Democracy for New Mexico

Rep. Martin Heinrich: GOP Wants to Take Our Country Back ... to the Bush Agenda

Democratic Rep. Martin Heinrich (NM-01) spoke at this week's DFA-Democracy for New Mexico Meetup in Albuquerque, covering many topics in his remarks and in his answers to questions from the audience. This is a clip of one of my favorite -- if chilling -- parts of his talk.

Rep. Heinrich describes the kind of awful agenda the Republicans -- like his opponent -- would pursue if they regain control of the U.S. House. As Rep. Pete Sessions has admitted publicly, if John Boehner succeeds in becoming Speaker of the House with a Republican majority, he will attempt to reinstate the Bush agenda -- completely and exactly. The GOP wants to do things like privatize Social Security, weaken Medicare and repeal every single part of health care reform. Could anything be worse for the country?

Take three minutes of your time to watch this clip, and then think about what's at stake. Please do what you can to support Rep. Martin Heinrich's reelection campaign and the entire Democratic ticket. Like now.

Republicans want to take our country back -- to the Bush era. Democrats will continue working hard, despite rampant Republican obstructionism, to take our country forward, IF they get a chance to do so. It's incredibly important that we get the word out about what will happen if Dems don't get out to vote on election day or if too many people fall for the empty rhetoric and vicious, dishonest attack lines of Republican candidates this year. It's up to every one of us to make sure that doesn't happen.

DPNM Seeking to Hire Bi-Lingual Canvassers for Albuquerque

The Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) is building a grass roots organization and is looking for bi-lingual folks to canvass Albuquerque neighborhoods in New Mexico’s 1st Congressional district to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot. Qualifications:

• Physical condition to walk 4 hours to knock on doors Mondays-Fridays, 6 hours on Saturdays and Sundays
• Hard working and passionate for Democratic politics
• Spanish speaking is a plus
• Be available evenings and weekends

The pay rate is $9.00 per hour. Send your resume and inquiries to Victoria Dulce: victoria@nmdemocrats.org or call: (505) 569-0078. Democratic Campaign Offices: 2610 San Mateo Blvd NE, 87110 and 3805 Atrisco Dr NW, 87120.

Needed: Volunteers for Democratic Party Booth at NM State Fair

From the Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM):
Volunteers are needed for the Democratic Party booth at the New Mexico State Fair that will be promoting ALL Democratic candidates:

• State Fair Dates: Sept. 10, 2010 (Friday) thru Sept. 26, 2010 (Sunday); Fair Open Wednesdays thru Sundays
• State Fair Hours: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM (approx) Wednesday-Sunday, Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
• Shifts: 3 hours at Democratic Party Booth - all volunteers go there first
• Duties: Booth attendants & visibility walk arounds
• State Fair Passes: Free to Volunteers. You can go to the Fair before or after your shift
• Shuttle to Fair: The Democratic Party is working on providing the shuttle for each shift
• Contacts to sign up: Dory Shonagon - 480-1848 - Email: dshonagon@gmail.com and Ana Canales - 515-9662 - Email: anacanales1@gmail.com or AnaCanales@bernalillodems.org

If we want to win in November, we have to do the voter outreach now. Please consider volunteering for at least one 3-hour shift and get into the Fair free! No experience necessary.

8/29: Dem Women of Sandoval County Host Annual Picnic at La Entrada Park

From the Democratic Women of Sandoval County:
Everyone's welcome at our annual picnic on Sunday, August 29, from Noon to 3:00 PM at La Entrada Park in Corrales.

La Entrada Park is on the "corner" of Corrales and La Entrada Roads behind Wells Fargo Bank, Corrales Realty and the Corrales Library, and across the street from the Corrales Police Department. Contact Linda Allison for more info: lalallison7@gmail.com 892-7946.

Events Tonight and Sunday in Santa Fe With Diane Denish and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan

From the Democratic Party of Santa Fe County (DPSFC):
Join us on Friday, August 27, for A Fiesta for Diane Denish by La Gente, from 5-7:00 PM at The Lodge at Santa Fe, 750 N. St. Francis Dr. Suggested donation is $25.00.

You're invited to a Meet and Greet with Democratic candidate for governor Diane Denish and Congressman Ben Ray Lujan, on Sunday, August 29th, from 3:30-5:30 PM in the La Tienda Exhibit Space. Refreshments will be served.

For more information contact Richard D. Ellenberg, Chair sfdchair@gmail.com; 505 467 8514.

