Democracy for New Mexico

Rep. Tom Udall's Sabinoso Wilderness Bill Passes U.S. House

Yesterday the Sabinoso Wilderness Act of 2008, HR 2632, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on a unanimous voice vote. If the bill is passed by the Senate, it will be the second wilderness bill related to New Mexico to be considered for passage in more than 20 years. The legislation would set aside more than 17,600 pristine acres east of Las Vegas, NM as wilderness, including the majestic canyons and rugged beauty of one of the finest intact Great Plains ecosystems left in New Mexico.

Rep. Tom Udall (D, NM-01), who sponsored the bill, said in a statement, "The House's broad, bipartisan support for my Sabinoso proposal should push the Senate to act on this legislation now. I worked with community groups in New Mexico to make this a plan that everybody, from every part of the political spectrum, can support."

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NARAL Pro-Choice Political Update Set for 6.12.08

NARAL New Mexico choicePAC
Invites you to a
Pro-Choice Political Update
with  Martha Burk &
NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico
Thursday, June 12, 2008, 6 - 7:30 PM
Corrales, NM

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NM-01: Heinrich One of 12 Named to DCCC Red to Blue Open Seat Program

Heinrich Family

Excellent news. And it couldn't happen to a more deserving candidate. NM-01 Congressional candidate Martin Heinrich will receive welcome support for his campaign from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Chairman Chris Van Hollen announced in a release today that Heinrich will immediately be added to the DCCC's Red to Blue program for open seats following his decisive victory in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

Congressional candidates earn a spot in the competitive program by surpassing demanding fundraising goals and by skillfully showing voters that they stand for change and will represent new priorities when elected to Congress. Heinrich is one of only 12 candidates in the Red to Blue program for open seats. Click to see the full list of candidates and donate via ActBlue.

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Two Fun Events in ABQ on June 14

From the DPBC eNews: Two events on Saturday, June 14, provide a wonderful opportunity for Bernalillo County Democrats to demonstrate their support, and have fun in the process:

"Juneteenth," celebrating the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached Galveston, Texas, in 1865, will be celebrated from noon to 6 PM at  Kirtland Park and Thomas Bell Community Center (3001 University  SE). The County party will have a voter registration and candidate literature table at the event. Some of our candidates will be there, and there will be lots of food, games for the kids, music, and storytelling activities. Come on out! More info.

"Live, Love, Be" is the theme of this year's Albuquerque Pride, celebrating 32 years of the gay,lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. The Bernalillo County Democratic Party will have a float in the morning Pride Parade, and the state party will have a booth at the Pridefest festival following at EXPO NM (Fairgrounds). Come watch the parade (leaves Girard and Central at 10 AM and proceeds up Central to the Fairgrounds) and visit the Pridefest after! More info.

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NM-02: Where Does Tinsley Really Live?

We know where NM-02's Dem Congressional candidate Harry Teague (right) lives and works. He has deep roots in Lea County, having resided there since he was nine years old.

Teague attended Will Rogers Elementary and Houston Junior High in Hobbs, as well as Hobbs High School. He left school at age 17 to help support his family by working an oil field job in the area that paid $1.50 an hour, and he ended up building a highly successful oil services business from scratch in Hobbs. His company now employs more than 250 people in NM-02. Teague also served for eight years on the Lea County Commission. Teague knows the Second District and the people of the Second District know Teague.

It's a different story with GOP candidate Ed Tinsley (left). Tinsley, who owns the multi-state steakhouse chain K-Bob's, has long owned an expensive residence in the exclusive Las Campanas compound in Santa Fe, in NM-03. He's admitted that he uses his Santa Fe home as his operating base for business travel. So why is he running for office down south in New Mexico's Second Congressional District? Because he claims he now spends 90% of his time at his Capitan ranch in in Lincoln County, despite his well-known habit of using his Santa Fe abode much of the time.

