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Monday, November 26, 2007

blivey #1 launched in NM Dem Senate Primary

Marty obviously ain't one to let a sleeping blivey lie!

Having a perfectly good charge to slam Tom Udall with he's not about to let it go unused. I'm sure that's one of the basic rules of politics - its just how the game is played.

At any rate Marty let it fly earlier today with emails to all and sundry and the response from the his opponents has started over at Democracy for New Mexico. Now let see if Tom is up for the game.

By the way, when is Tom gonna announce?

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Another reason to hate Microsoft and mildly loath Intel


As usual Microsoft and Intel first ridicule a product then when it shows they copy and exploit it. Today's article in the Wall Street Journal titled A Little Laptop with Big Ambitions shows how they play the game. First a MIT Professor named Nicholas Negroponte proposed the idea - that we build a cheap laptop, under $100 US, for poor children all over the world then load it with software and spread them far and wide. Negroponte had some ambitious goals including both price and numbers that haven't been meet. Per unit price never reached $100 a system but did come in at $188 per box and not many laptops have been shipped. The cute little beast is called the XO. Currently there is a special - send them $399 and they will send you a XO and send one to a child in the 3rd world.

Micro$oft initially ignores it, Intel ridicules it, and then MIT plus AMD and several others build it. Now that its out and Microsoft and Intel fear that their usual lack of vision will leave them behind. So, they have rushed to come up with a competing product called the Classmate, also see here. The problem is that it cost $300 instead of $188 and runs - you guessed it - Windows. Microsoft, because of their fear that 3rd worlders might become technologically literate, jumped into the frey with a $3.00 stripped down copy of Windows and Word, they don't tell us if it comes with their usual assortment of bugs and viruses, but no doubt it does. Anyway, they are using their usual strong armed tactics to sell the Classmate and trash the XO.

Currently it looks like Intel has backed off a bit on their attack on the XO and are now offering the system with a version of Mandrake Linux on it but as for Microsoft - no doubt they are being their usual evil self.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Beware the ballot splitters!



As we head to the Senate primary next June and the race in November I've been thinking for a long time that folks need to look at this map. In my mind the main question to be answered was who can win 2 of the 3 districts on it. I was inclined to say District 3 goes Democratic, District 2 goes Republican and it was all down to what happens in CD1. But this race will be different and frankly I'm not sure if that type of calculation will hold true this time. I fear that there are many Dems and Independents that will vote Republican for "balance". I think they like the fact that we have 1 Dem and 1 Repub Senator and if given a chance will keep it that way. After counting absentee ballots in 2006 I'm convinced that NM is filled with ballot splitters and all those Dem strategist planning the battle to come need to factor that into their calculations.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Chavez packs 'em in for his State HQ opening



Today Marty's State Campaign Headquarters on Menaul opened for business here in Albuquerque and the place was packed. Lots of food, lots of music, and lots of confidence. Based of the comments form this crowd - if Tom U. thinks its all over he has a nasty surprise coming. One seasoned insider said "its gonna be a close and hard race but we will win".

3rd Thursday - Michelle Lujan Grisham shines

I attended the 3rd Thursday meeting last week expecting to see the crew running for the Dem CD1 nomination except Martin H. decided not to show. Not to worry Michelle Lujan Grisham took full advantage of the occasion to impress more than a few of us. I must admit after reading the hit piece on the Dem. for NM website I was wondering if she was a serious candidate. After seeing her in gear I was happily surprised. What she lacks in height she more than makes up for in intensity. I look forward to her debate with Martin H. - it has the potential to really shake things up. My guess is that she could mop the floor with Darren White.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein should go!

Finally, finally, it seems that at least a few folks in California have had enough of Dianne Feinstein. From Huffington Post we hear that:
"East Bay For Democracy, a chartered Democratic Club outside San Francisco, will introduce the censure motion on Saturday at the state party's executive board meeting in Anaheim. The Governing Board of the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party and the Progressive Democrats of America are also backing the measure.

In addition to her move to back Mukasey, critics have lashed out at her decision last month to vote to confirm Judge Leslie Southwick to the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Southwick's opponents charged that his record on the bench in Mississippi demonstrated that he was both racist and homophobic. The Congressional Black Caucus, Human Rights Campaign and People for the American Way opposed his nomination."

East Bay For Democracy's website

Thanks for doing this!!!!

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Lehrman won't leave Senate race

Prompted by questions from reporters asking if he will leave the Senate race if Udall gets in Leland Lehrman has released a statement titled "Why Tom Udall is Wrong for New Mexico and the United States Senate" via email late last night. It says.....
Members of the Press, Friends of the Campaign -

Kate Nash and Heath Haussamen, two of New Mexico's best political reporters, recently contacted me about my Senate campaign plans in response to Tom Udall's decision to enter the race. I am in to stay and will be filing FEC documents next week, now that I have secured a treasurer for the campaign. I have also been invited to be on KNME TV next week to discuss the issues. Here's why I'm staying in:

Tom Udall's recent vote to table Dennis Kucinich's resolution (HR 333) to impeach Richard Cheney is a prime example of exactly why Rep. Udall would not make a good Senator for New Mexico or the US. Although his votes on the environment and civil liberties make us all proud, his Washingtonian willingness to avoid tough issues means that he cannot be trusted with the leadership role a US Senator must take. A US Senator has the power of the filibuster, a Representative does not. One US Senator can bring the nation to a halt in times of crisis, and I would like to show New Mexico and the United States how that is done, when necessary.

