New Mexico youth speak to the gubernatorial candidates

What to do if you are interested in politics but are too young to vote?
Speak Your Vote NM a new website created by KUNM’s Youth Radio Project, provides an opportunity for young people to post their concerns about the future of our state to the two gubernatorial candidates.

From the site:

” Speak Your Vote was created so that young people (between the ages of 13 and 30) can express their opinions to the 2010 gubernatorial candidates Diane Denish (Democrat) and Susana Martinez (Republican).
This site was made possible by the KUNM Youth Radio Project, which historically has led efforts to get young people’s voices heard. Operating from a platform of social justice, the KUNM Youth Radio Project has worked to provide multi-culturalism, an inter-generational environment, and a deeper and broader understanding of the issues in New Mexico.”

Perusing the posts reveals that youth, contrary to popular belief, are quite aware of the issues affecting our state.

Their concerns are the same as those of adults: public education, economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, healthcare, and immigration.

Diane Denish did send a statement acknowledging the site and the importance of youth involvement in the political process. Not surprisingly Susana Martinez did not.

From Denish’s statement posted on the site

” As your next Governor, I commit to continue to involve young people in the workings of state government. I am proud of the fact that shortly after I was elected Lieutenant Governor, I pushed to establish the New Mexico Youth Alliance. Because of the advocacy of Youth Alliance members, we have expanded the number of school based health centers in our state and expanded the suicide hot line.”

Further

”I hope to see many of you at UNM next Monday, October 19th. I will be on campus to take part in an early vote rally. This rally will take place at from 11:00 to 2:00 on the east side of the Student Union Building. At noon, I will be joined by Congressman Martin Heinrich and Brian Hardgrove of Public Enemy.”

Young people speak and Martinez cannot be bothered to acknowledge them. Looking at the funding of her campaign it is becoming more and more obvious that she was hand-picked by the far right to further their agenda.

As I recently heard someone say “If you have money and contribute to a candidate you may give $5,000- or even $10,000-, which is supporting. $500,000- from a single family that is an investment”

The later in reference to the funds contributed to Martinez by Texas developer Robert Perry, of swift boat fame, and his wife.