Movie

I got out of the house in the early evening to meet Bobbi at the movie.  We saw Lincoln.  Possibly the best political movie ever made.  Every high school in the nation should mandate showing this production to all of its students.  Some students will get nothing from it.  Some will learn the art of politics.  I highly recommend this realistic look at Lincoln. 

Submerged

The real issues facing our state are continually being submerged by the Governor, Mayor of Albuquerque and the media.  A case in point is a much unnoticed snippet from Forbes magazine that Albuquerque is one of the worst places in the country for future job creation.  How can that go virtually unreported?  How can our government hating Governor and her wacko rightwing mascots ignore this? Maybe she should stop hating the feds and welcome their high paying jobs here.

Additionally, Mayor Berry will be all consumed by the U.S. Justice Department probe of APD.  Where will his economic development team get their leadership?

And then there is the private sector.  What the hell is the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Forum doing to attract new jobs into our city and state?  Is there any activity at all?  Are they just protecting the status quo?  They are virtually invisible at a time they should be on the road working to attract new industry.  Just starting another house building boom is not going to be the solution.  One might think they are just interested in doing business with each other.  A private club so to speak.  Well, if the federal jobs leave they will be the first to feel it.

I am feeling a great lack of leadership in this state.  It will be evident that the laziness now will really be felt in the next few years.

APD

The Mayor has his hands full.  This formal investigation of the Albuquerque Police Department by the U.S. Justice Department will consume his administration for a long time to come.  All the way to election time next year.  Sometimes, life isn't fair but he has been in a position to do something about this out of control department for three years, but he has stuck by his Chief.

Bad training and Marty Chavez's pledge to hire 200 additional officers led up to this.  Some of those new officers probably should not have been hired.  Bad quality training and bad candidates to fill a quota has come home to roost.  But, Mayor Berry could have changed Chiefs when the problems continued to grow and he could have brought in fresh blood.  He didn't.

This is a common thing among politicos.  Many of them stick by their appointees out of loyalty and friendship when they really should not.  I know as an elected official I did the same thing.  It always comes back to bite, just like when you do fire someone.

So, this whole thing will play out to an uncertain end.  We could see a new Mayor or city councillors as a result.  Or no one will pay attention.

More Misc

The Martinez administration is asking for more money for the State Investment Office and saying that the increase in value of the permanent funds they manage shows they deserve it.  The Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board signed on to the idea.  But what the Journal has not done is an honest look at the history of the funds and how they go up and down with the economy.  The Richardson Administration showed six years of great returns before the bottom fell out of the economy.  Richardson was blamed for the bad performance of the funds after the recession hit.  But he was never given credit for the great growth in the prior years.  I wonder if the Journal could scratch around to find a journalist to look at the long range performance.  Fat Chance.

The massing of consumers at malls and big box stores on Thanksgiving reminded me that mobs can be formed and set to a task at any time.  Think of the rush to war in Iraq under the Bush Administration.  It worked about the same.  There is really nothing wrong with shopping but it shows the power of the media to influence behavior.  Be the first to shop for Christmas because others will, was the message.  Kind of like saying WMDs in Iraq might be real.

Governor Martinez is trying to reform her image as a caring immigrant friendly person.  Will anyone show her record on this issue?  Certainly nothing from news media.  Can someone ask her why she changed her mind?  And not take a B.S. spin for an answer.

Misc.

I have been watching a lot of TV Talk Shows on MSNBC and other channels while I recuperate from my first knee replacement. (Progress is good)  One thing that I keep hearing is that GOP candidates lost because of 'bad branding'.  If that term doesn't make  you think that corporate America is running things then I don't know what could convince you.  Just say bad politics, not bad branding.  Because that is what the GOP is guilty of in this last election.

Heather Wilson said she will ride into the sunset and not run for office again.  In some respects she was a victim of that bad politics and incompetence of the GOP.  I never liked her politics but, as in the case of the Governor, I didn't think deep down she was one of the real wackos.  Like the Governor she just gave herself over to the crazies in her party in order to be elected.  Now, the Governor better start looking over her shoulder too.  She better dump her political advisers and quick.  She better get into the mainstream on the treatment of immigrants as she now looks pretty hateful for her advisers push to demonize those who wanted drivers licenses.

And now it is time for the State Democratic Party to start working on that next election.  Somewhere out there is the person that could conceivably beat Martinez.  Isn't there?