Leak and Spin Have Denish & Heinrich Behind, Teague Slightly Up in Recent Polling

Spinners have been pushing hard for some time now on the meme that Diane Denish, the Dem candidate for New Mexico governor, and Rep. Martin Heinrich, the incumbent Dem candidate for Congress in NM-01, are running behind their GOP opponents. Today the Alligator man (you know who I mean) leaked polling, which allegedly took place in mid-August on behalf of some unnamed statewide candidate, that supports that meme. The info may or may not be true -- there's no way to tell for sure -- but I think it's a wake-up call for Democrats regardless, on many levels.

The leaked and spun poll results in question have Denish down by 12 points to GOP challenger Susana Martinez, and Rep. Heinrich trailing Republican Jon Barela by a couple points. One bright note in the leaked results: Dem Rep. Harry Teague is reportedly a couple of points ahead of GOP retread candidate Steve Pearce. However, nobody is reportedly over the 50 percent threshold that indicates they're capturing a majority of undecided (usually low information) voters. The undecided percentages are allegedly still very high and consist mostly of women and Hispanics -- many of whom generally vote Dem. Martinez has also reportedly made inroads with Dem Hispanics in the north.

Names, Not Issues
This narrative -- that has traditionally Democratic votes going instead to right-wing candidates with Hispanic surnames -- has been pushed from the start by various factions. In fact, there's been a lot of scuttlebutt that the pitches being made privately in some quarters by political operatives connected to Susana Martinez and Jon Barela have focused heavily on the message, "vote for me, I'm one of you" when talking with Hispanics. I don't know if that's true or not but I wouldn't be surprised if something like that were, indeed, happening.

Martinez and Barela certainly can't be making many points on the basis of their right-wing positions, such as they are. Clearly, both candidates have been keeping their detailed views on economic and other important issues on the low down, and focusing instead on negative bumper sticker sloganeering against their opponents and Dems in general. The less said about right-wing positions and proposals the better. The idea is to get low-interest voters to hone in on faces and sound bites and ignore what Republicans actually want to do if they regain power.

Democrats Caused This Mess, Not Us
In the case of Denish, the GOP meme is that she's responsible for everything bad (not good) that has happened in the state during the last eight years -- as if she actually had been governor or some kind of co-governor all that time. Repubs refuse to admit that the lieutenant governor post actually has very little clout in the scheme of things. Meanwhile, Barela has mostly focused on trying to paint Rep. Heinrich as an extreme left-winger who hasn't represented the interests of his constituents in Congress. Barela's BS never mentions that almost all of Heinrich's votes have matched the campaign promises he made in 2008, when he beat Republican Darren White by 10 points.

The core GOP message here, as elsewhere, is that Democrats created the mess we're in, so voters should throw the bums out. Of course, the reality is that the Bush-GOP agenda is almost entirely to blame for the hole Democrats are trying valiantly to dig their way out of. And that Republican obstructionism in cahoots with a handful of "moderate" Democrats in both the U.S. Senate and the NM Senate has made that very difficult to do.

The Republicans -- and their media echo chamber -- want it both ways. They block legislative initiatives that would help solve our problems, or make sure effective legislation is watered down as much as possible, and then complain that the problems aren't being solved and the Democrats are to blame. As one example, think about their messaging on the stimulus/recovery effort. The GOP and their cronies pushed like hell to make sure the federal stimulus package was as small as possible -- going so far as to demand that a big hunk of stimulus funding be scrapped in lieu of tax breaks. This, despite most respectable economists recommending that the stimulus be as generous as possible given the dire straits we were facing. Now that election season is upon us, however, Republicans are complaining that the stimulus didn't do enough.

An Example of Echo-Chamber Messaging
Two stories in the Albuquerque Journal today illustrate this game of obstruction/see I told you it wouldn't work. The headline on an article reporting on Sen. Jeff Bingaman's prediction that no more stimulus funds would be available to help states plug their budget holes reads like this: "Stimulus Spree Is Over, Sen. Says." Get that? The stimulus funding was nothing more than a "spending spree" -- implying it wasn't a necessary antidote to the financial and economic horrors wrought by Bush et al. Worse yet, the headline writer attributes the words incorrectly to Sen. Bingaman.

The second article is one of those quasi-news stories the Journal likes to put on the front page, which are often nothing more than spin pieces. In this case, the right-wing trending Thomas J. Cole wrote a column entitled, "Stimulus Shorts Some of Neediest Counties." The data presented doesn't reflect stimulus spending per capita in counties on things like Medicaid and public education -- which is significant -- but Cole and his employers are clearly excited to frame the issue in a way that points to problems in the stimulus bill signed by the President. It doesn't look at why the stimulus funding for infrastructure projects was less than it should have been or focused almost entirely on "shovel-ready" projects that would tend to favor more populous and hence monied counties with active plans already underway. The point is to bash Democrats.

