Is Chairman of The Democratic Party of New Mexico Anti-Women?

The chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico is busy trying to help Gary King loss his race so that he can run in four years for the same position. He is busy removing women from chairmanships within the party that they were elected to in the first place. He is replacing them with men that hate women.

The party chairman is doing this at a time when he can attack anyone who stands up to him by claiming that we should all be working together during an election cycle. The chairman is planting his own male supporters in key positions within the party so that they can silences any opponent for the next election. He is also using women who hate other women to fill positions. These women are hard core attorneys who feel that normal women are too soft or weak.  

I soundly dislike good old boy types that think they can dismiss women just because of their sex. I have known Gary King for years and he respects women. He listens to them and hears what they say about their issues. He is not a man who only cares about the rich in this state. He is our candidate for governor and we support him! The party chairman is everything and more that Martinez is accusing Gary King of being.

I emailed and facebooked the man that the chairman placed in Nancy Denker’s position on the platform’s committee the day before yesterday and even though he has the title of Director of Communication and Rapid Response, Mr. Harwell has still not returned my request for an answer as to why he would support a removal of a committee chairwomen without due process.  

A number of women within the Democratic Party have expressed their displeasure privately with the failure on the party chairman’s part to work with women in good faith on many issues. Equality for women is an important issue that the women in the party take very seriously. Dismissing request for answers as to why a long time grassroots female democrat is being mistreated and bullied is a major concern. Refusing to speak with a blogger just because she represents the views of women is also very disturbing. Politics is not a game where women can be excluded. 

September 11, 2014 a Time to Remember

I was standing in the facility office watching a television that was setup to show videos to students. Someone had found a wire hanger and fashioned it into an antenna so we could see what was going on. We watched in horror as the first of the twin towers fell. Shortly after we were all sent home to watch the news and be with our own families. My daughter was in grade school and I had found out about the attacks on the radio that morning when the plane hit the Pentagon. I had almost turned the car around at that point to take my daughter home but decided even if the country was under attack that Albuquerque would be the last place to face danger.

I knew from the sound of jet fighters taking off at Kirkland Air Force base that morning that something strange was going on. In my neighborhood you call that sound a early warning system.  Later in the day and for the next few days the skies were clear of commercial planes as the country determined if it was safe to allow planes back into our airspace. The only sound was that of fighter planes taking off from the base.

September 11, 2001 taught most Americans to make sure to tell their children in the morning that they are loved by both parents. It was hard to watch so many Americans loss their lives in a senseless act of violence that day. We remember this day as some Americans still remember Pearl Harbor. Whenever America is attacked on our own soil we remember the loss of life far more than if the individuals were killed in a war far off.

Since that day Americas have learned to live in fear of another attack. As a child I remember practicing what to do if the Soviet Union bombed our country. I was always thankful until that day that our children had not thought much about safety because we were at peace in our own homeland. Now they face dealing with security checks everywhere. Like my generation they lost a little of their childhood security because of that attack. We learned again the hard way that events that happen around the world can and do come to our shores at some point if left unchecked. We don’t want war in other parts of the world but when Americans are attacked far away then we must react to make sure that our country remains a safe place for the everyday lives of our children.

Yesterday President Obama addressed the nation on the issue of ISIS and what must be done to ensure that they will not be a danger to our citizens both here and abroad. Americans are very supportive of the actions he is taking to stop this group from spreading terror. We understand that at times we must make such individuals fear for their own safety if they threaten or take the lives of Americans. Justice is not always a peaceful and kind approach to ending conflict. It must never be our first answer but in the end if pushed too far then America must react to defend our own, in doing so we make the world a more peaceful place to live for all. 

Wrong Words from a Campaign at Wrong Time

I support Gary King for governor because I hope that he can do more then Governor Susana Martinez to encourage job growth in this state. We are at rock bottom when it comes to jobs in this state. I also like the way King supports teachers and funding education to create a well-trained work force. The educational policies that Governor Martinez has created have only harmed our educational system and reduced the skills levels of our children. I have no problem with his views on protecting the environment from large corporations that would destroy future usage of our lands for our children. Governor Martinez has sold us out to large corporations for endless amounts of money to finance her current campaign.

