Democracy for New Mexico

Eric Griego & Tim Keller at Meetup Last Nite: How We Can Achieve Reforms

District 14 State Senate candidate Eric Griego speaks at DFA-DFNM Meetup

District 17 State Senate candidate Tim Keller addresses the group

In addition to a top-notch presentation on voter demographics and GOTV by Jennifer Ford of America Votes at last night's Albuquerque DFA-DFNM Meetup, the group heard from Eric Griego and Tim Keller. Eric and Tim are both passionate and engaging Dems who are challenging Dem incumbents in State Senate primary races set for June 3, 2008.

Eric Griego on the importance of electing Dems to the Legislature who will support a reform agenda

Both Griego and Keller stressed their strong commitment to needed reforms related to ethics, campaign finance, health care, education and a living wage. They explained how crucial it is for those who advocate change to band together and work hard to replace legislators more interested in protecting the status quo than reforming a broken system. Only grassroots action and determination can elect Democrats who will work on behalf of the people instead of the monied special interests. Whether or not we live in a given candidate's district, we can volunteer, make a small donation and help get the word out to support their campaigns. If they win, we'll all benefit -- not just constituents in their districts.

Griego on how we achieved public financing in Albuquerque and how he'll make ethics and campaign finance reform top priorities in the legislature

It seems clear that until we can get big money from big donors out of the election system, it will remain difficult to enact much-needed legislation on things like universal health care and a true living wage. Strong citizen support won't necessarily translate into the passage of popular measures unless we elect more Democrats who are willing to work hard to first get ethics and campaign finance reform signed into law.

If we consider ourselves to be grassroots activists, we must do more than read the blogs and go to meetings. To get people-powered candidates elected, we have to do our part. Do it now:

Visit the campaign websites of these two candidates to get actively involved in their races:

• Eric Griego, who's running in Senate District 14
• Tim Keller, whos' running in Senate District 17

To see our previous coverage on 2008 New Mexico legislative races, visit our archive. Photos and video by M.E. Broderick. Sorry the video clips aren't of better quality. We need to get a real video camera!

Join Us at the ABQ DFA-DFNM Meetup Tonight

Our regular monthly Albuquerque DFA-DFNM Meetup will be held tonight, December 6th, at 7:00 PM at the First Unitarian Church Social Hall on the SW corner of Carlisle and Comanche. You can joint the group and/or RSVP here. This is our last Meetup of 2007, and we encourage you to join us for a full agenda and a holiday munch and mingle afterwards with cookies, chips and dip and other treats:

MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, Dem candidate for Congress in NM-01, will discuss her candidacy and answer your questions.

We'll also hear from GEORGE KRAHE, representing Martin Heinrich for Congress, and meet new Family Court Judge ELIZABETH WHITEFIELD.

BILL and ANNE KASS will give what should be a very compelling Power Point presentation about their recent trip to VENEZUELA. Talk about perfect timing, with news about the Venezuelan election results all over the media.

IMPORTANT: TERRY RILEY will bring the Democratic Party of New Mexico's KICKING DONKEY FLOAT to Meetup, decorated with holiday lights. He'll be gathering clothing, food, personal items and monetary donations for the Veterans Reintegration Center project organized by the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County, so bring your donations to the meeting if you're attending. Our Dem County Chair Ana Canales asked me to encourage you to donate holiday wrapping paper and tape so the presents to the Vet Center can be wrapped. You can read more about the Party's vet center donation project here. See below for a list of other items you can donate to the cause.

DONATION ITEMS NEEDED FOR VET REINTEGRATION CENTER

• Personal toiletries: deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, lotions, toothbrushes, combs, shaving lotion, razors, etc.
• Towels: new or gently used please!! We would like one bath towel, one hand towel, and 2 wash clothes per person in each box.
• Socks, slipper socks, and underwear- various sizes and types will be fine.
• Gloves and caps- one size fits all will be best.
• Sweatshirts, sweaters, and/or flannel shirts, various sizes.
• Stationery, first-class stamps, envelopes, and long-distance phone cards.
• Home-made cookies, brownies, etc. No store bought!!
• Copier-paper boxes to pack gifts in. (This will make all gifts uniform size)

DONATED CASH WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE COATS FOR THE MOST NEEDY RESIDENTS.

Other Ways to Donate
You can also bring donations for the Veterans Integration Center to Dem Party HQ at 1301 San Pedro NE, on weekdays before 12/20 from 9AM - 5PM, or to the County Party's Third Thursday Meeting and potluck at 6:00 PM on December 20 at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Hall at 510 San Pedro SE. All are welcome!

