Too Little Too Late President Bush

Republicans are having a party as Hurricane Gustav bears down on Louisiana. Senator McCain has had the common senses to request that they scale back the convention in light of the disaster unfolding in the golf coast area.

Three years after Hurricane Katrina killed 1,600 people in New Orleans the city is still in danger of flooding from yet another major hurricane. The Bush Administration has continued its failure to prepare a major American city for a danger that was clearly foreseeable. Why was more money and effort not put into safeguarding this city?

The level of the city should have been raised. Flood walls should have been rebuilt to protect the city from a level 5 hurricane. The wet lands off the coast should have been supported so that it could drain the power out of such a hurricane. Homes should have been rebuilt to withstand hurricane force winds.

We need a president who cares about the people of this country. We also need a president that can foresee the benefit of protecting our major cities from foreseeable natural disasters. All of the rebuilding that could have been done over the past three years would have also helped our economy. Yet the Bush Administration is far more concerned with loss that the large oil companies might incur due to the hurricane in the golf coast. President Bush has finally said that he would not attend the republican convention although I can’t see why they don’t postpone the convention for a week or two to allow the country to deal with this disaster. How out of touch is the Republican Party with the voting public in Louisiana?

Governor Richardson and Senator Obama Fast to React.

Governor Richardson moves to give aide in anyway possible to ease the difficult times faced by the people of Louisiana. Senator Obama is using his group to help organize volunteers to help out once the hurricane makes landfall.

Martin Heinrich More Conversation Then Slogans

Today I went out walking Westside neighborhoods for Martin Heinrich. We started out the day at the Martin Heinrich for Congress Campaign headquarters off of central at 4105 Silver SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108. We picked up our packets and a walking partner and headed to the Westside of the city. Martin and his son were out walking and talking with voters.

After the walking we all met at a local supporter’s home. It was good to watch Martin talk one on one with the voters of that area of the city. Martin is an intelligent man and very skilled in answering question on many topics. The nice thing is that he listens and really addresses the issues. I have seen too many candidates who just put out a slogan as if somehow that was an answer. When you can get him away from his campaign workers, I know you guys are just doing your job and doing it very well to keep him on the move to as many events as is humanly possible in one day. Martin is probability one of the most real people I know outside of Tom Udall.

Darren White is not very good at being a real person when he talks to people. He supported Bush in a way that said a great deal about the issues he cares about in our country. He is now carrying the party line of drill, drill and drill in the golf coast area. In case you have not notices lately the price of oil has jumped back up because of a hurricane in the gulf where Darren wants our country to drill. Someone with half a brain should please explain to Darren that drilling in the golf is not the answer to lower gas prices. I don’t know about my readers the voting public but I personally want lower gas prices.

Martin was able to carry on a very good and informed conversation with a gentleman on that very issue today. He also spoke about water usage in New Mexico. Senator McCain would love to renegotiate the 1922 Colorado River Water Compact which gives us our drinking water for the present and the future. Martin was president of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority and has valuable knowledge on this topic. With Martin in congress our state would have a very skilled individual to represent our interest on the issue of that compact. Can we truly afford to have Darren who knows little about science and water issues in congress when we have Martin who is very skilled and knowledgeable in both these areas? So the question is do we want Martin Heinrich (intelligent conversation and representation) or Darren White (Bush Slogans) as our next congressman?

*Pictures from the Martin Heinrich Blog.

Hill Top removal and the affect it has on the environment

Why can they not see how damaging coal is to our environment?

My home town after hilltop removal but my father called it strip mining because it removed all of the top layers of plants and earth to get at the coal. John Denver called West Virginia almost heaven but I wonder what he would call my home town now?

The smooth spots are where the trees and top soil have been removed. At one point in history a young girl would climb an apple tree and eat apples during the summer but there are no trees there any longer. Closer to a small stream was a large black berry patch where you could eat black berries all day long but the stream and the black berry patch are also no longer there because everything was removed to get at the coal. The hills were a blaze with color in the fall but the hills and the homes at the base of those hills were removed to get at the coal. When some people say you can’t go home any more they are talking about it not feeling the same but in my case home was removed from the face of the earth once and for all time.

Colorado is now facing the same system of removing coal shell from its mountain tops but what price are they will to pay to provide our country with a form of energy that will not last long and can not be replaced in the future. Renewable Energy does not destroy peoples homes and the environment.

So Senator McCain exactly what does all of the above mean to our environment when it comes to energy independents?

Republican Senator John McCain Turned Up the Heat Today

Senator John McCain is no fool when it comes to politics. Make no mistake he is playing hardball to win in November. A candidate in the Republican Party is making history today by reaching out to women. Today he chooses a woman as his vice presidential pick. He knows that their are a lot of women today that were disappointed that Senator Hillary Clinton was not picked as Senator Obama’s Vice President. We are now faced with ignoring a candidate that is a woman in favor of a candidate that chooses an older white male as his running mate.

McCain is hoping to use the issue to drive a wedge between Senator Obama and the women in the Democratic Party. Senator McCain could care less about giving women a real voice in Washington. There were far more experienced women he could have chosen for his vice presidential pick but he wanted someone with no experience so that he could control her if he is elected to office. Senator Hillary Clinton this woman is not! She is nothing more than a pawn for the Republican Party to throw at the Democratic women in hopes that they can pull this election out of the fire at the last minute.

The question remains will Senator Clinton be able to remind her supporters that it was not just her sex that made her a great candidate worth fighting for in this years election. Senator McSame has made the mistake once more of underestimating the Democratic Women in this country. We are not fools and we understand what is at stake if he should win in November. We want someone who will take our moral values and issues to Washington this fall. I am sad to say that some women will probably by hoodwinked by this move but it is up to us to work hard to make sure they understand what the real issues are this year. It will be up to Senator Obama to show us that he cares deeply about the issues that affect women in this country on a daily bases. He made a great start last evening during his acceptance speech in Denver.

Yesterday August 28 Was My Birthday

I want to take the time to thank my good friends and to tell them just how much I appreciate the gifts and the way they took the time to show me just how much they cared about me on my birthday. It was not the cost of the gifts but the thought that went into my gifts that truly matters to me. It shows that my friends truly know me well and know what I care about in life. It is that they bothered to take the time out of busy schedules to spend the time with me. I assure you that I will not forget those of you who went out of your way to show me that I am a valued person in your lives.

As for the few people who want my support but can’t find the time to be bothered with such small things as birthdays I have this story for you:

A senator was crossing a busy street one day when he was hit and killed by a car. He went to the pearly gates of heaven. He announced I am here; let me in to heaven. Saint Michael just looked at him. We never had one of you here before let me go see what I should do in this case. He came back a little while later and said, “Ok here is the deal you will spend one day in heaven and one day in hell at which point you will be asked to choose which place you want to stay in for eternality.” The senator thought that a strange deal but said sure why not?

