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Bill Richardson

Current Office: Governor
First Elected: 11/05/2002
Last Elected: 11/07/2006
Next Election: 2008
Party: Democrat

Background Information
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Barbara.
Birth date: 11/15/1947
Birthplace: Pasedena, CA
Home City: Santa Fe, NM
Religion: Roman Catholic

Education:
MA, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, 1971
BA, Tufts University, 1970.

Professional Experience:
Professor, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2001
Teacher, United World College, 2001
Businessman, 1978-1982
Staff, United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 1975-1978
Staff, United States Department of State, 1973-1975
Staff Member, United States House of Representatives.

Political Experience:
Governor, State of New Mexico, 2002-present
Secretary, United State Department of Energy, 1998-2001
United States Ambassador to the United Nations, 1997-1998
Democratic Chief Deputy Whip, United States House of Representatives, 1997
Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1983-1997
Democratic Nominee, United States House of Representatives, 1980
County Democratic Party, 1978
Chair, 2004 Democratic National Convention
Executive Director, New Mexico State Democratic Party and Bernalillo.

Organizations:
Big Brother/Big Sister of Santa Fe
Past Chair, Border Governors' Association
Chair, Democratic Governors' Association
Chair, Freedom House
G.I. Forum
Hispanic Council on Foreign Affairs
Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce
Santa Fe Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Santa Fe Jaycees
Past Chair, Western Governors' Association.

Caucuses/Non-Legislative Committees:
Chief Deputy Whip
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
Steering Committee.

Contact Information
Key Staff Contacts

Capitol Address
Office of the Governor
490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: 505-476-2200
Fax:

Bill Richardson's issues positions from Project vote smart

__________________
Donation links to NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) | MPP (Marijuana Policy Project)

 

Lit_Match

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Issues Statement
on Bush Iraq Plan

SANTA FE, NM – New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today issued the following
statement concerning President Bush’s plan – to be formally announced this evening – to
escalate American troop involvement in Iraq.

“I strongly oppose any plan to increase American troop levels in Iraq. Sending more
American troops will not make us safer. It will only add to the sectarian violence that is
already tearing Iraq apart. I am also very concerned with this plan’s impact on our
overburdened National Guard forces, which already compose half of our forces in Iraq.

The only surge we need in Iraq is a diplomatic one. We need to withdraw American
troops from Iraq this year, redeploy our men and women to Afghanistan and other
international terrorism hotspots, and reinvigorate our diplomacy throughout the Middle
East. We need a political solution to the Iraq crisis, not a military one.”

Press Release Index

Lit_Match

MSNBC Hardball-Transcript

MATTHEWS: Welcome back to HARDBALL. Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico is a Democratic candidate for president. Governor Richardson, how do you break into top ranks of the guys and the woman, Hillary, fighting for the Democratic nomination?

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: Well, I have been very encouraged so far. I have been a candidate about three weeks. We have got thousands of volunteers, our fund-raising is going well. I visited nearly all of the early primary states. I‘m going to go to Iowa next month, New Hampshire this weekend. We had a very good session at the Democratic National Committee, the cattle call. I think most everyone agreed that I gave the best speech.

But I‘m going to outwork everybody. I‘m the candidate, I believe, with the best credentials.

MATTHEWS: Why are you better than Hillary?

RICHARDSON: I‘m a governor...

MATTHEWS: OK. Here is your chance, why are you better than Hillary?

RICHARDSON: Look, I‘m going to run a positive campaign, but if you look at foreign policy experience—I have been ambassador to the U.N., I‘ve been secretary of energy, I was on the House Intelligence Committee, I‘ve negotiated agreements with other countries, I have rescued hostages. I have been at the United Nations. I know Iraq. I have been there. I got two hostages out of Saddam Hussein. I have direct experience, so we can talk about becoming energy-independent or getting out of Iraq or raising America‘s standing in the world, creating jobs. I have done all this as a governor, as a congressman, as a U.N. ambassador and as the secretary of energy.

MATTHEWS: Hillary said a couple of days ago, a week or two ago, that she is equipped to deal with bad and evil men because of her dealings as first lady. What do you make of that assessment and that claim?