Register Now for Sicko-Health Security Act House Party

Jason Call, who's running for Congress as a Dem in NM-01, is organizing a house party in support of the New Mexico Health Security Act on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 7:00 PM at his house in Albuquerque's NE Heights. Those gathered will view Michael Moore's movie SiCKO and discuss strategies to get the Health Security Act passed in the State Legislature in the next session. To learn more or RSVP, visit this DFA Link page. For more info on Call's campaign visit his website at Call4Democracy.org

DFA Presidential Pulse Poll: Bill Richardson

Democracy for America is running a Presidential Pulse Poll and each of the Dem candidates has been invited to submit a message explaining why they should get our vote. Gov. Bill Richardson is the latest to distribute a message:

I know you've already received a couple of emails from other candidates, asking for your vote in the Presidential Pulse Poll.  They have given you what you usually get from candidates: long lists of strong policy statements and broad political philosophies.

You've seen my DFA videos on energy and Iraq, and you can visit my website for my plans on health care, education, and other important issues. But today I want to talk to you about the issue that matters most in this race:

Ending the war in Iraq.

You know where I stand: end this war now and get all our troops out as quickly as possible. If you're with me and want this war over now and all the troops out, please cast your vote for me, Bill Richardson, in the DFA Presidential Pulse Poll:

https://DemocracyforAmerica.com/VoteRichardson

Ending the war was the defining issue in 2003, when Governor Dean called for an end to the war - before President Bush spent four more years wasting billions of dollars, and hundreds more brave American troops died.

Iraq was the issue that really mattered in 2006, when we elected a Democratic majority to Congress to end the war (though they have yet to get that done). Iraq will be the issue this spring when we select a nominee, and it will be the issue that can win us back the White House in 2008.

Ending the war is the issue that distinguishes me from the other candidates in this race.

It seems simple - yet I am the only leading candidate who is unequivocally calling for the removal of all troops now. No half-measures. No rhetorical games about "combat troops" versus "non-combat troops." No residual troops. No one left behind.

https://DemocracyforAmerica.com/VoteRichardson

From the other leading candidates we're hearing poll-tested pieties about ending the war. But when you ask them what they'll actually do, none of them will commit to getting all of our troops out of Iraq now. They won't even commit to getting all the troops out by 2013. I've committed to ending the war my first day in office, and getting all the troops out in 2009. You can hold me to it.

If we don't elect a candidate who will get all of our troops out now, the war in Iraq may still be the defining issue in the 2012 campaign.

Your vote in the Pulse Poll does more than just determine an endorsement; it sends a message about what you demand from your candidates.

Today, I'd like you to send a message about ending this war when you cast your vote.

https://DemocracyforAmerica.com/VoteRichardson

Ending the war means a full and complete withdrawal. That's what America needs... and it's what I'll do.

Before I was Governor of New Mexico, I was a member of Congress, Secretary of Energy, and Ambassador to the United Nations. I've successfully negotiated with the worst "bad guys" from around the world -- including Saddam Hussein.  I know the region, and I know real diplomacy isn't possible until we get all of our troops out. As long as our troops are in Iraq, the Iraqis will not make the tough political compromises and the insurgents will continue to use our presence for recruitment. As long as our troops are in Iraq, they will continue to die in someone else's civil war.

I'm talking about Iraq and ending this war everywhere I visit - with DFA support and volunteers behind me, think of how far we can go. Vote now.

https://DemocracyforAmerica.com/VoteRichardson

We need to end this war now. That means getting all of our troops out. I'm the candidate committed to getting it done, and the only candidate with the experience to do it right.

Thank you for your vote in the Presidential Pulse Poll, and your continued hard work helping to elect Democrats.

Sincerely,
Governor Bill Richardson

Note from DFA: All Candidates have been asked to submit a "Vote for Me" message for DFA members. This message is not an endorsement by DFA. We provide this direct contact from the campaign as a service for our members when choosing whom to support in the final DFA Presidential Pulse Poll.

If you've already voted in the Pulse Poll, you can vote again and it will replace your previous vote.

Bring Back Air America to El Paso

Please sign and share. Our goal is to gather to gather 1,500 signatures. The petition will go to Entravision General Manager, David Candeleria, and the Santa Monica home office.

Amy Dalzell, Volunteer Coordinator
Democracia para la Frontera

DFA Offers Free Online Precinct Organizing Training

From Democracy for America: In 1960, John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon by an average of one vote per precinct. Forty years later, George W. Bush was declared the president by an even smaller margin of votes in Florida. Because organizing your own neighborhood can have such national implications, DFA's Night School is focusing the entire month of September on how you can change history by simply talking to the voters in your own neighborhood.

