Democracy for New Mexico

ACLU Attorney to Discuss Patriot Act at Tonight's County Dem Meeting

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF BERNALILLO COUNTY
THIRD THURSDAY MEETING
UNM LAW SCHOOL, ROOM 2401
1117 STANFORD DR. NE, ABQ
JANUARY 19, 6 PM.  ALL ARE INVITED.
Click for map

The Third Thursday Meeting of the DPBC will feature George Bach, Staff Attorney, ACLU of New Mexico, who will discuss the Patriot Act in a talk entitled, “Safe and Free? An Update on the USA Patriot Act.”

Sign Up for Minimum Wage Lobby Day

From ACORN New Mexico:
The Governor has taken a brave stance for $7.50, but we still have a lot to fight for:

• No preemption of cities’ right to pass higher wages
• Indexing to the cost of living
• Quicker implementation. Under the Governor’s phase-in, we would get to $7.50 in 2009 when the wage will be worth $6.60 in today’s dollars.

Tuesday, January 31, get on the bus, and join us for lobbying, lunch, and a rally!

10:30 AM  Brief Rally on the Capitol’s West steps and break into district delegations for lobbying.

12:00 AM  Rally in the Rotunda

1:00 AM  Box lunch provided at the capitol

2:00 PM  Early departure or continued lobbying at the capitol

From Albuquerque: bus leaves at 9:00 AM from the ACORN office at 411 Bellamah NW, map

From Las Cruces & Carlsbad: buses and vans leave the afternoon of January 30. Overnight stay in Santa Fe, dinner, and lobby training provided Monday night, as well as return transportation Tuesday afternoon.

From Grants: car or van departing Tuesday morning, 8:00 AM

Everywhere Else: If you want to come, let us know, and we will help you get there.

Santa Feans: Please let us know if you want a box lunch on Tuesday.

To reserve a spot on the bus, reserve a lunch, sign up for lobbying on the 31st, or to get more information, email Matthew Henderson at nmacorn@acorn.org, or call 242-7411.

Editor's Note: For background on this issue see our previous post or visit the website of New Mexicans for a Fair Wage.

Local MoveOn Petition Drive to Focus on Government Corruption

Editor's Note: Here's an important message from Garrett Monaghan, MoveOn's Operation Democracy Field Organizer in Albuquerque. Many of you met Garrett at our last DFA-DFNM Meetup in Albuquerque. Let's get behind this effort on the crucial issue of corruption in government.

Hi everybody!
MoveOn is going to be putting on a very large petition drive towards the end of this month, asking members of Congress to take a strong stance against the corruption that has been plaguing our government. We're going to be doing some good old-fashioned street petitioning for this event, and we'd love the help of anyone who feels like helping us out. We'll be setting up shop in public areas with lots of foot traffic, and we'll have volunteers with clipboards asking passersby to sign on.

All MoveOn members should be getting an e-mail by the end of the day with a link where you can sign up to come out and lend a hand.  If you're not a registered MoveOn member but you'd still like to help us out, please contact me with the information below.

Garrett Rand Monaghan
Operation Democracy Field Organizer
MoveOn.Org Political Action
330-412-3357
Garrett.Monaghan@operationdemocracy.org

A First for NM: Governor Richardson's State of the State Address to be Simulcast on Web

2:00 PM UPDATE: I don't see the video download on the site yet, but here's a link to a pdf of the text version of the State of the State.

Webcast of the State of the State Address
Approximately 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM Start Time
Tuesday, Jan 17th

If you can't make it to Santa Fe to see the Governor's State of the State speech, hit the link below to see the live webcast. This is the first time a State of the State Address will be streamed live. After the speech, you'll be able to download video or audio of the address at the same site.

To access today's address, log onto https://www.governor.state.nm.us and follow the link for the live broadcast.

To track bills or contact your legislator, visit the website of the New Mexico Legislature.

You're Invited: An ABQ Evening With Rep. Tom Udall

From Dory Shonagon:

AN EVENING WITH
CONGRESSMAN TOM UDALL
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2006
5:30 PM SHARP
At Dory Shonagon's Apt. Complex
Clubhouse at Valle Grande Apts.
8401 Spain Road, Albuquerque. Directions below.

This is a chance for all Bernalillo County progressive Democrats to come and meet a strong, hard working progressive Democrat and elected official. Tom Udall has carried the ball for us for years in Congress as the Representative for Congressional District 3 in Northern New Mexico. You can check his excellent voting record here. Come and hear him speak to us about issues in Congress and get a chance to ask questions of him as well.  All Democrats and independents of good will are welcome.