So he was taken over to an elevator and placed on it. The first day he spent in heaven with harps and clouds. The place was quiet and peaceful with floating white clouds and claim peacefully happy people wondering around. It was a perfect day. Next he went down to hell.

He stepped off the elevator to be greeted by the devil himself dressed in a red and black suit. There was a large perfectly green golf course with all of his old campaign buddies. There were long tables set up with lots of drinks, lobster, and other foods that you see during a victory party. He spent the day back slapping and sharing stories with all of his friends who were dressed in their finest party fashions. The women were in lovely dresses and the men were in suits that fit and looked great on them. Everyone was happy and the devil listened and agreed with every word that he said. The day was one of the best that the senator had ever had and he was very happy.

At the end of the second day the senator went back to the gates on the elevator. Saint Michael looked at the senator and said now choose which of the two you feel best suits your needs and wants. The senator thought for a moment and then said I would never have thought that I would be saying this but I vote for hell. I have tried to lead a good live but I think that is where I belong. Saint Michael took him over to the elevator for the last time. He said are you sure because once you decide there is no turning back? The senator replied, “Yes I am sure.” So he got on the elevator and went down to hell.

When he stepped off the elevator what he saw was an empty plain with his buddies on their knees in rages picking up garbage while more was dumped on their heads. They were clearly and completely unhappy and no one was listening to them any longer. The devil came up to him. He said I don’t understand just yesterday they were happy and having a great time. The devil looked over at him and said yesterday we were in the middle of a campaign; today you voted.

For those very few dear friends that could not find the time to remember me on my special day all I have to say is that I will see you on the golf course.

Senator Obama’s Speech

At the home of one of my local neighbors I watched Senator Obama give his acceptances speech. He was channeling the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. tonight. He was forceful and clear that he is ready to take on Senator McSame for the seat of President of the United States. He will not standby and let Senator McSame (Bush Clone) question his loyalty or the loyalty of the Democratic Party to either this country or our military men and women. We will not be forced to accept the fears of the past.

Senator Obama will make education affordable. He will give teachers better pay. He will balance our budget, move our country toward real energy independents. Reward small business and take away rewards for moving our jobs out of this country. Women like his daughters will receive equal pay for equal work. We will have a better life.

This campaign has not been about Senator Obama but about change brought to Washington by the American people. We will not elected Senator McCain who can only give us a 10% chance of change. The American people are demanding change that will improve our lives. Senator Obama will bring our country that change.

Martin Luther King Jr. Would be Proud of Our Party Today

Today is a day that the Democratic Party should be very proud of in history. Today we make the dream a reality and our first African American Male nominee for President will give his acceptantces speech. In November God willing we will have our first African American President. Let us all look to a future when someday someone like Michelle Obama can stand in the same place that her husband will stand tonight.

The Republican Party would have us believe that the stadium is because Senator Obama is a rock star but it could not be further from the truth. Senator Obama wants to open up the process to the general voting public. Rather then just some party elite who spend the money to get tickets. Let’s see the Republicans Party open up their process to the general voting public in the future. Somehow I have a feeling that it will not happen in my life time.

Tonight besides us making history Senator Obama will speak to the voters about the issues that face our country. He will lay out his plan for how to bring about the change our country so desperately needs. He will speak to the hearts and minds of the voting public. He has given back the hope for a better future to the American people and no one but ourselves can take that away for us at this point in time. We have in our hands the power to change the future for the better for ourselves and our children. Now is the time to request those vote by mail ballots. Don’t let McSame kill the dream of a brighter future.

Oil and Coal Companies Spend Record Profits on Positive Press

“$427 million. That's what the oil and coal industries spent during the first half of 2008 on lobbying and advertising. They're protecting their interests -- and hurting ours.”

So rather then large oil and coal companies spending all our money on clean energy development they are spending it on cleaning up their image for the public. Can we say windfall profit taxes?

Jason Marks for the PRC

Jason has a new ad out for his campaign. He is running for reelection on the Public Regulation Commission in district one.



Jason Marks is a good man to support and he has done a good job in protecting the voting public’s best interests over the last four years.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Suits

Senator Hillary Clinton truly knows how to give a great speech. She has set the bar high for the rest of the convention. Hillary reminded all of her supporters just why they cared so much to get out and vote in the first place. She also made it crystal clear that McSame was not the person to vote for this fall. We can only move America forward by supporting Senator Barack Obama for President. She asks all of her supporters to vote for Senator Obama so that we can show the Republican Party that we will move forward. She told the crowd that it was right that the republicans should be having their convention in Minnesota’s twin cities since you could not tell Bush and McCain apart like maybe twins. It is also time to show the Obama supporters just what the sisterhood of the traveling pants suits can do for our party. We must elected Senator Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the oval office unless we want four more years of the same.

"No way, No how, No McCain."

Michelle Obama Speech

Now it is our turn to inspire the voters of this state to get out and vote on November 3 or to “Vote By Mail.” Do it for Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

Who is the Republican Party Trying to kid?

State Republicans call foul over Udall’s Son-in-Law's new job as state elections director. Give us a break do you not see that the republicans are trying everything they can to control the election process in this state. We have paper ballots so they can’t fix the machines so now they want a republican to control the process.

Is this the same party that had a Florida Governor in 2000 help decide an election? I do believe that his brother was running for president that year. The party that has made a point of trying to place a republican Governor in even state so they can control the elections. I guess they don’t like it when the tables are turned on them. Good for Congressman Udall at least his son-in-law will be far more honest then any republican.

The Republican Party in this state only wants republicans in key power positions and we would all be fools to buy into their lies and fake outrage about who controls the election process. If we want honest government then we will need more people like Jim Noel in positions of power in our state.

Senator Joe Biden

Senator Joe Biden is our Vice Presidential pick for the Democratic Party this year. I like him because he and his wife Jill are teachers. His wife works in a community college just like I do. They both understand the value of education for our country’s future. Although Senator Biden grew up in Delaware he was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He may be a Yankee but he understands how to deal with balancing a budget which is more then we can say about Senator McSame and his President George Bush. Senator Biden wants to pay educators and educational support staff a real wage that they can live on. He wants to fund the field of education and put more computers in the classrooms. He will be a lot better in this area then McSame who wants to make education private so only the very rich can afford it. Senator Biden has far more experience in foreign affairs and National security and will bring those skills to his office.

