Smart Alec

Much to my chagrin the hotel I stayed in at Salt Lake City was hosting a convention of the American Legislative Exchange Council.  That is the right wing group that is funded by corporate America to write model legislation for state legislatures that are usually detrimental to human's well being.  They are the guys that wrote the 'stand your ground' law in Florida that is causing so much trouble.  They also are infamous in trying to gut environmental protections around the country.

I witnessed one of their members in the parking lot hurriedly walking towards the lobby as he was talking to himself.  He looked crazed.  Inside the leader of this group was telling everyone that Alec would not be bullied by anyone.  This coming from the best of bullies.  He thanked the few remaining corporate sponsors he had, including UPS and the oil boys, for not deserting the organization like better thinking companies did after the Florida shooting of Trayvon Martin.  Outside in a park a coalition of community groups held a very effective news conference explaining just how bad these guys are.

The whole thing was covered rather well by a real newspaper, The Salt Lake Tribune.  Oh, that we had them here in New Mexico where all we get are right wing editorials from the Journal that  spill into their daily news coverage.  Sign on to their website some day to see what a decent paper is looking like these days.

Having said that, one of the true journalists left at the Journal is somewhat hurt by my attacks on the Journal coverage of the Racino bid rigging allegations against the Martinez administration.  This journalist says they have done a good job in breaking this story.  I will admit they have covered it, but it now seems to be disappearing.  A short lived thing.  However, they are still dragging Governor Richardson's name into every thing that is wrong in state government.  It is really easy for everyone to see.  I hope I am wrong and that there is serious investigations occurring by the Journal into this scandal and the one involving the NMFA too.