Democracy for New Mexico

New APS Superintendent Accepts Congratulations With 'Homo Humor'

This bothers me. The first paragraphs of the front-page article by Zsombor Peter in today's Albuquerque Journal on the selection of a new Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent report:

Winston Brooks took little time displaying his trademark sense of humor after a divided board named him the new superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools on Sunday evening by a 5-2 vote.

"Just so long as I don't have to hug the guys," he said while accepting the board's congratulations. [emphasis mine]

Imagine the furor if Brooks responded to winning his new job by displaying his "trademark sense of humor" this way: "Just so long as I don't have to hug the beaners," or "Just so long as I don't have to hug the chicks," or "Just so long as I don't have to hug the darkies," or "Just so long as I don't have to hug the cripples," or "Just so long as I don't have to hug the slant eyes."

I know, I know, locker-room-style "humor" designed to demonstrate that the joker isn't (God forbid) "gay" or "queer" is still acceptable in many quarters, long after verbal affronts to other minorities have faded from the public lexicon. But to start off your reign as APS' new head honcho with "humor" like that shows about as much cultural sensitivity as a turnip. Maybe it's still de rigueur in places like Wichita, Kansas, where Brooks is currently employed, but you'd think an educator would shy away from such expression when accepting a new job in new community.

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Hightower Uses Hildalgo County Medical Services as Example of Grassroots Change

In an excerpt from his new book, Swim Against the Current, long-time writer and activist Jim Hightower tells the grassroots success story of Charlie Alfero and the innovative community partnership he used to develop Hildalgo Medical Services, which began in Lordsburg, NM in 1994. Hildalgo County, in New Mexico's boot heel, was abandoned by copper companies and lost its hospital in 1979, and then its last doctor in 1983. You really should read the whole article, but here are a few tidbits to get you started:

There was an obvious need and demand for health services, but Hidalgo is hardly the sort of lucrative market that such profit-hungry chains as Hospital Corporation of America are willing to consider. The county's leaders realized they would have to put something together for themselves. So in 1994, they asked the state rural health office to send some experts to Lordsburg, the county seat, to help guide them. One who came was Charlie Alfero. Years previously, he had attended a small college up the road in a neighboring county, and he was glad for the chance to revisit a region he loved.

Alfero had been working with the rural outreach program of the state university's medical school, and he remembered from his earlier time in the boot heel that despite economic difficulties, the people of the area shared strong egalitarian values. He felt that they might do big things. He arrived with a vision: The people there could create a health commons of their own design -- a community complex that would provide one-stop service for medical, dental and mental healthcare, with family support services and economic development built in.

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AG Gary King to Speak at League of Women Voters Lunch in Rio Rancho

From the League of Women Voters:
Attorney General Gary King will be the luncheon speaker for the Sandoval Unit of the League of Women Voters. The cost of the luncheon is $20.00 and will be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2008, 11:30 AM, at Joe's Pasta House, Rio Rancho. Reservations are required and seating is limited. For more information contact Lisa Franzen (505) 867-0112 or geolisafranzen@aol.com.

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Huge Turnouts for Wyoming Dem Caucuses Today; Results

First off, you should be aware that Obama won Texas in that he won the most delegates. Now, on to Wyoming: CNN results, updated as votes come in. Updated 3/09/08 (final):

Race		Candidate	State Del.*	%	Del*	Pcts
Wyoming		Obama	5,378	61%	7	100% reporting
		Clinton	3,312	38%	4
		Uncommitted	63	1%	0

The caucuses in counties around the state have various start times throughout the day. Twelve pledged delegates are at stake. This diary on Kos has the nitty gritty on how the delegates relate to the CNN numbers and will have genuine delegate results. According to Yahoo news:

Sen. Barack Obama took the lead over rival Hillary Rodham Clinton in early returns as Democrats deluged caucuses in Wyoming Saturday, straining the ability of party officials to accommodate crowds. Obama led Clinton 57 percent to 40 percent with 6 of 23 counties reporting as they vied for the next prize in their extraordinarily tight Democratic presidential nomination race. During the first caucuses of the day, it appeared the state's Democrats were showing up in record numbers. In 2004, a mere 675 people statewide took part in the caucuses

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Iglesias' Coming Book: Pressure from NM Repubs and All Roads Lead to Rove

The issue of inappropriate and probably illegal political pressures placed on New Mexico's former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias by Rep. Heather Wilson (R, NM-01), NM Sen. Pete Domenici and other New Mexico Republicans is back in the news. Dahlia Lithwick at Slate discusses what we've learned about the U.S. Attorney firing scandal and comments on a draft of a new book by David Iglesias to be published in June. Excerpt:

Iglesias emphasizes the extent of the political pressures placed on him to bring indictments that would influence the midterm elections and illuminates the obsessive campaign by New Mexico Republicans to force him into unearthing and prosecuting Democratic vote fraud, even when he'd determined that there was none to be found. He details the phone calls received from Rep. Wilson and Sen. Domenici. And he describes what it was like to be a man with sterling performance reviews suddenly drop-kicked onto "the list" as a result of political complaints about his unwillingness to play ball. [emphasis mine]

Given the documented involvement of NM GOP operatives, Domenici and Wison in the shady, Rovian maneuverings to politicize the U.S. Justice Department and cast out ethical U.S. Attorneys, is it any wonder that most thinking people believe it's a story when fellow Repubs accuse Wilson's campaign of paying for votes at local GOP delegate conventions?