Precinct Organizing: Getting Started
Tuesday, September 11 -- 6:30 PM Mountain
RSVP: www.dfalink.com/precinctorganizing

This is where the 50 State Strategy meets your neighborhood. There are over 203,000 precincts in America and the vast majority of them have never been organized. Neighborhoods that have active precinct programs consistently perform better than unorganized ones. This is something that anyone, anywhere can do. Not only will you increase Democratic voter registration and turnout in every election, but you'll also help build and shape your local Democratic party. If you want to improve the performance of your local party, this Night School Semester is for you:

Precinct Organizing: Getting Started
Tuesday, September 11 -- 6:30 PM Mountain
RSVP: www.dfalink.com/precinctorganizing

This is only the beginning. Every Tuesday Night this month DFA Night School will cover a different aspect of precinct organizing during a free conference call you can join from the convenience of your own home. The call is accompanied by a slideshow that you can download or view in your web browser while on the call. Just RSVP today to get the free conference call number and be ready next Tuesday, September 11.

Join us all this month as we work on implementing a 203,000 precinct strategy.

Arshad Hasan, DFA Training Director

P.S. Our 2007 Summer Semester on Fundraising is now available on DVD:

https://contribute.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool

Every purchase helps DFA keep Night School free and open to everyone. Get yours today!

DFA Offers Free Night School Direct from YearlyKos to Your Computer

From Democracy for America:
Democracy for American folks will be in Chicago for YearlyKos, the annual bloggers' conference. I know that not everyone can take off the weekend, so I talked to some of the event organizers and to some of the country's top political bloggers. Together we figured out a way to bring you the energy and excitement of the conference to you in the comfort of your own home – DFA Night School!

Building an Open Progressive Community
Thursday, August 2nd, 4:30-5:30pm Mountain Daylight Time
RSVP: https://www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=22051

That's right, even if you aren't going to be in Chicago, you can attend without having to make the trip or paying a dime. We're excited to announce that DFA Night School will be taking place live from YearlyKos this Thursday at 4:30 PM Mountain Daylight Time. Chris Bowers from www.openleft.com and Katrina Baker from Living Liberally will join us as we learn how to Build an Open Progressive Community.

You and I both know that the Internet has fundamentally changed how people engage in the political process. This Thursday we'll focus on how you can use online tools to build up a progressive community in your area. The session focuses on using online tools and offline actions, locally, to build an open progressive community. Then we'll show you how to leverage that community to engage your local Democratic Party, making it more active and responsive to progressive values.

This special DFA Night School event will be brought to you live from the YearlyKos convention hall, so it should prove to be an exciting, unique experience. Join us as DFA brings YearlyKos to you.

Night School is DFA's no-cost online training program. After you sign up, you will receive the information for our nationwide toll free conference call. The presentation includes a slideshow you can view in your browser or download and print out beforehand. Join us as DFA brings YearlyKos to your living room.

Arshad Hasan, Training Director
Democracy for America

P.S. If you enjoyed the last Night School sessions on fundraising, the DVD version is now available!

https://contribute.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool

Every purchase helps us continue to keep Night School free for everyone. I'm always looking to be innovative in our training program, and your support allows me to continue to trainings online and in person. Order your DVD today!

YearlyKos

I'm headed to YearlyKos at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, so things may be a bit slow around here for awhile. I set up some auto-posts and I'll try to check in when I can, but no guarantees. There's so much going on at the convention that I think down time and web time will be hard to muster. Very exciting.

Lots of sources will be covering the gathering so you can follow things right from your couch or computer. A YearlyKos follow it at home page will have frequently updated links to all the coverage they know about. Both CSPAN and CNN plan TV and web video coverage -- no details yet. Talking Points Memo will have something called TPMtv with interviews and live coverage. So will PoliticsTV and UstreamTV online. No doubt participants will be uploading stuff to YouTube and flickr. And I'm sure just about every progressive blog will be on the story to some extent.

