Democracy for New Mexico

Cheers and Jeers Greet NM Dems' Impeachment Resolution

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Passage of a floor amendment to the NM Democratic 2006 Platform that supports the impeachment of Bush is getting nationwide attention. Not only was the story linked on right-wing website The Drudge Report this week, so-called Freepers are up at arms. Robb Chavez's successful floor amendment on impeachment was also were featured on The Huffington Post, Daily Kos and a number of other progressive blogs, where it received many cheers.

I'm sorry to say that the responses of some Dems have been less than stellar, in my opinion. According to a story in the Albuquerque Tribune, here's what Patricia Madrid had to say:

Madrid, trying to oust Republican U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson of Albuquerque, said in a statement today she wasn't present when the vote was taken Saturday. She called the action "premature."

"I hope I get the chance to go to Congress to participate in a full investigation of the underlying issues," she said.

The same article reports this on Senator Jeff Bingaman's response:

Bingaman also says it's too early to support sanctions against Bush for the wiretapping issue, said his spokeswoman, Jude McCartin. Bingaman was in Afghanistan Saturday and is in Baghdad today.

I thought Governor Bill Richardson had the best public response. Even though I personally think he could have gotten out front on this issue nationally by supporting the impeachment resolution, he at least said he understood it and gave delegates props for being engaged on the issues. I think he gets it. According to an article in the Albuquerque Journal, which I couldn't find online:

...the Democratic Governor understands the anger of party members who supported the Bush resolution, given the direction the president's policies are taking the country, spokesman Pahl Shipley said.

"The Governor is opposed to this call for impeachment and feels that is premature," Shipley said. "Nonetheless, he recognizes the mounting frustration with the policies of the Bush administration," Shipley said. "However, he is pleased the party delegates have become very issue-oriented and commends them for their activism."

To those Dems saying they can't support the impeachment or censure resolutions because they're waiting for an investigation, I say read this. When and how, exactly, do they think the dishonest, secretive, cover-up Republicans are going to launch a genuine investigation into Bush's abuse of power regarding NSA domestic surveillance?

Glenn Greewald lays out the compelling arguments against waiting in his piece on Huffington Post entitled Myth-Making and Excuse-Making on the Feingold Resolution.

Senator Pat Roberts STILL hasn't allowed Phase II of the pre-war intelligence "investigation." Remember when our Senate Leader, Harry Reid, shut down the Senate in protest because Roberts was in eternal delay mode on this? Still nothing, months later. How long will we have to wait for Roberts to "investigate" the NSA matter? You can be sure it won't be before the 2006 midterm elections, if ever.

There are many stuck in the conventional wisdom box who say this impeachment and censure talk is premature, a distraction or just plain silly. An Albuquerque Tribune editorial takes this tack, saying impeachment talk is just sour grapes. It directs Dems to concentrate on winning by ignoring the illegal acts of a sitting president for now. They actually claim that Bush won NM in 2004 by "focusing on bread-and-butter issues close to home." Hmm. I didn't notice that. I thought they won by placing hysterical flyers about abortion on cars in Catholic Church parking lots, using McCarthy-like tactics to trump up indignation and fear about gay rights and bellowing dishonest propaganda about Dems being soft on terrorism.

Oddly, the editorial sets up an artificial either-or situation: If Dems are boldly challenging lawlessness in the presidential suite, they cannot possibly focus on winning races. Sadly, the editorial staff of the Tribune apparently believes that tepid is better than bold when serious wrongdoing is uncovered in Washington. They seem to have bought into the right-wing bluff that dares Dems to speak out and face the blare of neo-con fearmongering. What they don't seem to realize is that the right-wing noise machine will continue regardless of what Dems say or do. Truth and facts have nothing to do with their propaganda.

I guess whoever wrote the editorial hasn't been watching politics for the last decade. Did they miss Repubs spending billions of taxpayer money on an "investigation" into Whitewater real estate deals and impeaching a president over consensual sexual acts? Given the much more serious wrongdoing by Bush, why should Dems be disuaded from challenging President Bush for clearly circumventing the FISA law, lying us into war and ignoring the Geneva Conventions?

As usual these days, candidates and editorial boards, insulated from the rigors and realities of Bush's America, lack the sense of urgency and outrage that is rippling through our neighborhoods all over America. Repeatedly they caution us to act like nothing out of the ordinary is happening in our nation, that nothing strange and dangerous is threatening our constitution and our democracy. If Dems must speak about issues, they'd best do so while saying nothing of substance. Just play the political game as it's always been played, or risk derision. This is a winning stratetgy?