RICHARDSON: Well, I think she was referring to—during the debates on health care, when she was heading the health care debate, she had quite a bit of opposition. But you know, Chris...

MATTHEWS: You mean—you really think that she was talking about Republicans on the other side of the health care debate, not her husband?

RICHARDSON: Well, I...

MATTHEWS: I mean, that wasn‘t a joke, it wouldn‘t be a joke—there‘s nothing funny about saying you had to go up against Republicans. There‘s something funny about having to deal with a husband who has caused you pain. And I thought that‘s what she was joking about. Otherwise, it wouldn‘t have been funny among all those women, would it have been? Would that have been a joke to say I had to fight with Tom DeLay? That‘s not funny.

RICHARDSON: Well, she has to run her own campaign. She has to talk about her position on Iraq.

I‘m running a positive campaign. In fact, what I said, Chris, at the Democratic National Committee, we should all sign a pledge, all the Democratic candidates, that we are only going to run positive campaigns, we are not going to attack each other. I don‘t know if that is going to be realistic, but I want to talk about how I can bring this country together, how I believe we are too divided—Republicans, Democrats, red states and blue states—and I have the experience to do this. That‘s what I am trying to sell, that these are very difficult times nationally and internationally, and that I believe that I have the experience, the background, and I have actually done some of these things that everybody talks about and gives speeches on and has white papers.

I have brought countries together. I‘ve rescued hostages. I have created jobs in New Mexico. I have made schools better. I have made energy independence not just a cornerstone of my campaign...

MATTHEWS: OK. How do we—then I‘ll let you go positive, Governor -

how do we get out of Iraq?

RICHARDSON: We get out of Iraq by saying we will do this within this calendar year, and then we couple it with two important initiatives. One, a political solution. The three religious groups, bringing together, set up a Dayton type accord. Find ways to ensure that there‘s power sharing, a coalition government. And then secondly, a regional conference that deals with security, that deals with issues relating to reconstruction, and you bring in Iran and Syria and you look at an overall solution, not just in the Middle East, but in the Persian Gulf.

That‘s what I would do. You do that through diplomacy. I‘ve done this before. I‘ve been a U.N. ambassador. I know the region. I know the Israelis, the Palestinians. I would talk directly to the Syria and Iran in a very tough way.

But look what‘s happening now. There‘s division. The Congress is paralyzed. There‘s gridlock. The American people want candidates that are going to talk about how we can move this country forward instead of all of this division that is happening today in Washington and in the Congress and in the Bush administration.

MATTHEWS: I hope you get into this debate. I can‘t wait for it to start.

Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, thank you, sir, for joining us on HARDBALL.

Lit_Match

Governor Bill Richardson Urges Action on Medical
Marijuana Bill

Governor Bill Richardson today urged the Legislature to pass a bill that
will provide much-needed relief for New Mexicans suffering from debilitating diseases.

“I continue to support a medical marijuana bill that includes proper safeguards to prevent
abuse,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “I will work with legislators to get it passed this
session to provide this option for New Mexicans suffering from debilitating diseases.”

The state Senate is expected to consider a medical marijuana bill this week.

Press Release Index

Lit_Match

Bill Richardson on Abortion

Resist any effort to weaken a woman's right to choose. (Oct 2002)

Bill Richardson on Budget & Economy

* Grow the trade link to Mexico and attract Hollywood business. (Jan 2004)
* Supports Balanced Budget Amendment. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Civil Rights

Supports minority preferences for government contracts. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Crime

* Toughened DWI and sex offender laws. (Jan 2004)
* Domestic violence incidents start with drinking. (Jan 2004)
* Mandatory jail time, especially for repeat offenders. (Oct 2002)
* Supports death penalty: zero tolerance for heinous crimes. (Oct 2002)
* Impose "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals. (Nov 1996)
* Voted NO on maintaining right of habeus corpus in Death Penalty Appeals. (Mar 1996)
* Voted YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder. (Feb 1995)
* Voted NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment. (Apr 1994)

