The Three Branches of Government that Make One Government

The United States Government is based on a system of three branches of government. These three branches are the Executive, the Judicial and the Legislative branches. Each branch is given powers by the Constitution of the United States of American.

For laws:

The Legislative branch creates the laws based on request made by the voting public to their representatives. The legislative branch has two subdivisions which are the U.S. House or Congress and the U.S. Senate. The Executive branch has veto power over the laws created by the legislative branch but the legislative branch can override that veto with a majority vote. The roll of the judicial branch is to judge if the laws created by the legislative branch follow the spirit and intent of the constitution because the constitution can not be overrode by any law made by the legislative branch of government.

The other duty of the federal government is to create a budget to spend the taxes taken in by the IRS for federal taxes.

What are these tax dollars spent on is often a question.



So it is up to the voters to decide if this is how they want their money spent. I like most individuals would like to see the department of education receive more and the department of defense receive less tax dollars. One other little detail is the lowest item spent is the Corp of Engineers which protects our levees and dams just a thought. Click on the chart for a larger view.

The Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Defence

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The Gun Ban Laws in America

It is clear that our founding fathers thought that all Americans should be granted the right to own hand guns for self protection and hunting. Our constitutional rights are an invaluable part of being Americans and Americans should stand up for those rights. If people feel strongly about an issue then there is a process to amend the constitution. Clearly from looking at the crime stats our society has not reach a point where the police can handle crime all by themselves.

I live in the Southwest where this issue evokes strong feelings and I own a hand gun. Last week the Supreme Court ruled that Americans have a right to own guns for self defense and hunting. The ruling was like all of the other 5 to 4 votes. The ruling struck down the District of Columbia’s thirty two year old ban on handguns and brought about a whole new round of lawsuits on long standing bans in other states. I am not in the habit of agreeing with either Justice Scalia or Justice Roberts on basic issue but on this issue I am forced to agree with them.

Criminals in this country has far too much access to illegal guns therefore the only people who can not get their hands on guns in a quick process are people who are law abiding individuals. I can’t see how these laws protect anyone but the criminals. I do strongly favor handgun safety education programs for any individual who would own a handgun.

I don’t believe that people should be carrying around semi-automatic guns but they should have the right to protect themselves and their families from criminals who would break into their homes and end their lives without a care.

Case in Point:

A physically handicapped widow woman in her mid forties purchased a hand gun when she was being stalked by a mentally ill individual who did not understand that she was not interested in having a total stranger in her life. At first she turned to the legal system when the stalking started and it failed her and her small child completely. She was told by a law enforcement officer that you have to be physically harmed or killed before anything can be done to stop a mentally ill individual. The individual has a history of domestic violence and he was violence when not on medication. The officer felt the need to explain that fact to her as the man had a criminal history. She was strongly advised by the judge in her case to find a way to protect her family’s safety because the court could not and would not protect them such is the nature of our legal system. Our legal system is not designed to prevent crimes from happening but to punish indiviuals after the fact. She felt pushed to find a way to protect herself and her child from harm not that she cared for the possible results. She was sickened by the belief that she would have to take a life to preserve the life of herself and of her child nevertheless she had to protect her child for potential physical harm. Too many mentally ill individuals are not held accountable for their behavior until they have killed the target of their sick delusions. Until the laws are changed on those matters she would be forced to stand ready to use her hand gun for life saving measures when it comes to the safety of her family.

Try to explain to this woman why she should not have the right to own a hand gun because I can’t think of a good augment. It is my belief that when society can protect these individuals from harm then we can look at changing the constitution but not before then. I am sure that our founding fathers thought if they could save the life of one individual then the article was well worth keeping in the document that we call the Constitution of the United States of America.

Retired Judge John Speer Pasted Away at Home Last Night

Retired Judge John (Jack) Speer pasted away at his home last night. He was a good friend and a life time member of Alpha Centura Science Fiction Society. He had a long history of being a well respected lawyer, judge and science fiction writer. He was a member of first fandom and wrote the first history of fandom, Up to Now. He was named to the first fandom hall of fame in 1995. For more details of his history see Fan Gallery.

Oh no he did not! just one more example of his lies

Senator John McCain is now facing the fact that our members of congress and the senate passed a bill that would increase educational benefits for veterans. Congressman Tom Udall has been working hard to get these benefits for our veterans. Senator McCain did not vote for the bill and did not support it but that did not stop him from taking credit for the bill. This is just one more example of how John McCain will lie to the voting public during this election. I find his nerve to be just too outrages to accept. He should apologize to Congressman Udall for trying to take credit for our Congressman Udall’s hard work.



Every lie John McCain tells gives democrats one more reason to vote for Senator Obama. Some people may not be happy with the FISA stand Senator Obama has taken lately but Senator Obama will not tell lies to the voting public like Senator McCain will to your face and not even look away while he does it.

Governor Richardson Supports New G.I. Bill

Join Tom Udall and Governor Bill Richardson by signing Tom's letter calling on George W. Bush to support our troops. Help ensure that when they come home they can afford a four-year college education.

“This New G.I. Bill will modernize the Montgomery G.I. Bill so that our troops who today so bravely and honorably serve our country in Afghanistan and Iraq will have access to benefits on par with veterans of World War II. And yet, George W. Bush doesn't want to sign it. Tom has the integrity to very publicly call on the President to sign the bill - and you can too.”

Please show your support for the New G.I. Bill by signing this letter to the President. We can show all of America and the World who truly supports our troops.

FISA bill Unconstitutional

The FISA bill is unconstitutional because it gives the government the right to spy on Americans without a warrant. Any information acquired using this law can not be used in a court of law in this country because it would violate a person’s constitutional rights. The Senate in an 80 vote majority voted to cloture the FISA bill which means that within the next 30 hours the bill will be brought to a vote. The action overcomes any hope of a filibuster from the senate.

From the U.S. Senate website:

“Cloture -The only procedure by which the Senate can vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter, and thereby overcome a filibuster. Under the cloture rule (Rule XXII), the Senate may limit consideration of a pending matter to 30 additional hours, but only by vote of three-fifths of the full Senate, normally 60 votes.”

The argument has been made that with the passage of the patriot act that we gave up our constitutional rights in favor of safety.

I am sorry but the last time I checked the constitution overrides any law made in this country so we can’t give up our constitutional rights by just passing a law unless we want to amend the constitution itself. Mind telling me why people are not educated on the constitution in this country any longer.

The Supreme Court ruled that other laws passed by this administration are unconstitutional so all anyone has to do is file a court case in conjunction with the enforcement of this law and then take it to the Supreme Court to have the law deemed unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable. Surely there are still a few lawyers in this country that understand constitutional law.

You have to wonder when was the last time some of our U.S. Senators read a copy of the constitution. I do believe that they vowed to uphold it when they took office.

Update:

The Senate has put off the vote until July 8 so now the voters can tell their senators just what they think of this bill.

Judge Ira Robinson to Retire From New Mexico Appeals Court

The story came out this morning in the Albuquerque Journal that Judge Ira Robinson of the New Mexico Appeals Court in a agreement with The New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission has agreed to retire for the bench. The agreement is sealed so no details were given as to what the nature of the alleged misconduct was that caused the retirement of Judge Robinson. Judge Robinson was elected to the court in 2000.

