Wondering

One can only wonder if the one per centers and their enablers in politics can see anything headed their way.  Not just in this country but globally.  After the horrific deaths of 700 Mediterranean region refugees desperate to flee poverty and persecution, one might thing if one were rational, that pretty soon many more will be willing to take down the economic systems that is ruining life for so many in the world.

As far as the USA is concerned the latest effort of giving even more tax breaks to the ridiculously wealthy by dumping the estate tax just keeps encouraging a sense of rage.  Can't these folks see any downside to their unparalleled greed?  They might be good at making money and hoarding it, but their inability to see a cataclysm headed straight for them is almost comical.

Top of the Fold

The Journal is beginning to look more and more like a local TV newscast.  A case in point is a major front page story today on a strangled dog.  Pictures and everything.  The poor dog was caught up in domestic problems and died for it.  But, front page news?  And people on the comment page of this story are calling for the woman who killed the pooch to be strangled also.  Insanity!

We have been pet owners our whole lives.  We are currently into our cats but I keep thinking about getting another dog.  They are so needy but so rewarding.  We felt with all the travel we do it would be best to wait to get another one after our beloved Beagles died.  Still, I wish we had one.  People just love them.  Our neighborhood alert system over the last few days revolved around a homeless Pomeranian dog found wandering the neighborhood.  Someone rescued it and found out it had heart problems.  A big effort was made and it was taken in by an organization helping with such cases.  If that dog had been a homeless person wandering the streets the police would have been notified.

Maybe that is why TV and now Newspapers spend so much time on animal issues.  Because that is obviously what folks care about.  It is a good thing really, but like everything we need to keep it in perspective.

I recently reread "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke.  When aliens surround our planet in massive space ships to help us move to the next level of evolution, the first thing they look at to see if we might be ready is how we treat other species on our planet.  The book was written in the early 1950's and demonstrates that many people have always thought about animal welfare.  I am just saying we need to show as much concern for the poor and homeless as well.

P.S. I am looking forward to the SciFi channel's miniseries of "Childhood's End" in December.  It is said to be very good.

Rabid Press Secretaries

My first ever political job was Press Secretary for Governor Bruce King back in 1975, the last  year in his first term.   I had just left Channel 7 in disgust as they entered the 'chatty news' era that eventually led to the state of local broadcast news we see today.

King had called me a few hours after I left my job and asked me to come  up for an interview for the position.  There were numerous applicants and I would be the first to see him on a Monday morning.  When I entered his office he said I was his pick and asked me when I could start, even though all the other applicants were in the reception area.  And that is how I got into politics.  Apparently I had done some stories on his administration which he liked and so decided I was the right guy for the job.  He told me to be honest and forthright in dealing with the media who covered state government.  There were a lot of them back then and they were professionals.  King told be to always treat critics with respect and merely give our side of an issue.  I followed his orders and loved the job.

Now we see what the roles of press secretaries are in the current Governor's administration.  The job is not to give their side of an issue, but to attack personally the critics who disagree with them.  And since we have such a poor press corp these days, that is usually what gets printed or aired.  There are some exceptions, like the Santa Fe Reporter.

And so, the governor's rabid press relations person is moving to a new job after pulling off so many personal and nasty attacks on anyone who disagreed with our Tea Party right wing Governor.  Good riddance to Enrique Knell.  And welcome to the new guy Chris Sanchez.  Will he be a rabid dog too?  Of course he will if he takes orders from the governor's neocon political advisors.  Destroying someone's reputation who disagrees with you is so much more likely to gain ink than a thoughtful debate.

Misc.

The Albuquerque Police Department and Democratic Presidential hopeful Hilary Clinton are both using social media to skirt the press in making announcements.  APD Chief Eden, a certifiable failure, has used YouTube to announce an investigation into two officers accused of beating a suspect.  That way there is no hard questions for him to answer.  That is good for him and bad for us.  And of course not a peep from the Mayor.