Do I wish that Senator Hillary Clinton had been Senator Obama’s Vice Presidential pick? Yes, but he is the one that has to live with the person who will be running with him for the next four years so I can give him a break on it this time. Senator Clinton has a lot to do in the Senate over the next four years and she may just be running that group before long. The men in this country and our party are going to be forced to accept that the time for women to start stepping into positions of power is now. We want those jobs and have as much right to them as any man. On this issue Senator Obama is going to have to be very careful when building his administration. It had better not be an old boys club or he will hear about it loud and clearly.

Senator Ted Kennedy is a much beloved Senator in our Party. He has earned his position in the Senate. When he calls the party together few can help but listen. It was good to see that he made it to the convention this year because it proves that he is a fighter for himself and our party.

Senator Hillary Clinton has made it clear that our party is more important then any single race and that she will stand with our party and support Senator Obama for President. Now it is up to Senator Obama to show the grace to accept that it is not easy to accept that she will not be the pick for president or vice president. The Obama supporters should show some grace and not be poor winners or they could drive off voters. In order to bring our party together Senator Obama will have to reach out to Senator Clinton’s supporters in a real way and not just expect them to fall in line. The Democratic Party has never been a group of weak kneed fall in line type people. We are a group of independent individuals.

News: Fiction or Truth

The question was is news fiction or factual truth of an event? During the sixties we watched Walter Cronkite report the CBS evening news daily. We never questioned that someone else might have a different viewpoint of how the event occurred. News sources at that time were limited. Today, we have numerous sources for the news. Each source has it own viewpoint and bias. If people don’t like the way one reporter see it then they simple change to another source or turn out altogether. News providers are owned by individuals who feel that the news should be reported as they see it and that the only facts should be the ones that support their view of the events. Sometime in the past years since we were children reporters stopped trying to be objective about events. What was once unthinkable is now common place. Somewhere along the line news became entertainment and the truth became fiction that is if there even was a time when it was factual. Maybe we were just too young and naïve to realize that there was never a time when the news was not propaganda.

In the sixties the war was never ending on the evening news now if it makes the news it is clean and at the end of the program so that viewers can change the channel or turn it off. We don’t see the death and dying of people who’s country we bombed into rubble because that would be too hard for the public to withstand. We don’t see our own people who have given their lives for their country or have been maimed beyond repair. Only those who remember the sixties truly feel strongly about ending the war in Iraq and that is because they do remember the horrors that they witnessed on the evening news. When did war become a clean and neat act and why?

What do you know? It is Joe Biden

Joe Biden was the pick for Barack Obama as his Vice President. We now have a full ticket for the final day of the Democratic National Convention. It was good to see that Joe Biden was ready to go to answer questions from day one.

I spent the day hearing about how social issues are being dealt with in the fictional world. Clearly people are feeling stress and want to get away for the reality of the real world. More end of the world fiction is hitting the market as a result of that fear and stress felt by the public. More superhero fiction is also hitting the media because Americas are looking for a hero to save their world. We have not seen that amount of these types of fiction on the rise since the end of the cold war. Some individuals speculate that it is the first step in a therapeutic method our country has to deal in an abstract way with the problems facing this country. Often the best way for people to deal with political issues is to remove them from the here and now so that they can look at them without making it personal. Major social issues are often difficult to deal with if you know the name of the person you are talking about but place the same issue in an abstract sitting and people feel uninhibited and liberated to speak their mind on those same issues. People then feel free to apply those same answers to their current issues.

Clearly change is a topic being dealt with in many ways in this country. It should be interesting to see what the results of our soul searching will be in the future. Will we find ways to solve the problems of healthcare, the divide between the ultra rich and the poor, and protecting the environment while finding a path to energy independents?

Convention Time is Finally Here

Everyone is off to the National Democratic Party Convention this weekend. I will be spending my birthday weekend at a writer’s convention here in the city. There will be a party in my Neighborhood this evening which I will be attending but most of my weekend will be spend listening to other authors talk about how to be a better writer. Sometimes the best way to improve your skills is to learn for others in your own field. I have never considered myself that great of a writer but I still see the need for a female voice in this city when it comes to politics. We need to work hard to keep the tone of our campaigns positive and to put candidates into office that care about the families that make up the American middle class and lower income families. We need to keep the dream of a better life alive for the next generation of Americans no matter what their skin tone.

After this next week the real work will start to get all of our candidates elected in November to provide for the change our country so desperately needs. We want to lower the cost of basic needs like food, fuel, and healthcare. We need to protect the environment for our children and their children to enjoy in the future. As a single mother I want a better life for my child as well as the children that she calls friends. While my daughter has a nice life at present that is not true for all the children in this city and in this country. We have the Bush Administration to blame for the shape our economy is in right now but Senator (McSame) McCain is planning far worst if he is elected.

He is a man that has lost count of how many homes he owns while others are struggling to keep the one that they own along with the bank that owns their mortgage. We don’t need a man in the oval office who only cares about the top richest 1% of the population in this country because they have had it very good over the last eight years. I personally don’t feel the least bit sorry for them if their taxes increase just as long as the money is used to give our country energy independents. It would be a different matter if they had used that money to help improve our economy but clearly they have only added to their own very enormous bank accounts while reaping record profits from their companies. The same companies that the Bush Administration has given every tax advantage to over the past eight years. The time to put a stop to this bad behavior and improve our economy is now.

I will be getting reports from individuals attending the Democratic National Convention this next week. I could no go this year because of that pesky day job at the local community college. You guys know the one that pays the bills. I also don't make the kind of money working in the field of education that allows me to go running off for a week to Denver. Maybe one of these days I will decide to marry that rich republican my bother keeps talking about but it is highly (over my dead body) unlikely in this life time.

Howard Dean at Obama Campaign Office

Today at 3:30 pm Howard Dean the head of the Democratic Party was in the city to encourage people to get out and vote for our candidates this fall. With him was Jill Copper who is Tom Udall’s wife. As always Jill is a very good representative for her husband. The place was packed even despite the heat of the day. I was registering voters and handing out bottles of water at the event. Howard Dean encouraged the crowd to get out and work for change. It was good to see him in our city.

I changed shirts and went to the monthly meeting of the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County. This evening was a busy evening with the election getting closer. We started out with a State Central Committee meeting to decide who would be place on the ballot this fall for the Second District Court Judgeship which is up for election. The two candidates were Judge Reed Sheppard and Gail K. Prosser. I was wearing a “Keep Reed Sheppard” t-shirt to show my support. I must admit to never being thrilled to have friends supporting the opponent but that is part of the process. We all held our breath as Chairman Brian Colon read the results. Judge Reed Sheppard was the winner with just over sixty votes. I hated to see friends that were not happy with the results but at the same time I was very happy that Judge Sheppard received the support of the State Central Committee. We are very lucky to have him as our candidate. I could see that Judge Sheppard’s wife was thrilled that her husband won. She is doing a great job representing her husband. We are lucky to have wives like her that clearly care about their husbands.