In just one day, the Journal was able to both mock the stimulus as "spree" spending and claim the spending didn't go far enough. What a helpmate to right-wing interests the Journal has become!

The Democrats' Challenge
So where does all this leave Democrats when only 70 days remain until election day? Whether or not the leaked polling is accurate -- and we'll know more on this Sunday when the Journal releases its first poll on the governor's race -- Democrats clearly have to step up voter outreach to do two things. 1) Dems, including folks who were first-time voters in 2008, have to be convinced that what's at stake is so critical that they can't afford the luxury of staying home on election day. 2) Undecided voters must be approached on their own turf and given a clear idea of what a vote for Martinez, Barela or any other Republican really means in terms of our future. It ain't pretty, and Dems have to get that message across in no uncertain terms.

It's not easy to overcome the kind of simplistic billboard rhetoric used by the GOP to smear Dems. The truth is often difficult to explain in a few words or short phrases. But Democratic campaigns must do all they can to make sure that voters know exactly what's behind the GOP mask of faux-populism. It must become crystal clear that voting for Republicans because of their surname or their clever sound bites is just plain dangerous because of what they really stand for and what they'll do if they win in November.

We are at a critical crossroads this year -- we can either elect Democrats who will keep pushing for economic solutions that benefit the common good, or we can return to the failed policies that got us here in the first place. We can vote for Democrats who will fight hard to make New Mexico the Silicon Valley of renewable energy and green jobs, or we can elect Republicans who want to make sure green energy initiatives fail and the status quo prevails. We can choose Democrats who believe ordinary people should have access to quality health care, clean air, clean water and decent-paying jobs and benefits, or we can allow Republicans to rig everything to benefit their wealthiest donors, relegating ordinary people to a jobless, hopeless future.

Step Up Now
It's up to us to step up now and be part of the solution. Polling is just a snapshot, and there's surely enough time to turn things around and help voters see the light. We can do it -- but only if we ALL do it together. Boots on the ground, grassroots activism is what brought us such amazing victories in 2008. It can happen again, but only if we all get serious about making it happen. Volunteer now for the Democratic Coordinated Campaign and/or Organizing for America and/or one or more Democratic candidates. Talk to your friends, family, colleagues and neighbors about what's really going on this election cycle and why it's so important to keep Democrats in office, fighting for what we believe in. 

There is still time to make November 2nd a triumphant day for Democrats -- but only if we each do our part to make it so.

200+ Turn Out for Brian Colón's Coordinated Campaign Fundraiser in Albuquerque

Click for larger version or photo album

More than 200 energized supporters gathered at the Albuquerque Country Club on August 19 for a Democratic Coordinated Campaign fundraiser hosted by Dem Lt. Governor candidate Brian Colón. The Coordinated Campaign supports the entire Democratic ticket in New Mexico by engaging voters, canvassing, phone calling, organizing get out the vote efforts and more.

On the same evening that Dem gubernatorial candidate Diane Denish was successfully fending off the attacks of her GOP opponent at the APS education debate across town, a lively and diverse crowd showed up to back Dem GOTV efforts, enjoy a Mexican food buffet and soak up the lively sounds of a talented mariachi band.

The event, co-hosted by Turner W. Branch, Margaret Moses Branch, Ambassador Ed Romero and Cayetana Romero, raised funds in the six figure range to support the important work of the Democratic Coordinated Campaign in this challenging election cycle.

Here are a couple clips of Brian Colon's speech at the event:

Click to show your support for the Denish-Colón campaign and the Democratic Party of New Mexico.

All photos and videos by DFNM's M.E. Broderick.

8/25 Dem Fundraiser: A Rising Star Reception with Sen. Tim Keller at Artichoke Cafe in ABQ

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No Fan of Debates, Steve Pearce Now Wants Plenty

Ah, how time and circumstances can change a person -- in this case Steve Pearce, the GOP congressional candidate in NM-02. Once upon a time when he was an incumbent candidate in the 2nd District, Pearce seemed to be more than a little reticent to debate his Dem opponents. He repeatedly refused to debate and -- in a supremely arrogant move, even for Pearce -- forced a TV station to air a scheduled debate as a one-man show with his opponent when Steve failed to show up. Click to see a recap (pdf) of Pearce's penchant for dodging debates during his 2004 and 2006 campaigns. It's an eye opener.

