Sam Bregman Wins State Chair Contest

April 28, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

After a spirited leadership campaign that criss-crossed New Mexico, Sam Bregman was elected State Chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico at the DPNM’s State Central Committee meeting, held Saturday at the NMSU Pan Am Center in Las Cruces. Bregman, an Albuquerque attorney, defeated Roxanne Lara, a former Eddy County Commissioner from Carlsbad. Sam […]

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President Obama: “In the Face of Evil, Boston Has Shown that Americans Will Lift Up What Is Good”

April 19, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were at Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross April 18 to attend Healing Our City, an interfaith service dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed in Monday’s bombing near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. In his remarks, the President paid tribute to those whose […]

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Doña Ana County Democrats Elect Their Leadership Team for 2013-2015

April 6, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

Marking the end of a weeks-long election process which began with local precinct meetings throughout New Mexico’s second largest county in March, Doña Ana County Democrats met Saturday, April 6 to elect their new leadership team for 2013-2015. Reelected were Doña Ana County Chair Christy French and County Vice Chair Bill Gomez. Doña Ana County […]

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Senator Udall, Rockefeller Introduce Bill to Help Protect Young Athletes from Sports-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries

May 23, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

Senator Tom Udall

Senator Tom Udall

To mark National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, have introduced legislation that seeks to protect youth athletes from the dangers of sports-related traumatic brain injuries by improving equipment safety standards and curbing false advertising claims.

The Youth Sports Concussion Act will help ensure that safety standards for sports equipment are up to date and informed by the latest science. The bill will also increase potential penalties for using false injury prevention claims to sell youth sports equipment.

“We want our children to be active and participate in sports, but we must take every precaution to protect them from traumatic head injuries,” said Udall. “There will always be some risk, but athletes, coaches and parents need to be aware of the dangers and signs of concussion. And in order for them to best protect the young athletes, we must make sure they are using safe equipment and curb misleading advertising that gives them a false sense of security.”

“Parents and coaches must be able to have confidence in the sports safety equipment they buy for their children and the protection it claims to offer,” said Rockefeller. “Unfortunately, many parents are still deceived by sports equipment manufacturers who make false promises about their products’ ability to prevent or reduce concussions. This has to stop. Major sports leagues, players associations, pediatricians, scientists, and consumer groups all agree, and it’s why they support our bill. We need to make sure that protective sports equipment is sold based on the latest science, not false or deceptive claims.”

At Rockefeller and Udall’s urging, this past October the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences announced the formation of a committee to assess how best to protect young athletes from sports-related concussion. During the 2011-2012 school year, more than 300,000 high school athletes in the most common sports were diagnosed with concussions, though many head injuries continue to go unreported and ignored. Researchers have found that children and adolescents are particularly susceptible to concussions and that – once concussed – the likelihood of suffering another increases each time.

The Senate Commerce Committee also held a hearing in October 2011 which uncovered that sports equipment manufacturers have repeatedly made claims that their equipment “prevents concussions” or “reduce the risk of concussions” without scientific evidence to prove them.

Sports are the second leading cause of traumatic brain injury for people who are 15 to 24 years old, behind only motor vehicle crashes. Every year American athletes suffer up to an estimated 3.8 million sports-related concussions. New medical research indicates that repeated blows to the head in numerous sports may lead to lasting brain damage, including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as “punch drunk syndrome.”

“For over 30 years, I’ve worked as a health care provider caring for and treating student athletes on the field, so I have seen the damages of concussions first hand,” said former president of the New Mexico Athletic Trainers Association Timothy Acklin ATC, LAT. “Coaches, athletic trainers and parents not only have to make sure the equipment fits properly in order to reduce trauma, but we have to trust that the protective gear is based on scientific findings, not unfounded promises. I support the efforts of Senators Udall and Rockefeller to reduce the risk of head traumas that have real, lasting effects on our children.”

