Democracy for New Mexico

Firefighters Union Endorses Tim Keller in Senate 17 Race

Tim Keller has received the endorsement of the Albuquerque Area Firefighters Union IAFF Local 244 in his run in the Democratic Primary for State Senate in District 17.

"We are proud to endorse newcomer Tim Keller for State Senate," said Diego Arencon, President of the Firefighters Union. "Tim will fight to get the resources firefighters need so we can do our jobs better. He's the sort of strong champion we need."

"I'm proud to receive this important endorsement," said Keller. "Our firefighters are our first responders and everyday they work to make us safe."

The union pointed to Tim's strong commitment to stand with the firefighters. Tim will:

--Help to pass "presumptive disability" legislation so that our fire fighters receive workers' compensation and disability retirement for cancers, cardiovascular and infectious diseases that are job related. New Mexico is one of nine states in the country that does not offer such protections for our fire fighters. Tim will fight to change that.

"Every day firefighters risk their lives to serve the public. We must honor their service and make sure they get they get the healthcare coverage they deserve," Tim said.

--Stand strong so that our fire fighters continue to enjoy collective bargaining rights.

Tim Keller, a progressive Democrat from Albuquerque, is a business consultant and spends much of his time volunteering on the boards of several non-profit groups that foster economic opportunities in the Southeast Heights and around the New Mexico. He is active in the Democrat Party, serving as Ward Chair and the Bernalillo County Parliamentarian.

Tim is challenging Shannon Robinson for the District 17 State Senate seat in the SE Heights, Albuquerque. Keller has been endorsed by DFA-Democracy for New Mexico and Conservation Voters New Mexico (CVNM). You're encouraged to volunteer and/or donate to his campaign.

More can be found about Tim Keller at his website www.timkellerfornewmexico.com. Tim can be reached at tk@timkellerfornewmexico.com

Technorati Tags:Tim Keller, Albuquerque, New Mexico, New Mexico State Senate, Democrats

My Take: Clinton's Rovian Path to "Victory"

Hillary Clinton's lead went from 20 points in the polls in Pennsylvania only weeks ago to about 8-10 points as the last election results trickle in. This will gain her somewhere in the range of 8-12 delegates in a state that was dominated by Gov. Ed Rendell's old-style -- but still mighty -- political machine pulling out all the stops on her behalf.

Obama still retains his essentially insurmountable lead in pledged delegates and votes. Clinton needed a blowout to even pretend the nomination is still in play, and she didn't get it. This, of course, hasn't stopped Terry McAuliffe and the rest of the Clinton spinners from openly begging for money on TV for her in-the-red campaign so she can continue her path to "victory." I find this highly ironic, to say the least, given McAuliffe's long-time mockery of Dean-style politics, the power of the net, grassroots activism and small donor fundraising. Any port in a storm I guess.

If Democrats with power in the superdelegate group and beyond don't stop her soon, she will surely try to continue her quest for personal political power at the expense of Democrats and Democratic principles right onto the Pepsi Center floor in Denver. And if that happens, we will lose in November. Plain and simple. Not only will there be few crossover votes, but huge swaths of activists, new and young voters and the African-American community will sit on their hands.

I agree with the New York Times editorial board, which previously endorsed Hillary Clinton, in their op-ed entitled The Low Road to Victory:

The Pennsylvania campaign, which produced yet another inconclusive result on Tuesday, was even meaner, more vacuous, more desperate, and more filled with pandering than the mean, vacuous, desperate, pander-filled contests that preceded it.

Voters are getting tired of it; it is demeaning the political process; and it does not work. It is past time for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to acknowledge that the negativity, for which she is mostly responsible, does nothing but harm to her, her opponent, her party and the 2008 election.

If nothing else, self interest should push her in that direction. Mrs. Clinton did not get the big win in Pennsylvania that she needed to challenge the calculus of the Democratic race. It is true that Senator Barack Obama outspent her 2-to-1. But Mrs. Clinton and her advisers should mainly blame themselves, because, as the political operatives say, they went heavily negative and ended up squandering a good part of what was once a 20-point lead.