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Straw Poll: Pick Your Favorite Dem VP

Now that Obama has clinched the Dem presidential nomination, talk has turned to possible VP choices.

Click onto the continuation page below the fold to vote for your favorite VP candidate. You have from now through next Sunday to vote, one vote per person.

To help you out, check out Mother Jones' info on the pros and cons of most of the potential VP candidates listed in the poll.

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The Cradle Project: Art Auction to Benefit African HIV-AIDS Orphans

Local photographer Naomi Natale is the driving force behind The Cradle Project, an innovative art exhibition and auction that opened this weekend in downtown Albuquerque to benefit children in sub-Saharan Africa who have been affected by the HIV-AIDS epidemic. Many are orphans because their parents died from the virus. Natale was inspired to organize the project after visiting Kenya and witnessing the devastation caused by HIV-AIDS. The Albuquerque Journal reports:

Called “The Cradle Project,” her idea was to recruit as many artists as she could to make cradles that would each be sponsored for $100, and then each of the cradles would be sold at an online auction.

... After more than two years of work, “The Cradle Project” is opening to the public. Space for the show has been donated in the Sunrise Bank building Downtown on the seventh and eighth floors, which are in a rough state of remodel.

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Sunday Bird Blogging: Bush Out, Obama In

Bosco the peach-faced lovebird is high on life these days, what with Obama winning the Dem nomination for president and George Bush -- known in the avian world as George Chimpface -- on the way out. All the birds in our house are Obama fans, as are the humans. And we've all been on a long journey together doing everything we can to stop Chimpface's antics. You can see Bosco above, fighting beak and nail against the likeness of George Chimpface. Obviously, Bosco can't abide Bush. He can't wait till Chimpy leaves Washington, and neither can we.

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Hillary Nails It; Endorses Obama

Moments ago, Senator Clinton officially announced her support for Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton made history over the past 16 months -- not just because she has broken barriers, but because she has inspired millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to causes like universal health care that make a difference in the lives of all Americans.

Please take a minute to thank her for her hard work and for supporting this campaign.
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Obama's website is displaying the above message and I wanted to include it here. You know how hard I can be on both Hillary and Bill Clinton, but today is the day for coming together, as Democrats and as human beings who want to join forces and defeat the negative forces that have been pulling us down for too long in so many critical ways. Now we need to unite behind our best hope for change at the national level, reach out to everyone who has been active in this extraordinary primary season, join our energies and work for the change door to door, phone call by phone call, dollar for dollar, up and down the ticket. Lives are literally in the balance.

I thought Hillary Clinton gave a soaring and inspiring concession speech today that hit all the right notes, gracefully and with dignity. She brought home the truly historic nature of her campaign, as well as that of Barack Obama, and articulated beautifully so many of the ideals and values we share as Democrats -- for equality, for justice, for the environment, for peace, for lifting one another up, for creativity and gumption, for moving humans forward into better ways of relating, working and being.

Of course given the often brutal nature of politics and power, as well as our flaws, foibles and fumbles, none of us lives up to these ideals all the time, or even most of the time. The important thing is that we try. And keep trying. That we continue to wring out the best we can from every situation, from every challenge. And work together despite our differences to replace fearmongering with hope this November. As Hillary said, echoing Obama's moving message: Yes We Can.

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Tonight on NM In Focus: Tom Udall, Brian Colon, Diane Denish, Primary Wrap-Up

Tonight at 7:00 PM, KNME's New Mexico In Focus features a wrap-up of Tuesday's New Mexico primary and a look ahead to November. David Alire Garcia interviews Tom Udall, special guests give their takes on the results and Gene Grant and The Line panelists provide analysis.

Guests:
• Brian Colon, Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman
• Diane Denish, Lt. Governor
• Tom Udall, Dem Candidate, U.S. Senate
•  Dan East, Repub Candidate, U.S. Senate
• Allen Weh, Republican Party Chairman

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