Democracy for New Mexico

NM Alliance for Retired Americans Hosts NM-01 Candidate Issue Forums

The New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans has scheduled a series of educational Issue Forums for the candidates for the US House of Representatives, New Mexico Congressional District 1. Find out their views on important issues like  Health Care and Medicare Plus:

Friday, April 4, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM; Issue: Prescription Drugs
   Barelas Senior Center
   714 Seventh Street SW
   Albuquerque, NM
   505-764-6436

Saturday, April 19, 12:30-1:30 PM; Issue: Retiree Health Care
   Los Volcanes Senior Center
   6500 Los Volcanes NW
   Albuquerque, NM 87121
   505-836-8745

Light refreshments will be available at each forum. Sponsored by: New Mexico Alliance for Retired Americans; Emil Shaw, President; 1608 Truman SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108; 505-892-3480 or 505-321-4603.

Thursday Reading: Courting the Low Information Voter, One Lama at a Time

La O-Bamba

Another great post over at What Do I Know? by Democrat Abroad Kathy Flake, this one about the swirling myths surrounding a certain Dem prez candidate. Many of us know (and miss) Kathy and her nonstop activism that used to be a fixture in the progressive Dem community here in Albuquerque back in the Deaniac-Miles Nelsoniac era. She's been living outside London for -- how many years is it now? Too many. At least from our point of view. But we do have her wide-ranging, enlightening and often very funny blogging from overseas to hold us over.

Like me, she's a big fan of Obama and Martin Heinrich. The Dean People of yore have a tendency to be attracted to the same candidates, for similar reasons. Kathy posted a fab piece on Martin last week. If you get a chance, go read Solar Cars, Homegrown Broccoli, and Martin Heinrich.

And Kathy -- the DNC Convention bunch has yet to receive an application from Democrats Abroad to be the group's credentialed blogger at the August convention in Denver. You know what to do.

Friday: Reception at Sophia's Place to Benefit Udall for Senate

Please Join Alex and Sara Crecca
for a Young Professionals reception
in support of
Congressman Tom Udall, Candidate for US Senate

Friday, April 4th ~ 5:30 PM
At
Sophia's Place
6313 4th Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107

Requested Contributions $50 or $100
Hors d'oeuvres prepared by Dennis Apodaca,
Executive Chef and Owner
Flyer and Contribution Form

Continue reading "Friday: Reception at Sophia's Place to Benefit Udall for Senate"

NM House District 13: Guest Blog by Dem Challenger Eleanor Chávez

This is a guest blog by progressive Democrat Eleanor Chávez, who's challenging long-time Dem incumbent Dan Silva in NM House District 13. Her campaign has been endorsed by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1564 of New Mexico, as well as the New Mexico Federation of Labor. As I've said before, if we want to change how business is done at the New Mexico Legislature, we need to support candidates willing to take on the status quo.

Whether or not you live in District 13, consider attending the "Progressives for Eleanor Chávez" happy hour at Scalo, 3500 Central Ave SE in Nob Hill. It will take place on Friday, April 11th, from 5:30-7:00 PM. Suggested donation $50.00 but any amount is welcome.

Dear Friends,
In early February several colleagues in the social justice and labor community urged me to consider a run for the State House of Representatives, District 13. After much thought and discussion with my family, I've decided to accept the challenge.

Since the early 70's I have worked to make the world we live in a better place. While attending the University of Washington I worked with student farm worker boycott committees, worked to ensure that Chicano programs were not dismantled, and worked against funding cuts of childcare services to low income student parents.

For over 20 years I have been a member the SouthWest Organizing Project, one of the strongest grassroots organizations in the state. With other SWOP members I participated in voter registration drives, community surveys, and campaigns to educate our communities about the impact of toxic dumping. I served on the board of SWOP for many years and remain an active member.

I am currently the director for the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees District 1199NM. We represent health care workers in Las Vegas, Taos, Los Alamos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. In our recent contract negotiations at University of New Mexico Hospital we were successful in a living wage campaign where no worker will receive less than $1.00 per hour wage increase! Good paying jobs with benefits are essential to our ability to raise our families and we all know the right of workers to organize and negotiate over wages, benefits and working conditions must be protected.

Continue reading "NM House District 13: Guest Blog by Dem Challenger Eleanor Chávez"

Obama Would Grant High Level Role to Gore

Another superb reason to support Barack Obama. According to an AP report:

Sen. Barack Obama said Wednesday he would give Al Gore, a Nobel prize winner, a major role in an Obama administration to address the problem of global warming. At a town-hall meeting, Obama was asked if he would tap the former vice president for his Cabinet to handle global warming.

"I would," Obama said. "Not only will I, but I will make a commitment that Al Gore will be at the table and play a central part in us figuring out how we solve this problem. He's somebody I talk to on a regular basis. I'm already consulting with him in terms of these issues, but climate change is real. It is something we have to deal with now, not 10 years from now, not 20 years from now."

Given Gore's less than friendly relationship with the Clintons, I highly doubt Hillary would have Gore anywhere near her administration, in any role. Sad, but true.

Gov. Richardson Responds to Carville (and Bill Clinton?) Insults in WaPo Op-Ed

Besides being a response to James Carville's repetitive comments and WaPo op-ed about Gov. Bill Richardson being a "Judas" for endorsing Barack Obama, Richardson's piece below may well have been partially precipitated by a red-faced tirade staged by Bill Clinton last Sunday during a meeting with superdelegates in California where he lashed out at Richardson and others. Read all about it. Then read Richardson's reasoned and articulate op-ed in its entirety:

Op-Ed WashingtonPost.com: Loyalty to My Country By Bill Richardson
Tuesday, April 1, 2008; 10:29 AM

My recent endorsement of Barack Obama for president has been the subject of much discussion and consternation -- particularly among supporters of Hillary Clinton.

