Early Voting Rally on the West Side of Albuquerque

Today the Martin Heinrich for Congress team sponsored a rally for getting out the early vote. It was held at Twisters on Coors here on the West Side of Albuquerque, about ten minutes from my house.

Early voting began about a week ago but only at the County Office; today the polls opened up around town. So about one hour after the polls opened, I went to my nearest one and voted with great joy. This afternoon I headed to the rally. What fun to meet so many people that I had voted for just hours earlier!

Martin Heinrich addressing the crowd

Alex Russell, candidate for NM House, District 29

NM State Treasurer, James B. Lewis

Bernalillo County Assessor, Karen Montoya

NM House Rep. Rick Miera, District 11

Brian Colón, candidate for Lt. Governor of NM
Current Lt. Governor and candidate for Governor
Diane Denish's husband Herb behind Brian

Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales III and
Ray Powell, former Land Commissioner and candidate to return to the post

Ken Sanchez, President of the ABQ City Council

Antonio "Moe" Maestas, NM House Rep., District 16 (on the right)

NM Attorney General, Gary King

NM Secretary of State, Mary Herrera

Michelle Lujan Grisham, candidate for Bernalillo
County Commissioner, District 1

United States Senator Tom Udall, NM

U. S. Representative Martin Heinrich, NM-01

Willow Misty Parks for Probate Judge

Our Team in Washington DC
Senator Tom Udall and Rep. Martin Heinrich

As Congressman Ben Ray Lujan's office reminds us:

Martin is the first Democrat in history to represent the critical swing-district in Central New Mexico and we need to keep him there. But special interests from Iowa, Tennessee and Washington, D.C are spending over $2 million to replace him with someone that will toe their line. We can’t let them win!

You can see the kinds of issues Martin Heinrich fights for here.

--the BB

My letter to Sen. Tom Udall - updated to add header

Here is what my junior Senator, Tom Udall, has on his website:

Health Care
To provide every American with quality health care, control skyrocketing costs, and ensure patients have choices, we need to dramatically improve our health care system. Congress has already passed legislation to ensure that 11 million children have health insurance. We have also begun the process of reforming the health care system to cover every American man, woman and child. America deserves a health care system that reflects the ingenuity and compassion of the American people. President Obama has pledged to push for broad health care reform, and I will work with him and my colleagues in the U. S. Senate to enact a plan that increases coverage, improves quality of care, reduces costs, and refocuses our system on preventing illness and promoting wellness.

OK, Tom is a junior senator just getting his feet wet. Still, I would like something more forceful.

Here is what I wrote to him tonight.

Dear Senator Udall:

I was happy to support you and vote for you last fall and hope the first year in the Senate has not been too traumatic.

I appreciate your comments: "America deserves a health care system that reflects the ingenuity and compassion of the American people. President Obama has pledged to push for broad health care reform, and I will work with him and my colleagues in the U. S. Senate to enact a plan that increases coverage, improves quality of care, reduces costs, and refocuses our system on preventing illness and promoting wellness."

I would love to hear more specifics and am more than happy to share with you what I wish to see in health care reform.

First and foremost, I believe that without a strong public option there will be no leverage to change how health care is done in this nation, nothing that will pressure the insurance companies to focus more on the collective well being and less on their usurious profits. I would like to see you push for a strong public option. Without it I think any reform is mere window dressing.

Additionally, I hope you are pushing for legislating an end to rescission, to denial based on pre-existing conditions, and to caps that leave people with catastrophic illness bankrupt.

Co-ops are not a sufficient substitute for a public option.

Thank you for your service. Please fight for the People.

--the BB

Are YOUR senators aware of this? Are mine?

Marcy Wheeler, aka emptywheel, reminds us:

In particular, I believe, they are delaying Holder's nomination to shorten the time between the day Holder takes over and the day the statute of limitations on violations of FISA Bush committed on March 11, 2004 start to expire--that is, March 11, 2009, just seven weeks away.

Sort of puts it in perspective, doesn't it?

We need to confirm Eric Holder as Attorney General ASAP. America needs this. The world needs this. Justice demands this.



For more information, read Marcy's post here.

OK, I just sent my letter:

Dear Senator Bingaman:

I am writing to urge you to do all in your power not only to support but TO HASTEN the confirmation of Eric Holder as Attorney General.

It came to my attention today that the statute of limitations on violations of FISA Bush committed on March 11, 2004 start to expire on March 11, 2009.

This may have no bearing on efforts to obstruct Holder's confirmation or it may have every relevance. We cannot afford to take the chance. The restoration of rule of law in this great nation cries out for swift action in appointing a new Attorney General.

I believe we have come very close to losing our constitutional government altogether and we must not allow any chance to restore it to slip through our fingers now.


May I also ask you to remind the Junior Senator from our state to activate his e-mail at the Senate?


Thank you so much for your consideration of these matters and the service you give to our nation and to the citizens of New Mexico.

Sincerely,

Actually, I just received an e-mail today from Senator Bingaman thanking me for my views on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. This clearly meant it was time for another communication with my Senator.

--the BB