Diary of a Mad Voter
Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen
A Microcosm Of NM’s Corrupt Political SystemIn recent weeks, it’s become crystal clear that New Mexico’s Public Regulation Commission is a mess. State government in New Mexico has been plagued by scandal in recent years. The PRC is a microcosm of that scandal. [more]
Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen
Town-Hall Violence Isn’t Helping AnythingA libertarian activist in Albuquerque crossed a line on Friday when he advocated physical violence against members of left-leaning groups at town hall meetings on health-care reform.
I’m not giving the guy the publicity of linking to his page or publishing his name, but I will tell you that he posted messages on Twitter stating that people should use “retaliation… be it verbal or physical” against members of ACORN and the Service Employees International Union if they decide to attend or disrupt town-hall meetings and should “hurt them. Badly.”
[more]
Political Commentary: Joan McCarter
John McCain Holds Up Interior
Six months into a new administration, plenty of jobs are still being filled, and plenty of new policies enacted. But in some key cases--a few very prominent, some obscure, agency chairs are sitting vacant. For the most part, the nominees have been picked, are ready and waiting. But for various reasons, sometimes purely spiteful and petty, sometimes principled, Republican Senators are refusing to allow the nominations to go forward. That's what's happening now with two key Interior positions, where John McCain's ego seems to be holding up the works on a number of policy fronts. [more]
Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen
In New Mexico: Teague vs. Pearce Battle Is A Clash Of The TitansSouthern New Mexico, get ready for a deluge of political advertisements and national media attention that will last through November 2010. This week’s announcement that Republican Steve Pearce will try to retake his old U.S. House seat from Democrat Harry Teague sets up what is certain to be one of the most hotly contested and high-profile House races in the nation next year. [more]
Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen
Should Ben Lujan Remain Speaker of the N.M. House?Does the value of property increase when a highway interchange is built near it? Of course it does. So the fact that the state Department of Transportation abruptly moved the site of a proposed interchange to four-tenths of a mile from land owned by House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Nambe, in 2007 should raise eyebrows. Of course, Lujan has been doing things for years that should raise the eyebrows of anyone who cares about honest and ethical government, so perhaps the revelations contained in Sunday’s Albuquerque Journal article about the DOT project shouldn’t come as a surprise.
[more]
Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen
Ethics Reforms New Mexico NeedsManny Aragon. Michael Montoya. Robert Vigil. Roberta Vigil. Eric Serna. Bill Richardson.
Those are the names of scandal-plagued public officials the Albuquerque Journal mentions in a weekend editorial in arguing that New Mexico’s “shoddy record is out of proportion with the state’s progress toward ethics reform.”
[more]
Commentary: Joan McCarter
Baucus and Grassley’s Health Care Reform Dance
You don't need Grassley's tweets to understand that he isn't approaching health care reform in good faith or what his vision on bipartisanship is when it comes to health care reform. Bipartisanship in his mind means what it usually means to Republicans--Dems capitulating on a public option. He makes it absolutely clear in a letter he sent to President Obama, along with a handful of his Republican colleagues.
[more]
Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen
Wall Street Journal Ignoring Facts In Its Attack On New Mexico AGThe Wall Street Journal went after New Mexico Attorney General Gary King this weekend for a third time in its ongoing “pay-to-sue” assault. Its new editorial reveals that the newspaper is not treating King fairly and is doing a disservice to its readers. [more]
Political Commentary: Joan McCarter
Terrorism in KansasDr. George Tiller was a husband, father, grandfather, friend, valued and respected member of his community and his church. And he was a doctor. An important doctor, who provided a difficult but extremely critical service to thousands of women. He was one of just three doctors in this nation who provided that service, and because he did so, he became a terrorist's target.
[more]
Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen
Please, Save Some Bullets For The CopsDespite the fear mongering, further restrictions on firearms are not going to happen, at least not any time soon. When Obama’s attorney general mentioned bringing back the assault-weapons ban in February, 65 House Democrats signed a letter to the AG telling him they won’t support that idea. That means there are enough Democrats who oppose such a proposal to ensure its death. [more]