There are a multitude of panel discussions, workshops, roundtables and film screenings, which you can browse in the convention schedule. Major events, official and unofficial, include (all times Central Daylight Time):

Wednesday, August 1

• Evening: Various receptions and parties
• 8-9:30 PM: DFA Health Care Forum with Jim Dean, health care advocates and experts

Thursday, August 2

• All day: Interest group and blogger caucuses, panels, workshops, roundtables, films
• 7-9 PM: Kickoff keynote speech by DNC Chair Howard Dean, with welcomes from Markos and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)
• 9-10 PM: DFA Grassroots Victory Caucus

Friday, August 3

• All day: roundtables, panel discussions, workshops, films
• 8-9 AM: Keynote speech by Wesley Clark
• Luncheon speech by Andy Stern of SEIU
• 5:30-7:30 PM: Netroots Candidate Celebration (one of the cosponsors is Don Wiviott, Dem candidate for NM Senate)

Saturday, August 4

• All day: roundtables, panel discussions, workshops, films
• 8-9AM: Ask the Leaders Forum with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Harry Reid, Sen. Chuck Schumer, Rep. Rahm Emanuel
• 1-2:45 PM: Presidential Candidate Forum with Bill Richardson, John Edwards, Barak Obama, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, Mike Gravel
• 3-3:45 PM: Individual breakout sessions with presidential candidates
• 4:30-6:30 PM: Teamsters' Rally and BBQ
• 7-10 PM: Closing Keynote by Markos plus surprises

Sunday, August 5

• 11AM-1PM: Bloggers' Brunch

Other Info:

• An unbelievable list of Speakers, Panel & Workshop Leaders
• Exhibitors

Granny D Speaks

Granny D at DemocracyFest 2007. Photo by .

You may remember Doris "Granny D" Haddock as the always eloquent and passionate activist who literally walked across America in 1999-2000 to advocate for campaign finance reform, and who coordinated numerous actions that helped gain passage of the McCain-Feingold reform bill two years later. In 2003 and 2004, she traveled 23,000 miles to encourage voter registration in poor neighborhoods in swing states. She also ran for the Senate in 2004, when no other Democrat challenged NH Repub Judd Gregg. Her activism continues. The now 97-year-old New Hampshire resident is still working to get pay-for-play money out of our election process, but she also has some noteworthy things to say these days about other issues, including immigration, agri-gangsters and "free" traders.

Granny D spoke recently about these issues at DemocracyFest, an annual grassroots conference organized by volunteers allied with Democracy for America, which was held in New Hampshire this year. Democracy for New Hampshire, one of the main sponsors of this year's Fest, provided the following transcript of her speech. Someone should tell Granny to stop making sense. She exposes the cowardice and corruption of all the bought-off politicos of both parties. How dare she!

Granny D's comments from Democracy Fest:
Thank you. It is normally expected that, when given an opportunity to speak, I will talk about campaign finance reform and, more specifically, about the public financing of campaigns as a way of cutting the threads of the big-money puppet show in Washington and in Concord.

But today I would like to talk about unauthorized immigration.

Of course, unauthorized immigration has nothing to do with the big money corruption of our political system. It is just a matter of people in poor countries trying their best to find their way to better opportunities in the north for their families.

It seems to be a big issue with our Republican candidates, as they are well-known to be the law and order party. That, after all, is why they are demanding that Scooter Libby pay the full price for his perjuries and obstructions of justice. They are the law and order party, with the normal exceptions of the Geneva Convention and the U.S. Constitution, especially its Bill of Rights. But we know what they mean: When they say they are for law and order, they are talking mostly about keeping down the uppity poor folk. They are certainly not talking about the big corporations, hotel companies, agribusiness giants, retailers who employ millions of unauthorized immigrants but who make up for that sin with large campaign donations.

But I do not come to talk about corrupting campaign donations and the need for public campaign financing. I come to talk of unauthorized immigration and a little about corn and something about tortillas. I call it unauthorized immigration, not illegal, because I don't want to use words that confuse Republicans.

In saying that the Republican candidates are more interested in the immigration issue, I do not mean to imply that it is less important for any of us.

If you will look around the check-out lines at the grocery stores and notice the widening measurements of our fellow citizens –we can hardly get through the aisles any more. We can certainly see for ourselves the problem of having too much cheap labor around to do all our yardwork and housework for us. By my calculations, the roughly 3 billion pounds of extra weight now being carried on the hips of working-age American citizens is roughly equivalent to the combined weight of the unauthorized immigrants now in our communities. The math is clear and persuasive. Cheap labor is bad for every…body.

But why are so many people risking their lives to come into our country now? When did this big rush begin?

It began when Mr. Clinton approved NAFTA – the North American Free Trade Agreement, and when he militarized our southern border at the same time. Prior to these combined actions, families crossed the border very commonly, especially during harvest seasons. After harvest, they would go home to Mexico or Central America because that's where they lived with their families in quite happy communities.

When the border was militarized, it became to risky to go back and forth. So they stayed.