Press Release from Congressman Tom Udall

Yesterday Congressman Udall put out a press release on the subject of why he voted against the House Appropriation Committee's budget proposal. Steve Pearce wasted no time jumping on him about the vote. I think that it is important that we understand his vote so here is the press release. Looks like Steve Pearce got it wrong once more. Congressman Udall is always looking out for the best interest of all New Mexicans instead of grandstanding for a vote.

Senator Bingaman a New Mexico's Brand of Change

Senator Bingaman is Clearly Supporting Martin Heinrich for Congress in District One

I got this email for Senator Bingaman this morning. It is clear that the Senator is beginning to help local candidates raise money for the fall elections. Senator Bingaman makes it clear who he is supporting.

“He's (Martin Heinrich) a passionate, principled leader who I can work with to deliver the change that our nation so desperately needs.

I worked with Martin when he was on the Albuquerque City Council, and I was impressed with his commitment to taking on tough issues and bringing diverse constituencies together to deliver results.

More directly, I worked alongside Martin to preserve the Ojito Wilderness in Sandoval County, and I saw that Martin has the skills and aptitude to join the long line of New Mexico Congressmen who have been effective advocates for their constituents.

We need him in Congress to work with Tom Udall, Barack Obama and me to move America toward energy independence, end the disastrous war in Iraq, and turn our economy around.”

Supreme Court Rules on Child Rapists Case

As a parent, I understand Senator Obama’s stand on this issue comes from the heart. I think that most parents would want to kill any man that would harm a child in such a way and relieve the court and the legal system of that duty. For that very reason I lean toward agreeing with Senator Obama that the Supreme Court may have made an error in judgment in this case.

Supporters of the courts ruling say that if the law was in place that the victim might stand a higher chance of being killed after the crime or the victim might not be so willing to report the crime. I say that now the criminal stands a higher chance of being killed by a parent or angry mob rather then having the crime reported. This could result in people taking the law into their own hands in cases such as this one because the general society does not believe that the criminal will be dealt with by our legal system in a correct manner.

The child victim may also fear that at some point the criminal could return and harm the victim at a future date which would lead to the child being less likely to report the crime in the first place. There is also the possibility of a life time of appeals from the criminal which the victim will now be forced to endure. Society as a whole has strong feelings about any adult who would rapes a small child. We know from past experience that these types of criminals will reoffend if given the opportunity. No prison is full proof when it comes to a prisoner who has been sentenced to life. As for the argument that society has changing values on the death penalty, the court is correct and where child rape was not viewed in as harsh a light in the past it is now viewed as one of the most heinous crimes in our current society. One would think that the Court would have taken these issues into consideration when making such a sensitive decision.

By no mean am I saying that I support the death penalty in general but in rare cases I am giving pause to think that maybe it would be in the best interest for society. Cases such as repeated murder, muder of a law official in the line of duty and child rape are amount the most extreme cases and should be considered for such harsh punishment.

Governor Bill Richardson

The Republican Party loves to point out when one of our state leaders is losing points in popularity. Our Governor has had a hard year. He ran for president and admittedly came in fourth. With all of the negative press for the republicans people are beginning to ask so what has our governor been doing for New Mexico lately?

He has spent more time away from our state but that has not been all bad because it has giving our Lt. Governor Diane Denish an opportunity to show that she will make a good governor in 2010.

Lately he has been working with the Mexican government--including President Felipe Calderon and other top officials--to find a solution to the spiraling drug violence on our mutual border.

As a result President Calderon has deployed some 3,000 troops and federal police to the border region and has shown a solid commitment to solving this dangerous situation.

Our governor has always had an interest in diplomacy and when families ask him to step in he has always responded to the needs of people in trouble. We all understood that fact when we supported him for governor. So has he kept up with that activity?

He just completed a trip to meet with both Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to try to win the release of American hostages held by Colombian rebels since 2003.

As is often the case with these negotiations, the results were not immediate--but he believes there was real progress made toward freeing the American hostages.

Now that he is back he is also supporting our candidates for the November elections and will be of great help in fundraising for those candidates.

Democrats must be careful to not let the Republican Party attack our party leaders just because they are not running for reelection this year. Those leaders are supporting our candidates and deserve better treatment. Governor Richardson never made any secret from day one that at some point in his career that he would be looking for a federal position but we in the state of New Mexico have also benefited from his name presents on the national stage of government.

George Carlin

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Want the progressive view of the News:

Countdown with Keith Olbermann

I love the way George Carlin made me laugh with him. He was a very smart man when it came to humor. I could just see him making a big deal out of the fact that airlines are now charging people to transport their stuff. I am sure that God has not stopped laughing since he showed up. Even people who did not always agree with his choice of language had to admit that he was the master of making anyone laugh. Just think what he would have made of the New FISA bill.

Ms. Heather Wilson does not speak for The Democratic Women of New Mexico

Last time I checked Heather Wilson was a republican who is supporting Senator John McCain for President. She along with the McCain group would say anything to stop Senator Obama for getting elected this year. Here is a quote from the Heath Haussamen blog about what Ms. Heather Wilson reaction was to Senator Obama’s visit to New Mexico. I was saying that republicans were angry with his visit.

“But I understand how women feel when someone speaks to them that way,” she said. “I don’t like being patronized or being spoken to in a condescending way and I think that’s what (Obama) was doing.” Funny I don’t remember her being in the room with Senator Obama.

My advice to Ms. Wilson is if she does not like being talked down to then she should quit the Republican Party because I have yet to meet a single republican male who does not condescend to women. I grew up in a republican family and still have family members who are republican males. Even though she was the better republican candidate they still voted for a women hating candidate like Congressman Steve Pearce who hangs around with people who think rape is just fine if it is not seen.

Let the Republican press get Senator Obama along for five minutes without a blogger with him and they will find something to misquote or to take out of context.

Senator Obama was not patronizing or condescending when I saw him speak to the working women of New Mexico. He is working hard to unite our party and respects the hard working women in New Mexico as he does with the hard working women in his own family. Some of Senator Clinton’s supporters are clearly and understandably still angry that she did not win the nomination. Senator Clinton herself is now supporting our nominee and she has asked her supporters to do the same. I don’t think for one minute that a woman as smart and intelligent as Senator Clinton would support someone who she felt would be patronizing to her women supporters. She has a very powerful voice in our party and Senator Obama has said that he has great respect for the Senator from New York. Senator Obama said that Senator Clinton has broken the glass ceiling into 18 million pieces and that it will never be remade in this country if he can prevent it from happening.

Perfect Picture

One of the local bloggers compared Senator Obama visit to that of a movie studio today. When I was in my twenties I visited the Grand Canyon for the first time in person. I looked out over the south rim and just could not believe that it looked just like looking at a picture. I wanted it to look less perfect somehow so that it would feel more real to me. After seeing Senator Obama yesterday I came away with the same feeling. He is just what he appears to be on all of the videos that I have watched up to this point. He is as perfect in person as he is on camera. There is no fake behavior about the man. I can see why republicans are so upset about him visiting our state. Senator Obama is open and honest and more important he is real with people all of the time. We are the same age and he even words reactions in the same manner as people in my age group. I can see why so many democrats strongly support this man for our next president.