Other individuals of note at the meeting were Judge Ira Robinson from the court of appeals, Sheryl Williams Stapleton State Representative, Jason Marks PRC, Maggie Toulouse Oliver county clerk, Judge Maria Dominguez and Judge Ben Chavez. Maria’s little son was full of energy keeping both his parents busy. It is always good to see the candidates with their families. It was good to see Judge Chavez out with the party. His children are so sweet and his little girl clearly looks like her lovely mother. Our is a party of people who put family first in this state. The monthly meeting often has children in attendants. It is clear that our candidates care about the future because of their families.

Club for Growth buys air time to attack democratic candidates.

Ok just who is the club for growth and why do they hate democratic candidates so very much in our state. Can we say Republican Party subgroup? Here are the policy goals from the club for growth:

Club for Growth Policy Goals:

o Making the Bush tax cuts permanent
o Death tax repeal
o Cutting and limiting government spending
o Social Security reform with personal retirement accounts
o Expanding free trade
o Legal reform to end abusive lawsuits
o Replacing the current tax code
o School choice
o Regulatory reform and deregulation

This looks like the republican platform for 2008. This group is supported by republicans that want to win in November and destroy this country. They have as their very first goal to support the Bush Administration. These are the people paying for the attack ads of our candidates. Only a fool would by their lies as truth. We want Gary King to force this group to hand over their donator list to the Secretary of State after all they are a PAC. Don't let this outside republican subgroup buy an election in New Mexico. We should know who they are handing their money over to in the future.

Response to Republican Attack Ads

Here is a response to one of Steve Pearce’s attack ads on Congressman Tom Udall.



The Republican Party is desperate to win this fall. They will tell the voting public any lie that they think will win them more votes no matter how false the lie. The voting public has to understand that our candidates are fighting for our country’s well being. If we allow the republican’s to hold office for another four more years we may not have a country. Now is the time for every democrat to get out and vote. The votes by mail request forms are already being sent out by the county clerk’s office so make sure you get yours so you can cast your ballot early. We simply can not afford another four more years of the same. Get your request in today.

Remember the big three:

Barack Obama for President
Tom Udall for Senator

(Choice the one in your district)
Martin Heinrich for Congressman CD1 (middle of the state)
Ben Rey Lujan for Congressman CD3 (northern part of the state)
Harry Teague for Congressman CD2 (southern part of the state)

Don’t forget to vote yes for the district court judges at the bottom of the ballot this year.

The future of our country depends on the voting public doing their part this year. Vote blue for change that counts.

What were they talking about?

The three people in this picture are Winston Brooks the new superintendent of APS, Congressman Tom Udall and Senator Jeff Bingaman. Both Senator Bingaman and Congressman Udall are strong supporters of the education of the hard sciences in this state. Both understand the significant value of this type of education for our children since a number of our future jobs depend on our work force having the best education in this field of study. Winston Brooks appeared on the PBS show "On the line" he said that teaching intelligent design in our schools was a non issue but he may have just been a little weak with his answer. New Mexico is known for its stand on pure science because of the National Labs. The last thing we want our state to be known for is a weak program in the hard sciences. With a number of individuals working for the labs I am sure that they want and understand the importants of quality education in the hard sciences. We want our children to be the best in those areas of study. Senator Bingaman has supported science and math camps in the summer for our children. I can't help but wonder if Senator Bingaman took the opportunity to express his views on this subject to the new leader of the local school district.


The Obama people would not let me into the VIP area so that I could ask these questions so I am left to speculate just what they were talking about. Maybe next time these gentlemen will be able to find the time to come over and say hello so I don't have to speculate about what they are talking about because I will be able to ask these kind and gentle public services what is on their minds.

Obama Town Hall on the Economy

Obama spoke to a crowd of almost two thousand at the Rio Grand High School today. After a short speech he took questions from the crowd. I arrived at the meeting at around 10:30 and the crowd was let into the gym around 10:50 am. The VIP list was a long one (Just check the pictures on my Webshots, link at the bottom of the page) as the party falls in behind Obama for President. I even saw Mayor Martin Chavez at the event. You must admire Senator Obama for being able to welcome even the most outspoken politician to the party this year. Senator Obama is a man of inclusion not exclusion like senator McCain. Senator Obama arrived around 1:30 pm and went to work by taking off his jacket. He rolled up his sleeves and started answering questions. The first question was on the war in Iraq and on the FISA bill that he voted for to the dismay of so of our party. I personally did not support the FISA bill so I was glad to hear his take on why he voter for it.

Question 1: He gave a three point answer to that question. First he never supported the war in Iraq and will pull our troops out but that does not mean that he will not send troops into Afghanistan to fight the real war on terrorism. Second he did vote for the FISA bill but only because it allows for a review of the spying. Senator Obama does not want to tie the hands of our government to do spying but he does want to protect the constitutional rights of our citizens. Third compromise is not a dirty word. We need to be able to work with all of the interested parties to find common ground.

Question 2: The second question was on social security. Senator Obama wants to raise the cap on people earning more then $250,000. This would increase the percentage they pay in Social Security. At present those individuals pay less then 1% of their income in taxes to the social security. Why should people earning less than $105,000 be paying 6.2% of their total income when richer people pay a smaller percentage on their total income? Clearly on this issue his grandmother who works for a bank has taught her grandson well.

Question 3: Was on healthcare for all Americans. Senator Obama said that he was in favor off health care for all Americans and has a plan that is close to one that Governor Richardson is trying to pass in our state. While he would like a one payer system he said that was the dream but the reality forces us to work with what we have at present and improve on the system.

Question 4: What would he do about Immigration? He said that he would enforce the law for employers so children would not have to work in unsafe conditions and for less then minimum wage. He said that he would enforce the borders. He said that he would give immigrates a path to citizenship but they would have to pay a fine and move to the back of the line.

Question 5: Was on Education. He said that he would raise teacher salaries and hold them accountable. He did say that some people are just not suited to be teachers and those people should be removed from the system while others were rewarded for work well done. He said that he had spent his entire public career trying to improve education. He is in favor of a fair system but one that holds people accountable.

Question 6: Small government in America. Senator Obama said that up until the Bush Administration the government was getting smaller and doing a better job but after Bush took office the government grew without improving it service to the public it is suppose to serve.

