdrawing from Prez Race

Discussed in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer (with video). He'll announce it formally tomorrow and won't endorse any other primary candidate. He'll continue running for his 7th term in Congress. He has attracted a strong primary contender for the seat.

Guest Blog by Bill McCamley: All You Need is Rove?

This is a guest blog by Bill McCamley, who's a Democrat running for Congress in NM-02. Bill is one of the candidates the NM netroots is supporting in our True Blue New Mexico effort. Please donate if you can.

What Martin Heinrich wrote yesterday about Karl Rove and George Bush is absolutely true.  Rove is “the epitome of everything that’s wrong with Washington,” and I encourage you to read Martin's comments about how Rove and company have poisoned the political atmosphere in Washington.  However, I want to focus on one particular reason why Rove, President Bush, and the Bush Administration have been so destructive: They put politics and greed over competent governance.

From the string of unqualified and incompetent officials they chose to put in Bush’s Cabinet—for example, Michael Brown and Alberto Gonzalez, to name just two—to the billions of dollars lost in unmonitored no-bid contracts in Iraq, to letting industries completely decide their own regulatory policies, this Administration has been one long nightmare of incompetence.

As 2008 kicks off, the evidence of this incompetence just gets stronger.  The economic divide between “haves” and “have-nots” continues to grow wider.  With a recession either looming or already underway, families throughout New Mexico—and especially the many poor counties in the 2nd Congressional District— will find it harder to make ends meet.  The Bush Administration still has no plan to end the War in Iraq.  And almost fifty million Americans—including one in five New Mexicans—still have no health insurance.  These facts will be the legacy of Bush and Rove.

Instead of this failure and the politics of fear, there is another way. 

We Can Work It Out
Since I got into this race last April against Steve Pearce, I have been talking about the need for change in Washington—and not just change as some broad, generic concept.  I have been talking about a very specific kind of change: A change to focus on results. 

In Doña Ana County, we have shown what results we can achieve when we work together to get things done for the people we represent.  As County Commissioner, I worked to reform the County’s healthcare system, to establish the first paid County Fire Department, to strengthen the County’s ethics policies, and to bring new jobs and opportunity through negotiating policies that assist border development and high-tech job creation. It’s this record and this focus on results that I want to take to Washington.

What will it take to achieve this in DC?  It’s going to take commitment.  It will take a commitment to stand up a fight for what is right, not what is politically easy.  It will take a commitment to work extremely hard from the moment the election is decided.  And it will take a commitment to work together with people from all parties who are fed up with partisan bickering (and that includes many Republicans and independents).  I promise you that those are all commitments I will keep when I get to Washington. 

Of course, we’re going to have to ask for some commitments from you, if we want to make this a reality.

With A Little Help from Our Friends
This True Blue New Mexico effort is a great step toward uniting New Mexico Democrats and the netroots to bring real change to Washington.  Both FBIHOP and Democracy for New Mexico deserve credit and thanks for organizing this drive.  Now we need your help.  Can you support our campaign and the TrueBlue effort?  We thank you for your support.

For more information on our campaign, please check out our website: www.billmccamley.com.

This is a guest blog by Bill McCamley of Las Cruces, a Democrat who's running Congress our Second Distict in Southern New Mexico.

To donate online to one or more of the True Blue New Mexico candidates, click here. If we want excellent candidates to be successful in their campaigns, we need to support them now with donations and volunteer time. Please give what you can afford to support these Democrats -- no donation is too small, no number of hours of volunteering is too few.

To read our previous posts on this effort, visit our archive.

Today: Big Brothers Big Sisters Open House

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico is hosting a mentoring month open house today, Thursday, January 24, 2008, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at their headquarters at 5400 Phoenix NE in Albuquerque. Refreshments will be served and there will be a recognition ceremony at 6:00 PM. Meet Big Brother Big Sister staff, volunteers and community partners and learn how you can get involved. For more info, call Irene at 837-9223, extension 41. Click for an invitation (pdf). BBBS describe their organization and what they achieve this way:

Since 1969, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico has been creating magic in people's lives.  BBBS works to help boys and girls achieve their potential by matching them one-to-one in positive relationships with adult volunteers. A volunteer does not need any special skills to be a Big Brother or Big Sister. They only need to be interested in sharing special moments with a child. Just by sharing experiences, celebrating accomplishments, and listening to a child's concerns, a Big Brother or Big Sister can make a difference in the life of a child.