We don’t want a George W. Bush clone in office that will say one thing in public and do another when he is elected to office someone who has no problem lying to the public and that is just what Senator McCain would do if elected. Senator McCain does not care what the voting public thinks when it comes to issues because like President Bush he is willing to dismiss our views on issues. We have told him loud and clear to end the war but he keeps saying that it can go on for ever if he is elected to office.

A lot of people are upset with Senator Obama right now because of the FISA bill. I have learned from his behavior in the past on other issues that if enough people stand up and tell the Senator their views on the matter that he would take another look at this issue, something that the Republican Party can’t or won’t do in our life time when it comes to issues. If you plan on calling Senator Obama’s office all that I ask of the voting public is that you remember to be polite to the person answering the phones that does not mean that you can’t express your strong feelings on the issue just try to remember that the person on the other end is a volunteer and they will pass the information on to the right people. Senator Obama will give honest answers to the voting public and I think that he will make a far better president then Senator McCain could ever hope to.

One last note: Senator Obama expressed the desire to spend a lot more time in New Mexico at the end of his visit. We can look forward to seeing him again before November in our state.

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA’S VISIT TO NEW MEXICO

Albuquerque Discussion with Working Women

Senator Barack Obama meet with a group of working women in Albuquerque New Mexico today to talk about the issues that are facing working women here in this state. He started out the event by saying that pay parity for women is an important issue to him and when elected president he will work hard to fix the problem for all American Women. He said that he had a single mother who only had a high school degree and was raised by her and her parents. His grandmother was also a working women and he understands the value of addressing the issues that face women today in the workplace. Senator Obama was introduced to the women by New Mexico Lt. Governor Diane Denish who will be our state’s next governor in 2010.

I spoke to two of the women before the event got started and they said that both were supporters of Senator Obama. The women in the group appeared to be between 20 and 40 years old. The two women that I spoke with said that healthcare was a major issue because they could not afford it and want to be able to provide it for themselves and their families.

The first question was about education and how Senator Obama could help those working women. He said that he was in favor of making student loans more afford by lowering interest rates for college students. He also wants to do away with the middle man when it comes to government loans to cut the cost of lending money to college students.

Senator Obama is in favor of giving teachers higher wages. He would like to help pay for the education of teacher in return for them working in area where teachers are needed as a way for the teachers to repay the government for helping them get an education in the field. He wants to extend after school programs and early education for our children. He wants to extend family leave as a paid leave for Americans so that they can spend time with their children and families. He would like to see paid sick leave of at least 7 days for all Americans.

Senator Obama was asked about the roll of the Small Business Administration. He said that customer service in all areas of government were very important to him. He wants the SBA to take a more active roll in helping Americans get small businesses started.

When asked about healthcare Senator Obama would like to see all Americans have healthcare. His plan would include helping businesses offer healthcare and support those who can not pay for it on their own. He would extend a program like the one now used by the senate for people who can not get healthcare through their jobs. He would also crackdown on waste in the system to reduce the cost of providing healthcare.

When asked about crimes against women he said that he completely disapproved of the behavior and the best way to help these women would be to help them get the same treatment at work as men receive when it comes to pay so that women would be free to get themselves out of a bad situation without the problem of supporting themselves and their children.

I spoke with a few of the women after the event and they were pleased with what Senator Obama had to say on the issues. All of the women I spoke to said that they would be voting for Senator Obama.

Today's event was by invitation only for the working women. This is the time for Senator Obama and his group to decide if New Mexico is someplace where time spent would be of a benefit to his campaign for president. I can foresee him spending a lot more time in the future in our state and I hope at some point in the near future he will have a public event that is open to all of the voting public in our state.

More pictures on my webshots. The link is on the left hand side of the page.

Sheriff White “Nobody here but us Chickens.”

Five minutes of fame is still five minutes of free press for Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White. While killers get away with shooting ice cream men and homes are being robbed Sheriff White is hunting down cockfighters and making the evening news for doing so in our city. How sad can you get and still be Sheriff of our county.

I called his campaign office last week to ask his stand on the New G.I. Bill but still no response. While Sheriff White is making the city safe for chickens men and women are giving their lives in a war where there is no plan for winning it or ending it in the near future.

Martin Heinrich has shown strong support for our troops by supporting the New G.I. Bill that would enable them to get a quality education when they return for the war in Iraq. Now he and Congressman Tom Udall are standing strong on our constitutional rights by not giving the Bush Administration a free pass on the FISA bill that would allow the government to spy on Americans without a warrant.

This all gives new meaning to the phrase “Nobody here but us chickens.”

Good Show State Senator Eleanor Chavez

Today the New State Senator Eleanor Chavez was on Eye on New Mexico. I could clearly see why she beat Senator Dan Silva in the primary election.

Senator Chavez clearly understands that the major issues for the city and state are:

Educational funding including minimum wages for educational assistances.

Healthcare that is affordable by all New Mexicans

Higher paying jobs with equal pay for all individuals and a livable wage

Responding to the voting public of her area of the state.

Senator Chavez clearly understands that the key to being a good state senator is to listen to the voting public. She has fresh ideas that will help not only here state senate area but the whole state. I would encourage everyone to check out the interview at Eye on New Mexico.

Birthday Party

My daughter turned thirteen Wednesday so today I hosted a whole different type of group. Five teenage girls in a pool for most of the day and then cake and ice cream now they are watching movies in the bedroom. I am sure that Senator Obama will forgive me for taking the day off from the campaign trail for this event since he has two daughters of his own. Give it a few years Senator Obama and you will have the same fun as well.

I am hearing that the campaign event that is to take place on Monday is by invitation only too bad because I know a good number of the voting public would like the opportunity to see Senator Obama speak in our state. We must remember that Senator Obama has decided to forgo public funding for private fundraising. Senator McCain has learned how to game a broken system to his advantage and it would be a disservice to our candidate to ask him to play on a field where the republican candidate has the clear advantage because of dishonesty and corruption.

I hope that Senator Obama’s local support group will encourage the Senator to make time for a public event in the near future here in New Mexico because we are a battleground state and he could pick up many votes by showing our state that he is willing to listen to the voices of the voting public in this state.

Note: There are a number of local bloggers who would kill for a chance to hear Senator Obama speak or maybe even be given an opportunity to ask one question so I hope that the local group will find a way to get a few of them a few minutes with the senator since the local press is controlled by the republican party.

Senator Obama Plans Fundraiser In Albuquerque NM on Monday

Look like Senator Obama will get to have that talk with the Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman Brian Colon on Monday about how best to put New Mexico in the blue after all who would ever want to be in the red. Looks like Senator Obama will be the man to get this country out of the red column.

"Senator Obama will be in Albuquerque doing a campaign event on Monday. We will be doing an intimate fundraiser in Albuquerque in conjunction with this campaign event."

