Monday, June 24, 2013

The Artful Dodger

It is either a case of incompetence or a case of artful dodging.  I am talking about the story in the Albuquerque Journal this morning showing that New Mexico has slipped to last place in child well being.  We came in 50th, just behind Mississippi.  And the Journal, which rightfully gave the story full front page treatment, never managed to even get a 'no comment' comment out of the Governor Martinez administration.  If ever there was a story that needed a Governor's quote, this was right up there in first place!  How could the editor's of the paper not make an effort to get a quote?

And then they let that  con man Paul Guessing of the Rio Grande Foundation write another column demanding that the federal government hand back control of public lands to the state.  The state never had control of those lands as per agreement to become a state in 1912.  But Guessing and his extreme right wing organization are funded by the oil and gas boys who seem to get most things they want out of the editor of the Journal.  Including the publication of Guessing's outright lies on their editorial page.  Ask yourself one question,  would you want the fossil fuel guys in charge of our National Parks?

7 comments:

New Mexican said...

The Albuquerque Journal has become sort of a New Mexico National Enquirer. Right along with Fox news and the Rio Grande Sun, KKOB etc. What a pitiful group, the news groups of New Mexico have become.

Anonymous said...

I remember NM being last in several areas under Richardson despite his 8 years in office. Of course, Martinez is faring no better in my view, and she has no agenda except her own political one. I can't see why her approval numbers are relatively good.

I agree wholeheartedly about Paul Guessing, the neocon spokesman in NM, and about their desire to rape the land for oil and gas. Never cared for him or his embellished positions.

Anonymous said...

The Journal is not even close to the National Enquirer. It's too dull.

The Rio Grande Sun is a hell-raising newspaper. They're supposed to be.

Finally, a few days ago you said James Gandolfini was "news" because "he was a celebrity."

Not exactly. Gandolfini's years in "The Sopranos" fundamentally altered the television landscape. When someone like that dies, especially prematurely, it's "news."

You can find evidence of the change he brought to television entertainment right here in your own back yard -- to wit, "Breaking Bad."

"The Sopranos" opened up a lot of territory heretofore unexplored on TV. It's largely the reason that in terms of writing and intelligent films aimed at people older than 12 that TV has surpassed Hollywood movies.

Jim Baca said...

but, it is all make believe and that is important. just like religion though it gets a life of its own.

Anonymous said...

Let's face it. Albuquerque is a one-horse town and what is "news" is decided by one man and that is Kent Waltz. Not to pick on poor Kent who has a tough job but he reads and decides what is ultimately published. It doesn't help his credibility that his brother is a lawyer known for representing Republican types.

Anonymous said...

I beg to differ. When Susana was running for office, se promised to make NM a place that was safer and better for our children -- remember the Baby Briana photos that she used for her campaign? She also promised to make education better and promptly hired Skandera. The fact that 3 years later we a more miserable situation for our children should be alarming to everyone whether you have children in the state or whether you care about children. Like it or not, our children are the future of this state, this country and to be last is simply embarrassing and someone should have asked what happened to the governor and her promises.

Anonymous said...

I just came across a story in the Alamagordo paper about this that's a good example of doing better than the Journal.

If I'm not mistaken the Texas-New Mexico newspaper chain is basically be the El Paso Times, and then some small NM papers down there. Is that right?

Anyway, the story also sheds some light on the legislative process. Also on the governor.

http://www.alamogordonews.com/ci_23586115/new-mexico-dead-last-child-welfare