How out of tune with Americans can these forces get? Your guess is as good as mine. I point you again to the recent polling on Senator Feingold's censure resolution. Even without widespread persuasion and outreach on this issue, All Adults support censure 46-44% and voters support it 48-43%. Moreover, Democrats support it by a margin of 70-26%. The real issue is whether Dem candidates will represent the strong views of people whose votes they seek, and whether Dem voters will give their votes to candidates who refuse to represent them on issues like this. We'll see.

What Are We Fighting For?

Iraqis gather near bodies of men and children, who were allegedly killed during a U.S. raid in Ishaqi area near the city of Balad, north of Baghdad, on March 15.

Lest we lose sight of what we're fighting for -- or I should say against -- read James Wolcott's gut wrenching analysis of what's going on in Iraq. The war is now a tragedy of epic proportions while Bush and his toadies cling insanely to fantasies about "victory," blind with monstrous denial about the realities on the ground in Iraq. For a more personal take on recent events, here's on-the-ground in Baghdad's Riverbend on her blog, Baghdad Burning, lamenting the state of Iraq three years into the occupation.

Need I say that we must keep up the fight against this neo-con bloodbath and bring our troops home NOW? There is no good way out of there. There is no "solution" or "plan" that will make things OK there. But we can get out now, before we make things even worse. As John Kerry said as the Viet Nam war was pulverizing both the Vietnamese and the troops in a no-win situation:

... how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?

Impeachment and More: What We Won at NM Dem Weekend Meetings

UPDATE 3/22/06: Today's right-wing Drudge Report features a link to this Santa Fe New Mexican article on the Bush impeachment resolution passed at Saturday's Democratic Pre-Primary Convention. I guess we've hit the big time, big time. NM Dems: Out in front of the pack and calling attention nationwide to the abuses of power perpetrated by the Bush administration. You can comment on the New Mexican story here.
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Despite the ruckesses described in previous posts here, we won some big battles at the NM Democratic Party SCC Meeting Friday and Pre-Primary Convention Saturday. You can see one of them depicted on the front page of today's Albuquerque Journal above. A copyrighted story  by Journal political writer Jeff Jones, describes passage of a floor amendment to the Party platform introduced by Bernalillo County delegate Robb Chavez that says:

...the Democratic Party of New Mexico supports the impeachment of George Bush and his lawful removal from office.

Since this was a floor amendment, it had to pass by at least a margin of 2/3 of the delegates. In the article, NM Democratic Party Chair John Wertheim is quoted as saying

"It was probably 80/20" in favor of the resolution. "There was not a single person to speak in opposition."

In another excerpt, Chairman Wertheim continues:

Realistically, "impeachment is not going to happen while we have a Republican Congress." But he said the resolution shows "there's widespread sentiment among Democrats that the Bush administration has been fraught with abuse of power -- and a greater degree of violations than anything the Clinton administration did."

Above: Dallas Timmons at the Convention mic proposing a floor amendment.

In addition, Dallas Timmons, another delegate from Bernalillo County, who's also an SCC member, introduced this amendment to the platform, which also passed by a large margin:

We believe the United States should abide by the Geneva Convention on all issues of conduct of war and prevent the U.S. military and our nation's intelligence agencies from utilizing torture of prisoners or detainees in any manner or at any time whatsoever.

It's telling that if an amendment or motion from the floor was allowed to be introduced by the Chair, it generally passed by a large margin, sometimes almost unanimously. What does this mean? That the Democratic Convention delegates are definitely from the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party, oftentimes way ahead of elected officials on timely and crtitical issues.

Above: Jeff Armijo, who got 70% of the delegate vote for State Auditor, rounding up votes at Friday's SCC Meeting. He passed out stickers that said, 'You Matter.' And we do.

In addition to wins at the Convention, we also had some significant successes at the SCC Meeting on Friday. SCC member Bill Kass of Bernalillo County introduced a motion to require the Party to create a budget committee to help plan and oversee the Party's financial dealings. Ann Dunlap, another SCC member from Bernalillo County, introduced a motion requiring the Party to institute a regular audit process of its books. Both passed almost unanimously.

Also Friday, SCC members passed a State Rules Committee report that included requiring that each of our three congressional districts be represented in appointments to the Rules Committee, and that changed the Party bylaws to allow the creation of a Native American Caucus within the Party.

What do these successes show? If the Dem grassroots keeps at it, has the gumption to introduce business from the floor at meetings and learns to do it properly by studying the intricacies of Roberts' Rules of Order, members and delegates are often quite receptive and generally vote to approve the measures.