Why did Mr. Clinton militarize the border? He did so because NAFTA was about to pull out the rug from under Mexico's small family farms. We flooded Mexico with cheap corn--exports that we subsidize to the tune of some $25 billion dollars a year by Congress to a handful of agribusiness giants. Of course, I am not here to tell you why Congress does that, and what might be done to stop it. But they do it, and Mexican family farmers cannot compete. In the years since NAFTA was signed, half of Mexico's small farms have failed. The only kind of farming that can now compete in Mexico is big agribusiness, which does not employ many people. Tortillas in Mexico now contain two-thirds imported corn, and they are three times as expensive at retail level than before NAFTA. The people have less money, and the cost of food is rising. We have done that. Our precious Senators and Congressmen and their corporate cronies have done that raw and cruel exploitation in our names.

The result of undermining Mexican farms, as Clinton expected, was a rising flood of poor people moving from rural areas into Mexico's big cities, which have become so poor and overcrowded that all one can do is dream of going north across the border.

Now, if any Democratic candidates for President would like to show a little courage and intelligence, let them address the real cause of our flood of unauthorized immigrants. Will Mrs. Clinton or Mr. Obama or Mr. Edwards or any of the other candidates face down the agri-gangsters that are behind this problem? Probably they will not, so long as Iowa has a major primary.

Let me say that I am not ranting and raving about these new Americans. When Mexico owned Texas and everything west, and when they cut off migration across their borders, our people kept coming –crossing illegally in search of opportunities for their families. When Mexico got upset by this, we trumped-up false reasons for a war, and we illegally took those lands. So let's not stand on any moral high ground.

The people coming across the border today, with the usual exceptions, are family people with an incredible work ethic. Personally, I welcome them. I congratulate them for their courage and their dedication to their families. I want them to stay and become citizens, or, if some prefer, to return to their homeland at a time when there is international justice and a decent chance for their prosperity at home.

I regret what the political corruption of our system has done to their farms and their communities back home. It is not the peoples' fault –it is the fault of corrupt leaders of both parties. We must speak this truth to these powerful people, even to those candidates that we otherwise admire.

So, candidates Clinton, Edwards, Obama and the rest: Do you understand the reasons why immigration numbers are growing? Are you smart enough to understand the situation? Are you brave enough to do something--to even say something--about it? Or is the truth too big for you?

I ask you all to be good citizens and good Democrats. And that means to ask the toughest questions so that the interests of the people –the people of our nation and of the world –will be served. Isn't that what we're here for?

And do you see why I do not need to harp on campaign finance reform, to cut the strings of the puppet show in Washington and in Concord that allows these cruelties to continue? I didn't have to say a word about that, because you understand it. You understand what must be done.

Thank you.

This transcript was distributed by:
Nancy Tobi, Co-Founder, Democracy For New Hampshire
Chair, Fair Elections Committee
Legislative Coordinator, Election Defense Alliance
nancy.tobi@gmail.com
www.DemocracyForNewHampshire.com

Editor's Note: You can read many other speeches by Granny D here, or check out her book, ""Granny D: You're Never Too Old to Raise a Little Hell," and how to get it here. Read our previous posts on Granny D:

• Listen to Your Granny, 8.21.04
• Granny D Hospitalized, 2.6.05

Impeach Gonzales Part 2

A second short video from Brave New Films and Democracy for America. Psst ... do something. If you haven't yet signed the petition, now's the time. Visit ImpeachGonzales.com. Here's a link to an ad (pdf) that Democracy for America is running in select newspapers, including today's edition of The Hill and this week's New York Observer, and ads later this week in the Detroit Metro Times and Los Angeles Daily News. Click to donate to DFA to help them pay for their ad campaign. Pass it on.

The second phase of the Impeach Gonzales Campaign comes at time when the movement against Gonzales is building from the grassroots and as former allies like the League of United Latin American Citizens and La Raza distance themselves from him.

"Americans around the country are standing up to voice opposition to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and his politicization of the Department of Justice," said Democracy for America Chair Jim Dean. "Our message is clear: Impeach Gonzales."

"President Bush will not fire the Attorney General, but the American people can call for his Impeachment," said Filmmaker Robert Greenwald who directed the Impeach Gonzalez video. "The video shows Gonzales has no respect for the truth, for the rules of Congress and for the people of this country. How can he lead our U.S. Justice Department?"

The petition on the website will be sent to all members of the House Judiciary committee, who can begin the impeachment process as outlined in Article II of the U.S. Constitution. This massive impeachment call comes at a time when leaders in both houses are calling for No Confidence Votes against the Attorney General.

Founded by Governor Howard Dean in 2004, Democracy for America is a political action committee dedicated to campaign training, grassroots activism and supporting progressive candidates with a backbone at all levels of government - from the School Board to the Presidency. Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films uses film and viral video to create social change.