I do however think it is wrong to say anything about Governor Martinez’s nationality. I personally don’t think she has a kind and giving heart when it comes to New Mexicans. I just don’t understand why our candidates have to always put their foot in their mouths when it comes to this issue.

I know a large number of Hispanics are telling King’s campaign staffers that they will vote for Governor Martinez because she is Hispanic even though she has only harmed our state in the long run. This has to be difficult for someone like Gary who was born and raised in New Mexico. 

Governor Martinez was born in Texas and does not understand the culture of New Mexico. I do know that some Hispanics especially those in the north do view Governor Martinez as a bigot when it comes to protecting Hispanics in this state from rich white people from Texas. She picked on Speaker Lujan for not speaking English well and that offended a lot of Hispanics in the Northern part of this state. It would appear that Governor Martinez has no problem with offending Hispanics in the northern part of this state.

When it comes to race I know that most people view it as correct for members of the same race to attack each other for their weaknesses to fit into popular white culture, while someone from another race will be attacked for doing the same thing to the individual who attacked individuals from their own race. Governor Martinez has no solid ground to stand on when it comes to issues, so she will always play the race or gender card if she is given even a slight chance. 

2014 Endorsements for NM Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court Judges

  2014 Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court Endorsements by Mary

Governor Martinez Fails Yet Again on Jobs

Well the news has leaked out that the new gigafactory that Teslas is building will not come to New Mexico. Governor Martinez has failed once again to develop new jobs for the State of New Mexico. She has been failing in this area for the past three and a half years. Democrats don’t want to give her another four more years to drive all businesses out of this state. Ours is the only state, which is losing jobs in the Southwest. 

Governor Martinez will most likely blame the loss of this factory on the democratic candidate for governor because she refuses to take responsibility for her own failures. The governor has been airing advertisements blaming Gary King for not raising the minimum wage yet it was her veto pen that killed the last attempt to raise the minimum wage in the state. It has been Governor Martinez’s educational policies that have decreased the math and reading skill levels in this state over the past few years. And it is the governor’s inaction about water pollution issues at Kirkland Air Force Base that put the final nail in the coffin of any deal with Teslas.

Mayor Richard Berry has been no great help in attracting new jobs to the metropolitan area. He could not negotiate himself out of a paper bag even on the best of days. His inability to control his own police force has made national news and attracted the attention of the Department of Justice. His lack of foresight and culture has failed to move the state’s largest city forward on many issues. His total disregard when it comes to enforcing the city’s minimum wage does not set a good example. The City of Albuquerque at this point does not present a positive picture to businesses looking for a new location to build factories.

Was it only four or five short years ago that businesses were moving to the city thanks to Governor Richardson and Mayor Chavez. I am sure that there are a lot of families that would like nothing better than to turn back the clock to those bygone days. Governor Martinez says she wants to move forward but at what cost to the voting public of this state. She is attempting to portray Gary King as a supporter of the upper class but King is not the one taking the Koch brother’s money is he?  

2014 Endorsements for Second District Court, NM

  2014 Second District Court Endorsements by Mary

Money is Power in America

Riots in poor neighborhoods and business districts going on for days are not getting the voices of the public head. The real answer would be to move the riots and protests into rich neighborhoods. Making the rich fear home damage or destruction would get the issues settled much faster. Making the rich white people breathe tear gas would bring the reality home. Taking the fight to the people who have the ear of local politicians would produce results. Having African Americans or Hispanic Immigrates marching up and down the tree-lined streets with well-manicured lawns of the rich would get their attention quickly.   

America is not a democracy. Our country has become an oligarchy, where the rich elite control the power both politically and economically. The people need to take the fight for equality and justice to the front doors of the people who wield the power to make changes in this country.  

Showing up on the doorstep of your local state and federal representatives might just get a reaction, especially during an election year. Nothing like having a picture of their homes on the evening news to get a little action to settle the voting public’s issues.