At this weekend's meetings, almost every motion or resolution from grassroots Dems that managed to make its way to the floor was approved by a wide margin. You can see why there's been an ongoing effort in some quarters to quash floor motions and resolutions before they get to the floor. A number of additional platform planks, including ones on equal rights for all and banning weapons in space, would no doubt have passed if they had been allowed by the Chair to reach the floor. Unlike some of our candidates and officeholders, rank and file Dems are ready to rumble and to confront the right-wing noise machine head on. If not now, when?  As legendary Democrat, President Franklin Roosevelt, once said, "The only thing we have to fear is -- fear itself."

There's a movement afoot among Dems of many stripes. It has to do with fighting for what we believe in. With speaking truth to power. With saying what we mean. With fearlessly persuading, educating and leading on issues where voters have heard only the argument of the right-wing cabal. As the badges worn by a number of Dems at this weekend's meetings said:

"I'm a Murtha - Feingold Democrat. Are You?"

Listen to Marine Discuss Iraq Tonight On KUNM

From Javier Benavidez:
Please tune-in to KUNM 89.9 TONIGHT, Monday, March 20th, from 8:00 to 8:30PM for a half-hour interview with Anthony Garcia of Albuquerque on "Espejos de Aztlan." Anthony is a 24-year old former Marine who served in Iraq for seven months at the start of the war. He spoke at Saturday's anti-war march and rally in front of over 1,000 protesters about his personal experience in Iraq and decision to become an activist against the war which began 3-years ago this past Sunday.

Espejos de Aztlan has been on-air since 1979 and is part of the Raices Colectiva which conducts programming on news, culture and music from a Latino perspective on KUNM 89.9. For more information about the show, or to suggest questions for tonight's guest / submit feedback, please contact me at email.

1000+ March For Peace in ABQ; Sea of Crosses Honor Troop Deaths in Santa Fe

UPDATE 3/20/06: Kathy F. posted a link in the comments section to some photos she took at the London protest and posted on her blog What Do I Know?. Go take a look.

There were Iraq War protests all over the world yesterday, including a red rose show of solidarity with Iraqi women in Istanbul, Turkey (above). According to the Albuquerque Journal, more than 1,000 people joined the antiwar protest in the Duke City yesterday. Excerpts:

With the same refrain that echoed through Albuquerque three years ago - chants, songs and pleas such as "Stop the War," "Impeach Bush and Cheney," "Give Peace a Chance" - more than 1,000 anti-war protesters marched from the University of New Mexico to Downtown to mark the third anniversary of the start of the Iraq War.

"Why have we created this destruction?" Travis McKenzie, an 18-year-old UNM student, asked in the midst of the long line of people that stretched to the west on Central Avenue. "You still to this day cannot get a good answer. And it's all propaganda when they do give you the (expletive) on the news, in the media."

... they came from all walks of life. From the "Raging Grannies" to middle-aged dads pushing baby strollers, people with dogs, spiked-haired, saggy-jean-wearing teens and a band of bicyclists.

Outside the UNM bookstore, words that read "spying," "fear," "no peace with occupation" and "chicken hawk recruiting" were scrawled on the sidewalk.

... Part-time waitress Mary Kraft of Albuquerque held up a sign, "Bring My Grandson Home Now." He was recruited by the Army while at Eldorado High School. He's been in Iraq for six months.

"I'm doing it (protesting) for everybody," she said. "I think it's just criminal that they have their recruiters all over our high schools. Because at the age of 17 that was not a good decision for him to make."

Laura Berg, a government employee who was investigated for possible sedition after writing a newspaper letter to the editor criticizing President Bush, was a featured speaker, as was Anthony Garcia, a former Marine who served in Iraq for seven months at the start of the war.

He talked of Iraqi women and children being used as shields and troops being forced shoot them. He said a "little boy" he killed returns to him in his dreams all the time. "He tells me, 'I'm OK,' '' he said.

Protesters at Trevi Fountain, Rome

Another article in the Albuquerque Journal describes an observance in Santa Fe called "2 Days at Arlington West" organized by Veterans for Peace to honor the troops who have given their lives in the Iraq War:

The 276-foot long banner with its photos of U.S. service members killed since the war in Iraq began three years ago tells the story better than any words could.

So does the sea of white crosses, each one gently pressed into the earth outside the College of Santa Fe.

The message: Here is what the war in Iraq has cost, measured in the lives of servicemen and women. Veterans for Peace, the group organizing the two-day memorial dubbed "2 Days at Arlington West," said the event wasn't a protest.

Each cross bore the name of a soldier killed in Iraq. Members of Veterans for Peace and other volunteers planned to install 1,000 crosses for the temporary memorial in an open field in front of the College of Santa Fe. Other Veterans for Peace groups will be setting up crosses in California; there will be more than 2,000 crosses set up in the Western part of the country. The number of dead in Iraq so far totals more than 2,300.