The Youth Sports Concussion Act will:

Instruct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to review the findings of a forthcoming National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on sports-related concussions in youth;

Authorize the CPSC to make recommendations to manufacturers and, if necessary, promulgate new consumer rules for protective equipment based on the findings of the NAS report; and

Allow the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to impose civil penalties for using false claims to sell protective gear for sports. State attorneys general could also enforce such violations.
The Youth Sports Concussion Act is endorsed by numerous sports, medical, and consumer organizations:

American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Pediatrics
Brain Injury Association of America
Brain Trauma Foundation
Cleveland Clinic
Consumer Federation of America
Consumers Union
Major League Baseball (MLB)
MLB Players Association
Major League Soccer (MLS)
Major League Soccer Players Union
National Association of State Head Injury Administrators
National Athletic Trainers Association
National Basketball Association (NBA)
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Consumers League
National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
National Football League (NFL)
NFL Players Association
National Hockey League (NHL)
National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE)
Safe Kids USA
US Lacrosse
US Soccer Federation

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DPNM Chair Sam Bregman: Congressman Steve Pearce ‘Unfit and Out of Touch’ to Represent New Mexico in Congress

May 22, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

New Mexico Democratic Party State Chair at the Pan Am Center on Saturday

New Mexico Democratic Party State Chair at the Pan Am Center on Saturday

Southern New Mexico Republican blames un-employed for being jobless; Votes over 37 times to repeal Obamacare; Supports Voter Suppression against non-Republicans

New Mexico has five members of Congress , four of whom work tirelessly to solve the challenges facing New Mexico residents. The exception? Steve Pearce. His answers and solutions to the New Mexico jobs crisis affecting his constituents is to blame government, then the un-employed and when all else fails, keep blaming government. This polarizing, tired, broken record hurts communities, constituents and all New Mexicans.

There are thousands and thousands of New Mexicans without jobs and without hope. ‘Congressman No,’ (Steve Pearce) Governor Martinez, and Shadow Governor Jay McCleskey have ignored this crisis and failed to act, causing undue misery and suffering. For instance, The Affordable Health Care Act, which Pearce voted to repeal over 37 times is providing help for the uninsured, as well as individuals with pre-existing conditions. In addition, anyone under the age of 26 can remain on a parent or guardian’s health care policy, strongly opposed by Congressman ‘No.’ (Steve Pearce) When challenged to address this crisis, ‘Congressman No’ (Steve Pearce) and Governor Martinez lash out at poor, unemployed and middle class New Mexicans who are desperately seeking assistance, then callously blame them instead of doing their job and seeking solutions.

Replacing Steve Pearce and Governor Martinez with pro-active Democrats is how we build the future. Blaming government and then the victim are typical, mean spirited Republican tactics. Voting ‘no’ on everything while proposing nothing but failed, selfish Republican policies, follows the same, tired playbook of Congressman Pearce, Tea Party Republicans and greedy Republican consultants.

Building the future for all New Mexicans requires the election of pro-jobs, pro-health care Democrats that will fight illegal voter suppression, encouraged and pursued by sore loser Republicans. As the Chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico, I am committed to this goal. Congressman Pearce is ‘unfit and out of touch’ to represent the hard working men and women of New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District.

Bold change is coming.

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U.S. Senate Judiciary Approves Immigration Bill, Legislation Advances to Full Senate

May 22, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

Comprehensive immigration reform legislation advanced in the United States Senate yesterday, passed by a bipartisan 13-5 vote in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT).

The Bill, sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and co-sponsored by the so-called bipartisan “gang of eight,” now advances to the full Senate for debate. If passed the Immigration Reform Bill will create a pathway to citizenship for 11.5 million immigrants, currently resident in the United States. The legislation also creates a new program for the legal employment of low-skilled foreign labor and would permit highly skilled workers into the country at higher levels than is currently the case. At the same time, the requires the government to take additional security steps to secure the borders against future illegal immigration.

The Bill, which has been strongly supported by Hispanic civil rights organizations, is a legislative priority of President Obama. New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich have also announced support for immigration reform.

In a statement issued yesterday, President Obama praised the work of the Judiciary Committee:

“I congratulate the Senate Judiciary Committee on completing its work on S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. Thanks to the leadership of Chairman Leahy and a bipartisan group of eight Senators, the legislation that passed the Judiciary Committee with a strong bipartisan vote is largely consistent with the principles of commonsense reform I have proposed and meets the challenge of fixing our broken immigration system. The process for considering this legislation has been open and inclusive with multiple hearings, and more than a hundred amendments were considered and adopted, in many cases with bipartisan support. I applaud the Committee members for their hard work, especially ‘Gang of Eight’ members Senators Schumer, Durbin, Graham and Flake. None of the Committee members got everything they wanted, and neither did I , but in the end, we all owe it to the American people to get the best possible result over the finish line. I encourage the full Senate to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor at the at the earliest possible opportunity and remain hopeful that the amendment process will lead to further improvements” President Obama said.