Being one of those single mothers with a child in school I had to leave right after the event was over to pick up my daughter from school. I can say that working in education has not been easy over the last few years because as the administration salaries grows mine only gets smaller because I work with students as a substitute teacher and tutor. I want to see that our party truly shows that they respect education by keeping their word and raising the salaries of those who work with the students. The person who ask the question about education was right when he pointed out that the promise had not be keep by members of our own party. Senator Obama told him to hold his feet to the fire on this issue in the future. Trust me Senator Obama you will hear from me if that promise is not kept.

Keep Your Dirty Republican hands off Our Water Senator John McCain

It looks like John McCain has no understanding of the value of our water as a natural resource in this state. Our future growth in this state is dependent on our future water supply. He is looking to renegotiate the 1922 Western compact and give our water to Arizona, California and Nevada. This is the quote from the Pueblo Chieftain in Colorado.

"I don't think there's any doubt the major, major issue is water and can be as important as oil. So the compact that is in effect, obviously, needs to be renegotiated over time amongst the interested parties,"

And we thought it was bad having someone from Texas in the oval office.

Tom Udall a Man on a Mission

Congressman Tom Udall is fighting back and refusing to go negative like his rival Steve Pearce. With Congress in recess Tom Udall has been making good time in the state visiting with voters and learning what they feel about the issues. Today I started out at a house party in the south valley. What can I say but that the people in the south valley really know how to throw a party. It always feels like home when I attend a campaign event in that part of the city. The event was very well attended as are most events in the south valley. Udall’s Campaign clearly made a real effort to invite local candidates. Martin Heinrich show up and spoke to the crowd. Victor Raigoza from state senate district 10 showed for the event. Jason Marks who is running for the PRC also attended. Kari Brandenburg was also at the event. Gail K. Prosser who is seeking the nomination for Second District Court seat that is currently held by Judge Reed Sheppard wanted everyone to know that she would put the voters first. I asked why she had not considered running for one of the three appeals court positions and she told me that her heart was set on getting a district court seat. I have to admit that I would like to see the district court judges out on the campaign trail but I do understand that it is only a retention race for them and they don’t appear to feel that they have to work very hard to get reelected this year. Consider that last remark a little verbal ear pulling on my part.

The second event of the day was held in the Montgomery Park. Congressman Udall showed up shortly after I did and spoke to the crowd about local issues such as health care, veteran’s issues, the war in Iraq, and education. He spent time talking to the people one on one who attended the event. While the event in the south valley was rained out after the speeches, the rain in the heights was early and had stopped by the time the event started. Tom must have some pull with the man upstairs because both events went off well which could be considered a small miracle at this time of year in Albuquerque. Both Kari Brandenburg and Jason Marks also attended both events. Joining us at the BBQ in the park was Tim Eichenberg who is running for state senate district 15.

For more pictures check the link for my webshots. Note that the U dogs were happy to attend the second event.

When is it too much time on the Campaign Trail

On Tuesday I spent from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm on the phone for the Obama’s Campaign. I spent Wednesday stuffing envelops for the Udall Campaign from 9:30 am until 2:30 pm. Thursday I made phone calls for the Obama Campaign from 6:00 pm until 8:30 pm. On Friday I made phone calls for the Obama Campaign from 9:00 am until 11:00 am. I will be spending Saturday working with the Udall Campaign from 1:00 pm until 6:00 pm. We are now down to the last three months of our campaigns. I have noted that not a lot of people are as active as they were in 2006. Candidates that spent hours of their weekends out going door to door are staying home with their families. How will this affect the voter turnout this year? I am refusing to get my hopes up this year for fear of facing defeat at the polls. I have not seen the unified effort that we had in 2006 which helped all of our candidates. I am spending as much time as I can with each of the three major campaigns but I would love to see all three campaigns working as one with the party. I must admit that this every man for himself campaign strategy is very disturbing but since I am not in control all I can do is go along for the ride and hope for the best in November. I do wish that the Governor would step in and convince all of the candidates that the time is now to join forces and work as one party to get all of our candidates both national and local elected to office in November. Maybe then I would not be hearing from voters that we just called them. I had hoped that the new system of every campaign working together would deal with some of that reaction this year but no such luck.

Teaque vs. Tinsley in Second District Congressional Race

Ed Tinsley does not need any help from Harry Teaque when it comes to losing the 2nd district Congressional race. He appears to be quite good at putting his own foot in his own mouth without any help for his opponent. Harry may not be the best talker in the southern district but apparently he can run circles around Ed Tinsley.

How Hard are You Pulling for Tom Udall?

Sweet little tuck starts his day early and spends long days in the Udall Campaign headquarters with his owner Andrew Marshall. He takes his naps in a play pen next to his master as his owner works answering the never silent phone. Tuck is a member of the Udall Campaign’s U dogs. If you are interested you can go to Tom Udall for Senate and sign up your little friend for the Udall Campaign. Tuck keeps all of the Udall staff members on their toes and he is pulling real hard for Congressman Udall. I am sure that this little beagle would love to meet you if you are willing to come down to campaign headquarters at 3311 Candelaria NE, Suite B, Albuquerque, NM 87107 Phone: (505) 884-3055 Email: info@tomudall.com to help volunteer for the campaign. Tuck has a lot of friends both human and animal at the Udall Campaign headquarters but I think he could welcome a few new ones.

Vote Reed Sheppard for Second District Court Judge

A well liked and very experienced judge that clearly has the support of many voters. I visited Judge Sheppard’s courtroom today to see what type of judge he was in action. Judge Sheppard is already well respected by the lawyers who appear in his courtroom. Other judges remarked that he was doing a good job picking up some of their cases so he is ready to jump in from day one to even out the case load for other judges. He has an easy going style in the courtroom and shows impartial respect for both sides of the cases. He has a comfortable understand of the case law and is clear on his rulings.

After viewing a number of the local judges in action over the last year, I have noted that each one has his or her own style not unlike that of the teaching profession. Some are very precise and to the book while others are more of a question and answer style. Some like to listen first and then ask pointed questions. Each of our current judges brings a history of long study in areas of the law and has practiced in the courtroom sitting. I find that all need the ability to articulate their views to both the voting public and the lawyers who appear before them in the courtroom. Judge Sheppard is clearly very skilled in this area of communication.

I have found after speaking to judge candidates that not all lawyers are good at this skill. Some people have difficulty expressing themselves to the voting public which can translate into a problem in the courtroom. I think that since this position falls to the state central committee to decide who to support that they should look carefully at this skill set. We have a number of highly qualified judges on the second district court at present and we would be lucky to add Judge Sheppard for the next few years to that listing.

Why didn’t I just hang up?

