STEVE LIPSCOMB AND MIRANDA VISCOLI recently opened their home to Common Cause New Mexico members. National President Karen Hobert Flynn, New Mexico Executive Director Viki Harrison, and VP for Policy and Litigation Paul Seamus Ryan were on hand to brief supporters.

“We love you guys and we were just happy to do it and help Common Cause any way we could,” explains Miranda. “Groups like Common Cause keep a watchful eye on what lobbyists do. In New Mexico, we need to keep a watchful eye on what’s going on in our legisla­ture. We have Common Cause here doing that, which has been extremely helpful.”

“Democracy is a gift,” Steve added. “It is fragile and potentially temporary. We should be fighting every day to make sure that we maintain the integrity of [our democracy], because you never know what you have, they say, until you lose it. We were asked if we could help and our answer was, ‘Without question. Happy to help.’”

“Common Cause literally defines the kinds of rea­sons we hope we’re going to continue to have a de­mocracy for my children and my grandchildren and their children,” explains Steve. “I think of Common Cause as that sort of ring of people surrounding our democracy, state by state, group by group, and all across the country in such a way that really you’re protecting us so that we have a chance to live the lives that we think are just normal.”

“We all have to find ways that we can create a strong coalition and think about what concrete actions to take on the issues. You brought together a very diverse and interesting group of people into our home,” Miranda told us. “I was very impressed with the work that you do and I myself learned more about what you do.”