Democracy for New Mexico

Thanks

You may celebrate Thanksgiving in the traditional way, replace the turkey with veggie vegan something, protest the holiday's origins or just plain ignore it and watch football or travel down to the Bosque del Apache to see the cranes instead. Any way you roast it, I hope you'll enjoy another experience of Arlo Guthrie's T-Day song, Alice's Restaurant, as you mark the day in your own way.

Here's a video of Arlo from 2005 performing the entire song in concert. When was the last time you heard the 18-minute plus saga about what happened to young Arlo and his hippie friends in Stockbridge, MA on a Thanksgiving long, long ago? The video above is the film's original trailer from 1969, when many of us were suffering through an earlier quagmire war -- but with way fewer gray hairs on our heads, during an eran when Thanksgiving herb meant something other than parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme.

Fore more to ponder, here's the 2007 version of 21 Reasons to Give Thanks by the Think Progress Report:

21 Reasons To Give Thanks

• We're thankful for our country's troops.
• We're thankful the minimum wage has been increased for the first time in a decade.
• We're thankful MC Rove has more free time to work on his dance moves.
• We're thankful Congress has "wasted time" trying to end the war in Iraq. 
• We're thankful radio stations don't play "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran."
• We're thankful for journalists like Molly Ivins, who was never afraid to "raise hell."
• We're (not) thankful for wide stances.
• We're thankful to Michael Moore, whose documentary SiCKO started a national discussion on health care reform.
• We're thankful people don't call us Buzzy, Cookie, Brownie, or Scooter.
• We're thankful we can now call Al Gore the "Oscar-winning, Emmy-winning, Nobel Prize laureate" former vice president of the United States.
• We're thankful Andy Card and Alberto Gonzales won't visit our bedside if we're sick in the hospital.
• We're thankful not all Dick Cheney's cousins think like he does.
• We're thankful to be considered one of the "ten most dangerous organizations in America."
• We're thankful that visiting the Mall of America isn't really like visiting Iraq.
• We're thankful President Bush isn't giving out any more back rubs.
• We're thankful for 12-year olds who can take down Rush Limbaugh in a fight.
• We're thankful our Halloween costumes aren't very "original."
• We're thankful no one (except the birds) gets hurt when Dick Cheney goes hunting now.
• We're thankful for "phony soldiers" who have the courage to speak out about the war in Iraq.
• We're thankful the "Commander Guy" has only 425 days left in office.
• And last but not least: We're thankful to The Progress Report readers for their tips, energy, and support.

Thanks to You
Finally, thanks to all the readers, commenters and guest bloggers from here and places far away who've driven our daily page hit stats steadily up, up, up since I started this blog back on July 15, 2004 -- some 3,386 posts, 5,617 comments and 313,890 visitors ago and counting. The posts in the early days were rather sporatic, and the visitors few. At the time, I think Joe Monahan was the only other political blogger in New Mexico. Now there are many local bloggers focusing on a variety of angles and targeting a number of niches. By all accounts readership and participation across the board is still growing rapidly.

With a presidential race picking up steam, competitive U.S. House and U.S. Senate contests already garnering national attention and legislative and local elections on the horizon, I can only imagine what the traffic stats will be for New Mexico's blogger community in the coming months. Let's hope we have some election results we can really be thankful about when election day 2008 has come and gone and our troops can finally come home. We've all suffered much too long within the Bush regime's distorted version of reality. Let's hope the worst of our national nightmare ends next November and that next Thanksgiving we can truly be in a hopeful, celebratory mood. Only we can make it happen. Peace.

Guest Blog: Anne Kass on Appointment of Charles Daniels to NM Supreme Court

This is a guest blog by political activist and retired Second Judicial District Judge Anne Kass of Albuquerque:

Bill Richardson made a very good decision this week -- he appointed Charles Daniels to the New Mexico Supreme Court. 