Who Our Littles Are
Youth ages 6-18 will benefit from a one-to-one friendship with a positive adult.

• Ninety-five percent are from single parent families.
• Ninety percent are low-income.
• Eighty-three percent are minorities.

The Difference We Make
A recent study conducted by a national research firm (Public/Private Ventures (PP/V)) examined the impact of our program on youth and found that when compared to their peers, Little Brothers and Little Sisters who met with their Big Brothers or Sisters for at least one year were:

• 46% less likely to start using drugs;
• 27% less likely to start drinking;
• 33% less likely to act violently;
• 52% less likely to skip a day of school, and earned higher grades.

Almost across the board these outcomes are higher for minority youth. For example:

• Minority boys are 67% less likely to start using drugs; and
• Minority girls are 72% less likely to start using drugs.

You can learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters at their website

NM Dem Presidential Preference Caucus: Only Chance to Vote for Dem Prez Nominees

I spoke this morning with Ana Canales, who chairs the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County. She expressed concern that some Democrats seem to have misconceptions about the NM Dem Party's February 5, 2008 Presidential Preference Caucus and our later state primary election on June 3, 2008.

February 5th Dem Caucus
Just to be clear, the only opportunity for registered Democrats to vote for their favorite Dem presidential nominee is at the February 5th Caucus. The Caucus will take place at 184 polling places around the state, and is organized and paid for by the Democratic Party of New Mexico.

You will need to know your precinct number in order to find your Caucus polling place. Type in your address here to determine your precinct if you live in Bernalillo County. Statewide, you can check to see if you are registered to vote and find your precinct number by using the Secretary of State's Voter View tool. Your caucus polling place may or may not be the same as the one where you usually vote in regular elections. Check here to determine the location of your February 5th caucus polling place. This page has Caucus locations for all precincts in all New Mexico counties.

Polls will be open from Noon to 7:00 PM on February 5th. There will be no early in-person voting, and the deadline is past for requesting an absentee (mail-in) ballot. So is the deadline for registering as a Dem if you've been unregistered or registered as an independent or with a party other than the Democratic Party.

June 3rd Primary
There will be no presidential nominee choices on the June 3nd Dem primary ballot. Only state reps and senate (legislative) candidates and those competing for U.S. House and Senate slots will be running to be Dem nominees in the primary this year.

On the Republican side, they'll be choosing their nominees for president, as well as those competing to get on the Repub ticket in state races and U.S. House and Senate slots. Unlike the Democratic Party, Repubs in NM have not created an early caucus here for their presidential nomination race.

All clear now?

Obama Airs Two New Ads in NM

"Chances"


"President"

Obama campaign action has certainly blossomed in New Mexico since the Nevada caucus, so I expect we'll be hearing soon about a visit by Obama to the state. No word yet. As for the Clinton campaign, rumors are that she may visit here more than once before our February 5th caucus and/or send Bill. Not much going on in the Edwards campaign here so far. He's probably concentrating on Super Tuesday states with more delegates at stake.

The Obama campaign now has three offices open in New Mexico:

Albuquerque Office
1000 2nd Street NW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-205-5629
View map

Las Cruces Office
212 W Hadley Avenue
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88005
505-205-6689
View map

Santa Fe Office
347 East Palace Avenue
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505-235-5416
View map

Obama New Mexico

(Updated) Thursday: HB9-NM Domestic Partner Bill to House Floor

UPDATE 1/24/08: HB 9 passed the New Mexico House of Representatives by a margin of 33-31 today. Read my post on the victory. The bill goes next to the New Mexico Senate, where it was killed last year by 1 vote.
*********************
If you haven't yet called your representative about HB 9, please do so now.

From EQNM: The Domestic Partnership Rights and Responsibilities act will be heard before the Full House Thursday, January 24th, 2008 at 10:00 AM. As HB 9 is the only Bill on the day’s agenda it is important that we pack the gallery to show the entire body of representatives the massive amount of support behind the fight for fairness.

The opposition will attempt to damage the bill in many ways tomorrow. As a community we must stand behind the legislators who are working for equality in New Mexico. Again, it is important to arrive early so we can be seen. This issue is extremely passionate, but it is important to respect the process and follow the Roundhouse rules when in the House Gallery.

We were able to generate nearly 25,000 e-mails to House Members over the last 36 hours. Many Members were impressed with the support and have assured they too are supporters of equality. Thank you for your excellent work in this fight for equality.