That was then, when Pearce was against debating before he was for it. This time around, after losing a bid for U.S. Senate in 2008 by a huge margin, Pearce is demanding a slew of debates with incumbent Congressman Harry Teague:

“The people of our district have the right to see their candidates in a side-by-side setting to find out exactly where both of us stand on the issues,” Pearce said. “Ten debates in eight different counties would give the people of Southern New Mexico multiple opportunities to ask the candidates various questions and make an informed decision.”

See, change is possible, even for right-wing ideologues -- especially when political expedience is involved.

Does anyone else find it odd that Pearce wants ten debates in eight counties when New Mexico's Second Congressional Distict is made up of all or parts of 18 counties? I wonder which counties Steve wants to avoid, which he'd like to favor with a debate and what criteria he'd use to pick them. Knowing Pearce's record, we can rest assured he'd select only those counties where he believes he has strong support. Steve is that kinda guy.

Teague Campaign Weighs In
Dominic Gabello, Congressman Harry Teague's campaign manager, had this say in response to Pearce's demands:

“Yes. There will be debates," said Gabello. "We will work on details and we look forward to comparing records, but the real news is that Congressman Pearce’s debate dodging days are possibly over and he might finally answer some tough questions -- like why he voted against, but then happily pocketed every pay raise Congress gave itself during his 6 years in Washington.

“Harry hasn’t been sitting around waiting for the campaign season to kick off before he starts talking to people. In the last 20 months Harry has been hard at work visiting all 18 counties in the 2nd District multiple times and hosting well over 100 public forums. He has made it his top priority to stay in touch with the people and communities he represents so they know where he stands on the issues and so he can be responsive to their needs.

“Because of Harry’s hard work, his willingness to talk about the issues, and his commitment to staying in touch, Dion Kidd, a resident of Alamogordo, recently said -- ‘Harry is the hardest working, most accessible and responsive Representative this district has seen since Joe Skeen.’”

And that's saying something.

There He Goes Again
The Democratic Party of New Mexico also issued a statement about Pearce's sudden yen for debate:

"There he goes again doing the Washington Waffle, yesterday it was the Constitution, and today it's debates. The truth is Congressman Pearce spent six years in Washington and southern New Mexicans are all too familiar with his record of votes against securing the border, promoting the privatization of Social Security and accepting tens of thousands of dollars in automatic, unearned Congressional pay raises -- he's the Congressman that voted NO but took the DOUGH," said DPNM spokesman James Hallinan. 

"If residents in the 2nd District want to know where Congressman Pearce stands on the issues they don’t have to wait for a debate, they can just go to AskPearceWhy.com and submit their question."

New Website: Ask Steve Pearce Anything and Get the Facts on His Record

If you're like me, you'd love to have an opportunity to question former Congressman Steve Pearce on any number of topics, especially now that he's running to retake the NM-02 seat he gave up in 2008 to run unsuccessfully (to say the least) for U.S. Senate. Right-wing Republican Pearce seems to think he deserves another shot -- just because -- even though he walked away from the job and has stated publicly he believes it has no power.

I think Pearce should have to explain why he's running for Congress again and if it has anything to do with wanting to warm a seat until he can run for the U.S. Senate again. Fortunately, there's now a place to ask Steve this question, and any others folks might have. I'm sure that intriguing questions for Steve abound out there in voterland. 

That's why the Democratic Party of New Mexico has launched www.askpearcewhy.com, a new website created to help New Mexicans get answers to their questions for Congressman Steve Pearce. The site makes it easy to ask Steve Pearce a question and have it forwarded it to his campaign. And the folks at the DPNM will do their best to get an answer. You can even submit a video question. Use your imagination.

As DPNM spokesman James Hallinan says, "During his 6 years in Washington, Congressman Pearce developed a record of rarely hosting public meetings and generally not being accessible or responsive to his constituents. AskPearceWhy.com, finally gives New Mexicans a forum to ask Congressman Pearce anything -- including the tough questions he's avoided all these years."

Want to know if Pearce will join the Tea Party Caucus if he manages to get elected? Here's the place to ask. And you might well want to ask given Pearce's comment at a recent Tea Party forum, which you can check out in video at AskPearceWhy.com.

The site also provides a new resource for getting the facts on Steve Pearce's record -- some of which are troubling indeed. For instance, did you know that Pearce voted many times against budgets that contained substantial and critical help for veterans? Get the facts here about that and the positions he's taken on other issues like Social Security, the deficit, the border patrol and Congressional pay raises -- and then Ask Pearce WHY? 

See previous posts on Steve Pearce in our archive.