So, the next time the voting public has an issue in New Mexico don’t forget to take the protest to the people in control.

Debunking the Myths of the Judicial Selection Commission

After reading recent articles published in the Albuquerque Journal as of late, you might think that the Judicial Selection Commission is a nonpartisan group of judges, lawyers, and lay people who represent the best interest of all the voting public. Boy! Would you be dead wrong.

The commission that picks judges is not nonpartisan but bipartisan in nature. This means the group is made-up of an equal number of democrats and republicans. Leading republicans and democrats in state government appoint these individuals, not elected, to the commission. As we, all know our leading democrats got their positions in state government by leaning to the far right of the Democratic Party in the first place.

Here is a list of the commission members who nominated candidates for the second district court this year and the names of the people who appointed them. Party officials do not appoint judges to the commission and the state bar appoints lawyers from both parties to the commission:

Democrats

The Honorable Nan G. Nash
2^nd Judicial District Court

Kevin Martinez, Esq.
Walter K Martinez Law office
Appointed by Speaker Ken Sanchez

Kelly Smyer
Appointed by Speaker Ken Sanchez

Patricia Williams, Esq.
Wiggins, Williams & Wiggins
Appointed by Mary K Papen

State Senator Linda Lopez
Appointed by Mary K. Papen

Clara Moran, Esq.
Appointed by State Bar

Republicans

The Honorable Roderich T. Kennedy
New Mexico Court of Appeals

Robert M. Doughty, III Esq.
Appointed by Governor Martinez

Michael  Brasher
Appointed by Governor Martinez

Mary Torres, Esq.
Appointed by State Bar

Jason Bowles, Esq.
Appointed by State Bar

Robert J. Gorence
Appointed by State Bar

Also not listed as either Democrat or Republican is:             
David Herring, Dean
UNM Law School

The Honorable Edward I Chavez, Independent
New Mexico Court of Appeals

As you can see this group of Individuals is far from being nonpartisan. Two candidates have sued the Democratic Party saying that their names should be place on the ballot in November because they are democrats selected by this type of commission to be appointed by Governor Martinez until a partisan election is held. This would totally exclude any say that the voting public might have in the selection of judgeships.


I have no problem with candidates for judgeships having to prove their legal qualifications, experience, and moral ethics. However, I do have a problem with those individuals having to prove that they lean to the right.

Therefore, the next time a candidate says they should be voted for because the Judicial Selection Commission chose them, you might want to ask yourself just how far this person leans to the right.  

And the next time the Democratic Party Chairman says he approves of this selection process, you just might want to ask yourself exactly how far to the right does he lean.

Breaking Down the Digital Divide for New Mexican Children

I am taking courses at UNM for a Training and Technology degree. One of the common issues that we face is the lack of support for individuals who live in small towns and cities to have equal access to the internet. In large cities such as Albuquerque libraries have free internet. A lot of coffee shops also have free internet. The problem is that smaller cities and towns have no access to internet without paying large sums of money for the privilege.

In the field of education, we call this issue the digital divide. It has a profound effect on the ability of children and adults to succeed in a world that is more and more dependent on the internet for things like education and job applications. Once a child could move from a small city or town and find a higher paying job in the larger cities. Without the experience of using the internet that road to success is blocked for individuals coming from small cities and towns. What we take for granted in the larger cities is something that not all New Mexican children have access to today.  

Roads were not built for just those who could afford them or for big cities. Bridges were not built in this country only for the rich. The internet is a superhighway for the information age. Children and adults alike need access to that highway if they are going to get anywhere in today’s society.  

The first step to improving this issue is to stop giving children physical books and start giving them e-readers. This would give them access to many free books through the internet and through online book companies. Next, all cities should have free internet access in their libraries statewide. This would give online access to adults and children alike. Lastly, small towns and cities in New Mexico should be given support by the state to develop the infrastructure that would allow reliable access to the internet.  