I thought all of the names that were submitted to the Governor belonged to really good people. My favorite was Charlie, largely because he has been devoted to civil rights and human rights his entire legal career. He has been a law professor and ACLU hero  He plays in a rock 'n roll/cowboy band and drives a race car. He is a real live human being who has rich life experiences on which to draw. He is knowledgeable about the law, but more importantly, he is knowledgeable about and sympathetic to the human condition.   

In my view, the judiciary desperately needs independent judges as opposed to cookie-cutter-judges who work so hard to appear neutral that they disappear into blandness. I think that Earl Warren got it right that one major role of the judiciary is to protect individual human beings against over-reaching by the other two branches of government, as the other two branches of government have been doing for too long now. I see Charlie as someone cut from Earl Warren cloth, not someone who will look for an invisibility cloak. Let me just say that I'm really jazzed about this appointment.

He will need petitions signed to run for election in November 08, so I'm hoping you will either contact him at KS@FBDLAW.com or me at annesmok@msn.com and we'll will see to it that petitions are sent your way.

For now, rest easy and know that in New Mexico at least, the Bill of Rights is in good hands.

Editor's Notes: Here's the statement issued by Governor Bill Richardson about his appointment of Charles W. Daniels to the New Mexico Supreme Court to replace Justice Pamela B. Minzner, who passed away in August. You can read his legal profile .

This is a guest blog by Anne Kass. Guest blogs provide our reader with an opportunity to express their opinions and may or may not represent our views. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand side of the page.

Calling All Democrats: RSVP NOW for NM State Organizing Summit Hosted by DPNM, DNC

From the Democratic Party of New Mexico: What a year we had in 2006! Didn’t it feel great to win? Wouldn’t it be great to feel that way again in 2008 when we elect a Democratic President?  JOIN the Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for the New Mexico State Organizing Summit and help make us a

Blue State in ’08!

The DPNM, in conjunction with the DNC, will host a free training summit for party activists, community members and candidates. Training will focus on Volunteer Recruitment, Party Building, and Voter Contact. Two separate trainings are scheduled; all activists and party members are encouraged to join us:

Saturday, September 29th, 2007- 9:00 AM -12:30 PM
Alamogordo, NM ♦ Alamogordo Senior Center ♦ 2201 Puerto Rico Ave.
Register ONLINE
Download Alamogordo Agenda


Sunday, September 30th, 2007, 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Albuquerque, NM ♦ UNM School of Law ♦ RM 2401 ♦ 1117 Stanford NE

Download Albuquerque Agenda

The 2008 Election Cycle will be the most important election of our time. To prepare for this momentous event, the New Mexico State Organizing Summit will equip you with the tools to organize other Democrats for the upcoming elections. You’ll have an opportunity to hone your skills as a grassroots activist and learn effective tactics in making positive changes in our state and our country.  By participating in this training and using what you learn at the precinct level, you will help ensure that Democrats win elections from the Roundhouse to the White House.

Pleases RSVP with the DPNM by calling 1-800-624-2457 and asking for Mike Wilder or Joseph Casados no later than 5:00 PM, Thursday, September 27th, 2007. You may also email Joseph Casados or Mike Wilder.  To receive training materials and reserve a seat at the summit you must RSVP.

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

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

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

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

$50 Suggested Contribution
Please RSVP to 505.231.2569



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

DOWNLOAD FLYER AND DISTRIBUTE TO FRIENDS & FAMILY

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

Bush, Los Ranchos, Domenici, Wiviott

You probably already know about this but I thought I'd post on it anyway as I'm still catching up after 10 days in Chicago for Yearly Kos and a Chicagoland vacation.

Bush in Los Ranchos for Pete
The Decider will appear at a private, big-dollar fundraiser on Monday, August 27, to benefit Sen. Pete Domenici's campaign to retain his Senate seat. It'll cost a mere $1000 just to get in the door, and $5000 to have your picture taken with Bush. The gathering of Republican Bush-Domenici supporters will be hosted by Los Ranchos Mayor Larry Abraham, a registered Independent, at his home in the North Valley outside Albuquerque. Abraham is also the Vice-Chair of the board of directors of the Mid-Region Council of Governments (MRCOG) and Chairs their Metropolitan Transportation Board (MTB).

