Non Ignorant Candidates Needed

I read in Joe Monahan's blog that  a Mayoral hopeful says the state of NM movers
and shakers need to grow the economy here to offset falling spending by the federal government and defense complex. Actually, the potential candidate has it all wrong.  We should be moving to improve the private sector to offset a dying fossil fuel industry.  Yes I mean oil, gas and coal.

Government spending will always be a part  of NM.  It is in less danger of a meltdown  than anything.  But as the global meeting on climate change progresses in Paris, the hand writing is on the wall for the dirty energy sector.  Not tomorrow, or ten years, but certainly in our lifetimes that industry will mostly go the way of sailing ships, buggy whips, and VCRs.  And so why blame government spending for being the bogey man on our future economic outlook?  Because somebody  has really not thought things through.  And if they want the support of intelligent voters, they better start  thinking harder.

The Twins

Alex and Kate get a twofer bath. Well worth weathering a snow storm to spend time with them. Back on icy roads on Saturday.

Movies

Good movies we have seen recently concern Journalism.  "Spotlight" should be viewed by all current day journalists.  They should ask themselves, "Do I Measure UP?"   Well, they probably could if their corporate news editors/directors would let them.  Well, maybe not so much today's TV journalists.  It would be hard to wean themselves off of regurgitating the daily crime blotter, and then moving on to the sex story and lost puppy feature.  But they could try harder.

Misc.

Another enraging story of a criminal getting out of jail and being arrested for the second time in three days as he tries to feed his drug habit.  People are screaming for something to be done, including killing such people with a reinstated death penalty.  It would just be easier to legalize all drugs, but of course anyone in the criminal justice game would oppose legalization since that would cost them jobs and money.  And so we stay in this ridiculous vicious circle. And this war on drugs will never, ever work.  Especially when the police department  in Albuquerque is so understaffed that evidence can't be gathered to keep these guys off the street.

I got a fund raising letter from State Auditor Tim Keller.  It is his 38th birthday.  I would send him some money because I like him, but the fundraising letter doesn't say what the donation is required for.  Is he running for reelection?  Or another office?  When he tells me I will send money.

The Santa Fe New Mexican, a real newspaper, has a great piece on the State's shrinking population.  Another indictment of our GOP Queen for a Day Susana Martinez.  While she runs around the country, our best and brightest are leaving for states with better economies and opportunities.  Read it here. Meanwhile, the Albuquerque Journal, oh never mind.

A Happy Thanksgiving Holiday to all.  Entries to the blog will be done from the road while our house sitter shines up their new RPG.

Self Supporting

The Albuquerque Journal ran a poll this morning showing support for the Governor's loathing of  Syrian and other immigrants.  The Journal does this occasionally by not using their highly respected regular pollster, Brian Sanderoff, but by doing a so called flash poll of their readers.  These readers, which are pretty much devoid of young people, are mostly post 55 years old, white, neo confederates(a term I will use a lot from now on), and full of angst.

One of my commenters thinks I worry to much about this newspaper, and that they will be out of business in ten years.  That might be true, but in the meantime their control of the flow of right wing information to the demographic who actually votes is very dangerous.  The feed xenophobia and misinformation at an ever increasing rate.  You wonder how some of the good and caring people who still work for the Journal can even get out of bed in the morning.

Please Read

This analysis is awesome.  Only those with a longer than normal attention span should get into it.

Plethora

I took a couple of days off the blog because I have been so angry at the xenophobia and ignorance sweeping the country.  I wonder if America is permanently changing.

One thing that is not changing is the Albuquerque Journal.  It is almost funny, except it is so serious.  Take for example the ranting editorials and stories over the last few weeks on drivers licenses in New Mexico.  The Journal was printing that people wouldn't be able to fly because of our problems with drivers licenses for immigrants.  (The same people who mow the lawns at Journal Center.)  But then the Homeland Security Office wrote an oped in the Journal saying that was all wrong.  The Journal responded today by a front page story on the Post Office having passport seminars around the state so people know how to apply and get such documents.  It hid its correction in reporting on airport problems in the last paragraph.