Holiday

Have a great Thanksgiving!  Best Holiday of the Year in my opinion.  Our daughter Noelle and her husband Luke will drive down from Ft. Collins.  We will have our regular crew over for feast.  None of them are dumb enough to give that up for a trip to Walmart.

Misc.

The "Dust Bowl" Documentary on PBS was worth watching.  Lots of messages there, but mainly one that humans caused it by destructive farming techniques.  They kept themselves in denial for a long time but finally owned up to the responsibility.  I wonder if the fossil fuel boys could ever do that.  One timely segment in the series was the plague of jack rabbits that destroyed everything that was green in the dust bowl because of the eradication of coyotes. Maybe these 'macho' coyote hunters might think about that a little before killing for joy again.

John Fleck had a good and scary article on our drought in the Journal today.  I can actually remember those dust storms we had here in the 1950s that were caused by the drought.  And now they are saying the current one we are experiencing when added to climate change will be the worst in recorded history.

I also remember back in the 50's when our family doctor would visit our home when some one was ill.  Well, my surgeon who lives nearby came over on Sunday evening on his bicycle so he could check out my new knee.  I was supposed to see him in a couple of weeks but he will be gone all of December getting his own hip surgery.  He called before hand to see if he could bring us the last of his tomatoes from his garden.  What a great guy.  Worthy of a Rockwell painting.  He said I was progressing well.

Dog Wags

I am ever astonished at the national media.  They keep talking about Governor Susanna Martinez as being one of the possible saviors of the GOP.  (only because she is a Latino I guess.) Have any of them checked out her performance as Governor of our State?  Let's see.  She has no legislative program.  No policy initiatives, except for hassling immigrants which the GOP is now deciding is not a good idea.  Everyone of her judicial appointments were rejected by the voters.  She has done little in the way of attracting jobs to our state.

So, how exactly is she a savior?  Maybe the New York Times and Washington Post could send some one in to do a real analysis about her accomplishments in the last two years.   Yes, she is still popular like Albuquerque's Mayor Berry.  But really neither of them have advanced our state or showed any vision for a better future.  And with their terms in office passing rapidly they can no longer blame their predecessors for their problems.

Friends

It is so great to have good friends.  I had many visitors to the house this week bearing muffins and coffee and good conversation.  It really breaks up the morning.  And I have to say that my therapist, Stephen, is a real professional.  He is a naturalized citizen who came to America many years ago from the Philippines.  These therapists seem to have a natural way of demanding more than you think you can give while all the time telling you that your progress is great.

Misc.

Is John McCain getting senile?  Just asking.

Is Mitt Romney confirming his disdain for the 47% by saying whole demographic categories have received gifts from Obama?  You betcha!

Will we be run over by rodents after a wholesale slaughter of coyotes?  This isn't about hunters rights, what ever those might be.  It is about eco systems.  I used to hunt a lot and enjoyed the out doors.  It wasn't about wholesale killing.

Will Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar be slowly eased out of his job for threatening a reporter?  He acted on impulse because he was put into a hard spot by an unexpected or allowed question about wild horses.  If he does go then maybe the White House could choose a replacement that is more conservationist than cowboy.

I am steadily improving my flexibility and mobility after knee surgery.  It has been a tough two weeks but I am improving.  Woo Hoo.   I will have to do this all over again though for the other knee.

Day O!ff

Lots of therapy today.  Daytime TV is nothing but biblical based history and UFO theories interrupted by commercials for catheters, pills, and walk in baths.  Ahhhhhh. The horror.....the horror!

Kool Aid for the Mayor

The GOP is ready to serve up some Kool Aid for Mayor Richard Berry.  Just days after the voters approved by a margin of two to one a higher minimum wage, the GOP City Councillors want to overturn the election with a simple majority council vote.  I can't think of a better way of making Berry a one term mayor than saying to the voters, "Screw you!"  Right now, his popularity is high and reelection looks good for him a year from now.  He has been non visionary and uncontroversial.  In other words he has made few enemies even after his problematical police department's numerous shootings and misconduct issues.

It now looks like there is a possibility that Albuquerque might turn to a run off election system.  That would be a good thing.  But even if it doesn't the Mayor will face a new paradigm in the democrats ability to turn out the vote.  If he helps undo a pay raise for our city's neediest that machine will turn on him.

What Happens in the West Now?

