My Page: Heath Haussamen

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Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen

In a stunningly foolish act, a nonprofit board that has authority over public companies’ accounting standards on Friday quietly got rid of a rule that requires banks to value their assets at what they’re currently worth. Instead, banks can now boost their books by valuing their assets at what they estimate they will be worth when the economy gets better. [more]

Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen

N.M. Gov. Bill Richardson has every reason in the world to sign a bill that would open conference committees and many other legislative meetings to the public, and no reason to veto it -- if the public’s interest is his motive.

If he has ulterior motives -- such as using a public-policy proposal he has endorsed for years as a bargaining chip with powerful lawmakers who would like to see it die -- that’s a different story. [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

The New Mexico Legislature has taken two important steps toward increasing transparency and changing its own culture this session -- steps that will make it more difficult for any ethically challenged lawmakers to abuse power in the future. [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

I have nothing more than a gut feeling, but my money is on Gov. Bill Richardson opting to sign a bill that would make New Mexico the 15th state to repeal the death penalty. For the politically savvy and embattled governor, there’s nearly every reason in the world to sign the bill -- from a political standpoint -- and few to veto it. [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

Would you believe that the House Appropriations and Finance Committee actually had the gall on Wednesday to table a bill that would open legislative conference committees and some other currently closed-door meetings to the public?

That even in these times, when the Richardson administration is dogged by pay-to-play allegations, when the former Senate president has admitted to using the legislative process to help steal millions of dollars in taxpayer money, when scandal after scandal after scandal is further jading an already skeptical public, the majority of members of the committee voted to shelve a proposal that would increase transparency and public confidence in the Legislature? [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

Let me get this straight: With the new stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama this week, we’re borrowing more money so we can spend more money to generate more spending of money so that we'll have more money to spend -- when this started with spending money we didn’t have in the first place. [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

This isn’t Washington, where dollars for bridges to nowhere get added to controversial legislation to legally bribe lawmakers into voting for it. In Santa Fe, binding together a number of contentious proposals only increases the number of opponents of the bill.

If I didn’t know better, I’d be tempted to think the omnibus bill was an attempt to kill ethics reform once again. Oh, wait -- this is Santa Fe. Of course that’s what the omnibus bill is about. [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

It’s no secret that most judges don’t like their cases tried in the media. That’s why most attorneys don’t turn their clients’ lawsuits into media circuses. So the actions of Victor Marshall and his client, Frank Foy, who is alleging in a civil lawsuit a pay-to-play scheme involving the Richardson administration, should raise eyebrows. This isn’t the ongoing federal, criminal grand jury investigation into allegations that the Richardson administration traded a lucrative state bond contract for $110,000 in contributions to Richardson political committees and his 2006 gubernatorial campaign. This is the allegation that the administration made state investments with Vanderbilt Financial and affiliated companies in exchange for a little more than $15,000 in contributions to Richardson’s 2008 presidential campaign. [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

The simple truth is this: New Mexico is the fifth-largest state in the nation, land-wise, and it’s one of the poorest states around. For the vast majority of residents, traveling to Santa Fe -- a drive that could be as long as five hours -- to attend a legislative hearing is at least impractical, if not impossible. Many opponents of webcasting know this, and I suspect they like it because it gives them more power. [more]

Diary of a Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen

The pressure is already on Obama from some corners to abandon his lofty ideals in favor of a more partisan scheme. Obama’s potential is great, but I hope he takes heed of Bush’s failure so he can avoid making the same mistakes. [more]

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