Then, just as Governor Martinez abandons the state to head the republican governor's association, the Journal hid a story on the business page of our state now having the second highest unemployment rate in the United States.  We are only slightly better than West Virginia.  If these circumstances happened during a Democratic Governor's term in office, that  story would have been an above the fold front page story.

And then, as if to ignore the dismal statistic again, the Journal touts for our republican Mayor that Alaska Airlines is happy with its load factors on new round trip service between Seattle and ABQ.  They came in after Southwest Airlines dumped their flight.  In fact passenger traffic at the airport has fallen to levels not seen since the mid 90's.  Does that have something to do with our economic wasteland presided over by Susana and Berry?  Probably a lot.

And so think about Susana traveling around  the country while the meltdown continues.  Do you get upset ?

Moment

It was one of those "Mission Accomplished" moments. Mayor Berry said everything was fine in Albuquerque.  That we have nothing to worry about.  Since he said he wasn't running again that is true, except the next Mayor will have to pick up the pieces.

Who will the next Mayor be?  I hear Brian Colon will run, as well as Lawrence Rael.  There will be many others before it is over, but to be sure I am hopeful it will not end up in having one of our current city councillors elected.  That would be continuing the leaderless era of city government.

We need someone with ideas and the energy to pursue them.  If we can get such a person then a renaissance in Albuquerque could lift the whole state of New Mexico out of its owned last place in economic recovery.  We are the only state in the nation losing population.

Immoral

Susana Martinez is an immoral leader.  She is like the government officials around the world in pre war WWII Europe that refused boat loads of Jews who had to return to Europe's shores and ultimately to Hitler's ovens.  Men, women and children.

How did our multicultural state get to this point?  Corporate money, politics of hate, and bent individuals like Susana who were willing to prostitute themselves to accrue a little power.  She is nothing but a tool and the question is, can we survive a few more years of her leadership?  And what kind of mess will she leave the next Governor?

Back Scratching

Republican Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn will be a one term wonder.  His war on the Game and Fish department and New Mexican sportsmen will doom him.

Should the Land Office charge more for hunting on state trust lands?  Yes.  But fifty times more than is being paid now?  No.  But he is a mascot for the ranching industry and they want no hunters on state trust land.  That way they can figure out how to let out of state hunters onto that land they lease at big prices.  Really, that is what it is about.

So to make it right Mr. Commissioner, lets start by raising grazing fees.  That hasn't happened since I was Commissioner in the 80's. Can you do that?  Let's start by passing legislation to raise oil and gas royalties and working the feds to do the same.  That hasn't happened since I worked with the legislature in the 80's either.  Can you do that?  And raise the prices on all commercial leases.  Can you do that?

Dunn says he wants to maximize revenues for the School Permanent fund, but the only place he is doing it is on the backs of New Mexican sportsmen.  What a farce.

Pulitzer Worthy

We were at a party tonight that had a lot of politicos in attendance and all agreed that the New Mexican story on the Governor's bag man Jay McCleskey and his financial web of money laundering entities could bring down a lot of politicos, including Susana herself.  The story is magnificent and worthy of a Pulitzer.

The Journal's big story today was about one New Mexican woman practically beating to death another woman in a cage fight.

Bizzare

I agreed with two Albuquerque Journal Editorials today.  One on ethics in government and one on the Catholic church ducking its responsibilities to victims of pedophile priests.  How did we agree on two opinions on the same day?  Mondo Bizzaro.

I will be  viewed as being bizarre because although Holly Holm is a great athlete, she is part of the violent culture of this world where beating the shit out of an opponent who had to go to a hospital is something to be admired. We abhor the violence in Paris and celebrate it in the fighting cage.    Some people will say they are two different things, but are they?  Those cage fights teach children that violence is condoned and profitable.

Misc.

