Politics

Letter to the Editor: Democrats and Republicans Should Address Root of Problem

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By Tom Ribe
Santa Fe

Behold the shallow immigration debate in Congress! Watch as republicans struggle with their racist base. See Democrats embrace a symptoms based “solution” while the root causes go unaddressed like a starving dog in the yard.

Why do millions of people from Central America and Mexico come to the U.S.? Why do they risk their lives in hot deserts and dodge heavily armed drug gangs to get minimum wage jobs in freezing cities full of strangers? In Santa Fe hundreds of immigrants are homeless on our south-side.

Yes, the U.S. is a land of opportunity to an extent, but the flip side is that Read More

Column: June 26, 2013 Marks Beginning of Hope!

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Column by Josh Dolin

June 26, 2013 probably does not carry a lot of meaning for most people. But for millions of gay Americans, including myself, it marked the beginning of hope for a nation-wide legalization of gay marriage. Or to me, a hope for equality in my future.

Just yesterday the Supreme Court made two historic decisions regarding gay rights. In United States v. Windsor, the court ruled that a section of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional. This discriminatory law signed by President Clinton in 1996 denied same-sex couples over 1,100 federal rights granted to opposite Read More

Los Alamos County Clerk Elected VP of NMAC

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NMAC News:

CLOVIS – Los Alamos County Clerk Sharon Stover was elected vice president of the New Mexico Association of Counties (NMAC) June 20 at the 77th Annual Conference in Curry County.

Stover has served as the NMAC treasurer and board representative for Los Alamos County. Previously, she was a Los Alamos County Councilor and involved with economic development in her community. She was chosen as part of the new leadership by her peer elected officials to help guide the NMAC Board of Directors representing all 33 counties in New Mexico.

“New Mexico’s counties will be well represented with Commissioner Read More

Udall Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Defense of Marriage Act

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SUPREME COURT News:
 
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall today issued the following statement the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA):
 
“Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court reflects the growing progress made for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals around the country. Striking down the Defense of Marriage Act is a victory for thousands of loving, committed families who have been denied equality under the law for too long and will now be rightly treated as the full and equal citizens they are.
 
Read More

Senate Appropriations Passes $148 Million for NM Military Construction Projects

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall announced Monday that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved funding for essential military construction projects for New Mexico’s Air Force bases and provisions to improve veteran care.

“Our nation’s military readiness relies on the quality of our people, their equipment, and our facilities. This legislation makes important investments in the future of New Mexico’s military bases supporting the people and communities who work there,” Udall, a member of the Senate Military Read More

Luján Lauds Small Businesses

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U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

CONGRESSIONAL News:

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District celebrated the 50th anniversary of National Small Business Week and recognized the entrepreneurial spirit of the many small businessmen and women across New Mexico who are an essential part of the economy and our communities.

“This week, we celebrate American small businesses and entrepreneurs, especially those in New Mexico, that are the backbone of our economy. These small businesses create good-paying jobs that positively affect local communities, Read More

Udall Pushes for Immigration Reform

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Senator Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a speech on the Senate floor Thursday, U.S. Sen. Tom highlighted the Senate’s imperative to pass a long term, comprehensive solution to fix our nation’s immigration system and improve New Mexico’s border security.

“Immigration reform has to be comprehensive, that is the reality of any long-term solution,” Udall said. “It is also a reality that such reform will not be perfect, will not satisfy everyone in every case. That’s what compromise means, that’s what bipartisan effort requires. But Read More