On the eve of this crucial primary, Mrs. Clinton became the first Democratic candidate to wave the bloody shirt of 9/11. A Clinton television ad — torn right from Karl Rove’s playbook — evoked the 1929 stock market crash, Pearl Harbor, the Cuban missile crisis, the cold war and the 9/11 attacks, complete with video of Osama bin Laden. “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,” the narrator intoned.

If that was supposed to bolster Mrs. Clinton’s argument that she is the better prepared to be president in a dangerous world, she sent the opposite message on Tuesday morning by declaring in an interview on ABC News that if Iran attacked Israel while she were president: “We would be able to totally obliterate them.”

Women, Feminism, Progressivism
I'd like every woman in my age group who has voted for Clinton to explain to me how they can overlook her vote for the Iraq invasion and her continuing Bush-Rove-McCain-style macho war rhetoric -- and somehow manage to stick to the notion that Hillary is representing anything even vaguely related to a progressively feminist point of view. By ignoring the realities of Clinton's campaign strategy and positions, these women voters are rewarding a supposedly Democratic politician for cravenly pushing more of the same militaristic, fear-based rhetoric that has produced fiascos and horrors of the worst kind for almost eight years.

Is it really worth the "loyalty to gender" rush if you have to twist yourself into an illogical pretzel to pretend she's for peace and the people and diplomacy? If women can still vote in droves for Hillary Clinton after what she has done and continues to do and say, I have to admit that the women's movement I've been a part of has been a failure in some very critical ways.

Sorry. In my book genitals that match mine don't trump savage war mongering and fear-based campaigning on the part of a female candidate, I don't care who she is. Clinton and her campaign are playing to the same reptilian fear-centers of the brain so faithfully targeted by right-wing Repubs and neocons. And women over a certain age who should know better are supporting that in large numbers? It boggles the mind.

Photos by AP.

Technorati Tags:Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Pennsylvania, Karl Rove, John McCain, George Bush, feminism, Democrats, primaries, women, war, militarism

PA Prez Primary Day Here at Last

UPDATE: After leading just a few weeks ago by 20 points, Clinton's lead was cut to about 10% as the final results trickle in. She "won," as expected, but she didn't win by enough to change the basic math in this race.
********
Here's one place you'll find PA results starting at 6:00 PM our time tonight, when the polls close. Take a deep breath.

It seems like an eternity since the last contest in the Dem presidential nomination race was held, although it's been only six weeks or so. Six long weeks filled with slash and burn campaigning from the Clinton camp, innumerable rallies and town halls, an ABC debate on nothingness and a daily trickle of superdelegates to Obama.

The math is as daunting as ever for Clinton. Unless she wins Pennsylvania by 20 or so points, she won't make a meaningful gain in pledged delegate or popular vote totals. Even if such a miracle were to occur, she'd still have to win all the remaining contests by significant margins to get close to Obama's numbers. Not likely. No, as before today's contest, Clinton's only path to the nomination would be to convince a huge number of superdelegates that Obama is "unelectable" and that they should annoint her as the nominee despite all evidence to the contrary.

The trad media likes to pretend there's still a horse race going on, but the horse race was over long ago according to the metrics that matter. The only thing at issue is when -- not if -- Clinton will give in and admit defeat. If she wins by 10 points or so in PA today, she'll convince herself this means she should stay in the race because she has "momentum, Certainly not momemtum towards a victory by the numbers, but momentum enough to permit her to raise enough funds to keep bashing Obama with GOP talking points and imagery as the months drag on with McCain out there on his own.

Given the realities in play, I don't think we can completely discount the possibility that her campaign's new goal is to try and damage Obama so profoundly that he'll lose in November, thus giving her another chance to run for prez in 2012. What else can we think when she's fallen to the level of using trademark Repub fear tactics to the point of using an image of Osama bin Laden in her closing ad in PA? I find it very sad and disturbing.

Technorati Tags:Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Pennsylvania, Democrats, primaries

Sierra Club Endorses Tom Udall for Senate on Earth Day 2008

The early support from environmental groups for Rep. Tom Udall's U.S. Senate run is strong indeed. The Sierra Club has now joined the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, the League of Conservation Voters and the Conservation Voters New Mexico in officially endorsing Udall. Rep. Udall's campaign released the following statement today about the latest endorsement:

As Congressman Tom Udall accepted the Sierra Club's endorsement for his United States Senate campaign this Earth Day, he reflected on their legislative accomplishments and pledged to continue fighting for our nation's long-term energy security.