Martin Heinrich, City Councilor and City Council President, will introduce Congressman Udall.

This event starts promptly at 5:30 PM. Please come on time. Light refreshments will be served.

Directions:

Dory's Shonagon's apartment complex is Valle Grande Apts., 8401 Spain Road at Wyoming in Albuquerque. Event is at the CLUBHOUSE. From Wyoming and Montgomery, go north on Wyoming, past Osuna and the next light is Spain. Right on Spain Rd. Valle Grande is at that intersection. Turn left into the complex. DRIVE STRAIGHT BACK as far as you can go into the complex. At that point you will see the Clubhouse on your right (swimming pool outside, etc). Come on in.

HOST is Dory Shonagon, email:  dshonagon@earthlink.net, 480-1848, if you have questions before the event.

Dory is also hosting this event:

OPENING DAY AT THE NM LEGISLATURE
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2006
MEET DORY IN SANTA FE AT 9 AM
ROUNDHOUSE INFO BOOTH
We will be taking a tour of the Roundhouse and talking about the process of the legislature, how it works, where to go, how to be a citizen lobbyist, etc. The Governor gives the State of the State address around Noon. Please call if you want a ride up to Santa Fe or can provide a ride to visit the first day of the Legislature.

PACE New Mexico and Others to Join NM Voters' Lawsuit

From Voter Action:

What: PACE New Mexico and others join the Lopategui vs. Vigil-Giron lawsuit. Santiago Juarez, Executive Director of PACE New Mexico and other community leaders to speak. Attorneys to plaintiffs respond to the Governor’s election reform initiative.

When: Thursday, January 12, 2006, 1:30 PM
Where: The Rotunda - New Mexico State Capitol Building

January 11, 2006, Santa Fe- Six plaintiffs are to be added to the Lopategui vs. Vigil-Giron lawsuit in a motion to amend the complaint to be filed January 12, 2006. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin use of electronic voting systems responsible for inaccurate and unverifiable results in the last election and before. The new plaintiffs are PACE New Mexico, Voter Action New Mexico, Linda Yardley from Taos Pueblo, Joyce Bartley of Albuquerque, Marilyn Ernest of Las Vegas, and Michael Withnall, also of Las Vegas. Mr. Withnall is legally blind and joined the lawsuit due to his desire for equal access to verifiable voting. “As a visually impaired voter, I have always had difficulty with voting and am strongly in favor of paper ballots that voters like myself can mark and verify with a voter assist device. Only paper ballots are truly verifiable and auditable. I believe I should be entitled to the same access to verifiable voting as a non-visually impaired voter.”

PACE New Mexico - the Progressive Alliance for Community Empowerment - helped with voter registration across the state and particularly in South Albuquerque which saw high numbers of undervote rates when voters voted on electronic voting machines versus low undervotes on paper ballots form those same precincts. “We have been on the sidelines of this issue way too long. Speaking as a lawyer, the evidence is overwhelming that something is awry. We cannot justify our presence in the community requesting democratic response if we cannot assure them and ourselves that our votes will be counted in a way that is accurate and verifiable.” said Santiago Juarez, Executive Director of  PACE.

For more information:
Holly Jacobson / Voter Action 206 769 7185
Santiago Juarez / NM PACE 505 927 2734

Voter Action is a project of the International Humanities Center

ACTION ALERT: Hearing Set on NM Voters' Lawsuit

From Voter Action:

WHAT:  New Mexico District Court Hearing on defendants' motions to dismiss the complaint in Patricia Rosas Lopategui, et al. v. Rebecca Vigil-Giron, et al.

WHEN:  Wednesday, January 18, 2006, 2:00 PM

WHERE:  San Miguel County Courthouse, Suite 203, 500 West National, Las Vegas, NM

BACKGROUND:  In Lopategui v. Vigil-Giron, a diverse group of New Mexico voters seeks a permanent injunction against use of inaccurate and unreliable touchscreen voting machines that lack an auditable and voter verifiable paper ballot.  The defendants are the Secretary of State and 11 county clerks, all sued in their official capacities.  The lawsuit was filed in January, 2005.  In December, 2005, plaintiffs also filed a motion seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the Secretary of State from buying over 800 more of these machines, as she had planned to do that month.  The Secretary of State has agreed not to make the purchases, pending the court's decision on the motion for preliminary injunction.