I want an event that a single mother who works as a substitute can attend on Monday. Please Senator Obama give the voting public an event that we can attend so that the people who supported Senator Clinton can better get to know our nominee for president. I was in a mandatory meeting last time Senator Obama was in the city. I am sure that there are more then a few New Mexicans who would love the chance to see him in person.

Democratic Party of Bernalillo County Pep Rally

Yesterday evenings monthly meeting was a pep rally for our Bernalillo County Democratic candidates. Representatives from Barack Obama for President and Tom Udall for Senate showed up to display their support to our party and the voting public.

At the event Martin Heinrich and his wife, Martin spoke of his strong support for the New G.I. Bill which would give our returning troops a chance at a good education. He does not support an endless war but he would never dream of not supporting the men and women who risk their lives everyday in a war that has no firm plan or end in sight. Growing up in West Virginia I played war games from the time I was two years old. I understand that no war can ever be won without a solid plan and a solid set of goals. I guess that President Bush never learned those lessons anywhere in his life. The major question I have on this issue is where does Sheriff Darren White stands on the New G.I. Bill? Please someone ask him or he is more then welcome to email me and let me know his answer. I have a younger brother who is a veteran and I think that it would be of great value to men like him to support their education.

We had two candidates for state senator at the pep rally. Victor Raigoza District 10 and Tim Eichenberg District 15 were at the rally. Both men are running races against republicans in their areas of our city so they need the support of democratic voters.

Chairman Brian Colon gave a very spirited speech in support of all of our candidates. His organizational skill will be of great help to all of our candidates this year. I would think that Senator Obama would want to come to New Mexico very soon to personally speak with our State Party Chairman since New Mexico is a battle ground state.

State Auditor Hector Balderas was there to show his support and spirit for our candidates. Mr. Balderas will be a valuable supporter for our candidates. He has shown that he supports people of quality and honesty.

"Any Fool Can Have a Child"

Senator Obama spoke those words on Father’s Day. We should compliment men when they are stepping up to protect our children in this state. We have a high number of single mothers like me who work hard everyday to protect our children and give them a good start to life.

I have to applaud Mayor Martin Chavez for his stand on protecting our children from sex offenders in this city. We should all tell him that we support his efforts to be a good father not only to his own children but to every child in this city. I want to thank Mayor Chavez for caring about our children when it comes to this issue.

New Mexico has far too many sex offenders and more are coming to our fair City every year. Sex offenders are making deals with judges from other areas to get shorter terms if they agree to move here to our City. Now a sex offender wants to drive one of our city buses. Our children use those buses to get to and from school. They use them to go places during the summer. I could not agree more with our mayor on this issue. I personal don’t think that someone who rapes a two year old child should be allowed into a job where they could end up alone with another child. I support Mayor Chavez’s stand on this issue.

I also want to thank the fathers in our community who take the time to help single mothers raise their children. Without my male friends I would have a much harder time being a single mother but I am lucky to have men in my life that will take the time for their busy schedules to spend time with my daughter and set a good example for her of what to expect from men when she is a grown women. I feel that the men in our lives should be complimented when they step up and act like fathers not only for their own children but for the children of all the single mothers in this city.

Midweek Round Up

Michelle Obama on the View Today

Michelle Obama will do a great job interviewing guest on the View this morning. She is a bright and intelligent woman and will be interesting to watch. I would encourage people to watch the television show if you can this morning.

Big Bill as Vice-President

Polls have Governor Richardson leading Hillary Clinton for someone they would like to see as Vice-President. As a woman I find it very hard to pick between the two because both would make good candidates. I will stick with my Governor because he would bring a lot of good attention to our state if picked for the Vice-President candidate to run with Senator Obama. He has worked very hard on women’s issues in the past and would do so in the future and he would have the knowledge of foreign affairs.

Senator McCain and Congressman Pearce give the money to victims

These two men should be ashamed of taking money for a man that thinks rape is ok as long as you can’t see it. I don’t every want either of these men representing me or my daughter. These men should be asking the forgiveness of female voters for being seen or taking money for Clayton Williams. Clayton Williams is a man who has no respect for women and Senator McCain along with Congressman Pearce appear to support this sick individual.

The Time for Change is Right Now

Yesterday evening in Detroit Michigan Former Vice-President and Environmentalist Al Gore endorsed Senator Barack Obama for the Next President of the United States. Both men and the Governor of Michigan spoke highly of Senator Hillary Clinton and her supporters. Senator Obama pointed out the simple fact that we are all democrats in the end and that we should all unify to bring change to our nation's capital. He pointed out that the time for change is now and that we can not afford to wait another four more years without a change in direction. He said that Senator Clinton had broken the glass ceiling for women into 18 million pieces.

Senator Obama was nice enough to praise Senator McCain for his past accomplishments but pointed out that his train has lost a few wheels and that he is totally off track on the issues that matter most to the American voting public.

Former Vice-President Al Gore was happy to point out that there was a presidential candidate that was called too young for the oval office. He pointed out that most of our founding fathers along with Columbus were also the same age. That candidate was no other then John F. Kennedy. When elected Senator Obama will have brought major change to our country just by being elected but the more important issue is that he represents a hope of change for the better for low and middle income families all across this country.

The time to put aside hate and angry and to learn to embrace our differences is now because if we can’t then we harm not only the whole world's future but the future of our children. This is not just for the losers of the primary and their supporters but for the Obama supporters as well because they are faced with putting aside their anger and hate for a member of their own party. They must remember that in order to win this fall we must embrace all of the members of the Democratic Party or face having a republican in the oval office for the next four years.

Al Gore and Barack Obama in Detroit, Michigan together

The time has come for Al Gore to announce his support for our presidential nominee.
LIVE TONIGHT -- 8:30 p.m. EDT:

Watch streaming video of Al Gore and Barack Obama at a rally in Detroit, Michigan:

http://www.BarackObama.com

The local News Can Not Ignore Tom Udall Any Longer

The Republican Party is trying very hard to depress voter turnout by giving the U.S. Senate seat to Congressman Tom Udall. We will be more then happy to take it along with all of the other open seats this fall. The only problem with the republican’s behavior is that Congressman Udall does not give up on a race until it is won. He is just starting his campaign and will work hard with all democrats in this state to get the voters to the polls this fall.

We have a whole list of candidates to elect this fall including Tom Udall for Senate, Ben Ray Lujan for CD 3, Martin Heinrich for CD1 and Harry Teague for CD2. Democrats will be out walking neighborhoods everyday until the election. Congressman Udall is a strong democratic fighter and will lead our state Democratic Party to a huge victory this fall. We are all truly inspired by this man.

Pay Raise for Educational Assistances

Educational Assistances take their case to Santa Fe in order to get a wage that is not demeaning to hard working people who support our children everyday of the week in the classroom. It is clear that the Albuquerque School Board does not support the very people who work in the classrooms with children. I have to wonder how they can find money to give the new head of APS such a large salary and still look EAs in the face and tell them no more money. I would request that the people in Santa Fe take a hard close look at a top heavy system and cut the waste in order to give raises to the people that work in the classrooms. It is clear that all public funded schools both K-12 and college level have added far too many high paid administrative jobs over the last few years. How many people can it take to run a school system when these people don’t even come into contact with the students? It is now time to cut the waste in order to give a livable wage to the people who work with our children in the classrooms.

