Category: Media

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

September 2, 2010 by Democracy for N...

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

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

ABQ Journal Poll: Martinez Lead Vs. Denish Shrinks to 5-6 Points from Leaked Statewide Poll of Mid-August

August 29, 2010 by Democracy for N...

The first Albuquerque Journal governor's race poll of the 2010 election season was released today and shows the GOP's Susana Martinez leading Dem Diane Denish by 6 percentage points, 45% to 39%. However, a significant number -- 16% -- are still undecided. Most voters don't start paying attention to fall elections until at least Labor Day, and most campaigns are not in full swing until then, so consider this survey a kind of baseline poll. Additional poll results reported in today's Journal are available here.

The survey, as always, was conducted by Brian Sanderoff's Research and Polling Inc., a company in which the Albuquerque Journal has a financial stake. Also, as usual, the Journal did not release the full cross tabs on the polling, nor any info on how the questions were worded, how data was weighted demographically, etc. As always, the Journal selectively released the data collected.

A Little Birdie Told Us Jim Scarantino Is Leaving New Mexico In Focus, Maybe More

August 27, 2010 by Democracy for N...

One of our talkative birds on a wire told us that notorious tea party movement enthusiast and Rio Grande Foundation-backed blogger Jim Scarantino will no longer be a panelist on KNME's New Mexico In Focus, which airs on Friday evenings. The word is he's retiring to spend time with his wife, sing opera and climb mountains -- or something.

As I'm sure you all know by now, I'm no fan of Scarantino and his prickly, pompous verbal vendettas against all things Democratic, progressive or environmental so I won't be missing him on the weekly talk show. I am curious, however, about whether he will also be "retiring" from the New Mexico Watchdog blog. And if he is, why?

I'll Be On KVOT Radio in Taos or Online Today from 5-6:00 PM

August 13, 2010 by Democracy for N...

I'm pleased to report I'll be a guest on the Jim Ball show on KVOT radio in Taos today. "That's a Rap" is co-hosted by Jim Sanborn, and is on the air every day from 5:00 to 6:00 PM on 1340 AM on the radio dial or online at www.1340kvot.com/. Tuesday's focus is on Education, on Thursday it's the Arts Friday's are devoted to on local progressive politics. Jim Ball is the news director for DMC broadcasting, which includes KVOT. He was once the managing editor of the highly respected Texas Observer, known for its investigative journalism.

I'll be discussing the upcoming election, what the various campaigns are up to, what the main issues are this cycle and what we can do to get involved.

Hope you'll tune in and check it out today at 5:00 PM. If you do, please be easy on my performance -- I have very little experience being on the radio! Thanks, Barb.