I told myself that I would not read any stories about the other woman in the Edwards affair but like all train wrecks it is like you can not help yourself. Why? The woman can not be sane so how could he possible for one second want to risk his marriage, his political career and his whole life for someone like that woman? Someone needs to smack him upside the head. What could you have possible be thinking? Don’t answer that because I don’t want to know how stupid he could really be at times.

When I was twenty one I got married to a medical student who was working to be a doctor. I had it all the marriage, the career and I hoped in the future a family of my own. Our marriage was not a good one. He dropped out of school shortly after we were married. He stopped working and stayed home to work on a career in personal computers. I had my misgivings about the marriage but being catholic I was in it for the life time commitment.

He went to a convention without me. When he returned he stated getting phone calls for a woman. As any wife I was not wholly pleased with this behavior but I understood that he needed friends even if they were more than a little bizarre. Most of his friends were completely bizarre. Then came the confession that he had cheated with this woman so I like any wife started hanging up on her. God, do I know how Elizabeth Edwards feels about that nutcase that her husband clearly made a huge mistake with? Women like her use the title “New Age” to justify behaviors that are clearly harmful to men with families. From my limited experience with new age friends her behavior is not even acceptable to them. Their first rule is “do no harm!”

As it turned out I ended up hanging up on my marriage and not finding another man that I trusted for many years. My daughter’s father past away many years ago, I am now single and very clear to any married man that I don’t period have affairs and that I will totally support political wives in any questionable behavior. The last thing any of my married candidates wish to do is let me see them with another woman because I would rage them out and then give them the choice of telling or I would so I am not looking to be friends with any man that could cheat on his wife. I can honestly say that there are a few candidates that I know are totally devoted to their marriages and their wonderful wives. I completely support them for their seats. So if you see me looking kindly at a married candidate understand that these men can be totally trusted with the voting public’s best interest.

The women of the Democratic Party are clearly not pleased with former Senator John Edwards. Nothing is for sure with any candidate but I can say that few women would support him for any public office at this point in history.

Barack Obama's choice for VP

Want to be the first to know Barack Obama's choice for VP?

The Obama campaign is announcing Barack's running mate to supporters via email and text messaging. Text VP to 62262 to get the news on your mobile phone.

What I am doing on my Summer Vacation

While all of the K-12 students are returning to the classrooms this week, I started my first day of unpaid annual vacation as a substitute teacher at the higher educational level. I got up and watched the national morning news. The coverage of what a woman’s reaction to the news that Former Senator John Edwards had cheated on his wife was beyond sad. The three women were not asked any questions that would give any real understanding of what Elizabeth Edwards is facing at present. No new details were revealed so in short it was a big waste of time.

I took my daughter out for a nice lunch where we had a sit down meal. Then it was off to the district courthouse to see what our local district court judges were up to during their working day. I dropped by Judge Bob Schwartz’s office but his group was in meetings. I spoke briefly with Judge Charles Brown. I asked him what he thought about Mayor Chavez. He calmly replied that there was no big deal. He is assured that he is doing his job to the best of his ability which includes years of experience in the field of law. He has even been asked by other countries to help them set up court systems. I also ask if he had heard that Gail Prosser was attempting to get the votes by the state central committee for the district court position now held by Judge Reed Sheppard. Judge Brown said everyone must have their dreams. Judge Brown won the race for his seat on the bench easily over Ms. Prosser.

I will be visiting Judge Sheppard’s courtroom tomorrow morning to watch him at work here are a few facts about Judge Sheppard:

Former Metropolitan Court Judge
Served on the Domestic Violence Commission as Commissioner 2nd Judicial District since 2002
Adjunct Law Professor, UNM
UNM School of Law Graduate, Top 10
Graduate, National Judicial College
U.S. Navy Veteran
Member and Past President, Civitan
Mock trial judge for law school and high school teams
Holy Child Parish, Lay Minister
Happily Married: 2 children & 2 grandchildren (Very nice wife, easy to talk to and friendly)

Lastly I stopped in to watch one of the civil court judges give a ruling in a case. Judge Clay P. Campbell has been on the bench since 2005. He was chosen by a bipartisan committee and then appointed by the Governor. He then won a partisan ran in November 2006. His understanding of courtroom law is very impressive.

I must admit to a small amount of biases since I would not be here today if it was not for the court system and Judge Campbell. I first met Judge Campbell when I was being stalked by a mentally ill student two years ago last July. With the help of a few very good male friends and an order of protection, I was very lucky no harm came to me. The student is now awaiting trial for aggressive assault with a deadly weapon. I am happy to say it was not me.

What can I say we need judges on the court system who clearly understand the serious of these types of cases and we need to give program support to our current judges. Judge Campbell was running for election in 2006 and shortly after he started to campaign he removed himself from my case because there is no way on earth to avoid running into me during an election year. Just ask anyone that has ever run for election in the last four years. I will agree with Mayor Chavez that we need stronger laws when it comes to mentally ill people in this state but the local court systems can not and should not try to overrule state law. The state senators should be the ones to enact laws to protect individuals from the violently mentally ill who refuse to take their medication. Also more money should be allocated to rehab so that these people do not self medicate with illegal drugs. As a past stalking victim of a mentally ill person I can tell the public that our local judges are doing everything in their power to keep the public safe while still following the laws created by our state and local government. The local courts don’t make the laws but they do enforce them within the system and to do otherwise would only invite the higher courts to overrule their verdicts.

Time to move on

Yesterday Former Senator John Edwards came out and publicly admitted to the voting public that he had an affair in 2006 and lied about it to the public. The name of that “woman” should not be published because she has done nothing to deserve even one minute of fame. The Edwards family does deserve their privacy when it comes to this issue.

Elizabeth Edwards will have to forgive the voting public for a few days because they are reacting and going through some of the same feelings that she herself did at finding out that John Edwards made such a horrible mistake. We want him to understand that this is not an acceptable behavior in our society. The men in our party will have to understand that the women feel that he should be punished for his disrespect. There should be public and political consequences for his bad behavior. Maybe he should be forced to sit out the next two years so that he clearly understands that our party does not condone his behavior after all voters should be able to trust the people they elect to public office.

Like Elizabeth we will forgive him his marital infidelity after all it is clear that he does love his wife and is sorry that he causes her such pain. Like President Bill Clinton we will forgive his lie because it harmed him and his family more then it harmed public trust. What the leaders of our party have to understand is that lying to the public for any reason is not acceptable. Rather then lying, I personally think that they should simply refuse to answer any questions about their marital relationship. As Elizabeth Edwards said this is an intensely private matter between her and her husband. No women in her right mind would want to have to go through it in front of all of the country. Marriages that last as long as the Edwards’ marriage go through tough times and if their lucky they come out even stronger in the process. What our country’s younger generation has never learned is that marriage is a process and not an end product.