Happy Father’s Day

Today is father’s Day so dads will be getting new ties and wallets today. We have a few gifted fathers in our group of candidates this year. Some have natural children and others adopted their children. All are good parents who care about not only their own children but the children of this state. We need people in office this next year like these men who care about our children because we are ranked 48th worst in the country when it comes to our children.

I was watching a few days ago the television show New Mexico in focus the republican panelist blame this on the Democratic Party because he said that we have control of the state government. The problem with this argument is that the federal government has set the tone with No Child Left Behind and we have had not one but two republican U.S. House of Representatives for many years along with a Republican Senator. All of whom have done everything in their power to harm the quality of live for our children in this state along with the rest of the country.

We need people like Congressman Tom Udall controlling not only the northern part of the state where children are making higher grades but in the southern and central parts of the state as well. We need more control in the U.S. Senate so that we can bring home money for our children and their schools rather then to build the war machine in this state.

We need progressive business leaders in this state that are willing to pay a fair wage and provide support for working parents rather then the conservative business leaders that we now have who cut wages and benefits while punishing working parents. Ten hour a day work days are not good for working parents. Children unfriendly work environments are also not good for working parents.

Father’s Day is a day to recognize the true value of fathers to the basic family unit. I was very lucky as a child to have a father that cared and worked hard to provide a safe and comfortable home for me and my brothers. My father died around 15 years ago but he was a good man to his family and friends. My daughter’s father died before she was born so my daughter has been forced to make due with close family friends and two uncles who are never around. We should all stress the important of the father in the basic family unit because it can only improve the lives of our children. So to all of the fathers of this state have a very happy father’s day and enjoy the gifts gentlemen.

Just Say “No” to Senator John McCain

Senator McCain should pick his friends a lot more carefully. Women in this country have to wonder exactly what type of man would be friends with someone who can make remarks about women like the ones Clayton Williams made during his failed 1990 campaign for governor. I can see no reason to vote for a man who would associate with a man who could say the things about women that Mr Williams has in the past.

From the Daily Kos:

“Clayton Williams stirred controversy during his 1990 campaign for governor of Texas with a botched attempt at humor in which he compared rape to weather. Within earshot of a reporter, Williams said: "As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it."”

How sick can a man be to make a remark like that one? Senator McCain should strongly denounce Williams and any comments he made about rape of women. He should give every cent of that dirty money to a rape support group. Or maybe women in this country should teach Senator McCain what the work “No” means.

Republican Party says Pearce Can’t Win U.S. Senate Race

Sen. John Ensign, the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a key source of campaign money seemed ready to write off Congressman Steve Pearce's race for U.S. Senate as a lost cause.

“He told reporters the New Mexico campaign is a low priority and that the party shouldn't waste money on races you don't need or can't win.”

This will mean that Steve Pearce will have a very difficult time raising money from his national party because no one wants to invest in a loosing race. It will also free up local republican donators to give their money to congressional candidates in the southern and center parts of the state.

At this point Pearce is 25% behind Congressman Tom Udall who is the lead democratic candidate in the state of New Mexico. Congressman Udall has total support from the Democratic Party because he has shown that he is U.S. Senate material from the very start of his public career. He was raised in a family that is dictated to public service and is well known in the southwestern states for producing quality candidates.

I can see why the Republican Party would want to spend their money on races that would be more winnable for them. It would also humiliate the Republican Party to support a candidate that could clearly lose by such a wide margin. The Democratic Party of New Mexico is inspired to work harder then every before to get out every single democratic voter they can for Congressman Udall.

This feeling of support for Congressman Udall will most likely translate into better results for the Congressional Democratic candidates as well which could be a factor in the Republican Party not wanting to supply Congressman Pearce with more money to fight the battle for the senate seat. They may fear that the senate race could turn out voters in every part of the state that would result in giving New Mexico three democratic congressmen. The Republican Party may be hoping to reduce Democratic Party voter turn out so that they can keep New Mexico a Presidential red state becasue it is a key battle state this year.

The death of a Progressive Journalist

Today at the age of 58 Tim Russert died from a heart attack. One of the few mainstream media progressive journalist he always came prepared with the facts in the form of his target interviewee's own words.

Raised in a blue collar working class family he had a better understand then most of what families face in the world today. His family, friends, and colleagues will miss the man who all had come to respect over the years as someone that could be counted on for the plain truth.

Martin Heinrich's Primary Victory Party

With pictures like this one Martin Heinrich should have no problem beating Darren White this fall. Father and son spoke to a crowded room full of well wishers yesterday evening at the Hispanic Cultural Center. Martin Heinrich now has the full support of the entire Democratic Party behind him and that of his very dear family. Democratic voters are looking forward to having a democratic congressman in place this January to represent them in Congressional district one. We have long been misrepresented by the work of a republican which has resulted in New Mexico ranked 48 worst in the country when it comes to issues of children. Martin Heinrich will be a welcome change with ideas that include better healthcare for children, better education, stopping the war in Iraq and protecting the environment for little people like the one he is holding.

Interesting side note Rebecca Vigil-Giron let it slip that she will be looking toward the 2010 election as a candidate for Lt. Governor. She has the full support of her family. How would things change for the children in New Mexico with a Woman Governor (Diana Denish) and a Woman Lt Governor (Rebecca Vigil-Giron)? With people like Congressman Steve Pearce maybe looking toward the governor’s seat after he looses this fall we may need strong women for those two positions.

The rest of the pictures from the event are on my webshots with a link down at the left hand side of the page.

Ad from John McCain 0n Local Television (Liar, Liar)

Can We Say Never Ending War

“When asked Matt Lauer, host of NBC's Today, whether he had an estimate for when troops would start returning home, McCain said, "No, but that's not too important. What's important is the casualties in Iraq."”

How do we get it across to him that human life is important and that we need to end this war to save American lives? This is the man who has the nerve to say on local television that he hates war. If he truly hated it then he would have a plan to end the war in Iraq.

No Privacy for Senator Obama

Here is a cool bit of trivia some democrats will find interesting. It is Senator Barack Obama’s birth certificate. So everything you could personally want to know about this poor man. Now tell me again why I never want to run for a public office?

Senator Obama will make a great president for our country. I now would like for Senator John McCain to be so kind as to release a copy of his birth certificate. I wonder what they looked like back then.

http://www.fightthesmears.com/

Update: I am not one to pass on too many of these types of jokes but this one was just too funny to let pass so please forgive me for my bad taste in this matter. Jokes

What is Wrong with This Picture

Tom Udall is pointing out in his new ad what is wrong with this picture and how he plans on making changes when he is elected to the U.S. Senate. We need more candidates like Congressman Udall in office to protect the interest of the voting public.



Republicans might want to call this an attack ad but he is not attacking any candidate for office. Congressman Udall is pointing out the failures of the current Bush Administration. If we don’t elected people to turn the tide then we will all drown in the mess that the Bush Administration has created over the past seven and a half years.

Republican’s block tax increase on Big Oil Companies

Wow, big surprise that the republicans are still protecting big oil companies that are getting a national average of $4.02 per gallon gas at the pumps. John McCain would be more then happy to keep giving big business more tax breaks while low and middle income families can’t even make ends met.