Last week's reelection of Obama will be looked upon as historic for many reasons.  Healthcare for all Americans is here to stay.  The GOP's complete lack of connection with reality is chronicled.  The right wing wackos in this country may not recover for decades as they are literally dying off along with their racist and homophobic views.  All of this and more is a good thing for this nation.

One more item could be added to this list.  And that is the enlightenment of the White House on western issues revolving around natural resources extraction, watershed protection, landscape preservation and nurturing of wildlife.  So far these issues have been practically ignored by the President, as evidenced by his abandonment of climate issues during his first four years.  Now, the President has taken everything the coal and oil boys could throw at him and he still won another four years.  Now, he can decide they can be added to the ranks of being just one more interest group, instead of the only important interest group.

We will be sending Martin Heinrich to the Senate soon.  He is the embodiment of responsible western land use policy.  And the president needs to listen to inspired young people like him instead of Shell Oil and their ilk.  Maybe Martin could even request the President add some one to his upper White House staff that understands these issues.  It would be a good start.

If I Think It, It is True

After reading this you will rejoice that the Romney Clown Posse won't be making decisions on foreign policy and economic policy.

And I went in for my followup visit for knee surgery.  Here is what the x-ray looked like.  I will be setting off those airport security scanners.

Change

I keep hearing, both on the national and state scene, that the massive amounts of money spent by special interest pacs made no difference in this election.  But if you think about  it there was huge change coming out of this ocean of spending by the right wing.  They had no impact.  Usually, they do push and bully their way around with dollars.  But the spending was so outrageous that the American voter caught on to the game and decided to ignore the hateful politics that came out of this.

I wonder if Governor Martinez will learn anything here.  She is not immune and her failure to change the legislature from blue to red will now make her look ineffectual.  On election night she was reduced to handing out free pizza at long voter lines in Rio Rancho.  She looked marginalized and silly.

Content

Like Elsie the Cow, I am so content this morning.  My knee feels better. Obama has four more years.  Big Oil and Coal look weakened.  Heinrich and Grisham go to DC to represent the state.  The minimum wage goes up in Albuquerque.  Colorado turned blue helping New Mexico in a sea of red.  And the Governor slaps her self in the face by taking out one of the most conservative Democratic Senators in the state.

Her expenditure of vast sums defeated Tim Jennings in Roswell.  He was her only avenue in maintaining a shaky coalition that could help her programs.(once she gets some).  And, she did not defeat Senator Michael Sanchez.  Sanchez will now make her life miserable which is to be expected.

All in all on the national scene things remain the same.  Obama is President.  The Senate is blue.  The House is red.  What happens now can only threaten the existence of the GOP if they are not careful.  Their craziness must now stop or they will be completely marginalized.  That would not be a good thing.  We need to have that party return to moderate stands so we can have some solutions to our pressing issues.

Last night my sister Carlota called from Turkey.  She is on tour and was staying in a farm house and the farmer ran in to say Obama was the winner.  He was happy.  Four years ago my sister called from Bhutan.  She was visiting a monastery when a monk came in with his thumbs up to say Obama had won.  He had an Obama button on his robe and was happy.  The world sighed with relief last night.  We did not return to the 50s.

Happy Joy

What a great day for reason we have witnessed.  Joyful for this household.  And Senator Martin Heinrich, a believer in science based decision making, will take up his post soon.

My Day

Today will consist of therapy, ice packs, pain, and election angst.  This will be edgy in every respect.  My money is still on Obama with at least an Electoral College win.  

Metaphor

This knee therapy reminds me of the presidential campaign.  Every day you do it as instructed it seems that the stress of the stretching actually makes you less flexible.  It gets harder, just like Obama's campaign.  Friday I could flex the knee 90 degrees.  Yesterday it had gone down to 81 degrees.  But, I am told this is normal and that one day I will get up and it will be in good shape.  Just like Obama on Wednesday morning.  The difference between us is that he did self surgery on himself in the form of that first debate.

 I am still putting all my bets on Obama.  Those electoral votes look heavily skewed for him in the tossup states.  I shudder to think of the new challenges awaiting either candidate after election time.  Obama will still govern with a beating heart.  Romney will govern with a tax rate.

I hope this post makes sense.  I just took a pain pill.  WooHoo!

Pain Killers

I have never had to take high powered pain killers before.  Frankly, I don't know why people get addicted to them.  I don't get any high from them.  They do work.  I guess I will see what all of the dangers are once I go off them in a week or two, or go to something less powerful.  I do appreciate their effect in making physical therapy much more bearable.