The bipartisan legislation, S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, was introduced on April 17, and the Senate Judiciary Committee began consideration of the legislation on May 9. The original text of S. 744 can be found here. The Sponsors’ Amendment is an update to the original text of S. 744 and is considered a substitute amendment. All amendments are referenced to this Sponsors’ Amendment.

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President Obama Responds to Oklahoma Tornadoes

May 21, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

This morning, President Obama delivered a statement on the devastating tornadoes and severe weather that impacted Oklahoma. He described the response efforts underway, and assured the people of Moore and all the affected areas that they “would have all the resources that they need at their disposal.”

“For there are homes and schools to rebuild, businesses and hospitals to reopen, there are parents to console, first responders to comfort, and, of course, frightened children who will need our continued love and attention. There are empty spaces where there used to be living rooms, and bedrooms, and classrooms, and, in time, we’re going to need to refill those spaces with love and laughter and community.”

“Americans from every corner of this country will be right there with them, opening our homes, our hearts to those in need,” President Obama said. “Because we’re a nation that stands with our fellow citizens as long as it takes. We’ve seen that spirit in Joplin, in Tuscaloosa; we saw that spirit in Boston and Breezy Point. And that’s what the people of Oklahoma are going to need from us right now.”

Watch the full statement  or read the remarks here.

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May 21: News Roundup

May 21, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

President Obama’s poll numbers remain high despite last week’s barrage of allegations. There’s more at the Washington Post.

GOP scandal-mongering boosts President Obama, while GOP sinks in polls. There’s more at DailyKos.

Media observers call ABC’s report on Benghazi emails “sloppy and inaccurate.” There’s more at Media Matters.

New Mexico will partner with Federal Government on computer services for Health Exchange market. There’s more at the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Las Cruces City Council approves campaign policy ordinance for city elections. There’s more at the Las Cruces Sun-News.

Democrats strike back at GOP voter suppression legislation. There’s more at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Supreme Court will review whether public prayer violates separation of church and state. There’s more at the Washington Post.

Conservatives, Tea Party move to block immigration reform. There’s more at the Los Angeles Times.

Obama Budget would cut deficits, CBO finds. There’s more at the Los Angeles Times.

EU investigation into oil industry price rigging mirrors LIBOR scandal. There’s more at ThinkProgress.

More poor in U.S. suburbs than cities, report finds. There’s more at the Chicago Tribune.

Arizona Congressman who led efforts to restrict choice in DC moves to ban abortions nationally. There’s more at ThinkProgress.

Poll shows Michelle Bachmann is in re-election trouble. There’s more at the Huffington Post.

Virginia’s GOP nominates an extreme slate. There’s more at the Washington Post.

Virginia’s GOP nominee for Attorney General wants women to report miscarriages police or be jailed. There’s more at TPM.

Opinion: “Tea Party Rage-Nothing Fails Like Excess.” Read it at Real Clear Politics.

Just for fun: Stephen Colbert visits the ‘scandal booth’ to explain Benghazi. See it at Comedy Central.

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Thoughts from DPNM Chair Sam Bregman: Young Democrats are the Cornerstone of the Future

May 20, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

Young Democrats remain the corner stone for building the future. All of our ideas, policies and goals will fail unless we have full partnership and support from future generations.

On Saturday, I was honored to give the keynote address to the State YD Convention, here in Albuquerque.  Nothing is more exciting than seeing Young Democrats at work, showing their excitement and passion for the Democratic Party.  These young men and women are our future leaders, not only for New Mexico but for the nation.

The Democratic Party supports affordable options to help with student loans, like the law President Obama signed in 2010 that allows students to lower their rates to 10% of their income, which caps student loan repayments.  The Affordable Care Act eliminated pre-existing conditions for minors and allows the option to stay on a parent or guardian’s health plan until the age of 26.  More choices, more options, more freedom while making plans for the future.

DPNM endorses all efforts to defeat voter suppression–the Republican war on voting.  Photo ID bills passed by Republican legislatures and signed by Republican Governors have one goal—prevent youth, seniors and minorities from exercising their constitutional right to vote.  Our party supports full inclusion for EVERYONE, excluding NO ONE.