Surely, Abraham's "independent" cover has been damaged beyond repair by his enthusiasm to host Bush and support the campaign of one of the administration's primary rubberstamps. According to an Albuquerque Tribune article, Mayor Abraham deemed the event "a historic moment for the entire village and our family." I guess so, if you consider a stealthy visit from one of the most unpopular, unethical and incompetent presidents to be a positive thing.

Mayor Abraham also stated that, "We're honored to help Pete. He's an asset to the whole state of New Mexico." Others might argue that an aging, increasingly out of touch Senator who's accused of injecting politics into prosecutions by our U.S. Attorney, and who consistently supports tax cuts for the elite, huge subsidies for oil, gas and nuke corporations, a failed foreign policy in Iraq and continued destruction of our civil liberties is hurting most constituents rather than helping them.

Ready for a change? Check out the campaign of , a Democrat who's running for a chance to challenge Domenici for his Senate seat. Wiviott, a green developer from Santa Fe who's making clean energy, the environment and getting out of Iraq his core issues, was one of the candidates featured at a packed netroots candidate celebration at the Yearly Kos convention in Chicago last week. It was great to see a New Mexico Democrat up there on the stage with other strong netroots favorites like Eric Massa of New York, Darcy Burner of Washington State and Steve Kagen of Wisconsin. Even Al Franken, who's campaigning to take on Repub incumbent Norm Coleman in Minnesota, appeared at the candidate event via a live video feed. The candidates honored at the event are featured on a special Act Blue page where you can learn more and donate to one or all of them.

Don Wiviott (left) speaks to crowd at Yearly Kos Netroots Candidate Celebration

Wiviott was much in evidence all over the convention and was clearly concentrating on listening, learning and networking with activists. We had a chance to share a dinner with Don and hang out with him at a couple events. We came away very impressed with his intelligence, honesty, passion for progressive change and practical approach to fiscally responsible problem-solving. He's sincerely reaching out to the grassroots-netroots for support and he got a bunch of it at the YK candidate event. We look forward to hearing more from him as his campaign swings into gear.

Wiviott (bottom left), YK Netroots Candidate Class of '08 (Click on photos for larger versions.)

August 13, 2007 at 12:17 PM in 2008 NM Senate Race, Candidates & Races, Democratic Party, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (15)

Monday, July 30, 2007

Guest Blog: Mayoral Makeover - How Marty Chavez is Working to Reinvent His Image

This is a guest blog by Keegan King (right), co-director of Young Voters NM. It was originally published as an op-ed in Albuquerque's alibi weekly.

Historically, much has been made of the fact that people under the age of 25 vote at dramatically lower rates than any other segment of the population. Apathy is partly to blame, but I believe the primary reason for a lack of youth involvement in the political process is cynicism. And much of this cynicism stems from watching politicians who manipulate the media to conceal their true policy agendas.

Take the chief executive of our own fair city, Mayor Martin Chavez. Two recent news items reveal how Chavez is working overtime to reinvent his image:

Item #1: Gail Reese, a top assistant to Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, made an on-the-air call to his radio talk show and, using a fake name, parroted the administration's talking points while flaming several city councilors. When Reese was busted for her crude attempt to mislead the public by trying to pose as just another "Jane Q. Citizen," her first response was to feign memory loss.

After Reese finally fessed up, the mayor's office swung into damage control mode by issuing a press release that spun her surreptitious call as nothing less than a valiant exercise of free speech. KKOB station manager Art Ortega was charitable in characterizing the incident as "disingenuous." The Tribune editorialized against fake "Astroturf" grassroots lobbying efforts emanating from the mayor's office.

Item #2: Albuquerque's morning daily newspaper reported that Chavez had received something called the "Climate Protection Award" at a recent meeting of the National Conference of Mayors. The story trumpeted the claim that Albuquerque had reduced greenhouse emissions by an extraordinary 67 percent since 2000, making it a "Green City."