By building this infrastructure the state would build a pathway for our young people to attain jobs. An infrastructure would also attract companies that could provide much needed jobs in this state. As in the past where companies would not come to towns and cities that did not have highway access now companies will not come to towns and cities that don’t have access to the informational highway we call the internet. The current governor of New Mexico lacks the foresight to invest in such projects. We need a governor that knows how to attract jobs and provide a good education to our children.  

Opening the Primaries to Independent Voters

The Winds of change are blowing in the Democratic Party. The party chairman has changed his mind and now supports open primaries. Young women, and yes men, who decline to state a party, will be able to vote in the Democratic Party Primary in 2016. The chairman said that he will change the party rules to allow independents to vote even without a change in the law.  Representative Emily Kane and State Senator Bill O’Neill will introduce a bill to open all primaries to independent voters this next year during the annual meeting of the legislature.  

The Republican Party, to no one’s surprise, does not welcome the change. We can count on Governor Martinez vetoing any bill pasted that would open the primaries to independent voters if by some chance she was reelected. The Republican Party stated that they fear that independents would move their party more to the middle and therefore do not want young people involved in the voting process unless of course they are die-hard extremists.

Currently, there is a lawsuit working its way through the court system that would force the major parties to open their primaries because of the constitutional right to allow everyone to vote. The issue does have merit since no voter should ever be turned away during an election paid for by taxpayers. Perhaps the court will say that if the state pays for the cost of a primary election than that vote should be open to all taxpayers and not just members of the major parties. This would allow republicans to keep their closed dying primary system for a little more time until they drive all rational people from their party.  

At any rate this is a small victory for the voting public since it will increase voter turnout during the primaries. It will allow more of the public to have a say in their local, state, and federal government. Too often primaries are limited to one party and the general election is nothing more than a formality. Perhaps this will force more candidates to attend open free events prior to very late November.

Both parties still need to deal with the fact that fewer candidates are attending free open events where young people can speak to the candidates about their issues. I had my nineteen year old daughter speak to Congresswomen Michelle Lujan Grisham about her experience when it came to Obamacare at the National Night Out event. She will now have the assistance of her congresswomen to help her get through a broken system. Most young people cannot afford $50 or a $100 just to be able to speak to an elected official during the campaigning season. Congresswomen Lujan Grisham is one of the few elected official that still care enough about young voters to get out and attend free events where the younger people can find time to talk with their representatives. Parades are not a good venue for these types of discussions since very little serious conversation goes on while you are walking a parade route.    

National Night Out and the Decay of a Neighborhood

The entire purpose of National Night Out is to get people to care about their local community. If more eyes are on the street than less crime happens. You would think that a mayor would want communities on the edge of troubled areas to be the first to have gatherings on such a night. You would think that the mayor would reach out to community groups that were falling a part to help them to develop the network to have strong neighborhood associations. With Mayor Berry and the communities that surround the International district in the Southeastern part of the City of Albuquerque you would be entirely wrong.

Parkland Hills Neighborhood association is just one example of a group that has falling by the wayside during the administration of Mayor Berry due to a lack of caring and administrative support. The Parkland Hills Neighborhood Association has not updated it website since December of 2013. It did not put on a gathering during National Night Out. This neighborhood association is on the fringes of an area of the city that has been in a downward spiral since the beginning of the Great Recession. The first major business to go in that area was a movie rental store on the corner of Kathryn and San Mateo. Next was the Lovelace Hospital. Lastly, came all the small stores along San Mateo between Kathryn and Gibson along with the local branch of the Bank of the West.

The bank moved because it became unsafe for people to work in that neighborhood across for the old hospital site. Customers were being approached by aggressive homeless people at the teller machine. Drugs were being sold out of the local McDonald’s parking lot on the corner of Gibson and San Mateo. The local Seven-Eleven on Kathryn and San Mateo was selling tall cans of beer to individuals who clearly had a drinking problem. Police can be seen next to that store on a weekly base. The City would do nothing to stop the behavior. The Mayor moved a needle exchange into the neighborhood down the street on San Mateo. Businesses like payday loan companies started to move into the strip along San Mateo.

