This is my first diary entry at Daily Kos :)
I currently blog at "http://liberaltruthsayer.blogspot.com"
I figured it would be a good start to explain why I am passionate about Bill Richardson as a candidate for President in 2008.
I first met Governor Richardson in 1990, when I was a young democrat in Albuquerque, having to give my first public speech to about 500 party leaders and officials for the New Mexico Democratic Party. I was terrified, and Governor Richardson was on the dais, and introduced me. I gave my speech, which wasn't very long, about 5 minutes or so, it felt like an eternity. Well when I was done he came up and gave me a big hug and said I had done so well he wanted me to deliver all his speeches for him. I was about 22, and it meant the world to me that he liked it. I was so encouraged, and never felt nervous speaking in public again. So that is my background with the Governor.
I left New Mexico in 1996. Jobs were hard to come by, and very low paying. I had just gotten married, and we wanted to have a family, and didn't think we could do it in the New Mexico economy. Well, we moved to Kansas City, got decent jobs, struggled to get by like all young couples do, had our first child and soon thereafter relocated to St. Louis when my husband got a promotion. We lived there for 7 years, and had three more children. We were really homesick for the laid back New Mexico lifestyle, not terribly keen on inner city life with four small kids, and missed our family and friends. So my husband applied for a job in Santa Fe and we moved back here.
I know we are in personally improved economic standing, and that because of my husband's increased skills and experience we are doing better as a direct result of his hard work. I am not going to claim that we are only doing well because of New Mexico. In fact, we personally lost my income when we moved here, so we are doing about the same. I do get to spend time with the kids though, and that has made a lot of difference to them. But I believe that Governor Richardson has done so much to improve the quality of life for New Mexicans, and here is how.
Governor Richardson's initiatives have lead to the reduction of real taxes that affect real people. No corporate handouts, no breaks for the wealthy. He ELIMINATED sales tax on FOOD and MEDICINE. I don't think there is a single tax break that can compare with that as far as helping people who need it most. He has attracted progressive new industry to New Mexico, and not just to the urban areas. Near Alamogordo we are building a spaceport, near Deming a Solar Power Plant, in Estancia a Biomass plant, in Belen a new private jet manufacturer is opening their plant. All over the state these are new jobs, that will in turn stimulate the local economies and create even more service jobs. He has supported the creation of a light rail system that will greatly reduce traffic along the busiest corridor in New Mexico, presently servicing Belen south of Albuquerque up to Bernalillo north of Albuquerque. In a couple of years it will reach Santa Fe. In all of these initiatives he has worked to decrease our energy dependence and create new, progressive means of power. I guess we have his experience as Secretary of Energy to thank for that.
Governor Richardson has worked tirelessly for the children of New Mexico. He has increased teacher's salaries to make them more competitive with national standards. I remember in 1994 when my former husband began his career as a teacher here we were struggling to make it on 18,000 a year, and that did feel like an improvement on his student work study wages, but it was tough. Now starting teachers are making a much better salary. He has eliminated junk food in our schools, reduced the number of children who lack immunizations, and is working now to fund Pre-K in the public schools. Also the Bill and Barbara Richardson Pavilion at UNM Hospital will house a new wing just for pediatrics, see here...http://hospitals.unm.edu/...
New Mexico changed a lot while I was gone. The most significant change is in the attitude of the people. In 1996, when I left, there was a real climate of poverty and indifference. People just accepted that NM was a poor state, and that was pretty much it. Now, whereever I go, I encounter optimism and excitement.
Those are my personal observations about Governor Richardson, but his resume speaks for itself. Former US Congressman. Former Secretary of Energy. Former UN Ambassador. There are few people with his diplomatic skills or experience. He has been nominated four times for the Nobel Prize for Peace. I don't believe there is one other potential candidate for the job with credentials as good as Richardson's.
My last reason for supporting him is probably pretty cynical. As a hispanic, I believe Governor Richardson can garner electoral votes that other democratic candidates could never even hope for, and would probably not even attempt to work for. A great many of our states have a significant hispanic population. Governor Richardson would energize those voters. Can you imagine any other candidate having the ability to win TEXAS? It is a real possibility with Governor Richardson.
Please Ko'sers...research him, email me, ask questions, whatever. If I don't know the answer I will do my best to get that answer. He is a great man of tremendous personal warmth, and integrity, and I believe in him like no other candidate in my lifetime. Come visit my blog, too. I will always be here to answer your questions.
One more cool thing about Richardson for President. If he wins we get at least 4 years of Horatio Sanz on SNL...