But there were some glaring problems with the story.

For one thing, the claimed emissions reductions were for — not for the community as a whole.

That's a huge difference and it illuminates the challenge Chavez faces in refashioning his image.

Sandy Buffett, executive director of , cut right through the hype in a Journal letter to the editor: "One only needs to look at the unbridled real estate sprawl development to know that Albuquerque's carbon footprint is rapidly exploding ... If Chavez is serious about reducing Albuquerque's carbon footprint, than he needs to get serious about managing and planning Albuquerque's growth." As anyone who has lived in Albuquerque for the past few years knows, Chavez has been the developers' darling by shepherding their big-box, cookie-cutter sprawl development over and over again.

Oh, and one more thing. The story neglected to inform readers that Chavez' award was sponsored and underwritten by none other than Wal-Mart — the outfit that builds all those big-box stores that do so much to fuel the very sprawl development and car culture that is at the heart of the problem.

There are more recent examples of Chavez manipulating the media as he works to revamp his image and obscure long-held policy positions.

Last month, Chavez issued a sweeping "Executive Order" to ban smoking outdoors on all city government property. TV reporting featured footage of the mayor intoning piously about the health dangers of smoking.

Oddly, this was the very same Mayor Chavez who in 2002 brandished veto threats to block the City Council's efforts to pass an ordinance banning smoking in restaurants. His complaint then? The ordinance restricted to eating establishments was too sweeping and unenforceable. Talk about a 180!

And then there is Chavez' unveiling of his "Open Government" initiative. It calls for posting the minutes of city board and commission meetings online and reducing photocopy costs for public documents. With the ABQ PAC slush fund scandal fading from public memory, Chavez clearly has calculated that it’s time to jump on the "ethics" bandwagon.

But again, when you get past the hype, it's worth recalling that Chavez' silence was deafening during the last Legislative Session when really tough ethics reforms were being debated — contribution limits, an independent ethics commission and clean election financing (which he opposed for city elections in 2003).

This, of course, is what explains Marty's rush to makeover his image. Anticipating a gubernatorial run in 2010, but facing lagging poll numbers, Chavez is desperately trying to reinvent himself to appeal to Democratic primary voters around the state.

Hollow posturing of this sort is exactly what turns off young voters, who are a growing force to be reckoned with. After years of lagging participation, their turnout surged in the last two elections. Young voters demand honesty and authenticity from those who would presume to lead us. That's bad news for Martin Chavez and his big bamboozle.

Editor's Note: [all emphasis above mine] This is a guest blog by Keegan King, co-director of Young Voters NM. It was originally published as an op-ed in Albuquerque's alibi weekly. Guest blogs provide readers with an opportunity to express their opinions on issues of the day, and may or may not express our views. 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.

July 30, 2007 at 10:16 AM in Candidates & Races, Economy, Populism, Energy, Environment, Ethics & Campaign Reform, Guest Blogger, Local Politics, Youth | Permalink | Comments (10)

Friday, July 27, 2007

Must See TV Tonight on NOW: Repub Plan to Disqualify Dem Voters in NM, Other Battleground States

Tonight, July 27, 2007 at 8:00 PM Mountain Time on PBS' NOW on KNME: How Secure Is Your Right to Vote? Those interviewed include investigative journalist Greg Palast, who has done extensive work on the issue in New Mexico and elsewhere. (Check local listings.) NOW investigates a secret Republican plan designed to disqualify voters by various means including voter caging:

Was there a White House plot to illegally suppress votes in 2004? Is there a similar plan for the upcoming elections? NOW examines documents and evidence pointing to a Republican Party plan designed to keep Democrats from voting, by targeting people based on their race and ethnicity. Congress is investigating, and so are we. NOW speaks with David Iglesias, one of eight fired US attorneys, who says he lost his job because he refused to go along with the White House plan to suppress votes.