How loud do we have to say no in the country before the Washington insiders like John McCain get the fact that too much is just too much. Senator Obama has promised a tax cut for middle class Americans when he is elected president. We simply can not afford a Bush clone in the oval office at this point in time. Our families’ health and welfare depends on relief from the federal government.

The general election for president has now started and we need to get the word out that the only hope for real change in this country is Senator Barack Obama. The time has finally come to put away the divides of the primary season and get our nominee elected before we don’t have jobs or a home. We need a senate that will work with Senator Obama to create change that is why we should elect candidates like Tom Udall for senate and also Martin Heinrich for Congress.

The republicans have held the oval office for the past seven years and nothing good has come from it. We have an endless war that keeps taking millions of dollars to run. We have unemployment rates of 5.5% the highest in recent history. We have a sitting president that is now trying to start a war with Iran before he leaves office. We have gas prices so high that everyday Americans can not afford to drive to the local market and even if they get there the prices on food have risen to the point that you can not afford to take home much for your family. I suggest that we turn the tables and make the republicans homeless this year. We want our White House back so that everyday Americans can afford their homes.

Democratic Party of New Mexico Kickoff Volunteer Meeting.

The Democratic Party of New Mexico is having a volunteer kick off meeting this Wednesday June 11, 2008 at the party headquarters. The time is 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm. It is a time to get organized to give the support our candidates will need for the next few months. Representatives from Tom Udall for Senate, Martin Heinrich for Congress and Barack Obama for President will be at the meeting. We should all show up so their campaigns know just how strong the Democratic Party of New Mexico is during this year of change. Attached is the flyer for the event with all of the details.

Pubic School Renovations

The U.S. House of Representatives pasted house bill 3021 with a vote of 250 for and 164 against that will supply $33.2 billion in fiscal years 2009-2013 for lead and asbestos removal for some of the nation’s poorest schools. It will also be spent on air quality and lighting. The bill will provide $500 million that will also help repair schools in the gulf region that were damage by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Some of the schools in this state were built by the WPA back in the 1930’s. You would think that all of our state representatives would support a bill that would help our children’s school to met basic requirements for a safe environment but you would be wrong. Congressman Steve Pearce who is running for U.S. Senate voted against the bill this last week. Is this the man we want to give a vote that will carry more power? The money must be spent on fixing schools and not every year expenses. We want someone in the U.S. Senate like Congressman Tom Udall who will put the safety of our children first in this country. We need all the help we can get from the federal government to make our children’s school a safe place for them to lean and develop. What parent in their right mind can support a man who would vote against a bill that would remove lead and asbestos from our children’s schools? What will it take to get Congressman Steve Pearce to put our children first because they are our future?

The Spirit of Party Unity

Yesterday Senator Clinton threw her total support behind Senator Obama for president. We now have only one nominee in our party for president of the United States. We must now do everything in our power to elect our list of candidates this fall. The first thing is to get out and walk neighborhoods with our county party. Our county party leader Ana Canales is asking people to get out and talk to the voting public on the weekends.

“My Democratic Friends,

We now have our candidates! Now begins the real work, the real fight to make this state a BLUE State in 08. Senator Obama, Congressman Udall and Martin Heinrich - they all need our help along with some of our Democrats running for state representatives and state senators (Two of my personal favorites: Eric Griego and Victor Raigoza). Let's start now - we can't afford to take a breather. I am going to begin canvassing the South Valley. We will be canvassing in ward 14B starting this Sunday. Let's meet for breakfast at the Los Compadres restaurant (841 Isleta) at 9 AM or 9:30 if you are not having breakfast. We will distribute walking lists at that time and begin our canvass at 10 AM and end the canvass at 12 Noon. Everyone is welcome but I need as many Spanish speaking Hispanics as possible and we will pair you off with a non-Spanish speaker. It is getting hot, so make sure to bring water, hats and sunscreen. CANDIDATES - YOU ARE WELCOME TO WALK WITH US. This is going to be an ongoing project through November 4th, so if you can't come this weekend, then come next weekend. Let's do it - let's wake them up and get them out to vote!

Call me at 515-9662 or e-mail me at alcanales@comcast.net.

In the spirit of Democracy,
Ana Canales
Chair, Democratic Party of Bernalillo County”

I ask the people opening doors to hard working volunteers to welcome them and make their jobs easier by giving your support to the party. Let’s all show the Republican Party that we are one big family in Bernalillo County this November and that we are voting for real “Change.” If you missed today’s walk as I did then it is still not too late to help next weekend. I look forward to seeing my friends and fellow democrats next weekend.

Veterans Welcome Tom Udall to Bataan Park

Today veterans welcomed Tom Udall who is running for U.S. Senate to Bataan Park here in Albuquerque New Mexico. The veterans are supporting Congressman Udall because he is working hard for them so that they can afford an education. Congressman Pearce and Senator McCain are not supporting the new G.I. Bill that would reward veterans with a higher education so that they can better support their families. Congressman Udall has former military in his family and knows the value of helping our veterans to get an education. President Bush is showing his lack of support for our veterans by saying that he will veto the bill when it gets to his desk.

Our fighting men and women deserve better treatment for the President of the United States. No veteran should vote for Senator McCain if he plans on not rewarding them for their service to our country. Where is the support that was promised these brave men and women?

For complete pictures of the event check my webshots at the lower left hand side of the page.

Why Senator Obama is the Only Candidate for U.S. President

John McCain, who happily volunteers “he doesn't know much about economics”, turned his attention to the subject today. This is the man that wants to run our country for the next four years.

MSN money reported today that: “Crude has its biggest one-day gain ever, and the Dow's loss is its worst in 15 months. Stocks drop about 3% for the week. Financial stocks are hit the hardest. The Labor Department says the economy lost 49,000 jobs in May; unemployment spikes to 5.5%.”

Want to talk about someone who lacks experience in the very areas that we need most from a president. Senator Obama has the education and the skills to develop a plan that will bring this country back into financial balance without harming low income or middle class families. We can not afford a Bush clone in the white house for the next four years unless we are willing to face a serious recession where older Americans on fixed incomes are the hardest hit.

Young people can work more hours and eat less without ill effects to their long term health. Not that anyone is looking forward to that prospect but our older individuals don’t have the ability to withstand that type of treatment from our government.

The only answer for President this year is Senator Obama.

Support our Party and its Leadership

State Party Chairman Brian Colon has a lot of hard work that needs to get done over the next few months so that our state is bluer then blue. We should all support the hard work he and our party are doing. Either volunteer or donate to our favorite cause. Together we can make a difference.

"In order to declare victory in the fall, we must come together as Democrats. We know that campaigns are not just about candidates, but about ideas, policies and changes that will improve the lives of the American people. The Democratic Party is proud to be the party that will end the war in Iraq, promote alternative energy, endow our children with the education they deserve and provide universal healthcare to every American."

Donate Now

Change or an Empty Promise

I went up to a new state senator yesterday and reminded him that one of our local schools had been promised money for road improvements for the safety of the high school children by the man he was replacing. He looked at me and reminded me that he could not make any real promises because he was now a junior state senator. There was not words to describe the feeling of here we go again.