The homeless are beginning to spend more time moving into the Parkland Hills neighborhoods. It started a few years ago when people in the neighborhood notices that businesses along the West side of San Mateo were being broken into for their cash. Drug addicts were shooting up behind the stores. Within a few months one car wash was just out of business because of all the break-ins. Next it was the laundry facilities at a local apartment complex where individuals were breaking in to get the quarters. Before long groups of homeless individuals were crossing the streets every morning to invade the nicer neighborhoods looking for places to break into and just hanging out. On one occasion you would have saw a homeless women wrapped in an old dirty blanket ambling down Ridgecrest Drive while being passed by well-dressed joggers. Parkland Hills is an older neighborhood with residents in their later stages of life. This makes them a prime target for drug addicts looking for an easy mark. Yet, you see a mayor who cares nothing for the community. He is too busy dumping sex offenders in the streets across San Mateo to be bothered with what it is doing to an old neighborhood in that area.     

The Problem with Political Power Grabs

The problem with limiting the number of people who vote to either elect an individual or place someone on a major party ballot is that it drives people out of the party. People who desire control often attempt to drive people out of their party. Just look at what the Tea Party has done to the Republican Party in the last few years. I have friends who are republicans and they are ashamed of their own party for the lack of inclusiveness. In the past, I have always told them that they are welcome in the Democratic Party. I have to wonder if that is the case at present.   

The lawsuit that would open the primaries up to people who decline to state a party would invite more individuals to vote during the primaries. You can never criticize encouraging more people to cast ballots in our state. The Democratic Party is moving in the wrong direction under the current chairman by excluding voters from key processes. The party does not have large open events because that would allow all the voters to get to know the candidates.  It has become all about giving exclusive access to candidates to only rich people who can afford large dollar events. We are less than a hundred days away from the election but we are seeing very few open events where people can get to know their candidates.

It would be very sad to see the Democratic Party go the way of the Republican Party by only reaching out to the rich. In the past, we would be seeing large campaign events that welcomed everyone to shake hands with the candidates and ask valuable questions. Now all the parties are asking give me $50 or $100 or more dollars just to be in the same room with a candidate. The Fourth of July event at the balloon fiesta field saw just one lonely candidate with a booth. I still remember a time when the event would have been packed with candidates who were interested in getting to know the voters.

I hear from some that candidates are not the best we have every picked. I hear that some are 9 to 5 candidates who limit the amount of time they wish to spend on the job. This will not encourage the type of interaction that can solve issues facing our country or our state. You have to fear that without more voter involvement that our voting process is becoming one where only the rich and powerful matter and that more of the voting public will become disenfranchised. More women are likely to become disenfranchised because they are often the ones who earn the least in this country and this state. You have to wonder if maybe that is the goal of some individuals who see women as only play toys. 

Does Saying It Often Enough Make It True?

Well, Governor Martinez is spending big money on commercials telling the world how much teachers in New Mexico love her. Funny most of my coworkers and friends are teachers and they all tell me how much they hate her and her Secretary-Designate  for the Public Education Department. Governor Martinez cannot even get that women confirmed by the state senate because she lacks the required qualifications.

Governor Martinez started her campaign four years ago by saying to her debate staff how over paid teachers were in the first place. How she would cut their pay because they did not work hard. In the last four years she has driven hundreds of teachers out of the field either by retirement or they just resign because of poor working conditions. She has sold our online classes to large out of state companies so that taxpayers will have to pay not only for our children’s education but corporate profits as well. She has found ways to cut funding to higher education all in the name of reform.  

Teachers don’t like it when we graduate students who cannot find a job and end up committing street crimes just to get by in life. We work hard to give our students skills that will get those jobs but without a real opportunity children have to leave the state to find work. Parents don’t want to see their children leaving the state and maybe never coming home. Even more so they don’t want to see their children going to jail for life because of a lack of real work.

Many children are dropping out of school before eight-grade because they cannot pass Martinez’s test. Parents have no where to turn for help because of Martinez’s budget cuts and her selling out mental health services to Arizona companies that don’t understand our children’s problems. Martinez is too busy raising funds for her run for Vice-President to care about our children. She only gives out books to children because it makes for a good photo op. She does not think it through that the money would be better spent on E-readers so that the children could get free books from the library and publishing companies.