Was the White House involved? David Iglesias, one of the fired U.S. Attorneys, thinks so: "It's reprehensible. It's unethical, it's unlawful. It may very well be criminal." Iglesias told NOW he was repeatedly urged by his superiors at the Justice Department to investigate allegations of false voter registrations. After his investigations came up short, Iglesias said Republican officials got angry, complained to White House aide Karl Rove. Soon after Iglesias lost his job. As a result of allegations by Iglesias and others, Congress is investigating whether the White House acted unlawfully.

The NOW website also reveals key emails and documents covered in their investigation and also features an extended interview with David Iglesias, as well as one with another fired U.S. Attorney, Bud Collins. Excerpts of Iglesias interview:

NOW: It wasn't only officials at the Department of Justice who were expressing an interest in pursuing such [voter fraud] cases. You were getting requests from other individuals, correct?

DI: That's correct. In fact, there was a Republican attorney, Pat Rogers, who was a prominent local attorney who tried to pressure me to come up with cases. He would send emails to my assistant, who I had tasked with running this election fraud taskforce ... And I had lunch with Mr. Rogers last fall and he expressed his concern about what he believed to be this systemic, ongoing election fraud. I did not know at the time that he belonged to an organization called the American Center for Voting Rights. He did not disclose to me that he was representing any other interest. And I've also found out that the Republican Party was very interested in stamping out what it believed to be instances of voter fraud.

NOW: The State Republican Party or the National Republican Party?

DI: Both. But who contacted me or some of my assistants was the State Republican Party.

... NOW: In one press account you're quoted as characterizing Mr. Rogers' interest in this issue as "obsessive."

DI: Yes. I was aware of grumbling within the State Republican Party. I had friends of mine who were attorneys. One was a former federal prosecutor himself and he would tell me during the course of early 2005 through mid-2006 ... "The Republicans are still upset with you. They still expect you to prosecute cases."

So I knew there was this belief that was I intentionally not prosecuting prosecutable cases. And I knew Rogers, as a prominent Republican, who had actually represented the State Republican Party in some civil litigation related to the voter ID issue ... I knew he was interested in the issue. And then I was also aware of the emails and phone calls he had been leaving with my assistant, who I had tasked with prosecuting this. So I knew there was a tremendous amount of dissatisfaction of me not prosecuting any cases.

What I believed, however, was consistent with historic practice—that the Justice Department would insulate me from any partisan political pressure. As it turns out, they didn't do that. And that was one of the bases for forcing my resignation.

... NOW: Trying to use the office of a U.S. Attorney for partisan political purposes is unethical. But you're saying it is actually illegal?

DI: Right. That's why there has been such a circling of the wagons around Karl Rove and Harriet Miers and Sarah Taylor. I believe there to be incriminating, possibly criminally incriminating evidence contained in those e-mails and other memoranda. That's why the White House doesn't want to produce it to Congress.

July 27, 2007 at 02:38 PM in Candidates & Races, Crime, Election Reform & Voting, Ethics & Campaign Reform, Local Politics, Media, U.S. Attorney Iglesias | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sunday, July 15, 2007

What's Goin' On While Congress and The Commander Do the Politico Shuffle

We'll never see this on anything to do with the American mainstream media. Good thing, since so many of our dishonorable, dishonest, cold-blooded politicos think it's just fine to wait until September to get out of Iraq, or maybe next year, or perhaps 2009, or even decades down the road. Or is it widening and eternal war that's on our horizon? We wouldn't want the media to show the American people what's really happening on the ground in Iraq. They'd be even madder than they are today. Not that it matters much to those in power and those who allow them to stay in power.

What we've got is one political party full of pseudo-power and oil addicts and another political party too full of enablers and go-alongs. I mean, they don't even make adjustments in response to poll results anymore, except maybe in terms of their half-hearted rhetoric. Most of our political "leaders" and "representatives" seem to be residing in a bubble, apart from the passions of the people and the suffering they are prolonging. Lip service is the order of the day.

