Democracy for New Mexico

Crowd of 9500+ Welcomes Obama to Española NM

NM-03 candidate Ben Ray Lujan speaks to the crowd in English and Spanish about the victories to come -- if we stand together and work for it

This is only PART of the crowd

Obama in front of a quintessential New Mexico backdrop, Plaza de Espanola

The place was packed. The town was packed. The streets were packed. The plaza in Española, NM was packed with more than 9500 enthusiastic, sun-drenched people from Northern New Mexico and beyond, many of whom waited in line for hours to get a chance to be a part of Barack Obama's Change We Need Rally. At its longest, the line waiting to get in reportedly stretched about two miles -- and I believe it. When the plaza was full, more people crammed into the spaces outside the barriers, periodically yelling and cheering for Obama from the peripheries. They got the shade of the TV satellite trucks. It's always a trade-off.

Mariachis entertain the crowd

As we were driving around scoping things out and trying to find the press entrance, we passed a line that filled the sidewalk, snaked around corners, filled an entire sidestreet and and tailed off into the distance. People didn't seem to care about the wait, the sun, the crazy-quilt parking or the semi-chaos that was evident all over Española -- population 9688 according to the 2000 census. Yes, that's right -- the town's population almost doubled with the influx of Obama fans, former Hillary fans and folks coming just to take a listen to the candidate who's now 7-8 points ahead of McCain in New Mexico in the latest polling.

The crowd was festive, friendly and pumped -- you could feel it all over. The town was bustling with vendors hawking Obama everything and folks renting out parking spaces in their yards or outside their businesses, making nice profits on the deals. Nobody was complaining. Lots of neighbors greeting neighbors, talking family, talking politics, talking how great it was that Obama was visiting the gateway to the Hispanic North and paying his respects to the very voters who just might put him over the top in the presidential election. Hispanics, Anglos, Native Americans, Sikhs, gays, straights, browns, whites, blacks, young, old and everything in between. Most of all, Democrats. La Gente -- the people who truly believe in of the people, by the people, for the people.

Gov. Bill Richardson revs the crowd

I caught snatches of conversations about the Kennedys and their visits to Northern New Mexico long ago, and how presidential candidates had rarely bothered after that. It was clear that memories were welling up throughout the crowd, of politics and presidents and Democratic victories past, when things were different and progress was being made on equality and pay and expanded opportunities. When things seemed like they were getting better, not worse.

And then the hopeful wondering -- could we get Obama elected and could he help us get to that place once again? That place of moving forward, not back. That place of unity and community, not hate, not fear. When it felt good to be an American, a New Mexican, a worker getting a fair shake, a family whose kids just might do better with hard work and determination and a fair deal. When people were looking ahead, not back.

Obama steps before the crowd

NM SD15: Poll Shows Eichenberg 45%, Snyder 34%

Gotta love it. If this poll is anywhere near accurate, we have an excellent chance to pick up another State Senate seat in Albuquerque. I'm headed up to Espanola to Barack Obama's rally so I don't have time to write more now, but I wanted to help get the news out. Tim Eichenberg's campaign just released the following statement:

Recent results on a poll show that Tim Eichenberg holds a 45%-34% lead over Diane Snyder with 20% of voters undecided. The results reported come from a survey of 402 likely voters in New Mexico State Senate District 15. Respondents were interviewed on September 2, 3rd, 4th and 7th. The survey has an overall margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.

"From what I hear on the doors, voters are looking for a change," says Tim Eichenberg, state senate candidate, "it's time to be sure that our interests, not special interests come first. We need legislators who, regardless of party, will strive to make government competent and ethical, who put finding solutions ahead of party and self-interest."

Tim grew up in Albuquerque, and has lived in Senate District 15 for 22 years with his family. He serves on the Flood Control Board, where he led a successful fight to cut residential property taxes. He is the former Director of the State Property Tax Division and County Treasurer.

Tim is challenging two term incumbent Diane Snyder for the District 15 State Senate seat in the NE Heights, Albuquerque.

More can be found about Tim Eichenberg at his website www.eichenbergfornewmexico.com.

Reminder: Re-Election Fundraiser Reception for Rep. Mimi Stewart Tonight

Tonight's the night for the reception with Rep. Mimi Stewart in support of Mimi’s re-election campaign:

Thursday ◆ September 18 ◆ 2008
5:30–7:00 PM
At The Home of Margie Lockwood & Richard Romero
907 Silver SW • Albuquerque

More details in my previous post.

Spread the Word: Election Protection Launches Voting Hotlines, Outreach

Call the HOTLINE for help with ANY AND ALL registration and voting questions or problems:

1-866-OUR VOTE for English speakers
and 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA for Spanish speakers

Election Protection Website: www.866ourvote.org, features real time voter information and extensive instructions and advice on how voters can make sure their voices are heard. You can find information specifically about New Mexico here. Check out the New Mexico Voter Registration Guide created by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Click for flyers to help spread the word.

With early voting, registration and absentee deadlines looming, Election Protection has launched its 2008 general election efforts. The nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition, representing more than 100 organizations and the full spectrum of American citizens, will undertake the most comprehensive effort ever undertaken to empower voters to make sure their vote counts this November 4.

On a conference call for reporters and bloggers, leaders from major civil rights organizations including the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Rock the Vote, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and the National Congress of American Indians unveiled an extensive voter outreach program.