One of the biggest pain killers I received in the last few days was a comment from Frank Conway, alias Bubba Munster, that Romney is now planning to prove his chops with the auto industry by funding the comeback of the Ford Edsel.  Laughter is the best medicine.

Dennis Jett Ambassador

Here is the latest from my friend  Ambassador Dennis Jett and the McClatchy News Papers.

Rallying the R's as electoral strategy

Long before Mitt Romney, and not just for the sake of alliteration, the Republican Party could have been described as the party of the "r's." That's because its base, the core constituencies it has to energize to win elections, all begin with "r." For a long time there were five, but they recently added a sixth.

First, there are the rich. They vote Republican because the GOP favors reducing their taxes as the answer to every problem. They feel that giving anything back to the government is just plain wrong. Even hedge fund managers who make a billion dollars a year think their tax rate is too high even though theirs, like Mitt Romney’s, is lower than that of many middle class families.

Romney says he is going to cut everyone’s taxes by 20 percent and make up all the revenue lost by eliminating the loopholes of the wealthy. Who knew he is secretly the enemy of the rich? Maybe they aren’t paying attention. Or maybe it’s not going to work out that way under President Mitt.

Then there are the rural. They see little need for government and want to be free of its regulations. So they favor the party that sees little need for government except in a few selected areas like handing out agricultural subsidies.

One other area where Republicans see a strong role for government is in making health care decisions for women and determining who can marry. That generally gets them the support of the third “r”, the religious. They buy the idea that government should dictate their brand of morality with a fervor that would embarrass the Taliban.

Then there are the rabid. They see the threat of world government at every turn and their right to buy weapons with no limits as the only defense against it. Fox News commentator Dick Morris has even written a book targeting this market called “Here Come the Black Helicopters.” He claims the title is only used as a metaphor, but those who buy it no doubt have the whine of aircraft that don’t show up on radar in their ears.

Rounding out the traditional five “r’s” are the racists. In the two elections in the 1950s in which Dwight Eisenhower, a moderate Republican, beat Adlai Stevenson, a liberal Democrat, Stevenson carried no states outside the Deep South. When Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, he turned to his aide Bill Moyers and said he had just lost the South for the Democrats for a generation. He was optimistic. Ever

since Richard Nixon launched his southern strategy, the GOP has had an iron grip on the South.

The only other thing that has changed since the Democratic Party was the party of choice for racists is the rhetoric. George Wallace once declared, after losing an election to an even bigger racist, that he would never be out-niggered again. Today Republicans rely on dog whistles to communicate with the same audience Wallace was speaking to. The sound isn’t there, but the message is the same.And Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Donald Trump and the rest can’t stop blowing those whistles. Obama is a Kenyan-born Muslim, an angry black man, and the food stamp president who wants to put more people on welfare. He won’t show his transcript because he got by thanks to affirmative action. Colin Powell endorsed him only because they share the same skin color. And so it goes.

And finally the most recently added “r” is for rapists. The pitch to that demographic is demonstrated by Republican candidates who talk about legitimate rape, pregnancies resulting from rape being part of god’s plan, the health of the mother being just an all-purpose excuse for an abortion and that fetuses, like corporations, are people too. The candidates sometimes claim they misspoke, but that is what politicians say when they inadvertently reveal what they really think. It just another coded appeal for votes and not simply a callous and complete disregard for the health and rights of women.

Not every Republican falls into any of the six “r’s”. The electoral strategy of the GOP, however, seems based on the hope that those that do show up on election day and give Romney the right to rule the rest of us.

Progress

I think I am feeling better being at home.  Slept pretty good.  Now awaiting my first home therapy.  So far it still is easier than I feared.  Thanks to Lovelace Westside and Dr. Mcennerney.  I would give the hospital a rating of 10 except for one nurse.  So, they get a nine.

I just will concentrate on all of this for a while.  Politics seems a little secondary right now.  Although my blood pressure went up after watching a commercial from the far right that suggests the Chinese will be running our country in a few years.  All because of the stimulus program from the Congress and Obama.

I would like to see some journalists track down the people who are responsible for these commercials.  I want to see their pictures because I wonder if they look as crazy as they are.  They probably all look like Trump.

Home Soon

I will be out of the hospital in a few hours and will be trying to navigate around the house.  I got up today feeling stronger.  Yesterday was a hard day but I feel great now.