The Catholic Church is preparing its flock for the release of the Movie "Spotlight".  It is about the monumental coverup of pedophilia by priests in the Boston area.  The Church must fear this movie and they should.  Their solution is to pray for the victims and to seek forgiveness.  This is in the aftermath of the church moving much of its assets into Trusts that can't be used to settle lawsuits by the victims.  The movie is on the must see list for Bobbi and me.  As an aside, we went saw the movie "Sufragette" last night.  Every girl over the age of ten should be taken to the movie to see role models for their lives.

The State Supreme Court has said no to buying text books with taxpayer money for private and parochial schools.  I never knew that was happening.  The court overturned two lower court rulings.  That is a good decision.  I wonder if the fundamentalists schools just threw away science books when the arrived.....

Speaking of the Supreme Court, Republican Judge Judy Nakamura has been appointed to the court to fill a vacancy.  Governor Martinez could have done worse.  I am hopeful Nakamura won't fashion herself a Scalia type crazy person.  Don't drink that Kool Aid!  She will have a tough time in her election because it is hard enough for a GOP acolyte to get on that court and she would have to prove herself a moderate.  I think she is one, but that could endanger her with her own party.  

Half Vast

The Mayor's plan to convert a convention hall at the facility into a glorified high school basket ball court and call it a new arena is a half vast effort.  His idea of improving Civic Plaza is worthy of consideration.

The so called arena will be most likely ignored by most users who need multi purpose arenas for everything from rodeos to rock concerts and the Ice Shows.

The Governor and Mayor are happy about a for profit college locating its back office operations in Albuquerque.  300 jobs are in play.  But one has to be wary of these kinds of businesses locating here.  For profit colleges are really nothing but student loan mills that provide questionable educations.  Most students who attend these sub par schools never graduate and then are saddled with enormous student loans. Read about it here.

Every Single Day

The Governor was quoted by the Santa Fe New Mexican as saying she still talks with Jay McCleskey every single day.  It sort of confirms that she takes an inordinate amount of advice from this neo con political operative.  His job is purely to make her look good and her job is to follow his advice, policy work be damned.

As I suspected the Albuquerque Journal got on the story of McCleskey being investigated by the Justice Department today.  Somehow the Journal managed to inject the name of Sam Bregman into the story.  The former Democratic Party Chair's name was bandied about by the Journal as a way of trying to inoculate the Governor in some way.  You can be sure the Journal Editor ordered that done.

I think that this investigation could be a small detraction from the Governor's total failure on economic development and the state's downward spiral in just about every category of progress.  In some ways she might see this all working to her advantage in the long run.  Unless of course the buck stops with her, and by that I mean the campaign buck.  And finally,  when large checks are written out of Inaugural funds with no invoices, there could be some fruitful forensic accounting to be done. This is probably where there will be some eyeopeners.

Pooper Scooper

The Albuquerque Journal Monday edition had no news on the breaking story of the Governor's hatchet man, Jay McCleskey, being investigated for a possible indictment by the Feds.  In fairness, they haven't had much time to look into it since the Santa Fe New Mexican broke the story yesterday.

And it sort of begs the question,  were they scooped again on a major story?  Or they are planning to poop on the story in order to protect the Governor.  Actually, I think both things are happening.  I just don't see the Journal capable of breaking major stories anymore because of a partisan editor and a dwindling professional number of journalists working at the paper.   And I can see the editorial staff calling this all political hatchet job by the Department of Justice.

It will be very interesting to see where things go from here at that once credible publication.

The Plot Sickens

Silence is emanating from the Governor's office after this bombshell story in the Santa Fe New Mexican, which is a paper unlike the Albuquerque Journal and does not protect the Governor.  The question here is about the misuse of power by the State Tax and Rev department in ordering audits of the Governor's political enemies.  This will just get better.

And if you are wondering why our economy is so abysmal in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce's tired  and hijacked executive leadership has spent more effort in protecting the Governor in an oped piece on education this morning. They need to get an effort going on attracting more companies to our State to provide jobs,  rather than be a cheering section for Susana Martinez.