And Hilary Clinton gives us a four minute blurb announcing her run for the Presidency.  That is it.  No hard questions for her either.  Don't get me wrong, I like her and would vote for her in a general election.  But once again, where is the new leadership?  Why are we reaching into the 90's again with the Clintons and bushes?

The Albuquerque Journal story on public transit was a good recap today about the importance of getting people around our metro area.  The modern day bus system we now have started back during my term as Mayor when we got the voters to approve a quarter cent sales tax to improve maintenance and public transit.  The republicans on the council at that time tried every thing they could to gut the public transit part of the effort.  We ended  up using 20% of that money to update the system and it has paid off.  Of course, public transit never pays for itself, but it is the kind of service a city must provide to make an efficient economy possible.  The republican intellect is still at work though in constant attacks on the Rail Runner system to Santa Fe.  In a few years they will be proven fools once again.

Susanna Martinez seems to be only a fly on the wall as legislators negotiate issues that might be considered for a special session.  The leadership is moving ahead while the governor seems to be ambivalent about doing her job.  I have never understood pols like here who seem to think that 'being there' is the only reason for being elected.  Voters need to think about leadership qualities once in a while.

We are back from upstate New York.  On Sunday in the town of Camillus where our son and family live the sun came out and a spring like day was presented.  It was great watching these upstaters come out of their homes into the nice weather shielding their eyes from the bright sky.  They looked like hibernating bears coming out of caves.  Most of them got to work right away walking dogs or working in the yards.  Their several feet of snow had disappeared. 

Welcome

Dear First Solar,

Welcome to New Mexico.  Fuck You and your clean energy.  I vetoed the solar tax credits.

Sincerely,

Governor Susana Martinez


cc:  NM Oil and Gas Association

Headed to Upstate NY

I am pretty hopeful most of the snow is gone from upstate New York.  We are going to see our grandsons and family there.  There will be lots of rain, or so the forecast says.  But not much pollen yet.  Blogging from afar.

Our house sitter's new flame thrower is still under warranty.  If that doesn't work we will call the good god fearing people from that west side New Life Baptist church to come blast away at the bad guys.  Shoot first and Jesus will take care of the left overs.

Holy Shit

This is the guy who was just hired as a chief deputy at the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office at $100K a year. This whole Jesus and guns thing really is telling. And the county commission wasted money on this. Click on the full screen arrows to see it better.

Who is in Jail?

Bernalillo County Commissioners want the city of Albuquerque to pay them to house prisoners in the County Jail.  That puts all city taxpayers in a fiscal prison because we  already pay county taxes.  This is all happening because of malfeasance in county government finance management.  This would amount to double dipping by the Commissioners to relieve them of their poor fiscal management.  This is a loser for everyone.  The city shouldn't pay them a dime more until we see some hard decision making on the county level.  First off, they could just forget about putting us in another financial bind by approving that massive Santolina development plan ten miles from the city on the west side.  It is sprawl development at its worse.

Of course the real problem here is the taxpayers own making in refusing to consolidate city and county government.  It makes more sense than ever.  Why have two of everything when one would do?  Because of small political fiefdoms and conspiracy theories of county residents who think their lives would be hindered by a consolidated government.  Votes to consolidate taken in the past shows the city residents always vote yes and the county residents nix it.  Hubris.  Expensive hubris.

Misc.

The oil and gas boys are starting another media blitz on TV to let people know they are still very important people and should not be messed with at all.  They will spend a quarter of a million dollars to shine themselves up because environmentalists and critics have managed to convince the Bureau of Land Management that there are some places that should not see drilling rigs.  I would suggest that money be used instead to clean up some of the messes they have left in the Land of Enchantment.

It has been announced that a Chicago Real Estate Investment Trust has purchased Lovelace Medical Systems. The CEO said it would be good for Lovelace.  Will it be good for the patients?

The GOP and Dems on the Albuquerque City Council fought at length over a Memorial on immigration issues.  These memorial debates take up a lot of time and have no effect other than a statement on certain issues.  Strangely, the republicans on the council equated immigration issues with abortion and gun rights.  The GOP said they haven't bought these up to save time for the council.     Culture wars come to the Council.