"The Sierra Club has been a leader in New Mexico and around the nation to sensibly promote, restore and maintain our ecosystem and natural resources," said Udall. "This Earth Day, I can reflect on the many things we have accomplished together and look forward to continuing the fight for conservation and energy independence in the Senate."

During Udall's near-decade of service in the House of Representatives, and with the crucial support of the Sierra Club, Udall has championed policies to federally protect cherished places in New Mexico like the Valle Vidal, Ojito Wilderness Area and the Valles Caldera. Together they built coalitions of environmentalists, ranchers, sportsmen and local governments all committed to conserving these treasured landscapes that buoy the surrounding rural economies and boast a wide range of activities for New Mexicans and visitors to enjoy.

"Thanks to our work together, thousands of New Mexicans can enjoy these unparalleled lands for hiking, hunting, and outdoor activities for future generations to come," Udall noted.

The congressman also earned the 1.3-million-member strong Sierra Club's endorsement for Senate because for his extensive efforts to move America towards a new, more stable, energy future.

Said Udall, "On Earth Day and everyday we have a solemn responsibility to protect our planet. As a United States Senator, I will continue the fight to end our fossil fuel addiction, develop alternative sources of energy, secure our energy independence and reduce green house gas emissions in the Senate. For me, and so many New Mexicans, these are more than buzzwords, they are the economic future of our state and the moral imperative of this country."

Three Common-Sense Energy Proposals
Among many, Udall described three common-sense proposals he says will not only help redefine the way we look at energy, but do so in a way that creates jobs.

The first is his plan to establish a federal Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), under which big electric utilities would be required to chip in by providing 15 percent of their electricity from wind, solar and other renewable energy sources by 2020.

"Not only will this help us meet our growing demand for electricity – it will create thousands of jobs, lower energy prices, a nation less dependent on foreign oil and significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions," Udall said. "This plan would also revitalize rural America by helping farmers and rural land owners by creating a new revenue stream for their future."

With the backing of the Sierra Club, Udall fought for the inclusion of an RES, which passed the House twice despite long odds last year, in the Energy bill last year. But as he said, "It died at the hands of a slim minority in the Senate."

The congressman also plans to keep extending renewable energy and efficiency tax credits to promote stable growth in the industry.

"Not only would these tax credits translate into a reduction in residential and commercial energy costs, but they generate new domestic green collar jobs, and boost the economy," said Udall. "Renewable energy sources are proven economic engines for our country."

Finally, Udall also promised to continue his work to ensure the government does its share to reduce its carbon footprint by encouraging "Green Building," on the federal and commercial level.

"The plan I have successfully championed requires improved Federal and commercial building energy efficiency, with green building standards for new federal buildings and a zero net energy initiative to develop technologies, practices and policies to reach the goal of having all commercial buildings use no net energy by 2050. We've accomplished much in this area, but we can and must do more.

He said that the government should extend and expand tax credits for individuals, builders and businesses that use energy-saving technologies and applauded the efforts already underway in New Mexico.

"As we celebrate this Earth Day, I encourage you to enjoy the unparalleled beauty of New Mexico's open spaces and to do your part in conserving energy and natural resources so that, together, we can work to stop the ravages that global warming will have on our entire planet," concluded Udall.

Udall's father Stewart was Interior Secretary under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and his uncle Morris spent three decades in the Congress working on these issues.

Tom Udall served as a member of the House Natural Resources Committee for eight years. He currently sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment.

Photo Credit: Steve Terrell.

True Blue New Mexico supports Tom Udall for U.S. Senate. You can sign up to support Udall's campaign here. To see our previous coverage of the 2008 U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, visit our archive.

Technorati Tags:Tom Udall, U.S. Senate, Democrats, New Mexico, Sierra Club, Earth Day, renewable electricity standard, Valle Vidal, Ojito Wilderness Area, Valles Caldera

Guest Blog by Laura Paskus: Reasons for Hope on Earth Day in New Mexico, 2008

This is a guest blog by Laura Paskus. Laura is a writer living in Albuquerque.