Critical Thinking

The thing we need to do most in the schools is to teach critical thinking.  Knowing how to do that is really important in life.  For example, if a guy on the street offers to sell you a brand new car for $50, then you might be able to figure out that car might be stolen.

Here are some examples on non critical thinking.

Rebecca Vigil Giron thinking anyone in their right mind would appoint her Secretary of State in order to properly run that office.

Or, the Albuquerque Journal doing an editorial to make it look like Google pulling out a company from New Mexico is a good thing, because they paid back the money as they were required to do for getting taxpayer assistance in locating the company here in the first place. Well, they were protecting the Governor and in their mind that is critical.

Or, the Mormon Church slapping in the face their own members for wanting to live in today's society by accepting Gay people for what they are, just people.  By the way, I still wish someone would show me those golden tablets that the delusional founder of this sect based  this religion on.  All of his neighbors bought into it without ever seeing the tablets.  It doesn't get any better than this really.

Misc.

You really know the ABQ Journal is all in with the GOP leaders in New Mexico when they turn an economic development failure into a positive thing.  A headline today heralds the fact that Google gave a $1,000,000 clawback to the State after they pulled their newly acquired company out of Moriarty.  There was never any question that  this had to happen given the incentives that were given to the acquired company to locate in that small  town.  Did anyone see any questions of the Governor on how she might approach such failures in the future?  Did she travel or call Google and ask them to change their decision?  Did she just sit on her butt?  Yes, most likely she did. But we will never know, because if she did call them they dismissed her and she wouldn't want that known.  And if she didn't call them she just looks useless.

And the the Journal conjures up a headline that says, 'were stuck with Railrunner'.  It is public transportation and as one friend said the word public has doomed it in the corporate view of the Publisher and Editor.  This service was a leap into the future for our state and I certainly am glad we are stuck with it.

Leadership

Last night we watched our daughter Noelle's work as a whiz bang financial analyst during a Fort Collins, Colorado city council meeting.  It was really fun watching it and her work helped start the process of building a new training facility for Northern Colorado Law Enforcement.  What was also impressive was how well prepared that city council was in asking smart and probing questions with no rancor or back and forth bickering.

During the internet broadcast,  election results for that city were being scrolled on the screen.  One issue I been following in that progressive town was a citizens vote to bypass a state law on allowing municipalities to construct their own internet cable systems.  It was driven there by the Mayor and Council.  It passed with 83% of the vote.  And it should have,  given the abysmal corporate monopolies that are running roughshod over users.

Oh, that we could have that kind of leadership in New Mexico and Albuquerque.  Wouldn't it be a thrill to see Comcast have to compete?  

The Calm

After today's services for the slain APD Officer Dan Webster the calm will end and everyone will jockey for political advantage over the issue of crime and policing in Albuquerque.  The Mayor and Governor will blame the state legislature for the endless problems emanating out of city government, by saying repeat criminals get out of prison too easily.  

That is somewhat true, but in fact it is just abysmal leadership there in City Hall. We still know little about the incident that took Webster's life.  Were there backup officers available? How many officers were working that night?  Etc. Etc.  This is far from over.

The Police Union will take a strong position for higher salaries and more officers on the force.  They will attempt to run the department and who can blame them?

The GOP will continue to blame the Democrats for all of this and use their superior oil and gas funded PACs to carry that message forward.  Governor Martinez will get her picture in the Journal for the 10th time reading to children.  The Mayor will go out of town again to get away from the stress.  The Democrats will do or say nothing, as usual.

And the gun dealers in Albuquerque will see another surge in business.

Downer

I sent a $100 for winter protection for the Syrian refugees fleeing the madness and chaos.  I did it through a WorldPost Face Book page that popped up on my timeline.  In that page's comment section I asked others to do the same.  After I shared my support of help, the crazies came out.  They said even three year olds shouldn't be given any help because they were already being indoctrinated into killing all of us.

I know these kinds of people have always existed in  the past, even before the internet allowed them to come together and organize their hate. Their willingness to go public with this xenophobia is truly amazing.  It can get to you sometimes.