We watched the latest John Oliver show on HBO last night.  It has to be one of the best political commentary(comedic) on TV.  Oliver spent 40 minutes on the upcoming extension vote on the so called Patriot Act that pretty much tramples on all Americans rights to privacy.  He even went to Moscow to interview Eric Snowden and provided evidence that Americans have no clue as to who Snowden is and what he did.  They only time his man on the street interviews got peoples dander up about privacy was when he stated that the NSA could see pictures of people's genitals that were mailed to boyfriends and girlfriends.  That got them riled up and they sort of began to understand the issue.  Other than that it really made citizens look uninformed and rather stupid.

I have the all time lowest golf handicap of my life.  I am spending entirely to much time on the golf course and I plan on continuing to do so.

Sucking Sound

A corporation named Global Foundries took out a half page ad in the Sunday Journal to advertise jobs available in New York State's 'Tech Valley".  This is a semiconductor factory.  It could also be another giant sucking sound of people fleeing New Mexico because of our total lack of economic development leadership both in government and the business community.  I hope this doesn't hint about the nature of Intel's plans here in our metro area.  Frightening stuff.

Meanwhile there is a happening on the oped page in which two republicans, that great self promoter Sherman McCorkle and Caleb Chandler of Clovis, NM, are asking for more money from government in higher funding for the US Air Force.  GOP types usually hate government spending, right?  But not when it comes to military spending.  They sort of have their classic double standard, like most of us do, but their's is especially hard to take.  It is okay to attract money for 'death technology and training', but not for healthcare for New Mexicans under the Affordable Care Act.

The Air Force is starting to use it's new F-22 Raptor Fighter.  They only cost $412 million dollars each.  It is a fighter without a mission since most countries just aren't willing to spend money on these ridiculous programs anymore.  Only the military defense lobby in the USA gets to pull that off.  Meanwhile we watch highways and bridges crumble and put up with third rate internet systems.

Resurrection

Easter.  Time of resurrection stories for many in Christendom.  But a second resurrection occurred on Good Friday.  He's Back!  That master chameleon Jaime Koch was brought back from the crypt of washed up politicos and made Regent again at UNM.  How did that stone get rolled back?

Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall on how this all came about?  He resigned as Regent after being confirmed by the Senate because he was 'upset' that right winger Matt Chandler was not confirmed.  I opined that the only reason he was appointed again by the Governor was that he was charged in getting Chandler confirmed in the Democratic Senate.  When he failed, he fell on his sword because he didn't deliver.  I still think that is true.  But Koch has a way of turning up again and it is pretty impressive.

Meanwhile the Governor has appointed another prosecutor to the Board of Regents.  This is evidence to me that the Governor wants narrow focus people, like all prosecutors, on her team in every position of importance.

Misc.

Just a few questions lingering this morning.

1.  Why does the Mayor Berry jump quickly to fix idiocy at the Animal Services Center but let fester for so long the APD mess?

2.  Why aren't super tolerant young people voting to stop legislatures like Indiana and Arkansas from passing religious based discrimination laws?

3.  Why when I get my new annual Bernalillo County property tax assessment does it always go up my the maximum allowed by law?

4. Why does it matter which APD officer launched the fatal bullet into that homeless guy when both of them were blazing away at the man?

5.  Why do some people think a line on a map should determine who might be the best new APS school superintendent?

Just asking while in a pollen induced coma.

On the Plus Side

We can lament our legislature and Governor, but frankly in hindsight, looking at Indiana and Arkansas, our elected officials look pretty benign.  They haven't set out just yet to persecute a whole segment of the population because an old white guy who lives in the clouds told them to do so.  Yes, the Governor and GOP seem to dislike brown people from south of the border using state drivers licenses to get around in NM, but mostly that is just GOP dogma that says you have to single out some group as a cause of all your problems.  But they are not using their god as a reason.  So far as I know.

The problem here is that those anti gay laws are being passed because christian fundamentalists are so adept at voting.  They elect the people who carry their dogma into the halls of government.  The only way to counter it is for young people to start voting strongly.  Mostly, they aren't afraid of gay marriage and teaching of science in schools.