Led by political commentator James Carville, who makes a living by being confrontational and provocative, Clinton supporters have speculated about events surrounding this endorsement and engaged in personal attacks and insults.

While I certainly will not stoop to the low level of Mr. Carville, I feel compelled to defend myself against character assassination and baseless allegations.

Carville has made it very clear that this is a personal attack -- driven by his own sense of what constitutes loyalty. It is this kind of political venom that I anticipated from certain Clinton supporters and I campaigned against in my own run for president.

Continue reading "Gov. Richardson Responds to Carville (and Bill Clinton?) Insults in WaPo Op-Ed"

Thursday: DFA-DFNM Albuquerque Meetup

This month the Albuquerque DFA-DFNM Meetup will feature Bruce Barnaby explaining the often confusing process that governs how NM delegates are elected to the Democratic National Convention and our Democratic National Committeeman and Committeewoman are selected. By the way, Bruce is running for DNC Committeeman this year. He's long been very active in state and local Dem Party affairs, including service on the Party's State Central Committee and Rules Committee.

We'll also have short presentations by Ed Yoon of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund and Deema Tabarra of Americans for Democratic Action. Both organizations have recently established chapters of their organizations in NM that will be very active in the coming months.

You'll also hear about an upcoming Candidate and Activist Training to be conducted by staff from the national group Democracy for America that's set for June 21-22 in Albuquerque, along with other announcements. And there are always a few candidates who stop in to reach out to the group. Click to join the Meetup group and/or RSVP.

National Politicos Converging on New Mexico

Hillary Clinton will be jetting in and out of Albuquerque on Sunday for a big-ticket fundraiser organized by former Ambassador to Spain, Ed Romero:

At Clinton's fundraiser, invitees will pay $2,300 to be "sponsors," while "friends" pay $1,000 for the catered event of Spanish tapas, wine and sherry. Romero declined to say how much Clinton hopes to raise.

The guest list will include Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, former state Democratic Party chairman John Wertheim and former Ambassador Joe Wilson and his wife, Valerie Plame, who says she was outed as a CIA operative after her husband criticized the Bush administration's handling of prewar intelligence on Iraq.

Payback for Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Barack Obama? I wouldn't be surprised. What I am surprised about is that the hosts are seeking funds for Clinton's lagging prez campaign at a time when local cash donations are in high demand here. With all three U.S. House seats and Domenici's U.S. Senate seat up for grabs, Dem candidates in New Mexico are scrambling hard for contributions, especially after so many resources went to support Gov. Richardson's prez run. Reports are abundant that the Clinton campaign is running out of cash and delaying payments to vendors, as pressure builds from many quarters for her to withdraw from an increasingly unwinnable race and Obama continues to snag endorsements from prominent superdelegates.

GOP Tamaya Huddle
Meanwhile, out at Santa Ana Pueblo's Hyatt Regency Tamaya near Bernalillo we've got a big meeting going on this week of the GOP State Party Chairs from all over the nation, led by Republican National Committee Chair Mike Duncan (right). Duncan has made it clear that the Repubs will be targeting New Mexico with everything they've got in the 2008 election cycle:

"New Mexico is a battleground target state for us," Republican National Committee chairman Mike Duncan told The Associated Press. "We recognize it's going to be an important state for us."

Continue reading "National Politicos Converging on New Mexico"

Tonight & Sunday: Last Two Town Hall Meetings with NM Sen. Ortiz y Pino

The last two in a series of four town hall meetings with NM District 12 Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino (and possibly additional guests and elected officials) are set for tonight and Sunday, each covering a different topic. Come and hear about what did (and didn't!) happen during the 2008 Legislative Session. For more information: 505-256-0668 or desibrown@comcast.net.

Wednesday, April 2, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Townhall Meeting on Electoral and Ethics Issues. It takes place at Heights Community Center (824 Buena Vista SE - Albuquerque).

Sunday, April 6, 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Townhall Meeting on Health Care Issues. It takes place at Senator Ortiz y Pino's residence (400 12th Street NW - Albuquerque).

ADA Seeks Field Organizer for Local Working Families Win Project

From Americans for Democratic Action:
Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) is the nation’s most experienced independent advocacy organization whose lobbying philosophy is based on democratic action - motivating our grassroots members to lobby their Senators and Representatives as constituent-advocates.

Working Families Win is ADA’s community-based organizing project. The program is based on the belief that for working families across the country, the economy is not working. Good jobs continue to leave our communities and are replaced by lower wage jobs, often without benefits. Daily living costs are skyrocketing, yet wages for most workers are stagnant at best. Many of the workers who are suffering the most from the current economy are not meaningfully engaged in the political process.

Americans for Democratic Action believes that when working people are organized to support real alternatives to today's economic policies, demand that candidates support these alternatives too, and persuade their neighbors that we have a clear choice, real change will occur.

POSITION: WFW is looking for energetic self-starters to do local issue organizing. Candidates should have previous organizing experience in issue and/or candidate campaigns and a desire to help support progressive issues. Local ties a plus. This is a unique opportunity to play an integral role in a dynamic project. The position reports directly to the WFW project director and/or the national field coordinator.

Continue reading "ADA Seeks Field Organizer for Local Working Families Win Project"