I’ve never been one to skirt an issue. So here it is: New Mexicans have a lot to worry about when it comes to the environment and healthy communities. 

That said, there many reasons for hope.

Okay, first, the bad news: Climate scientists predict a drier future for the Southwest; uranium companies are looking to resume mining in the state; a coal-fired power plant is poised for construction on the Navajo reservation; the state may end up being home to a second uranium enrichment facility, as well as a brand-new Plutonium pit factory; and Sen. Domenici thinks bringing even more nuclear waste into the state is a good idea.

Right here in Albuquerque, families in the South Valley live in communities that—thanks to a continuing history of heavy industry—aren’t always safe and healthy; 57,000 acres of a former land grant are slated for residential and/or energy development; and some local lawmakers think it is acceptable—despite knowing what we do about climate change, as well as dwindling water and fossil fuel supplies—to encourage more unsustainable sprawl along the edges of the city.

But now for the good news:  There are plenty of national and grassroots environmental organizations here in New Mexico, and many of them are doing amazing work on issues ranging from the restoration of wolves and the protection of endangered butterflies to the conservation of groundwater resources and the environmental education of our children. 

There are also those who have made great personal sacrifices to protect New Mexico. Consider Greg and Trish Mello of the Los Alamos Study Group, who have worked tirelessly to educate New Mexicans about issues at the nuclear laboratory to our north. Or Elouise Brown, president of the Navajo resistance organization, Dooda Desert Rock. She’s been working 24-7, she says, organizing opposition to the proposed Desert Rock coal-fired power plant since she was a volunteer for the organization and the president “decided to jump off.” She took over and hasn’t taken a moment’s rest from organizing yet. 

Other people who work hard to make Albuquerque a more sustainable community include Monte Skarsgard, who started the community supported agriculture project at Los Poblanos Organics; volunteers with the Ditches With Trails project; and Vince Case, a teacher with the South Valley’s alternative School on Wheels.  (By the way, I’m just going to leave it at these few folks, although I keep thinking of more and more names to list.) 

There is also a small, but very committed, group of activists and bloggers educating the public about TIDDS, or Tax Increment Development Districts. This isn’t sexy stuff, nor is it easy to explain.  It’s a complicated and frustrating issue, and I’m particularly grateful to Gabriel Nims with , Anne Stauffer with New Mexico Voices for Children and Javier Benavidez with for having patiently explained the issue to me recently.  (Keep TIDDS on your radar, folks. Particularly once the next legislative session begins.)

I also recently interviewed Bianca Encinas, an organizer with the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice. One of the things she spoke about was the need for environmental organizations to build relationship with land grant and acequia movements.

“Yes, you can be fighting for your water rights,” she says, “but if you’re water is contaminated…That is impacting the cycle of life, right? So land rights and water rights, those struggles are not separate from environmental justice.” 

She also talked about the need for more studies about how toxins affect women, particularly women living in communities of color or low-income communities, where people are more regularly exposed to toxins. “In the past, women fought for the right to have access to abortions and the right to birth control,” she says. “Now, it’s almost like the reproductive movement is teaming up with the environmental justice movement for the right to have a child—a healthy child—and to have the opportunity to breastfeed.” 

And while I was interviewing the founder and executive director of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Douglas Meiklejohn, he offered some advice for communities facing environmental or health threats. 

“The first thing I would say is you can do something,” he said:

“I think a lot of people—although I think this is less true than it used to be— feel, ‘these are forces that are beyond my control and I can’t do anything about them.’ That’s not accurate. You can do something about them. Witness the fact that uranium mining hasn’t begun in Crownpoint and Church Rock. Look at what happened in Sunland Park and Chaparral (where the communities organized against a landfill and a medical incinerator). People can do things. People can organize. And people can have an impact.”

The second thing, he said, is that people must go at a situation “every single way you can”:

In the uranium mining situation, for example, there are about four different arenas in which we are fighting that proposal to mine uranium in Crownpoint and Church Rock….The worst thing that a community can do in terms of taking on one of these fights is to put all of its eggs in one basket, because normally that doesn’t pay off.