In these dangerous days, with a criminal administration in charge of the most awesome military on Earth, Senators are going to have to realize that their unwillingness to use the power of the filibuster to check an out of control Executive Branch amounts to collaboration. The Nuremburg Principles clearly point to a heightened responsibility for all decision makers within a war-making apparatus. There can be no excuse for not using the filibuster every time immoral war spending or other warfare-enabling bills hit the floor of the Senate.

As George Bush has recently invoked the spectre of World War III, we must keep in mind the moral and historical gravity of our present situation.

Rep. Udall has heard from his constituents often on this topic. In March of 2006, the Democratic Party of New Mexico resolved overwhelmingly in favor of impeaching the President. It is the official policy of the New Mexico Democratic Party to support impeachment. Observers on the scene at the 2006 party caucus say that not only was the thunderous response to the impeachment resolution the highlight of the entire meeting, but that up to 98% of the room stood in favor (based on an estimated 20 votes against out of an estimated thousand voters present).

State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino's SJR 5, impeach the President and Vice President passed successfully through three packed committees in the New Mexico State Senate. Since no one wants to end up with the Vice President after impeaching Bush, Kucinich is starting with Cheney.

I personally asked Udall to support Congressman Kucinich at the recent Democratic Party Central Committee Meeting in Albuquerque. His warm greeting and kind words can not make up for the distant noncommittal attitude he displayed when I asked him to support impeachment. There were 86 Democrats who voted for the impeachment resolution, Tom wasn't one of them. New Mexicans need to ask themselves if they want someone who does well in the glitzy but shallow world of polls and cash, or if they want someone who will have the courage to honor their oath of office, represent the will of the people and protect the planet, even if it could be difficult in Washington.

Where's Tom's attention to the will of the citizens in his party on such a critical issue? Where's the courage to act on an oath of office that requires him to defend the Constitution against domestic enemies such as Bush and Cheney?

Congressman Udall's vote against impeachment is unforgivable, and I will make that clear to the people of New Mexico throughout the 2008 race for US Senator and beyond.
###

One other fact might be worth mentioning here - I remember that people involved in Jerry Ortiz y Pino's SJR 5, a bill calling for the impeachment of Bush et al., said it was killed after Tom Udall made a quite visit to the Round House and meet with several key folks there. Pino's bill was interesting because if passed by the NM House & Senate it would have required the US House to debate Impeachment. Since the Dem leadership in the US House are cowards they wanted that bill dead and looks like Tom helped out. So, Tom's fingerprints were on the death of that bill as well.

Wow - Tom has critics to the left of him, critics to the right of him - whatever will he do?

Bankruptcy Law Backfires

Great article on Bloomberg titled Bankruptcy Law Backfires as Foreclosures Offset Gains (Update1) shows how "Unintended Consequences" are showing up from the Bankruptcy Bill. For those Dems heavy into Bingaman worship lets not forget that he voted for this mess.

Friday, November 09, 2007

HH says Udall will run!

More evidence that the feeding frenzy is in full gear - Heath Haussamen says that:
Udall has decided to run for Senate
I'm still thinking he won't run, we will see -

Kossack's running amuck

As an occasional reader of the Daily Kos I'm never surprised when the Kossack's fall off the deep end.

Well they have done it again - this time its over Tom Udall. With titles like:
Dear Mayor Marty
NM-Sen: Udall trying to give Chavez face-saving way out
its clear we have moved to the silly season.

First they don't understand New Mexico needs more than a vote - it also needs a voice. This is the central problem with Udall worship. Tom is a vote - not a voice. He does not advocate for New Mexico. Evidence for this is easy to find - just look at how he's protected LANL.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

If I were Marty, part 1

Looks like Tom Udall is gonna jump into the Senate race. Sorry to all my Liberal/Progressive friends but I'm just not impressed. Re: Udall, I've always said there is less there than meets the eye -

I've decided to support Marty on this one - heaven know's I've had my issues with him but this time he's the best candidate for the job.

So, as it stands today this is a Marty - Tom race. Even if the rest hang in they are dead meat. What should Marty do?

He needs to go after Tom IMMEDIATELY! He needs to let him know he has a war on his hands today, now, at this very moment in time and space. My guess is Tom thinks its all over as soon as he announces. Marty should rid him of those thoughts as soon as possible.

Marty needs to:
...- Ask this question publicly and LOUDLY! What has Tom Udall done for New Mexico? For the progressives he votes right but were's the bacon? This race is about jobs & economic development and Marty needs to let all know that Tom doesn't care and Marty does. That Marty sees this as an essential part of his job and Tom doesn't.
...- Resolve not to hand the labs, their workers, families and suppliers to the Republicans. Tom stood by and let LANL take a hit. Marty shouldn't waste a second letting all know that he cares and Tom doesn't and that he will pick up where Saint Pete leaves off.
...- Understand his problem is the Primary not the General election. He has real support in the Independents and old time Republicans. He needs to get them to register as Dems and vote in the primary.
...- Point out that Tom is too Liberal for the general election. The Publicans will nail him to a cross in Southern NM & to a lesser extent Albuquerque. Santa Fe politics ain't NM politics.

For Marty this is a win - win set of issues. It will help him in the Primary and General elections.

I know there is more - I'll post them as they hit me.