Bill Richardson on Drugs

* Crack down on illegal drug labs. (Jan 2004)
* No legalization: drugs play an insidious role in crime. (Oct 2002)
* Drug Courts and treatment instead of incarceration. (Oct 2002)
* Mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Education

* Equip every 7th grader with a laptop computer. (Jan 2004)
* Increase the salary of school teachers. (Jan 2004)
* A plan that can reach straightforward education goals. (Jan 2004)
* Charter schools show tremendous promise. (Jan 2004)
* Expand the lottery scholarship program for college students. (Jan 2004)
* No vouchers: they abandon public schools. (Oct 2002)
* Provide parents with vouchers, even for religious schools. (Nov 1996)
* Voted NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer. (Mar 1994)

Bill Richardson on Energy & Oil

* $6M for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. (Jan 2004)
* Develop alternative energy, including wind & solar. (Oct 2002)

Bill Richardson on Environment

* Expand and create new state parks. (Jan 2004)
* Develop a comprehensive water management plan. (Jan 2004)

Bill Richardson on Foreign Policy

* When negotiating, focus on goals, not locale or format. (Nov 2005)
* First to visit Aung San Suu Kyi under Burmese house arrest. (Nov 2005)
* Clinton administration negotiated North Korea nuclear freeze. (Feb 2005)
* US military force only when US territory attacked. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Free Trade

* NAFTA critically important for US as well as Mexico. (Nov 2005)
* Expand regional trade with Chihuahua. (Oct 2002)
* Supports NAFTA, GATT, & WTO. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Government Reform

* Instituted all-paper ballots for all N.M. elections. (Nov 2006)
* Focus on eliminating waste and fraud from public spending. (Jan 2004)
* Prohibit PAC contributions; restrict campaign spending. (Nov 1996)
* Supports line-item veto. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Health Care

* Secure lower prescription drug costs for seniors. (Jan 2004)
* Focus on raising childhood immunization rates. (Jan 2004)
* Increase access to affordable health care. (Jan 2004)
* Consolidate mental health and substance abuse therapy needs. (Jan 2004)
* Restrain Medicaid costs and maintain benefits. (Jan 2004)
* Affordable access to healthcare for all New Mexicans. (Oct 2002)
* New Mexico Cares: invest in our health. (Oct 2002)
* Supports managed competition & medical savings accounts. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Homeland Security

* Negotiated for 1994 release of pilots downed in North Korea. (Feb 2005)
* Negotiated for 1995 release of US workers arrested in Iraq. (Feb 2005)
* Spend $250K annually to fight base closures. (Oct 2002)
* Eliminate funding for SDI. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Immigration

* Declared state of emergency on Mexican border. (Nov 2006)
* Path to legalization if illegals pay taxes & learn English. (Nov 2006)
* Reduce immigration; no automatic citizenship for kids. (Nov 1996)
* Guarantee human services to illegal immigrants. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Jobs

Film industry initiatives create jobs. (Jan 2004)

Bill Richardson on Principles & Values

Richardson's Rules for negotiating. (Nov 2005)

Bill Richardson on Tax Reform

* Continue to cut taxes and reform the tax code. (Jan 2004)
* Reduce income tax; create Taxpayer Bill of Rights. (Oct 2002)

Bill Richardson on Technology

Allocate capital to education and water projects. (Jan 2004)

Bill Richardson on War & Peace

* Voted against Kuwait war but later regretted it. (Feb 2005)
* Homeland Security Department at federal AND state level. (Oct 2002)

Bill Richardson on Welfare & Poverty

Increase tax deduction for charities. (Nov 1996)

 

Viper420

And another one is gone. Bye Bye Dick.

Lit_Match

As viper pointed out, B Richardson is no longer a candidate for presidency.

Viper420

And he was a friend of MMJ also.

Samwise Ganja

ya i dont think he would have been too bad, he got medical marijuana legalized in new mexico as governer

__________________
I live for the nights i won't remeber with the friends i'll never forget

Genesis 3:18 "... thou shalt eat the herb of the field."


Proverbs 15:17 "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."[1]


Psalms 104:14 "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man."