And while I don’t presume to have expertise or insight comparable to people such as Meiklejohn, if I could offer one piece of advice, it would be this: Hold servants of the public accountable, but do not put your faith in elected officials. 

I realize that is not what people want to hear right now, especially since this is such an important election year in New Mexico. But there is greater reward, I believe, in placing  your faith in neighbors and friends, brothers and sisters—and together, working toward a more sustainable future. 

Last spring, I listened to the writer Barry Lopez speak in Santa Fe. "If your deepest commitment is to be in power, you are a burden to society," he said.

Love is about commitment, he said, and love needs to be the foundation of government. But what he said next struck me most of all: “It's okay to be in love with the world and to articulate that.”

I think Mr. Lopez has it exactly right: Articulate your love of the world, of your community, of your neighbors. Only then can a sustainable future—for all New Mexicans—become a reality.

This is a guest blog by Laura Paskus. Guest blogs provide our readers with an opportunity to express themselves on issues relevant to the DFNM blog. If you'd like to submit a post for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Technorati Tags:Earth Day, Laura Paskus, Albuquerque, New Mexico, climate, uranium mining, coal, plutonium pits, Navajos, Los Alamos Study Group, Dooda Desert Rock, 1000 Friends of New Mexico, TIDD, New Mexico Voices for Children, Conservation Voters New Mexico, Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, water, New Mexico Environmental Law Center, Los Poblanos Organics, Ditches With Trails, School on Wheels, Barry Lopez

Guest Blog: Reelect Mary Gail Gwaltney as NM's Democratic National Committeewoman

This is a guest blog by Stephanie L. DuBois of Tularosa, NM.

I would like to tell you about my good friend, Mary Gail Gwaltney (right), our Democratic National Committeewoman. To those of us who are involved in party politics, the Gwaltney name is synonymous with the Democratic party. Mary Gail's organizational and fundraising skills for the party and candidates on all levels are widely known. Being the National Committeewoman is a serious full time commitment. Her strength lies in electing Democrats from all walks of life and then helping them in their bid for re-election.

When you meet Mary Gail you see an attractive woman very well put together. Her enthusiasm and boundless energy is most evident. And you know immediately she is a Democrat and values our Democratic principles. Her personality is always upbeat. She is a very giving person.She values her long-lasting friendships and treats everyone  with respect.

Mary Gail's family is her number one priority. Her family supports her work as National Committeewoman and supports her decision to continue serving in this role.

A Personal Anecedote
Mary Gail has impacted my participation in party politics and when I ran for elected office on many occasions. One particular incident comes to mind. After I was elected Vice-Chair of the Otero County Democratic party -- I think it was around 1994 -- Mary Gail ask me if I was going to attend the Legislative Dinner in Santa Fe. At that time, the price of the dinner ticket was $100. I didn't really have the money to go, which I expressed to her.

So I thought that would be the end of the conversation. But Mary Gail offered this suggestion: can you get 10 people that support you in your county to give you $10? if you can do this, I will find you a place to stay overnight. I did get those 10 people to donate. I attended the dinner. I spent the night at the home of one of Mary Gail's friends. It was important to her that as a county Vice-Chair I should attend this dinner. I made the effort to make it happen. I had a really good time. I met many people whom I consider my friends to this day. But without Mary Gail's encouragement I would not have gone.

Hardworking and Dedicated
In my opinion, Mary Gail is one of the hardest working Democrats I know. The position of National Committeewoman is a non-paying job, and it is a job with no budget. This past year she was in 12 states all at her own expense. She will  tell you it is not about the time and the expense. She does all this because she absolutely loves every minute of it. There are certainly sacrifices and adjustments that come with the responsibilities of the position -- like missing family celebrations, including her own birthday party. But I know Mary Gail does all of this because she feels strongly that electing Democrats to office will give us all a better life.

Better Communications
Communication  with the Democrats of New Mexico is very important to Mary Gail. She has a plan to propose to the state party to have a link on the state web-site for the National Committeeman and National Committeewoman to report on meetings of the DNC they have attended. This would be in addition to e-mail and personal phone calls, and would aim to keep all Democrats better informed of the important work being done by and at the DNC level of the party.

