| Trump’s Armed Deployment of National Guard Troops Are A Dangerous Publicity Stunt to Distract from Economic Mishandling Albuquerque- The Democratic Party of New Mexico and the DPNM Veterans and Military Families Caucus strongly condemn the arming of National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., a dangerous escalation of the politically-motivated deployment and occupation ordered by the Trump Administration, against the will of local officials. “The line has not just been crossed – it has been obliterated. Arming American troops for a partisan mission on our own streets against the will of the local government is a nightmare scenario,” said Frank Smith, Chair of the DPNM New Mexico Veterans and Military Families Caucus and a Marine Corps Veteran. “This is not peacekeeping; it is a show of political force and a tactic of intimidation. Our service members swore an oath to protect the nation, not to be used as an armed force against the very people they serve.” Now Trump is threatening to deploy armed troops to other American cities as a dangerous partisan publicity stunt. Government officials in these areas have voiced strong opposition to Trump’s increased threats of occupation. Democrats see this for what it is – Trump is trying to shift news coverage from rising consumer prices, a tough job market, and continued scrutiny of his documented associations with Jeffrey Epstein. “Here in New Mexico, our Guard are neighbors, not an occupying force. That distinction is fundamental to a free society,” Smith stated. “This federal escalation is a direct threat to the integrity of the Guard and the trust it holds with the public. ”The Caucus highlights the distinction to New Mexico’s model, where the National Guard provides unarmed support for medical, transport, and logistical public safety missions, working in coordination and at the request of local government. This stands in stark contrast to the armed federal deployment in D.C., which treats service members as an armed force of coercion that circumvents local law enforcement and community input. The New Mexico Veterans and Military Families Caucus is an organization dedicated to advocating for the rights, benefits, and well-being of New Mexico’s military veterans and their families through community action and public policy engagement. |
Rides to the Polls
The Democratic Party of Valencia County wants to ensure that folks can get to the polls. Because there is so much uncertainty about mail-in ballots this year, we are encouraging folks to vote early and vote in-person. We know that can be difficult for people to do and we want to help ensure that anyone that wants to vote can do so.