Here is an enjoyable chart.  Click on it to make it larger.

Who?

Who is really running the Governor's office?  Susana Martinez or the spin chiefs of the radical right wing GOP.  It is the spinners for sure and Martinez is following their peculiar idea that destroying the state's economic well being will keep the GOP in power.

Her refusal to call a special session of the Legislature to pass a capital outlay bill is really just a way to blame Senate Democrats for everything down the road.  Just watch what they do in the next election cycle.

In the meantime much needed projects and stimulus are abandoned.  This is really hurting New Mexico and its citizens and businesses.  And speaking of the business community, where the hell are they on this mess?  Staying silent and cowed?  It is bad enough to see a lack of leadership on the state political scene, but I would also blame our leaders in commerce for sitting on their hands.  Is supporting right to work laws the best they can do? Apparently so!

Misc

The Albuquerque Journal has done it it again with a skewed headline saying New Mexico is the number one dependent of the federal government.  Its Business section today made it look like a shameful thing.  Like our National Research Labs are a bad thing?  The article says we should diversify.  I agree, but our Governor and Albuquerque Mayor don't provide the leadership to pull it off.  It also says the federal government owns one quarter of the land in this state.  Actually, those are public lands owned by all Americans.  We agreed to that when we became a state in 1912.  Maybe the headline writer and reporter should educate themselves just a little bit. And maybe the editor of the paper should edit rather than just be a partisan lackey for the GOP and fossil fuel boys.

HBO's documentary on Scientology was an excellent piece on the weirdness of cults and religions.  I don't mean to offend anyone, but that kind of expose could be done on any old or modern day religion.  Scientology's end game may be at hand after this eye-opener, but they have amassed great wealth from their brainwashed members.

I am sure it has never been hard for readers of this blog to understand I am not a believer.  I happen to believe my creator was a star going Nova in the past.  That created the elements that eventually became Jim Baca.  However, I don't think that believers are stupid or ignorant.  Religion is just a way for them to live their lives, like being an atheist is a way for me to live mine.  I am pretty comfortable with it all until I see the abuses that religion heaps upon the innocent.  From Catholic pedophile priests to bible thumping fundamentalists who hate gays and love assault rifles.  But, really most believers are okay as long as they don't try and make you believe what they believe.

Stick

Is the news that New Mexico generated 16,000 new jobs last year a good thing?  Well, it is better than a stick in the eye, but it is hardly worthy of praise coming from the editor of the Journal and head of the Chamber of Commerce.  Those two seemed joined at the hip in turning tepid news into sensational news.  The fact is it is pretty dismal performance and probably represents jobs at the lowest levels of wages.  This is the Journal's way of saying that the republican Governor and Mayor of Albuquerque are actually showing leadership.

Speaking of sticks in the eye, I had an APD family comment on some of my comments that surely shows the 'us vs. them' attitude is still alive and well at APD.  This is all because of a comment I made that the death of an officer from a heart attack was sad, but that this kind of attention would never be afforded other city workers with dangerous jobs.  Here is the comment that I think is the main problem with the culture at APD.  It is hateful.

Lynette wrote: "Jim Baca, Excuse you, SIR! Who the hell are you to be speaking in this manner? Perhaps you are upset because when you die, (you are old, so I'm hoping you are right with your maker), no one will care. WHY you say? Because you sir, are an asshole! Take that from a women who knows better! My APD family mourns this loss. Your opinion on the matter is neither important or valued! You are dismissed and a disgrace to this city!"

And there  you are.  APD's problems for all to see.

Misc.

City Councillor Dan Lewis got on my case on the peculiar story about an APD officer who succumbed to a heart attack on Thursday.  I had made a comment that it was a sad thing, but that it was evidence of a PR machine at APD that it got so much attention.  I said that many other city workers with just as dangerous jobs would never get that attention.  If they died on the job you would never hear about it.  Lewis then criticized the fact that as Mayor I never set up a PR machine for those other workers.  How utterly weird!   Lewis is one of the councillors that sat on their butts for years before finally paying attention to APD's problems.  I had actually thought Lewis did the right thing when he finally signed a letter asking for a Justice Department investigation, but it was a long time coming.