Reelect Mary Gail Gwaltney
To sum up, I am proud to know Mary Gail and to support her decision to continue serving in this full time, demanding position as National Committeewoman. Teamwork and her seniority will be most beneficial in our 2008 election, not only to elect a Democratic President but to have a tremendous chance to elect Democrats for the vacated Senate seat and three Congressional seats. Mary Gail is up to the challenge. I will be voting for my good friend on April 26, 2008. I hope you will join me.

Click for a brochure with more information about Mary Gail Gwaltney.

Thank you,
Stephanie L. DuBois

This is a guest blog by Stephanie L. DuBois of Tularosa, New Mexico. Guest blogs are an opportunity for our readers to express their opinions on matters relevant to the blog. If you'd like to submit a post for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

The DPNM's State Central Committee will elect one Committeewoman one Committeeman at their meeting on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the Barcelona Suites in Albuquerque, to serve terms on the DNC starting next year. Mary Gail Gwaltney has served as New Mexico's DNC Committeewoman for a number of years and is running for reelection. She also serves on the DNC Executive Board.

Technorati Tags:Mary Gail Gwaltney, New Mexico, Democratic Party of New Mexico, Democratic National Committee, DNC, Democrats

(Updated) Tonight at ABQ City Council: Important Votes on TIDDs et al.

UPDATE: The measure to preclude TIDDs from being used to support sprawl development on Albuquerque's edges was defeated 5-4. All the Repubs voted against the change and only one Dem voted for it. Surprise, it was Marty Chavez's point guy, Ken Sanchez. See Coco for more on the story.
****************
I posted about this last week, but I wanted to give you another reminder: The Albuquerque City Council will be taking up a number of important items related to the environment and development at its meeting tonight at 5:00 PM at the Vincent Griego Chambers, Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Building, 1 Civic Plaza. We need to turn out in force to demonstrate our support for a number of important matters.

Besides bills related to toxic mining on public lands and conserving our limited water supply, tonight's agenda includes a critical item on those infamous TIDDs -- Tax Increment Development Districts. The measure to be discussed seeks to limit the use of such financing so that it does not subsidize sprawl growth at the city's edges. TIDDs were originally designed to encourage infill development in the city, not vast subdivisions far from our urban center.

You can learn more about TIDDs in an article by Marjorie Childress at the new online newspaper, The New Mexico Independent. (By the way, I expect that The Independent will quickly become a daily must-visit site for readers seeking aggressive -- but fair -- news coverge about everything from politics to the environment to poverty issues. Go see for yourself.)

Also, today's Albuquerque Journal features an op-ed about tonight's TIDD ordinance by ABQ City Councilors Isaac Benton, Michael Cadigan and Rey Garduño entitled, "Subsidizing Growth on Fringes of City Wrong Policy." Excerpts:

... Rapid development has increasingly occurred on the city's edges, contributing to New Mexico's rank as sixth in the nation for vehicle miles traveled per driver— about 18,500 miles per driver per year. Between 1980 and 2005, New Mexico's population grew by 48 percent, but our vehicle miles traveled grew by 112 percent. As a result, vehicle emissions are the fastest growing and second largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the state.

Sprawling growth trends in Albuquerque also mean that the open space and working landscapes that we value in New Mexico are disappearing. Nationally, according to the American Farmland Trust, the United States loses 3,000 acres of farmland to sprawl every day.

Many other cities around the country have made decisions to increase affordable residential options in their urban centers and guide development toward vacant land within the city's core, where residents who need it most can access public transit to and from work.

... The city of Albuquerque, however, with the help of the state's Tax Increment Development District (TIDD) policy, has done the opposite by subsidizing sprawling "greenfield" development on the city's fringe.

Tonight, the Albuquerque City Council will consider an ordinance that would get us moving in the right direction by limiting the city's use of TIDDs.

Although originally used to incentivize urban infill development where revitalization efforts would not occur otherwise, TIDDs could fuel development on the outskirts, providing up to 75 percent of the district's incremental gross receipts and property tax revenues for up to 25 years.

By subsidizing the growth of development on the city's edges, state economists estimate that even more homebuyers and businesses will be lured out of the existing community and into the fringe developments, cannibalizing our urban core and increasing hazardous automobile emissions throughout our city.