We need, want and support YD energy, passion and involvement in all aspects of the state Democratic Party. DPNM is ready for Young Democrats to help us BUILD THE FUTURE.

NEW LOOK, NEW FEEL

dpnm_logo_smallHope you like our new logo!  DPNM Facebook and Twitter sites have incorporated this logo already and it will be on the website soon. Look for more changes in the coming months.  We’re just getting started!

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Weekly Address: The President Talks About How to Build a Rising, Thriving Middle Class

May 18, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

President Obama talks about his belief that a rising, thriving middle class is the true engine of economic growth, and that to reignite that engine and continue to build on the progress we’ve made over the last four years, we need to invest in three areas: jobs, skills and opportunity.

Watch and share President Obama’s weekly address.

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Leslie Endean-Singh Enters Congressional Race

May 17, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

Leslie Endean-Singh (Photo: Stephen Jones, Democratic Party of Doña Ana County)

Leslie Endean-Singh, Candidate for New Mexico CD2 (Photo: Stephen Jones, Democratic Party of Doña Ana County)

Leslie Endean-Singh was in Las Cruces Thursday where she announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District. Endean-Singh, an Alamogordo attorney, made her formal announcement at the monthly meeting of the Democratic Party of Doña Ana County, held at the Ramada Palms de Las Cruces on University Avenue.  Endean-Singh made the decision to run after extensively talking to voters throughout the District.

Endean-Singh has promised to use her business experience and collaborative skills to address gridlock in the U. S. Congress.  Ms. Singh, a longtime medical office manager, she will bring a business woman’s perspective to assist worker and business participation in the Affordable Care Act, as well as bring jobs to New Mexico.  Ms. Singh also said Dr. Jagdev Indar Singh’s primary care medical office, whose business affairs she administers, is more efficient and tailored to patient’s needs due to collaboration between the hospital and doctors, as well as coordinating both public and private health funding sources.

Ms. Singh served the State for 25 years as a Children’s Court attorney for Children Youth and Families Department, as an Assistant District Attorney, Public Defender and Magistrate Judge.

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NAACP Honors Civil Rights Leader Medgar Evers at Jackson Conference

May 16, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

Medgar Evers

Medgar Evers

The National Board of the NAACP is meeting this week in Jackson, Mississippi in tribute to Medgars Evers, who in 1954 became the first field secretary of the Mississippi NAACP. The Board held a wreath-laying this morning at the former home of the civil rights leader who was assassinated outside the family home fifty years ago on June 12, 1963. At the time of his death in 1963 Medgar Evers was leading a voter registration drive.

Evers’ widow, Myrlie Evers-Williams, attended the event. She pushed for reprosecution of her husband’s killing, and in 1994, a jury convicted Byron De La Beckwith of murdering Evers. Sentenced to life, Beckwith died in prison in 2001.

Evers-Williams, who went on to serve as National Chair of the NAACP from 1995-1998, spoke at the President Obama’s inauguration in January.

Al Rucks of Las Cruces, who is a member of the NAACP National Board, was also in attendance in Jackson this morning.

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization.

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DPNM State Chair Bregman Calls for Skandara Resignation or Firing; Nominee ‘Unqualified and Unconfirmable’

May 16, 2013 by donaanademocrats Comments Off

Governor Martinez allows Secretary-Designate to make up job title—action ‘arrogant and above the law’ 

DPNM Chair Sam Bregman called for Secretary-Designate Skandera to tender her resignation immediately, as unqualified, un-confirmable and for her unprecedented attempt to ignore the New Mexico State Senate and confirm herself as Secretary of the New Mexico Public Education Department.“Governor Martinez has nominated a polarizing, partisan consultant as Public Education Secretary.  Ms. Skandera is unqualified, cannot get confirmed after three legislative sessions and has set herself above the law, ignoring the authority of the New Mexico State Legislature. She has bestowed the title ‘Secretary of Education’ upon herself because she dislikes the process.  This display of arrogance is a flagrant abuse of power and indicates the disdain Ms. Skandera and Governor Martinez have for the legislature and the laws of New Mexico.  Ms. Skandera should resign now,” stated Chairman Bregman.

Currently, the two nominees for state cabinet departments, David Martin, Energy and Minerals and Ryan Flynn, Department of the Environment, are following state law and using secretary-designate for their job titles.

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