So, I hear that Lobo athletes will now get payments.  I am all for college students getting aid in their endeavors.  But how about all the kids who are struggling with loans and costs that don't happen to be jocks?  Things are turning upside down at UNM.  Thank the NCAA.

It is good to see the Bernalillo County Commission blinking on the ill advised Santolina land development 10 miles west of the city.  I hope Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins will keep asking really hard questions.  This whole situation really points out the need for a consolidated City and County government political leadership.  It will probably never happen as little politicos protect their turf.  Maybe in a more enlightened age?

Misc.

One of New Mexico's longest tenure journalists is retiring and it is sad to see.  John Roberston of the Journal, a fair minded reporter, has announced his departure.  He has been undergoing treatment for cancer and is doing well.  I  have known John since the 70's when newspapers mostly reported the news as fairly as they could.  He was a star in his profession.  He could write accurately because he always checked his facts and made sure no partisanship entered into his longtime role as a political reporter.  The Journal will miss his expertise.  If you want to read John's blog you will find a thoughtful piece just about every day.  See it here.

The oil and gas boys are trying to drum up support, via the Farmington Daily Times editorial board, to get royalty rates reduced on stripper wells in New Mexico.  They say they aren't feasible with the drop in oil prices.  If Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn does this he will violate his fiduciary responsibility.  And if you think about it, where were these oil boys when prices were outrageously high?  Were they offering to pay more royalties?

The NM GOP is hiring a new staff.  It doesn't appear that any Latinos were amongst the new leadership.  Maybe the party right wingers are worried about valid drivers licenses.

Misc.

We are trying something new in our household.  We will now only get the Sunday editions of the Journal and New York Times and read the digital versions on all other days.  We tried it for the first time today and both the Journal and Times have excellent apps that make it seem like you have an actual paper.  Except no ink stains and small print.  At least on iPads.  Bobbi traded in her old one yesterday for a new one with better screen capabilities.  I really like the font size options on the digital versions.  As for the crosswords, I will now just buy books full of them.

I am getting convinced that social media is turning America into a land of paranoid citizens.  We have had some problems with crime in our close north valley neighborhood, although the overall crime rate is down.  Now every time there is an incident the list serve fills up with scared comments and how everything is going to hell around here.  Yesterday someone saw two strangers in our public park and called the police because they might be homeless drug addicts.  They were asleep in the park and not causing any problems, but well, they were just there!  The good thing is that neighbors around here really look out for each other.  We did manage to get one of the burglars arrested by working with APD.

County Commissioner Art de la Cruz should opt out of voting on that ill advised Santolina development on the far...far west side of Albuquerque.  Even before he was to listen to testimony on the project, he was supporting it on the Albuquerque Journal's OPED page.  A huge blunder on is part.

Commissioners on the Precipice

Bernalillo County Commissioners have done a outrageously poor job of managing in the last few years.  They just raised our taxes because they were fiscally irresponsible and have walked themselves into an almost 20% deficit.  That is huge. Now they are asking department heads to cut 10% from their budgets.  This is draconian but necessary due to their malfeasance.

 Now they want to compound problems  by getting ready to approve the master plan for the Santolina mega development on the west side of Albuquerque. This will be another long term financial disaster for all of  us, unless some very hard and stringent requirements are insisted upon to keep the county from raiding taxpayer pockets to pay subsidies for the developers.

Of course all of this is happening at the same time the close in Mesa Del Sol project is languishing because of our horrible economy in Albuquerque and New Mexico.  The weak leadership we are experiencing in the Governor's and Mayor's office in job creation has slowed down the recovery of that ready to go development.  And so, why should we let the county commit us to a development ten miles out of Albuquerque?  This all happens at the same time many existing county areas are in great need of redevelopment and infrastructure investment.