... If we're going to reduce pollution and protect what we love about our community, we need to end incentives that drive development to our edges and instead promote smart, infill development and redevelopment. This ordinance will bring forward-thinking leadership to protecting Albuquerque's environment and quality of life.

Lauren Ketcham, director of Environment New Mexico, and Javier Benavidez of Conservation Voters New Mexico also contributed to this commentary.

Technorati Tags:TIDD, Tax Increment Development District, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque City Council, The New Mexico Independent

Be There or Be Square: Healthy Communities Fundraiser for Eric Griego for State Senate

Albuquerque DFA-Democracy for New Mexico is joining Infill Solutions, Conservation Voters New Mexico and others concerned about building and maintaining healthy communities to host a fundraiser on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 to support the District 14 State Senate campaign of Eric Griego. Click to RSVP for the party, to be held from 5:30 to 7:30 PM on the lower level of the Downtown Flying Star located at 723-B Silver Ave. SW 87102. If you can't make it but want to support Eric's campaign, ActBlue makes it easy to donate online.

Click for a FLYER and post it and/or pass it on. We'd love to have a large turnout for this event. Encourage your friends and neighbors to attend, even if they don't live in District 14. The more forward looking State Senators we can help to elect, regardless of district, the better chance we have for passage of the thoughtful and effective legislation we need in terms of:

• Smart growth and sustainable development
• Conservation, including better protection for the Rio Grande
• Bike-, walk-, and dog-park- friendly communities for healthy citizens and their companion animals
• Safe, clean, and live-exit animal shelters

The June 3rd primary is coming up fast. Don't delay if you want to be a part of the grassroots effort to elect more and better Dems to the New Mexico State Legislature. If we don't work to reform the Legislature's often business-as-usual thrust, who will? Besides attending the fundraiser, please consider volunteering for phone banking and other tasks for Eric's campaign.

The Albuquerque DFA-Democracy for New Mexico Meetup has formally endorsed Eric Griego for State Senate in District 14.

To see this blog's previous coverage of NM Legislative races, visit our archive.

Technorati Tags:Eric Griego, Democrats, Albuquerque, New Mexico, New Mexico Legislature, fundraisers, sustainable development, DFA

NM-01: In Their Own Words, Why Grassroots Dems Support Martin Heinrich

All of these Democrats in the video clips above (and a whole lot more) are actively supporting Martin Heinrich for Congress in New Mexico's First District. We have our reasons, a few of which are mentioned in these videos. Most of them can be boiled down to one big reason -- he'll represent OUR interests in Washington, not those of the fatcats and vested corporate interests that have been dominating Congress for many moons. Wouldn't that be refreshing?

We want a member of Congress who'll fight for the concerns of all our citizens, not just those at the top of the economic scale. We want someone representing the concerns of ordinary working people and families -- like better pay, secure jobs, cleaner energy, preservation of our valuable environmental assets, a level playing field for trade, quality schools in every neighborhood, health care for all and commitment to the rights of all under the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

BUT, if we want that kind of representation in Congress, we'll have to actively work for it. And for Martin's campaign. Now's the time to hook up with the Heinrich campaign and volunteer to help with tasks like phone banking, data entry and/or door-to-door canvassing. Even a few hours of time can make a big difference in this race. Click here to sign up to be a Heinrich volunteer. There's no time to waste.

The Albuquerque DFA-DFNM Meetup group has officially endorsed Heinrich for Congress. So have many others. To see our previous coverage of the NM-01 Congressional race, visit our archive.

Technorati Tags:Martin Heinrich, NM-01, New Mexico, Albuquerque, Democrats, volunteering

OMG: Naked Lapels Shock Viewers of ABC's This Week

George Stephanopoulos and John McSame on today's This Week on ABC, sans flag pins on their lapels. What are we to make of this after last week's ABC debate that made a candidate's decision to wear or not to wear a flag pin on a lapel one of the defining critieria we should consider in choosing a president this year? And why wasn't Johnny badgered about why he wasn't wearing one? (h/t Crooks and Liars)

Then again, maybe we should pay more attention to this kind of story about the Repub prez nominee and his history of temper tantrums and rants.

Technorati Tags:John McCain, ABC, This Week, flag pins, George Stephanopoulos, McCain temper