Shame on John Edwards; “Oh, my god!”

I can think of nothing more unforgivable then a man having an affair on his wife. I was one of those wives in my first marriage. I will not be friends with anyone that could cheat on his wife. It is simply too unforgivable. He should have never spoken to that “woman” again if Elizabeth made the effort to get past the affair. When a woman puts her trust in a man he should hold that as one of his most cherished trust. I feel sorry for Elizabeth Edwards because of her husband’s behavior. No! we should beat him up for what he did to her. He showed a total disrespect for his wife and children. Our values tell us that marriage is not something that we should disrespected. I personally will never support that man for any public office in this country. Too many women in this country think that it is socially acceptable to have affairs with married men. Clearly both individuals are to blame as it is up to the woman to say no and keep a respectable understanding of where any friendship is going. I can understand caring about someone but that does not excuse crossing that line ever when it comes to a man with a family.

Swing Vote

I just got back from seeing the Kevin Costner’s movie “Swing Vote.” It was filmed here in New Mexico thanks to the hard work of our Governor. One of the funniest moments was when the democratic candidate hugged Kevin “Bud.” Democrats from back east hug each other and even kiss each other all of the time and think nothing of it. I still hug people here even though I know that it gets to some people. Sometimes people here in New Mexico act very strange about personal distances but in the end you just have to be yourself and hope that your friends accept who you are and how you act. The republicans hates that about us because they can not begin to understand how one moment we can be hugging someone and the next we can be talking that same person down to someone else. Democrats are very much like a big family. We may have our infighting but never let anyone else say something wrong about one of our family because we will all come to their defense in less than a heartbeat.

The Republican Party can not stand that we all defend Senator Obama when it comes to the hate message that their party is peddling to the voters. The more they attack our candidate the more we are all convinced to standup and get the voters out to the polls this year. What the Republican Party fails to understand is that we will defend our nominee for president and our party will become very color blind if we think for one heartbeat that he could possible loss this race for president. Far too many voters have personally told me that over the phone lately. The voters in this state clearly want nothing to do with Senator McCain.

When I was a young woman voting back east the voter booths had curtain but in New Mexico we don’t have those at the polls in our city. In the movie they had that type of voting booths. You could tell that the people who wrote the movie were not from New Mexico. We may have some strange voting laws in this state but they are in place to protect the voting public so whatever works even a good card game.

At the end of the movie you just wanted to cry because of all of the letters that represented just how hard people in this country have it at present. George W. Bush should be ashamed for what he has done over the past seven years to the people of one of the greatest countries in the world. I don’t think anyone could intentionally comment the crimes and mistakes that he has but surely he must have some feelings of remorse for the way our economy is at present and the deaths he has caused. President Bush is completely a misguide individual and at some point I hope he is able to admit that to himself and in time history will judge the rest.

President Paris Hilton?

Paris Hilton had to respond to Senator McCain’s, the old wrinkled white due’s, commercial on energy independences that featured her and Britany Spears while attacking Senator Obama. She proved that she can speak intelligently about the issue and that she does have more of an understanding then Senator McCain. She suggested a compromise solution which is not out of the realm of real possibility. Whoever said that a woman would not make a wonderful president even if she is perceived as being a blonde superstar? Clearly Ms. Hilton has proven that Senator McCain’s attack on Senator Obama was also a failed attack on a woman. What should the female voters of this country do about his demeaning attack on a very intelligent woman? Is this how Senator McCain plans on treating women if he is elected president?

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Bumper Crop of Sour Grapes in New Mexico

Gee Guys, I know that New Mexico is known for growing grapes but this year's crop appears to have more then its fair share of sour grapes.

They resent that Senator Obama is so popular with the voters

They resent that we are winning the races

They resent that we want to protect the environment

They resent that we want to use non oil based renewable energy

They resent that we want to fund public education

They resent that we want to help voters keep their homes

Maybe they would do better to help find answers for our country’s problems rather then attacking the people who are winning the races.

Pop Quiz

Why do all higher education types like pop quizzes.

Here is the result from my exam:

Your Liberal Breed: Social Justice Crusader

You are a Social Justice Crusader, also known as a rights activist. You believe in equality, fairness, and preventing neo-Confederate conservative troglodytes from rolling back fifty years of civil rights gains.

Why not take the exam and see where you place. Exam

Happy Birthday Senator Obama

I have to wonder why no one has noted that today is Senator Obama’s birthday. Senator Obama was born on August 4, 1961. He grew up in a world where a president died, a war was on television every evening, love was given freely until a disease put an end to it and hope for a better future was one thing we could all count on.

Now is Senator Obama’s turn to make history and bring action to the word hope and make real change in the near future. The world will always be left to the young and the older generation will always resent that fact. When Senator Obama was growing up the old saying was, “Never trust anyone over thirty.” Now we of that generation are over thirty so the new saying is never trust anyone over seventy.

The time has come for change. We need someone who will move this country forward. We need someone with the intelligent and wisdom to lead this country in the right direction. We need someone who can understand the values of the people he will represent. So 47 years ago today a young woman gave us a child who now has the name Senator Barack Obama and who will bring hope of a better future to our country once more.

Back to School, Energy Bill and Handicapped Access

Back to School Soon

I spent the day doing the same thing most parents were doing. I was buying back to school supplies for my daughter. Let me tell you it was not cheap by any normal middle or low income family standards. The store was not too overcrowded and the break on taxes helped a little. With the increase in just about every basic need we can use every penny we can get from tax relief. The educational support staffers in K-12 have gone to federal mediation because of a failure of school administration to understand how difficult it is for those individuals to make ends met. I as a higher education support staffer have little or no hope of the college level staff being treated any better after all if you make over one hundred thousand dollars a year why care about people who need to worry about pennies.

Senate comes home without Energy Bill

The Republican Party did everything they could to harm our environment but Senate Democrats blocked their efforts to drill offshore in the Golf Coast. Even with yet another hurricane approaching our shore they are still demanding that we drill in that very area. Nothing like large oil slicks washing ashore to destroy the Golf Coast shoreline if republicans have their way in the future. Why the Republican Party still refuses to look to renewable energy is only to clear after all just look at Alaska and Senator Ted Stevens. As long as big oil companies are spending large sums of money from their obscene profits to buy senators support, we will never have real investment in renewable energy resources until every drop of oil is used and every green area in this country is damaged. Yet, even if they do win the power to drill offshore, we as consumers will not see any of that oil for a decade or more.