If I had wanted to hear excesses on my issues than I would talk to my own state senator Cisco McSorley, I would invite Cisco to take a drive down San Mateo but I don’t think it would have much effect on his behavior. We need a real community center in our part of the city. We need a larger library for our children with more books. We need economic redevelopment and something needs to be done about the homeless issue on San Mateo. We need to hold our own state senator accountable for the economic decline in our part of the city. I hold out little hope that he will go along with working with the new state senators to redevelop our area of the city. I foresee our part of the city becoming the next war zone if something is not done in the near future to stop the decline. I am asking State Senator Cisco McSorley to prove me wrong or he will be hearing about it in the next election. I am thinking about spending the weekend out taking pictures for an article of then and now for the next election.

My advice to new state senators is don’t just tell the voting public that you are new and can not make promises. Have the backbone to ask what their issues are and listen to them carefully. Then don’t just promise but work hard to help people who want change for their issues. You are now a state senator and the whole state is your problem not just your little corner of our state. We are not looking for guarantees but we are looking for someone who cares and wants change and is willing to work hard for the issues that matter to the voting public.

Here is a list of my issues:

• Please give us more funding for classrooms and the children because we have enough high paid administration that gets large salaries.

• Better pay for teaching assistances in K-16. Please drop the percentage raises because it is a joke to even think that 2% of $100,000 or more even comes close to 2% of less then $25,000. The issue is compounded even more when you get days off without pay during the year.

• Economic redevelopment in the older parts of the city because I am sick of seeing more and more empty store fronts along San Mateo.

• More funding for mental healthcare for the homeless because these people deserve to be treated like human beings after all think how you would feel if it was a member of your family out on the street. Politicians need to stop telling voters that the mentally ill can make informed decisions when it comes to taking their own medication. They would not be homeless if they had the choice. No I don’t have a family member on the streets but I have met and talked with people who do and those families are pleading for help.

• Drug and alcohol treatment programs for the homeless and low income because it is a matter of humane treatment and may save the life of another mother and child on our roads.

These are all issues well worth fighting for on a state level. We need people in our state government who are willing to go to bat for the voting public and effect real and lasting change at the state and local level. I hope our new state senators fight for some of my issues in the coming year.

The Party Was Great

The Democratic Party’s returns watch party was great last evening. The room was filled with our candidates and we had reason to celebrate the evening. Five hundred people showed up for the party and Rebecca Vigil-Giron supporters made lots of noise for their candidate. Martin Heinrich told me that he was pleased that he was able to stay positive during his campaign. He continued that behavior when he acknowledged both Rebecca Vigil-Giron and Michelle Lujan-Grisham when he made his acceptance speech. He was able to show how much he valued his running mates which speaks well of our congressional nominee for the general election. One can only hope that Sheriff Darren White will respect the level at which we wish to run the fall campaign.

Our State Party Chairman Brian Colon had good reason to be very pleased with the evening’s outcome. We all had the major candidates we wanted in Bernalillo County. The only down side was that there are always a few losers when you run a campaign but not for long because we wish them well and move on to the general election. Some of those candidates will still end up with government jobs just because they are very good at working with the public. I know that people like Rebecca Vigil-Giron and Michelle Lujan-Grisham will be around for a long time to come because they clearly care about their local communities.

I enjoy watching the local judicial races and was very pleased with the results from last evening. Justice Charles Daniels won hands down for the State Supreme Court. Judge William Parnell also had no one running against him. Something to be said when you are just too good that no one wants to run against you. Judge Elizabeth Whitefield was a big winner and she deserved it. She will now be able to relax because there was not a republican candidate for her race. Judge Charles Brown also won his race and like Judge Whitefield will be able to turn his attention to the job at hand because he also does not have a rival in the fall race. Judge Schwartz won over Judge Chavez. I am sure that we will see more of Judge Chavez because he has learned a great deal from this campaign. I was sad that Clyde Demersseman did not win his race but I am sure he will do well in the future.

Pictures of the party on my webshots.

This evening Lt. Governor Diane Denish is having a BBQ and Unity Rally at the Downs at Albuquerque Racetrack and Casino from 5:00 until 7:00 today. We should all attend to show our support for the Lt. Governor and make it clear that we are one united party for the fall election.

Go Vote Today!

Whittier Elementary School reported light voter turn out when I stopped by to cast my vote around 11:00 am today.

I am sitting here in my chair watching the midday fox news station. I just saw an ad that asked if I wanted a committed republican. My answer is no but I would not mind committing a few republicans. We could start with Congressman Steve Pearce and Congresswoman Heather Wilson. They are nuts to think that they have any hope of winning in November because we will work hard to get every democrat in this state out to vote for Congressman Tom Udall this fall.

Speaking about voting, get off that computer right now and go vote already will you! The later in the day you wait the longer it will take you to vote today.

I have already cast my vote today. I voted for:

Tom Udall for Senate

Martin Heinrich for Congressional District One

I support Ben Ray Lujan for CD 3 and Bill McCamley for CD 2.

Maggie Toulouse-Oliver for Bernalillo County Clerk

Charles C. Daniels for State Supreme Court

William (Bill) Parnell for State Second Judicial District Court Children’s Court

Elizabeth Whitefield for State Second Judicial District Court Division XXV

Please don’t forget that the other guy does not want the job and he is supporting Judge Whitefield for the seat.

Charles Brown for State Second Judicial District Court Division XXVI

Maria I. Dominguez for Division 6 Metropolitan Court Judge

Clyde William Demersseman for Division 10 Metropolitan Court Judge

Each area will have its own State Senator and State House Representative. In those races I voted for Sheryl William Stapleton who is a great Representative for our area of the city.

An Interview with Michelle Lujan-Grisham

Michelle Lujan-Grisham is the last congressional candidate that I interviewed for the NM-01 district. The fourth candidate, Robert Pidcock has not replied to my request for a formal interview. Must have been something I said.Oops! But back to Michelle Lujan-Grisham, I found her to be a very easy person to get along with in person. I think both of the women in this campaign want to do good work for our community. Both women candidates in this campaign have been single mothers so they have experienced the difficulties that a good number of women in this state face on an everyday bases. Both bring a sincere knowledge of the difficulties of being a single mother with them to the campaign and would also take it to Washington. We can not and should not write off Martin Heinrich. He may not be a single parent but he is a father with two small children and also knows the issues that face parents everyday in this city. I think that the voting public should look carefully at each candidate and then base a decision like I have on a fair knowledge of all of the candidates. Each interview has a link to their website so voters can view their stands on the issues that face New Mexicans everyday. We in the Democratic Party are lucky to have candidates who care running for this seat.

The Interview:

Do you have a campaign website or some way for people to contact you if they are interested in volunteering for your campaign?
http://www.michelleforcongress.com/

Tell us about your family. Michelle Lujan Grisham is a 12th generation Hispanic New Mexican who grew up in Santa Fe and graduated from St. Michael's High School. She is a widow with two daughters and has resided in Albuquerque since 1978. He daughters are now 23 and 21. She has been a single Hispanic parent in Albuquerque. She was an active parent in her daughters’ education on the local level. She still speaks well of her late husband.

