Work

I will be filling in as New Mexico Natural Resource Trustee for a while for Martin Heinrich while he starts up his Congressional campaign. I performed those duties for Governor Richardson for three years and he called me Friday and asked me to fill in for the interim.

Martin is facing a real roller coaster ride. It seems like the only thing that matters any longer is how much money a congressional candidate can raise. It seems to be foremost in many people's minds rather than stands on the issues.

I am attaching a great note I got from my sister Carlota from Paris today. She stays there for a month in the spring while the Juniper pollen ravages Santa Fe. The note is self explantory and truly on point.

Dear Jimmy,

The elections have been fascinating!! Only one month of publicly financed campaigning, then on Saturday, a "day of reflection" with a blackout on all campaigning, then the election yesterday (a Sunday, so that everyone can vote), with the results announced at promptly 8pm last night which I watched on my cable TV

Fully 85 percent of the French voted in this election!! Can you believe it? The two top finishers were Tarkozy - a conservative and Royal - a woman Socialist. Everyone is very happy because these results have CLARITY, which the French love, and provide the French with a real choice for the run-off, which is in 10 days and then it is all finished. Also, the campaign demonstrated admirable civility - negative campaigning pretty much knocks one out of the race
What a difference from our system. How much we could learn from these Frogs!