But then, you all know that. What needs to be found is some way to stop them on their unrelenting descent into unconstitutional and unconscionable madness in almost every area of endeavor, from foreign policy to health care to the environement to the economy and beyond. So much is broken, but widespread denial brings only paralysis and business as usual attitudes. Out here, we're sensing and often experiencing real emergencies and a profound sense of foreboding. But inside the privileged status quo it's still the same as it ever was -- sloganeering and posturing seems enough. When will the bubble break? And what will happen then? So much depends on us, yet many of us have rarely felt so helpless. And time is running out. What can we do?

July 15, 2007 at 11:48 AM in Candidates & Races, Current Affairs, Democratic Party, Iran, Iraq War | Permalink | Comments (3)

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Heinrich, McCamley in Top 20 House Race Fundraisers on ActBlue

State	CD	Candidate	Raised on Actblue	Contributors
CO	2	Jared Polis	$128,216	266
MA	5	Niki Tsongas	$118,887	341
MA	5	Jamie Eldridge	$102,420	570
ME	1	Chellie Pingree	$97,000	210
IL	10	Dan Seals	$68,073	218
CA	26	Russ Warner	$66,946	199
MO	6	Kay Barnes	$58,859	82
AZ	3	Bob Lord	$55,705	145
TX	10	Dan Grant	$54,150	132
NY	26	Jon Powers	$48,375	217
NY	29	Eric Massa	$48,255	423
CA	4	Charlie Brown	$45,738	943
FL	8	Mike Smith	$42,820	62
NM	1	Martin Heinrich	$35,149	172
MD	4	Donna Edwards	$34,260	522
NC	8	Larry Kissell	$30,687	265
CT	4	Jim Himes	$25,813	48
MT	AL	Bill Kennedy	$17,366	67
MA	5	Barry Finegold	$16,250	16
NM	2	Bill McCamley	$13,930	47

Chart by SwingStateProject.com. (h/t )

Two Democratic candidates for U.S. House seats -- Martin Heinrich, running in NM-01 for a chance to challenge incumbent Heather Wilson, and Bill McCamley, running in NM-02 for a chance to challenge incumbent Steve Pearce -- are in the top 20 for funds raised for 2008 Congressional campaigns at national online netroots website ActBlue. Second quarter fundraising ended yesterday at midnight.

As you can see on the chart, ActBlue Heinrich donations rank 14th with $35,149 from 172 online donors, including $800 raised this quarter at the Democracy for New Mexico Netroots page dedicated to his campaign. Las Cruces candidate McCamley, with a 20th place finish this quarter on ActBlue, raised $13,930 from 47 internet donors. THANKS TO ALL WHO DONATED!

Considering the hundreds of races at play around the country, and how early we are in the 2008 election cycle, these are impressive numbers indeed. Moreover, most of the other candidates on the top 20 list are from states with much larger and more affluent populations. Clearly, many New Mexico grassroots Dems are excited about these candidates and are willing to put some dollars on the line to help jumpstart their campaigns.

Official campaign reports on fundraising totals from all sources will be available by mid-July. Let's hope the off-line donations are as impressive at this stage of the game as those made via ActBlue.

ActBlue just celebrated its 3rd anniversary on the web. A total of $24,767,583 has been raised online via ActBlue since 2004!

July 1, 2007 at 11:11 AM in Candidates & Races, Democratic Party, NM-01 Congressional Seat 2008, NM-02 Congressional Race 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Support NM Sen. Feldman at 6/14 Fundraiser

She's Been There For You ... Be There For Her:
Fundraiser for Senator Dede Feldman
Thursday, June 14, 2007 • 5:30-7:30 PM
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Chaco I • 2401 12th St. NW
Hors d’oeuvres • Tim Zannes Jazz Quartet •
Drinks • Gallery Gazing
Click for (pdf) for more info
Suggested Contribution: $100
RSVP to 243-1850

June 12, 2007 at 11:53 AM in Candidates & Races | Permalink | Comments (0)

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