Handicapped Issue for Closing Knob Hill to Vehicles

It is time to get the golf carts out for the event on Central Avenue. The city once again shows that it does not plan well for new events when it comes to handicapped individuals. Clearly these individuals would have a problem getting around if parking spaces are not easy to access but it is not a problem hard to overcome. The fairgrounds has the same problem but has dealt with it by having wheelchairs for rent. They could also use golf carts and cycle carts to help handicapped individuals get around during the road closures. The mayor should hire someone who really understands how to meet ADA requirement without making a big deal out of it.

Obama Campaign Office Opens In Albuquerque

This evening was the grand opening of the Obama for President Campaign office on the North West corner of Central and Carlisle. At 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm local Obama supporters gathered to show their support for Senator Obama at the new office on central.

Speaking at this evening’s event was our own Martin Heinrich who is running for Congress in CD1. Martin Heinrich is clearly strongly supported by local voters in the area. He pointed out that “Hope and action lead to Change.” Martin Heinrich is very good at getting the crowd motivated to go out and bring in more voters for our party. His group has been one of the most organized in the city. People are drawn to him the minute he walks through the door.

I thought it sweet that one of the young women in the group noted how cute the candidate appears. I reminded her that he is very happily married to the love of his life and he has two very adorable sons. Maybe it was just one of those evenings because someone also asked me about James B. Lewis our state treasurer. Strange topic to deal with at an event but we are very lucky to have candidates that our easy on the eyes. I personally will stick to only flirting with a very limited number of single ones and never when they are running for election. I must admit that our candidates our very intelligent and easy to speak with on many topics. They care a great deal about their communities and stand up for voters on important issues so I can see why women would be drawn to them. I personally am not blind to the charms of one or two of the single gentlemen public official in our city.

Back to politics, I spoke for only a few minutes with Martin Heinrich but I was able to ask one or two questions on issues. He said that he was looking into the issue of education which has made the news lately. As a father of two sweet boys he cares a great deal about our public educational system. We are very lucky to have his strong support of local educational employees in this city. We need people like Heinrich and Obama in office to fix the mess that the Bush Administration has created with their unfunded “No Child Left Behind” law which has clearly damaged our educational system in this country. I also had to ask him if he had gotten the chance to wish his opponent a fast recovery but he said that he has not. Maybe like Senator Obama, Martin does not want to give Sheriff White the wrong impression of his intent. After months of demanding that Senator Obama go abroad to visit Iraq, Senator McCain could not stop criticizing Senator Obama for doing just what he was requested to do. Senator McCain is acting like a cantankerous old man. Nothing Senator Obama does will please the man at this point in time but I don’t hear voters complaining about Senator Obama’s actions so he must be doing something right.

But back to Sheriff White, I have a bad back because of hip replacement surgery so I will be more then happy to wish Darren White a fast recovery. I honestly harbor no personal ill will towards our Sheriff but he is just not the man for the job of Congressman for our state. I think Martin Heinrich will do a great job for our congressional district once he is elected.

After the event I stopped by the flying star to pick up two cookies for my daughter. I still think it sad that Mayor Martin Chavez could be so wrong about his remark about Senator Obama’s last visit to the city. Senator Obama met with working women from the flying stars around the city. These women do not make a lot of money and are trying to support their families. Maybe Mayor Chavez should be out getting voters for our party’s candidates rather then attacking them.

State Auditor Hector Balderas, A Man on Fire

State Auditor Hector Balderas is a young man who knows where he has come from in this state. Hector was born to a low income mother in Wagon Mound New Mexico. He put himself through law school and went home to work for the people of his hometown community as a state representative. Hector has strong family values and knows what it is like to grow up in a small town. He has strong Hispanic roots and has done a wonderful job representing his community both in local and state government.

The recent buzz is that Diane Denish will be looking hard in his direction when she takes the Governor’s office most likely in January. Our Lt. Governor is from the southern part of the state and will need someone with deep roots in the northern part of this state. The center part of the state will be where both candidates have equal standing because it is a mixture of both extremes in this state.

Diane Denish will bring to the office a clear understand of the southern values from that part of this state. She is from a well to do family and tends to be a conservative democrat. Hector Balderas would do well to balance the ticket in many ways.

I spoke to Hector Balderas on the phone earlier today and this is what he had to say:

Question: Do you want the job?

Answer: I am truly honored and humbled to be placed in the position where I have to think about being given the opportunity to serve the people of my state as a possible Lt. Governor. I would be thrilled to be given the chance to prove that I can bring change for the better to our state even though I am very happy in my current position as State Auditor.

Question: Do you think that the office of state auditor will be sound if you were to leave that position in the near future?

Answer: Since taking office I and my staff have put into place policies and procedures that have placed clear standards into action. We firmly believe in having a transparent and honest process for all areas that we cover in the state auditor’s office. There is no higher important then protecting the assets of the public here in New Mexico for my office.

Question: The issue of educational pay has been making news lately. What are your view on education and equality for educational employees?

Answer: I am a product of public education in this state and want the very best for every child in this state. We should always maintain the highest standard of quality for our children. As a father with young children I understand how parents feel about wanting the best for their children. We need to provide opportunities for our children in the future that will give them high paying jobs. I feel that reform should be done to achieve the most effective usage of our public money in this field. We don’t always have to spend more money but we should be very aware of where the money is going and how it is benefiting the system. I strongly support equality in salaries for all public employees. My wife was a teacher in APS at one time so I want to live up to an open and honest relationship with the teachers and support staff in this state.

Question: What is your view of public transportation for this state in the future?

Answer: New Mexico is a growing southwestern state and will need public transportation in the future to protect the environment and provide sound support systems for residents and to ensure diverse growth of jobs in our state. We need to aggressively pursue federal funding so that our state residents do not have to endure the burden of building the infrastructure for our state alone.

Question: Where do you see the priority of green jobs in this state?

Answer: While I support the development of green jobs in this state as an auditor I feel that we should have a diverse job base so as to ensure stability in our statewide economy.

Question: You supported Senator Clinton for President and now you are supporting Senator Obama. What is the advantage to our state? What effect do you feel that you can have with our candidates and the voting public?

Answer: As a Hispanic native of the northern part of our state I feel that I and the people of Northern New Mexico supported Senator Clinton because we are people who have strong loyalties to individuals who support our state and its needs. I want to represent our values and views with Senator Obama and I want to unite our party for the betterment of our country. I will work hard to carry the message of change for Senator Obama in this state. As an elected official my job is to represent the public and bring positive change for our country. We need sound economic policies in the future to provide stability to the public and I feel Senator Obama can bring that change.