Democracy for New Mexico

Reminder: Upcoming Democratic Party Meetings

This list replaces any and all previous lists and was just received from the State Party this afternoon:

Bernalillo County Precinct/Ward Meetings
Monday, March 28, 2005
6:30 – 8:30 PM

South Valley Cluster -10, 12 A, 12 B, 13 A, 13 B, 14 A, 14 B
Westside Community Center
1250 Isleta Blvd. SW

West Side Cluster – 16 A, 16 B, 23 A, 23 B, 29
Taylor Ranch Community Center
4900 Kachina St. NW

North Valley Cluster – 11 A, 11 B, 11 C, 15 A, 15 B, 17 A, 17 B
Raymond Sanchez Center
9800 4th NW

Sandia Cluster: 24 A, 24 B, 27 A, 27 B, 30 A, 30 B
Sandia High School – Media Center (Library)
Pennsylvania and Candelaria

Highlands Cluster -  18 A, 18 B, 19 A, 19 B, 25 A, 25 B, 26
Plumbers Hall
510 San Pedro SE

Mountain – 22 and 22C
Tijeras Community Center

Southeast – 20A, 20B,  21A, 21B -
Operating Engineers Hall
151 Pennsylvania SE

East Central – 28A, 28B, 31A,  31B
Mascarenas Insurance Agency
11321 Central NE

Bernalillo County Central Meeting
Saturday, April 2, 2005
Check-in - 9:00 AM
Meeting Begins – 10:00 AM

State Central Committee Meeting
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Macey Center
Campus at New Mexico Tech
Socorro, NM
Check-in - 9:00 AM
Meeting Begins – 10:00 AM

Shutdown for Bush Visit

From Stop the War Machine:

Traffic Alert: Presidential Visit to close freeways and local roads, impact airport, on Monday night and Tuesday morning (3-21, 3-22)

The President will arrive in Albuquerque on Monday night. Expect short but sudden complete road closures at and around the airport and on I-25 that evening, as Air Force One arrives at the Sunport and the Presidential Motorcade goes by. He will spend the night in town, at a secure undisclosed location. Previously, the President has stayed at the Marriott North at Paseo & I-25 or the Hyatt Regency Downtown.

Tuesday morning rush hour - expect lots of road closures on the freeways and downtown (2nd St NW, 3rd St NW, Tijeras Av NW, Marquette Av NW, Dr. Martin Luther King Av NW) around the Convention Center, where the President will speak at 9:30 am.  City Buses will be on detour routes downtown. Expect I-25 (MLK to Sunport) to close later that morning for the Presidential motorcade as the President leaves Albuquerque to fly to Crawford TX. The event is for ticketholders only.

Dems & AARP Hold Social Security Events

From the Democratic Party of New Mexico's Victory Line:
If one wants to hear the real deal on Social Security, Senator Bingaman will be speaking at the University of New Mexico law school on Wednesday, March 23 at 7 PM in room 2401. 

Earlier in the week we mentioned the AARP forum in Alamogordo on Tuesday, March 22, at 1 PM at the Otero County Fairgrounds County Extension Building, and at 7 PM at the First National Bank Atrium, 414 10th St.

Congressman Udall is doing his part too with the following Social Security town-halls:

MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2005
Rio Rancho - 10:30 - 11:30 AM - Meadowlark Senior Center, 4330 Meadowlark Blvd.

Albuquerque - 7:00 - 9:00 PM - TVI's Montoya Campus Auditorium (Juan Tabo and Montgomery) Sen. Jeff Bingaman also attending

TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2005
Española - Noon - 1:00 PM - Rio Arriba Senior Center, 410 Hunter Street

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2005
Taos - 12:30 - 1:30 PM - Taos Senior Center, 601 Lovato Place

Planning Meeting Set for Social Security Protest at Bush Event

Bush will be conducting a pseudo-town hall meeting dubbed  "A Conversation on Strengthening Social Security" on Tuesday morning, March 29, at the Kiva Auditorium in the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Santiago Juarez, who heads NM PACE from Espanola and Revisioning New Mexico in Albuquerque, is coordinating a planning meeting to discuss plans for a demonstration to counter Bush's visit and his Social Security plan. The meeting will be at Noon at the Albuquerque Peace and Justice Center at the corner of Harvard and Silver. All activists are welcome.

Discuss Medicare With Heather Wilson

You Are Cordially Invited To a Medicare Town Hall Meeting and Health Fair

Special Guest:  Congresswoman Heather Wilson, (R-1, NM)
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
March 29, 2005
National Hispanic Cultural Center
1701 4th Street SW
Albuquerque, NM 8710

***Please RSVP by calling (505) 459-4516 or e-mailing: wilsonevent@dwturner.com

FREE lunch will be provided for all attendees.

