Democracy for New Mexico

Reminder: Heinrich Celebration and BBQ This Afternoon 2-4 PM

The Martin Heinrich for Congress campaign is celebrating the official grand opening of their office today from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. Everyone's invited to 141 Adams NE in Albuquerque for hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie options, live music and games for the kids. Click for FLYER with complete info.

NM-Sen: Non-News News (Plus Sign Up to Support New GI Bill)

It's no surprise that Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson are running negative campaigns against one another, including deceptively nasty TV ads, in their battle for the GOP nomination for departing Sen. Domenici's U.S. Senate seat.

It's no surprise that environmental groups are targeting Pearce and Wilson for their dismal voting records on the environment and energy issues.

It's no surprise that The Club for Growth, an extreme right-wing group, is backing Pearce over Wilson.

It's no surprise that now that Sen. Domenici is retiring, the tribute dinners and TV shows have begun, full of lavish praise and nostalgia, but lacking any serious reporting or criticism about his incredibly narrow-minded, right-wing voting record, especially during his last couple of terms. We'll just forget about Pete's lock-step support for all things Bush and concentrate on how much loot he brought the state during his 36 years in Washington. Then the GOP will start complaining once again about pork in the federal budget. Hey, it's their pork that's the problem, not ours.

I could insert videos of all the ads here, but you get the picture. I could insert material about the tributes to Domenici, but I'm sure you can imagine what's being said. Bottom line -- we know the chances are good that:

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Last Day to Buy Tix for Equality Ball

Click on image for larger version

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5/15: Progressives for Tim Keller for State Senator

PROGRESSIVES FOR TIM!
at the home of
RICHARD ROMERO & MARGIE LOCKWOOD
907 Silver Ave SW, ABQ 87102
Thursday, May 15th • 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Click for Flyer
(light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided)

Tim is endorsed by

• Former Senator and Pro Tem Richard Romero
• Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino
• City Councilor Rey Garduño
• Albuquerque Firefighters Local 244
• New Mexico Professional Fire Fighters Association
• Albuquerque Teachers Federation
• Conservation Voters New Mexico
• DFA-Democracy for New Mexico
• Progressive Action New Mexico
• ACORN

Tim Keller is running for State Senate District 17
in the Democratic Primary on June 3rd
challenging Shannon Robinson.

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Tonight on NM In Focus: In-Depth Interview with Sen. Pete Domenici

This week on NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, a rare and in-depth interview with retiring Senator Pete Domenici conducted by David Alire Garcia followed by a discussion about the Senator's impact with Gene Grant and regular panelists Margaret Montoya, UNM School of Law / UNM School of Medicine; Scott Darnell, Communication Director, Republican Party; and Jim Scarantino, Weekly Alibi Columnist.

Tonight at 7:00 PM on KNME-TV; repeats on Sunday at 6:30 AM. You'll also be able to see video of the episode here when it's uploaded.

Jim O'Donnell Guest Blog: Oil and Gas Industry to Pay for Archaeological Excavations in New Mexico?

This is a guest blog by Jim O'Donnell, author and former coordinator of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal in northern New Mexico:

For seven years, I worked as a contract archaeologist for the oil and gas industry in the Southwest. Essentially, my job was to go out and locate archaeological resources on public lands that were threatened with oil and gas development. We recorded the archaeological sites, marked them both on maps and in the field for the industry folks to avoid and, in some cases, excavated them prior to development.

That's why I found this interesting:

The Bureau of Land Management announced Tuesday that it has signed an agreement with the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division and the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation that will give oil and gas developers an option of funding excavation work and other studies rather than paying for archaeological surveys when they propose new development.

Over the past few years, I have written a number of times on my experiences as an archaeologist working on public lands in the Southwest. It wasn’t pretty.

The oil and gas industry in New Mexico is completely out of control, taking private property, poisoning water supplies and leaving taxpayers to fund the clean up. Destruction of archaeological resources by the oil and gas industry was also wide-spread when I was in the field. Often times it was done right in front of the archaeologists who were working to protect those sites. It was worse in New Mexico than any of the other states I worked in. Most often, the contract archaeology higher ups and the bosses at the land management agencies (mostly the BLM) turned a blind eye to this destruction. They didn’t want to lose the contract. It got to be so bad that I eventually quit archaeology. Seeing those sites destroyed drilled a hole in my heart.

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Update: Maggie Toulouse Oliver for Bernalillo County Clerk

Some important upcoming dates and events from the Maggie Toulouse Oliver campaign:

• “Maggie Toulouse Oliver for County Clerk” yard signs are now available for pick-up or delivery. Please call or e-mail Ariel Bickel at 321-6867 or atbickel@yahoo.com to get yours.
• Join us to go door-to-door for Maggie on Saturday, May 10th at 9:30 AM. Meet at Maggie's house. Call or e-mail Ariel Bickel at 321-6867 or atbickel@yahoo.com for more information and driving directions.
• Please join us for a Young Professional fundraiser on Thursday, May 15th from 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Whisque Mesquite Grill and Bar is located at the corner of Coors and Montaño NW. This event is being hosted by Young Professionals, but everyone is invited! A donation of $50 is suggested, but all contributions are happily accepted! Please come and bring a friend or colleague to meet-and-greet with Maggie and other Bernalillo County Young Professionals. Once again, for more information contact Ariel at 321-6867 or atbickel@yahoo.com.

Technorati Tags:Maggie Toulouse Oliver, Bernalillo County Clerk, New Mexico, Bernalillo County, Democrats, primaries

NM-Sen: Defenders Launches Second TV Ad Blasting Pearce & Wilson

The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund launched its second TV ad today blasting Republican Reps. Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson as being two bad for New Mexico due to their unethical behavior and anti-conservation voting records.

Rep. Wilson is criticized in the ad for pressuring U.S. Attorney David Iglesias to put politics before the law, and voting to give oil companies billions of dollars in tax breaks.  As reported in the newspaper Roll Call last week, Rep. Pearce is criticized for ignoring clear conflicts of interest while selling his oil company for millions of dollars above its apparent value, and for voting against prosecuting price gouging at the gas pump.

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Clinton Implies Working, Hard-Working Americans = White Americans

I guess in Hillary's world, where she still has a chance to win the presidential nomination, only White Americans are working Americans or hard working Americans. According to a report in USA Today:

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.

Click to listen to her comments to a USA Today reporter.

Clinton's blunt and demeaning remarks are getting widely criticized in no uncertain terms, as such comments should be at any time in any campaign -- but especially as her sorry campaign for president slides into oblivion. For instance, Pam's Blend says Clinton is "race baiting" and deems her comments "inflammatory" and Oliver Willis writes, "Congratulations, Hillary Clinton, you win the prize for the first Democratic Bigot Eruption since I’ve been keeping track of this."

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NM-03: New Wiviott Ad Touts Fighting Special Interests

Switching gears a bit from making the Iraq war a certerpiece of his TV advertising campaign, the new ad from Don Wiviott emphasizes that he's the only candidate in the NM-03 Congressional race who won't take contributions from corporate lobbyists and special interest PACs. He ties the issue to that of health care, claiming he'll "stand up to the insurance companies to work for quality, affordable health care for everyone."

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