Essentials for you and anyone who many need it:
New Mexico coronavirus hotline: 1-855-600-3453
Fill out your 2020 Census Form:
Request an absentee ballot for the June primary
Support vulnerable communities:
Taos Immigrant Allies
Navajo Nation
National Security and LANL
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Taoseños For Peaceful And Sustainable Futures conducted a survey of Democratic candidates for the 3rd Congressional District regarding their positions on basic national security issues which they will face if elected. Candidates’ responses are available here: Los Alamos Reporter:
Note: In lieu of responding to the questionnaire, Teresa Leger Fernandez, provided the following statement:
Increased [pit] production has already been mandated to LANL. I call for a full environmental impact statement to ensure that any increased production can be done in a safe and environmentally responsible way, and that we follow the science in the EIS so we don’t put our communities at risk. We also must responsibly clean up the existing legacy of pollution and waste at Los Alamos. As a national lab, we need to increase Los Alamos’ focus on and funding for other pressing national security threats like the climate crisis and pandemics. We should marshall our existing national scientific resources to tackle these crises and work to ensure that Los Alamos continues to evolve with our changing global landscape and remains a critical hub for innovation, scientific advancement, and jobs for New Mexico’s families and communities.”
If you missed any of the worthwhile candidate forums presented by the Taos County Democratic Party they are archived here: https://www.taosvotesblue.com/candidates
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The Santa Fe Democratic Party presented a CD3 Candidate Forum on 05/06/2020: archived here:
http://santafedemocrats.org/watch-the-recorded-cd3-candidates-forum-here/
Beware of Dark Money and Dirty Tricks in the US CD3 Primary Election
At least three political action committees, and an anonymous texter are now attempting to sway the US Congressional District 3 primary election. Two nonprofits based in Virginia are running positive ads for Teresa Leger Fernandez, while a PAC based in Washington, DC is funding attack ads on Valerie Plame. Yesterday, anonymous texts were sent accusing Teresa Leger Fernandez of being “bought by Dark Money.”
Out-of-state PAC involvement in elections via ads is common, legal and (unfortunately) unrestrained because of Citizen’s United, often showing up in the final weeks when voters have little time for fact checking and candidates are powerless to effectively refute them. It is important to keep in mind that these groups, and their ads are not under any candidate’s control as the PACs are, by law, acting entirely on their own, buying and creating ads to suit their own agendas. PACs are forbidden to talk to, take instruction from, coordinate with or even consult with a candidate or campaign. Therefore, the assumption that a candidate is in the pocket of any PAC that advertises on their behalf, is false. In the case of the anonymous texter, either a campaign or an outside entity could be responsible.
It is probably no coincidence that simultaneous attacks on two of the front runners, both women, appeared on the same day, less than 2 weeks before election day. Could it be that “dark money” groups would prefer to prevent a plurality for any progressive candidate, so that someone more to their liking will win? For election integrity, voters should ignore anonymous messages and be skeptical of outside attack ads, particularly those which appear in the last couple of weeks before the election. To know where a candidate stands, watch their own ads, listen to their personal statements, read their websites and review their answers to questionnaires. Links to much of that information can be found on the Candidate information page: https://www.taosvotesblue.com/candidates
RETAKE OUR DEMOCRACY WEBINARS AND RADIO PROGRAM
Tuesday, May 26, 6:30 – 8:00 pm. Conversation with NM Voices for Children About the NM State Budget Crisis with Amber Wallin, Deputy Director; Bill Jordan, Government Relations Officer; and Paige Knight, Research and Policy Analyst. Joining this panel will be a NM State Legislator to be determined. You must pre-register for this Zoominar. We will be discussing the dire state of the NM state budget due to plummeting gas and oil prices and the economic impact of Covid-19. Click here to register.
Tuesday, June 9, 6:30 – 8pm. Conversation About the Enormous Benefits of Forming a NM State Public Bank with Public Banking Advocate Leadership & Experts. On our panel will be Elaine Sullivan, Board President of New Mexico’s Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity and other experts from NM and the nation. The composition of experts to participate in this panel discussion is still be finalized, but you will want to put this in your calendar as, especially with the state experiencing a critical budget crisis, every strategy for maximizing our financial resources is critical and public banking has immense potential for supporting the state financial capacity and advancing economic justice.
PAST WEBINARS AVAILABLE on the Retake Our Democracy site
Saturdays 30 minute KSFR show: https://www.ksfr.org/programs/retake-our-democracy
Monthly Forums cancelled until further notice.
Join us online: taosunited.org and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaosUnitedTaosenosUnidos/
Postcard Posse
Meeting (via Zoom) at our regular time: 3 PM on Thursdays
for information, contact Diane at dshif@well.com)