When I ran for my first elective office back in 1981 I won a primary election that was said to be un-winnable for me. That culminated in my first term as State Land Commissioner. I won the primary for a lot of reasons, but possibly the one that put me over the top was the Oil Pump Jack that had been placed in front of the Land Office by then Commissioner Alex Armijo. He managed to estrange every voter in Santa Fe by this callous placement on one of the main entryways into the historical Plaza. I was running against Armijo's picked successor, Oscar Jordan in the Democratic Primary. He had the support of all of the extractive industry folks that normally plundered the Land Office due to low royalty rates and subsidized grazing fees. But when the votes came in from Santa Fe and environs in the north that Primary election night, I beat the machine. That pump jack that had sat in front of the Land Office won it for me.
Cicero said, "We learn nothing from history except we learn nothing from history." Current right-winger Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn just decided he would remove the beautiful public art from the front of the land office and replace it with a pump jack. A symbolic and yet real step backwards from a more enlightened era for the Land Office.
4 comments:
Mr. Dunn is guaranteeing himself a full campaign war chest. Probably a campaign promise to his supporters who financed him. New Mexicans will actually pay for this, as we always do.
Another Sinatra "I did it my way" Republican!! Why don't they just put a denim jacket on the existing sculpture? O and a dead coyote too! Like my friend says " you can't invent this crap" it just too good not to laugh at.
The Journal's report on this has drawn many comments and every single one criticizes this mind boggling decision. Someone's even talking about a lawsuit
The Journal's editorial writer is no doubt in tears. Mayor Barry though is now pondering turning over the Bosque to oil drilling. Don't forget he wants to privatize the Bosque and bring in fast food restaurants, tattoo shops and a massage parlor.
Another laughing moment Jim. Today's journal page A 8, two men with shovels clearing approx. 200yards by 20 feet , times two lanes. Gee why didn't they use the Bosque bobcat or would have been too simple? Or weren't any of Tricky Dicks contractor friends willing to over bill the city for snow removal? Jim this is what happens when the city brain trust depleats the work force only to rely on contractor friends!!!
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