What Will You Do to Mourn Third Anniversary of Iraq War?

UPDATE: An audio link is up at KUNM radio of Jim Williams' discussion on Iraq yesterday with independent journalist Zelie Pellon, Colonel Richard Rael and Marine Tony Garcia. 

Go to today's march and rally in Albuquerque mourning the third anniversary of the Iraq War. Then read this article by a Time war correspondent about the latest fiasco in Iraq: "On Scene: How Operation Swarmer Fizzled - Not a shot was fired, or a leader nabbed, in a major offensive that failed to live up to its advance billing." BushCo just keeps on lying and lying and soldiers and Iraqis just keep on dying and dying. When will it end?

It will only end if we keep doing more of this:

Above photo of Judith Hovetter of Taos (center foreground) helping to deliver 100,000 signatures to the Whitehouse in Code Pink March in Washington, DC

Pass Out Cost of War Receipts Saturday

United For Peace and Justice has produced a new resource for use during local activities around the 3rd anniversary of the war. This educational piece looks like a receipt you get when you go food shopping. But instead of grocery items, the breakdown covers the monthly costs of the U.S. war in Iraq since it began three years ago. On the flip side is text and more figures, all explaining the costs of the war and how our tax dollars could have been put to better use. There is a space at the bottom for you to add your group's name and contact information.

Go ahead and   and make copies for widespread distribution at Saturday's antiwar events. You can also download a sign image. In Albuquerque, marchers will gather at the UNM bookstore at 11:00 AM, and the march will step off at 11:30 AM, stop by the offices of Rep. Wilson and Sen. Domenici, and end at Robinson Park at 8th and Central for a rally.

Gather Saturday to Mark 3rd Anniverary of Iraq War

Events to mark the third anniversary of the Iraq War will be held all over America and the world this weekend. In Albuquerque, Stop the War Machine, Code Pink and many others will meet at the UNM bookstore at 11:00 AM on Saturday morning, 3/18. At 11:30 AM, the march will step off and visit the offices of Rep. Heather Wilson and Sen. Pete Domenici on the way to a rally at Robinson Park at 8th and Central downtown. Click for event flyer.

The rally will feature speeches by VA Nurse Laura Berg, who you may recall is being investigated for "sedition" because she wrote a letter to the Alibi critical of the President, as well as an Iraq War veteran. Live music, booths and solidarity are also on the agenda. Bring signs, bring water, bring yourself!

Dozens of activist groups have endorsed this event, including Democracy for New Mexico. There should be a huge turnout even though the State Democratic Party is holding its Pre-Primary Convention in Albuquerque from 10AM to at least 2:30 PM that same day. What a SNAFU. Oh well, many convention delegates, including me, are planning to leave the convention early to participate in the march and rally. We believe it's that important.

Given all the negative press about how toothless the antiwar movement has been in terms of street protests, it's essential we have a large turnout. Please plan to participate if you possibly can. We must keep up the pressure, now more than ever.

What is the Iraq War Costing Us?

From the National Priorities Project Bulletin:
The Iraq War continues unabated after nearly three years and costs continue to mount. Recently, the administration submitted to Congress a $72.4 billion request for additional war-related funding.  The National Priorities Project's (NPP) analysis of the request concluded that total spending on the Iraq War will rise to more than $315 billion, if approved.

NPP's new publication, "Cost of Iraq War Rises," offers you local and state taxpayer costs of the Iraq War, as well as additional information about what is included in the administration's request. To find information for your city, county, or state, or obtain additional analysis of the administration request, go here.

NPP estimates that the request will add another $61 billion in funding to the Iraq War, and $10 billion for the war in Afghanistan.  Other funding included is $900 million for international assistance and peacekeeping activities in parts of Africa and Pakistan.

In addition to the financial cost in Iraq, casualties grow with insurgent attacks in 2005 higher than in 2004 and a doubling of car and roadside bombs. More than 2,275 U.S. soldiers have been killed as well as tens of thousands of Iraqis.  The number of U.S. military casualties by state is also available at:  www.nationalpriorities.org/iraqwarcost.   

Please let us know if and how you use this publication in your work or your own activism, and please help spread the word that it is available.

Pamela Schwartz, Outreach Director
pschwartz@nationalpriorities.org
413-584-9556

Words For It

Please go to the following website www.lisagill.org  and click on GWB's face. It will take you to a poem written by an Albuquerque woman, as her response to the State of the Union speech.

She has the words for it. (Thanks to Anne for the heads up.)