Leave it to Governor Martinez to waste taxpayer’s dollars on one time photo op stunts that don’t help our children in the long run. Governor Martinez claims to listen to teachers but fails to hear a word they say about educating our children. 

So the answer is “NO” teachers do not support or even like Governor Martinez. Maybe if we say it often enough she will get the message to stop lying!

Teachers Do Not Support Governor Martinez!

  

Young Dropout Students and Behavioral Health Services

Is the State Behavioral Health Services Division (BHSD) providing the services needed to youth at risk in the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico? Did Governor Martinez make a huge mistake by taking over the behavioral health services in the city? How well are our young adults being serviced by the current system? A system ran by outsiders from Arizona who has no understanding of what is going on in our city.

You have to wonder why the three young men that killed two Native American homeless men in our city did not show up on the radar of school officials when it came to their mental health status. Our society does not approve of children attacking adults from any culture in this city. The parent of one of these young men told a local news station that he did not know where to turn for help. Has budget cuts by Arizona companies caused an increase in violent crimes committed by young adults in our city. Should the Governor take the blame for failing these young adults? Where is the outreach to parents of children who drop out of city school early?

Should our communities really be surprised that young men who have no hope of getting jobs turn to violent crime as a way to make money?  Homeless individuals are among the most vulnerable in our communities. The homeless have no place to lock up the small amounts of money they have that would be safe. They are often on drugs and/or alcohol so that their judgment is impaired. Some are returning veterans who have difficulties due to brain injuries from the wars. Some of the homeless are just mentally ill themselves. Homeless individuals make prime targets for young possibility mentally ill individuals looking to harm others and make a few dollars in the process. The three young men who killed the two homeless men clearly displayed signs of antisocial behavior.

Where is the governor in all this mess? Why has the major not done more to deal with the homeless in this city? Crimes against the homeless have been around for a long time yet little has been done during the current recession to reduce the number of people on the streets of our city. Heading Home is a good program but it is far too limited in resources to handle the thousands of homeless in this city. Why is there not already an outreach program that makes sure that homeless individuals feel safe to report crimes committed in our city. Could these deaths have been prevented if other crimes had been reported earlier? Mayor Berry’s answer is always to deal with the crisis rather than to spend enough money on prevention.       

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Yesterday Secretary of State John Kerry was in the Middle East trying to bring peace to the region. I have friends who are both Jewish and Palestinian. Each wants me to side with their views of this hateful event. Each wants me to see the pictures of their dead children. Children on both sides are being killed.  War is always a horrible answer to a conflict.

The problems in this region of the world go back to a time before I was born. I understand some of those feelings because my family is Irish and as Irish-Americans we faced those same issues of what the Irish call the troubles. It is a mild word for a long period of killing on both sides of the conflict. Parents and families would teach their children to hate the other side from birth. Children were told horror stories of how family members and friends of the family were murdered by the other side. What they did not tell their children was that some families intermarried with people from the other side. They also did not tell their children that hate would never stop the conflict. You cannot paint the other side of a conflict as demons and expect peace. How could anyone negotiate in good faith with a demon?

Real peace will come to Israel and Palestine, when people stop hating one another and start working together for peace over the objection of many of their own people. Ireland was able to achieve peace and so can the Middle East when men and women of vision understand that hate is not the answer that will lead to a peaceful world for their children.

We all say that we are against war when it comes to the United States but to truly be against war means to work for peace no matter where in the world conflict starts. I am hoping that John Kerry has success in his attempts to get the parties to stop shooting at each other. In the end it will be up to the leaders of Israel and Palestine to find a path to lasting peace. The first step will be to see that the other side is made up of people and not demons. 

Governor Martinez’s Failure Toward Our Children

New Mexico is once again at the bottom of the nation when it comes to child welfare. This year we ranked 49^th in the country. The governor sees this as progress? Our children go hungry. They do not have what they need to be successful in school. Yet where is the governor who promised to put our children first in this state? What is she doing to help our children success in life?