“This historic election deserves a historic election protection effort,” said Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “This major coalition will offer comprehensive resources with one simple goal --  to ensure all eligible voters are given the opportunity to exercise their rights.”

Continue reading "Spread the Word: Election Protection Launches Voting Hotlines, Outreach"

East Mountains for Obama: River, Baby, River

Read all about it in newmexicobear's diary on Daily Kos. (And don't miss the donkey.) River is an 11-year-old, homeschooled Obama activist from Edgewood NM. A rousing speech -- and a reminder that now's the time for ACTION.

New ARG NM Poll: Obama 51%, McCain 44%

A new American Research Group poll that surveyed 600 likely voters in New Mexico on September 14-16 shows Obama pulling away from McCain 51-44% with 5% undecided and a margin of error of plus or minus 4 points.

Obama was also ahead with Independent voters 50-41%, women voters by 61-35%, 18-29 year olds by 53-41% and those 50 and older 49-48%. McCain came out ahead only with men voters, 55-39%

Political Wire reports additional ARG poll results in these states showing tight races, many within the margin of error. Surprising numbers in Montana and West Virginia:

Colorado: McCain 46%, Obama 44%
Missouri: McCain 50%, Obama 45%
Montana: McCain 49%, Obama 47%
Nevada: McCain 49%, Obama 46%
North Carolina: McCain 52%, Obama 41%
Ohio: McCain 50%, Obama 44%
West Virginia: McCain 49%, Obama 45%

Meanwhile, today's Gallup Tracking Poll has Obama ahead for the first time since the GOP convention, 47-45%. Tight but trending our way ....

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The Party That Ruined America

Just read it: A Ripe Moment by James Howard Kunstler. Now repeat after me: "The Party That Ruined America." Say it again. Put it in every email, every blog comment, every diary, every post. Pass it on. Mention it to those you canvass and those you call. Tell it to your friends, your neighbors, your colleagues. It is the truth and we can use it to beat them, at last, as we must. And then we can see if that means anything. And it must. And it will, if we unite and make it so. (h/t to my fellow traveler in Ft. Worth)

Thursday: North Valley Candidate Forum

Candidates’ Forum
NM House District 15 & 17, NM Senate District 10
US Senate, US House of Representatives Dist. 1
Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008, 7 PM - 9 PM
Raymond G. Sanchez Community Center
9800 Fourth NW, Albuquerque
Sponsored by the Alameda North Valley Association

See agenda and participating candidates below.

Continue reading "Thursday: North Valley Candidate Forum"

Would You Buy a Used Economy From This Man?

Make no mistake about it. This is the Conservative-Bush-McCain-Gramm economy come to fruition, with even more nightmarish consequences lurking on the near horizon. What we're experiencing today is the creation of those who call themselves "conservatives" -- but the only things they seem to want to conserve are their own hides and their own riches. Now they're even failing at that. And we're supposed to want more of the same for the next four years? A used economy based on the failed policies of the tired and discredited, trickle down, deregulation mob that's been calling the shots in Washington for decades? Yeah, that's what I want when I think of "change."

Here's what this bunch believes:

--Government itself and government rulemaking that provides commonsense oversight over any aspect of the economy or any economic players are intrinsically bad.

--The "wisdom" of the markets will prevail if we just remove all meaningful rules and regulations that have been designed to protect consumers, taxpayers, transparency and fairness.

--Global trading and global capitalism should be allowed to run wild without governing rules or protections for workers, the environment or anything or anyone else.

--If you end up struggling in this economy, you deserve no help from the government. Only failing corporations run into the ground by reckless, fraudulent operators should get such help.

--Money will magically trickle down to ordinary folks if we give almost all of it to the very tip top of the investor class.

I could go on, but you get the picture. This anything goes value system, to use the term loosely, is what got us to this place. Even worse, now that all the sleazy maneuvers and underhanded dealings have produced a free fall in our economy and the world's, these greedy bastards are demanding that they all be bailed out by -- you guessed it -- the taxpayers. What a deal. They socialize all the risks and privatize all the profits, and when things go badly they blackmail the government by claiming if they don't get our cash, the entire economy will crumble.

McCain, Gramm and the Deregulators
So what does all this have to do with John McCain? For starters, he chaired the Senate Commerce Committee when a significant amount of this "deregulation" BS was injected into the economy. He loved it. He pushed it. He believed in it. He trumpeted it. As the ProPublica reported today,

This morning's New York Times probed the candidates' actual records. It concludes that McCain "has never departed in any major way from his party's embrace of deregulation." Indeed, the Times says, McCain "has no history prior to the presidential campaign of advocating steps to tighten standards on investment firms."

Now consider that McCain's best friend and ally has long been former Senator Phil Gramm -- you know, the moral misfit economy professor who claims that the recessiion we're having is only a "mental" aberration and that we're simply a nation of "whiners."

Continue reading "Would You Buy a Used Economy From This Man?"

NM-01: Heinrich Calls on White to Return Taxpayer Funding for Bush Fundraiser

The Heinrich for Congress campaign announced that Martin Heinrich hand-delivered a letter today to Darren White demanding he reimburse Bernalillo County for the expenses incurred when Darren hosted President Bush for a private fundraiser for his campaign for Congress in May. Four months later, Darren White has yet to reimburse the taxpayers for the $5,000 in expenses for a motorcade escort, traffic control, and security. In addition, taxpayers were also stuck with the bill for President Bush's fuel and expenses for Air Force One.

Here's the full text of Martin's letter to Darren White, dated September 16, 2008:

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