Where did you get your education and why did you decide to work here in Albuquerque, New Mexico?

1983-1987 University of New Mexico Law School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Graduation – May 1987,
Passed New Mexico Bar – July 1987, Sworn in – October 1987

1977-1981 University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM
Bachelor of University Studies – 1981 (Engineering Dept. endorsed transcripts for engineering relevance) Major: Energy Engineering, Minor: Public Administration


What is your career history?


CABINET SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, Santa Fe, NM - August 2004 to June 2007

CABINET SECRETARY, AGING & LONG-TERM SERVICES DEPARTMENT, Santa Fe, NM – February 2004 to August 2004

DIRECTOR, STATE AGENCY ON AGING, Santa Fe, NM - February 1991 to August 2004

DIRECTOR, LAWYER REFERRAL FOR THE ELDERLY PROGRAM, STATE BAR OF NEW MEXICO, Albuquerque, NM - November 1988 to February 1991

STAFF ATTORNEY, LAWYER REFERRAL FOR THE ELDERLY, STATE BAR OF NEW MEXICO, Albuquerque, NM - January 1988 to August 1988

LEGAL ASSISTANT, UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, LEGAL DEPARTMENT, Albuquerque, NM – April 1987 to December 1987

LAW CLERK, MODRALL, SPERLING, ROEHL, HARRIS & SISK, P.A., Albuquerque, NM – February 1984 to March 1987

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS SPECIALIST, UNIVERSITY OF N.M. LAW SCHOOL, Albuquerque, NM - August 1985 to May 1986

LAW CLERK, GRISHAM AND LAWLESS, P.A., Albuquerque, NM - May 1984 to August 1985

ASSOCIATE STAFF ASSISTANT, WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC ADVANCED ENERGY SYSTEMS DIVISION, Albuquerque, NM - August 1981 to May 1983


Tell us the experience and qualities you think would make you a good Congresswoman. Michelle Lujan-Grisham has worked for the Governor’s of this state as the director of New Mexico State Agency on Aging and as a cabinet secretary of the department of health. She has taken people home with her in order to help them. Her major goal and passion is constituent services to New Mexicans.

What is the biggest issue(s) facing woman here in New Mexico and how would you resolve it if given the opportunity? For Michelle healthcare and support services are the major issues facing women in New Mexico. She has put together a team of people who work to address any issues that come up with voters she is talking to so that they can get service now rather then later. She said that there is just no way that she can listen to a person's problems and simple walk away with out trying to help that individual.

Will you stay away from negative ads during the last few hours of the campaign? Michelle Lujan-Grisham like any good lawyer told me that all of the candidates have very close stands on the issues and that she is trying very hard to draw or make a distinction between herself and the other three candidates. To that end she has admitted that there will be some very few remarks about the other candidates in her last minute ads but she will also point out what her stands are on the issues. I personal think that the one thing that sets her apart from the other candidates is her dedication to quality constituent services.

Interview with Rebecca Vigil-Giron

In keeping with my word I am giving each of the congressional candidates for NM-01 a interview so that they can present their view to the voting public as to why they should receive the most votes. I wanted to give each candidate a fair and honest interview. Three of the four candidates took me up on that offer and I have one more interview to post this afternoon,

The Interview:

Do you have a campaign website or some way for people to contact you if they are interested in volunteering for your campaign?
http://www.rebeccaforcongress.com/index.asp

Tell us about your family. Rebecca has a twenty one year old son that she is very proud of and is engaged to a man that she clearly loves very much. She is one of nine children with three sisters and five brothers. She has very strong ties to the community because she has a large Hispanic family that has been in New Mexico since 1695 during the Pueblo Revolts.

Where did you get your education and why did you decide to work here in Albuquerque, New Mexico?

1991– Bachelor of Arts – French and Social Science – New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico.

1989– Graduate of the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program – J.F.Kennedy School of Government – Harvard University.1978– Associates of Arts – Elementary Education – New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico.

1977 – Schiller College – Summer French Program, Strasbourg, France.

1972 – Taos High School Graduate, Taos, New Mexico.

Rebecca Vigil-Giron has close family ties here in New Mexico and has never seriously given any thought to living anywhere else.

What is your career history?

2006-Present Commission on accreditation for law enforcement agencies Commissioner
2004-2005 National association of secretaries of state President
1999-2006 State of New Mexico Santa Fe, New Mexico, The Secretary of State
1994-1998 Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Senior Sales &
Marketing Representative and Corporate Relations Coordinator
1987-1990 State of New Mexico Santa Fe, New Mexico, The Secretary of State
1978-1986 Public Services Company Of New Mexico Project Monitor, Customer
Service Representative, Secretary

Unlike any of the other candidates in this race Rebecca Vigil-Giron has the most name recognition because she was secretary of state twice over her career.

Tell us the experience and qualities you think would make you a good Congresswoman. Rebecca Vigil-Giron feels that she would be a good congresswoman because of her past job experience in New Mexican politics. She is a female Hispanic who has first hand experience of what it is like to be a single mother here in New Mexico. She has lived in Albuquerque for the past thirty years and is an active member of her community. She would maintain a close relationship with her community including her church if elected to congress.

What is the biggest issue(s) facing woman here in New Mexico and how would you resolve it if given the opportunity? Rebecca Vigil-Giron sees a number of interrelated issues such as income, child care, healthcare and general supports systems such as educations that could be improved to help women here in New Mexico.

You have come under a lot of political heat because of the Help America Vote Act money that your office received during your time as Secretary of State. What is your response to the charges that your office did not handle those funds correctly? Rebecca Vigil-Giron feels that the Federal auditor has not given her a fair chance to give a response to these charges. She has written a response to the auditor and I have post a copy of it here for the voting public to read and decide for themselves. .

Clyde William Demersseman: Democrat or Republican

The first question most people ask: I thought that he was a republican? The answer is no! he is a democrat. Clyde Demersseman is just as much a democrat as you or I. I don’t like that some of our candidates are telling people their rivals are republican even when they have changed parties years ago.

Tim Keller, Clyde Demersseman, and Bob Schwartz are democrats. Truth be told they had democratic values all along and for one reason or another they ended up in the wrong party at first. They come to our party with an understanding of just how wrong the Republican Party has become over the last eight years. These are men of honor who care about the voting public and who want to do good for their party. They have values and morals that can not be traded for public office. They are finding that most of us will talk to them and then welcome them to the democratic family. Some of our long time democrats who are running for public office are asking why him over me. The answer is because they have the passion and the knowledge to move the voters. They are willing to reach out to the voters while these long time democratic candidates display a reaction of entitlement. These new democrats take the time to show up to the party events. They are working hard to fit in and that counts. The voters are not children they look carefully at these new democrats and ask more questions then with any long time democrat. We are willing to give these men a chance to prove that they are true democrats. No candidate should every display a sense of entitlement toward the voting public when running for office. Voters want public servants not Prima Donnas. Maybe the long time democratic candidates should be asking what can I do to get your vote and start telling voters their vision of how they want to fix the problems we face rather then speaking ill of their rivals.