An Important Medicare Town Hall Meeting!

Congress created a new prescription drug program, provided substantial new funding for Medicare health plan benefits and expanded choices for beneficiaries. This new law dramatically improves the Medicare program for beneficiaries. Attend this special Medicare town hall meeting to find out:

• What the new Medicare law means to you
• What to expect from the new prescription drug coverage program
• Why Medicare health plan members are already seeing improved benefits
• How to ensure that Congress continues to support Medicare choices and benefits

Plus a Health Fair--Get Your Free Health Screenings! Millions of seniors choose Medicare health plan coverage because these plans offer wellness and preventive care programs. Presbyterian Health Plan and Lovelace Senior Plan will be available to answer questions for seniors.

Bush Event in Albuquerque on Tuesday

President Bush reportedly will be arriving in Albuquerque on Monday night and appearing at a so-called town hall meeting on Tuesday morning at the Kiva Auditorium at the Convention Center downtown. He'll be pushing his Social Security reform measures, including private accounts. You can imagine how diverse the crowd will be at the orchestrated and carefully screened event.

I called the NM Republican Party today just for kicks and the woman I spoke with wanted to take my name for a waiting list for tickets. She also asked if I had gotten an email about the event, apparently to check to see if I was on their insider mailing list. I didn't bother to leave my name as I imagine the first thing they'll do is check your voter registration! I did find out that doors at the Civic Center will open at 6:15 AM on Tueday so people can go through the very strict security.

There are rumblings of a protest in the making outside the Convention Center on Tuesday morning. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

Many Saturday Peace Events on Second Anniversary of Iraq War

There are events nationwide and in many area communities Saturday, on the second anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. Check out the Coming Events listing on the right-hand sidebar on this page to see what's happening in your neck of the woods. Click on the listings for more information.

According to United for Peace and Justice:

At least 726 towns and cities, in all 50 states - an unprecedented number - are holding anti-war events, in a reflection of the growing breadth of the anti-war movement. This is more than double the number of anti-war actions on the first anniversary of the war last year.

Click to download UPJ's event leaflets.

You can get a blue Wage Peace bracelet from the American Friends Service Committee. You can also sign their Iraq Peace Petition to be delivered to Congress and President Bush.

Code Pink is organizing a Peace Ribbon Project that honors the victims of the war in Iraq by creating a memorial to the fallen soldiers and Iraqi civilians who have died as a result of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Their goal is to create a remembrance panel for each life that has been claimed by the war. The panels will be tied together in chronological order and displayed around the U.S. to remember and honor those who have died. You can create a panel or contribute to one being created by someone else.

ABQ Events Celebrate Women in History Month

**Exhibit Title: "The Feminist Paper Doll Show"

Description: In celebration of Women in History Month, OFFCenter is  hosting a paper doll exhibit in order to remember and honor unsung women  of the past, as well as our favorite contemporary feminists, who have  contributed to a more just world. Paper cut-out dolls, clothes, homes, work places, etc. and accessories, of all sizes will be on display.

Exhibit runs through March 31, 2005.

Where: OFFCenter Community Arts Project, 808 Park Ave SW, downtown  Albuquerque. CALL: 247-1172 for more information.

**Panel Title: "Beyond the Seventies: Critiquing The Impact of Feminist  Art Today."

Date: Saturday, March 19, 2005 1-4 PM

Description: Please join Rose Buffalo in welcoming Lucy Lippard, Tey  Marianna Nunn, Virginia  Hampton and Barbara Grothus for a lively panel  discussion about the influence feminist artists have made historically  and whether or not  their work supported or disrupted the status quo.  Music by Bonny Bluhm and light refreshments. Experience OFFCenter's  community art studio and  gallery exhibit, "The Feminist Paper Doll  Show."

Where: OFFCenter Community Arts Project, 808 Park Ave, SW.  Call: 247-1172 for more information, Free, Donations accepted.

Panelists include: Lucy Lippard is a nationally known art critic & writer, Tey Marianna Nunn, Director of Hispanic  Folk Art Museum, Santa Fe, Virgina Hampton, TVI instructor, writer, works thru Out ch'Yonda and Barbara Grothus, artist, community activist  Rose Buffalo, panel moderator, artist, activist.

Election Reform Bill SB678 on House Floor Agenda Today

From Bob Stearns:
Hi All, The House floor calendar for today (FRIDAY) March 18th, lists our Election Reform Bill SB678 as item #55 on a 73-item agenda for Third Reading of Legislation. House scheduled to go into session on the floor at 9 AM.

DemocracyFest II Set for June in Austin

Are any of you planning on going to DFA's second annual DemocracyFest? Mary Ellen and I have registered and paid. If you want to attend, now is the time to complete your registration. Sounds like a terrific event:

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