PURPOSE OF COURT HEARING:  At the hearing on January 18th, Judge Eugenio Mathis will hear oral arguments on whether to grant motions filed by the defendants, asking the court to dismiss the complaint.  Plaintiffs will ask the court to deny the motions and allow them to continue with the discovery of evidence and preparations for trial.  If the court denies the motions to dismiss, attorneys for the plaintiffs and for the Secretary of State will ask the court to set a schedule for deciding plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction to block purchase of more touch screen voting machines.

This important hearing is open to members of the public, who are invited to attend. For questions or transportation / carpooling information email info@voteraction.org or call 505 823 6362.

Voter Action is a project of the International Humanities Center

SWOP's 25th Anniversary History Celebration on KUNM 89.9 Tonight

Espejos de Aztlan, a production of the Raices Collective at KUNM, will be airing a special live radio show on the Southwest Organizing Project's (SWOP's) 25 years of social justice tonight, Monday, January 9, 2006 at 7:00 PM on 89.9 KUNM here in New Mexico. The broadcast can also be found streaming live on the net for folks outside the broadcast area at www.kunm.org/listen.

The program takes place in anticipation of the organization's 25th Anniversary Celebration dinner and dance, scheduled for 6:30 PM on Saturday, January 21 in the Hyatt Regency in downtown Albuquerque.

Hosts Roberta Rael and Henry Gonzales will be talking to a pretty fantastic group of people:

Richard Moore, a founder and former director, and Roberto Contreras, a founder and current board member, will be discussing the founding of the organization.

Loretta Naranjo Lopez (Martinez Town), Eleanor Chavez (District 1199, former board member), Michael Guerrero (former co-director), and Gabe Lucero (Las Vegas) will be talking about building local power in local communities.

Eileen Gauna, (Southwestern Law School), Ruben Solis (Southwest Workers Union), and Pam Tau Lee (Northern California), will be on hand to discuss SWOP's role in helping to build a regional and national Environmental Justice Movement.

Teresa Cordova (Bern. Co. Commissioner), Eric Schmieder (Duranes, ABQ) and Steve Viederman (formerly with Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation), will have a discussion about SWOP's corporate accountability campaigns.

Fernando Abeyta (ABQ), Rosina Roybal (Jovenes Unidos Coordinator) and Celia Fraire (ABQ) will talk about SWOP's youth organizing work.

Robby Rodriguez, SWOP director, will talk about current and future SWOP work.

For more information, contact Javier Benavidez at javierbenavidez@hotmail.com.

Bingaman Campaign Kicks Off Petition Drive This Saturday

From Bingaman 2006:
The Bingaman 2006 campaign will be kicking off a series of petition drives this Saturday, January 7, and we could really use your help. This is a great opportunity to show your support for Senator Bingaman’s effective leadership for New Mexico and ensure that we get him on the ballot for the June Primary.

Please join us this Saturday as we hit the streets of Bernalillo County (organized petition drives in other counties will take place later in January) to gather signatures on what is supposed to be a beautiful and unseasonably warm day: sunny and in the low 60s.  If you have even an hour or two to spare this weekend, please come by the Bingaman 2006 Albuquerque headquarters – 1301 San Pedro NE at the DPNM offices – between 9 AM and 2 PM to pick up petition forms and receive a door-to-door walk list or location assignment. Someone will be at HQ all day, and we’ll have refreshments there for you to enjoy.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.  We hope to see you and thank you for your support!

Kara Shair-Rosenfield
Volunteer Coordinator
Bingaman 2006
Work: (505) 830-3650, x29
Cell: (617) 869-5869
kara.shair-rosenfield@bingaman2006.com

Celebrate Opening of New Campaign HQ for David Coss

From David Coss for Mayor (Santa Fe):
Join me tomorrow (Saturday 1/6) from noon to 3 PM for the celebration of the opening of our new Campaign Headquarters, in the Silver Saddle Motel, 2810 Cerrillos Road, next to Jackalope. We will have a chance to talk and get ready for the weeks ahead. You can pick up bumper stickers, sign up for yard signs, and see what other ways you can help.

I am very excited about the campaign. Next week we will be issuing the platform that many of you have helped develop over these last months. Please take time to read it, discuss it with your friends, and tell others about it.

Finally, I want to thank so many of you who have signed up as endorsers. During this last week we have added 100 endorsers. Take a look at our on-line list by clicking here. You will recognize friends, family, and neighbors.

Come by tomorrow and help us make Santa Fe a City that works for all of us - un lugar para todos.

Visit www.davidcossformayor.com
2810 Cerrillos Road, next to Jackalope
P.O. Box 6078, Santa Fe 87502
505.984.1637

Editor's Note: The DFA Meetup in Santa Fe has endorsed the candidacy of David Coss.