More excerpts:

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NM-03: Adams' Petition Challenge Against Wiviott Dimissed By NM First Judicial District Court Judge

First Judicial District Court Judge Daniel Sanchez today dismissed the petition challenge filed by Jon Adams against Don Wiviott, a candidate for the third congressional district.

“I’m not surprised by today’s outcome. I have been a champion of ballot access for candidates so that voters have a choice at the polls,” Wiviott stated. 

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(Updated) Cargo, MacCallum, Alleged NM GOP Vote-Buying Story on Collins Radio Show Tonight

UPDATE: Click to listen to an podcast (mp3) of about an hour of the show that focuses on the NM story. Both former Gov. Dave Cargo and KKOB's former news anchor, Laura MacCallum, are interviewed.
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As posted on BradBlog by Brad Friedman:
New Mexico Republican Vote-Buying Scandal to be Covered Tonight on Peter B. Collins Show Guests to Include Myself, Along with Former US Attorney from NM, Former NM Republican Governor, Former KKOB Anchor Who Broke Story...

During my regular weekly Friday guest appearance on the syndicated Peter B. Collins Show at 5pm PT tonight (that's 6pm in Albuquerque), we'll be joined by guests:

• Laura MacCallum (now-resigned KKOB reporter who broke the Heather Wilson Vote-Buying stories before they were spiked by her own station after complaints from Wilson.)
• Gov. David Cargo (former Republican NM Governor. One of several officials who made the initial allegations)
• David Iglesias Did not make it (former US Attorney from NM who was fired in the U.S. Attorney Purge after receiving inappropriate phone-calls from Heather Wilson and Pete Domenici.)

You can listen live right here. If there's time for calls, you can get in via 888-5-PeterB (888-573-8372).

Eric Griego & Tim Keller at Meetup Last Nite: How We Can Achieve Reforms

District 14 State Senate candidate Eric Griego speaks at DFA-DFNM Meetup

District 17 State Senate candidate Tim Keller addresses the group

In addition to a top-notch presentation on voter demographics and GOTV by Jennifer Ford of America Votes at last night's Albuquerque DFA-DFNM Meetup, the group heard from Eric Griego and Tim Keller. Eric and Tim are both passionate and engaging Dems who are challenging Dem incumbents in State Senate primary races set for June 3, 2008.

Eric Griego on the importance of electing Dems to the Legislature who will support a reform agenda

Both Griego and Keller stressed their strong commitment to needed reforms related to ethics, campaign finance, health care, education and a living wage. They explained how crucial it is for those who advocate change to band together and work hard to replace legislators more interested in protecting the status quo than reforming a broken system. Only grassroots action and determination can elect Democrats who will work on behalf of the people instead of the monied special interests. Whether or not we live in a given candidate's district, we can volunteer, make a small donation and help get the word out to support their campaigns. If they win, we'll all benefit -- not just constituents in their districts.

Griego on how we achieved public financing in Albuquerque and how he'll make ethics and campaign finance reform top priorities in the legislature

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Jason Marks: PRC/Feldman Health Insurance Bill Makes New Mexico a Leader in Consumer Protection

This is a guest blog by Jason Marks, NM Public Regulation Commission Chairman, discussing an important health insurance reform bill just signed by Gov. Bill Richardson. The legislation is getting national praise and attention, including including a front-page story in USA Today:

As everyone knows by now, the 2008 New Mexico Legislature was unable to come to consensus on any of several competing healthcare reform proposals. Except that’s not entirely true. Moving through the Legislature outside of the media spotlight, a health insurance reform bill that originated with the PRC and its then-Chairman Ben Ray Luján, was passed and signed into law. This legislation, Senate Bill 226, sponsored by Senator Dede Feldman (D-Alb, below left) puts New Mexico into the forefront of consumer protection in at least two areas that help families obtain and keep needed coverage.

New Mexico has become the second state in the country to enact a law limiting insurers’ ability to rescind health insurance policies and/or deny paying claims based on mis-statements on the insured’s original application for coverage. Until Senate Bill 226, insurance companies could retroactively rescind coverage during the first two years of a policy after a patient developed an expensive medical condition that the insurer didn’t want to cover. The insurer could decide that they’d rather refund your premiums and stick you with the responsibility for paying large medical bills. The insurer merely had to point to a relevant mistake or omission on the original application for coverage -- even if that mistake was unintentional. The PRC/Feldman bill raises the standard of proof so as to require the insurer to show that the applicant’s statements or omissions were willful or fraudulent.

Senate Bill 226 also extends the allowable lapse in “creditable coverage” from 63 to 95 days. Currently, if someone loses coverage under a group plan and applies for alternative coverage within 63 days, the period during which the individual was not covered is counted against any waiting periods on pre-existing conditions. The bill allows more time to seek alternate coverage. Several other states have increased their maximum lapse to around 90 days, but at 95 days, New Mexico has the most consumer-friendly standard in the nation. Lastly, Senate Bill 226 raises the minimum cap on coverage for policies under the N.M. Minimum Healthcare Protection Act from $50,000 to $100,000.

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NM-01 Dem Congressional Candidate Forum This Saturday

The Democratic Women of Bernalilllo County are hosting a forum for the Democratic candidates for U.S. House in CD1 on Saturday, March 8, at 3:00 PM at Room 2401 at the UNM Law School at 1117 Stanford NE in Albuquerque. Click for a map. The forum will be moderated by NM Attorney General Gary King. All are welcome to attend and learn more about Martin Heinrich, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Rebecca Vigil-Giron and Robert Pidcock.