Since Governor Martinez moved into the fourth floor of the round house she has done nothing to help our children. She goes around handing out books as a photo op. and nothing more. She has driven hundreds of educations out of the field in this state. She has screwed up their pension plans. She has placed a unskilled women who knows nothing about teaching in charge of our school system. She is testing our children so much that they don’t know how to think for themselves any longer.

Her agency in charge of making sure children are protected when things go wrong in the home is standing by as children die. Saving money has been more important to her than saving the life of a child. Too often we see the faces of small children on television who were killed by their own parents. One of those children reached out for help only to be told that the people who would late kill him were good people.

Martinez has worked activity to prevent the growth of early childhood education. She prefers to demand punishment at the level of the third grade rather than helping younger children. State Senator Michael Padilla has worked tirelessly to help our child but has been block by the Governor every step of the way.  

Now we are seeing the results of high school testing that prevents our children from graduation. Students are dropping out of middle school and turning to street violence. Low income parents have nowhere to turn for help because of Governor Martinez's budget cuts that only please the Koch brothers.  These children have no hope for a job in our state because not even well educated adults are finding jobs thanks to Martinez’s failure to encourage job growth in our state. Where is the support to help our children succeed with these exams? Where is the campaign to encourage children to stay in school so that they can get a good job? The only thing that the governor has been campaigning for is Vice-President.

We need a real governor in New Mexico that puts the future of our children first.

Who is Nancy Franchini

Nancy Franchini is running for a district court position that was opened up after the primary election. The State Central Committee will vote for to place three candidates on the ballot before the election in November. These candidates will not run against democrats because the positions opened up after the primary. State Law requires that state central committee members choose a person to be appointed to the ballot for those three positions.

Nancy Franchini has practice in the private sector of  law for the past sixteen years. Her practice covered products liability, personal injury, employment, professional liability and other types of law. She has done some volunteer work in mock trials for the local schools. I encourages her along with all candidates to do more educational outreach to the adult community through none partisan groups such as neighborhood associations.  

Nancy Franchini Educational background is a J.D., 1997, University of New Mexico School of Law and a B.S. Business Administration Operations Management, 1994, University of Colorado

Her Professional Memberships & Activities are State Bar of New Mexico, New Mexico Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission 2011 to present, Commission on Professionalism, Mentor Vetting Committee 2011 to present, New Mexico Board Governing the Recording of Judicial Proceedings 2013 to present, New Mexico Bio-Park Society, Board Member 2013 to present, New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association, President 2011 & 2012, New Mexico Defense Lawyers Association, Executive Board Member 2007-2012, Defense Research Institute, Albuquerque Bar Association, Former Board Member of Membership Services Advisory Committee-State Bar of New Mexico, Former Member of Sandoval County Labor Relations Board, and Former High School Mock Trial Coach

Her other Distinctions include; Super Lawyers-Rising Star-2012 and Ms. Franchini has a “BV/Distinguished Attorney” rating by Martindale-Hubbell.

Nancy Franchini is a polite respectful candidate. She is well liked by the people who know her in the field of law. I have never experienced any type of disrespect from her during the times we were speaking to one another. She has the desire to be a fair and honest judge for the district court. I think she has the temperament to be a good judge for the district court. 

Political Culture of Hate

We see it on the news lately. People are blocking buses with women and children just because they are refugees from another country. Men taking their guns to Target stores just to prove that they can carry them in a public place. Militias are taking guns to the southern border to threaten children refugees who are attempting to cross the border. People holding protest signs in the faces of women outside of abortion clinics. 

Those same people telling women not to kill unborn babies while threatening to kill nurses and doctors. There are parents who call the President of the United States all kinds of hateful names in front of their children because of the color of his skin or where his father came from before he was even born. The conservative right is spreading hate and blaming people who just need help for all kinds of problems in this country.

Now we have teenagers beating and killing homeless people on central. People are beating the homeless, the people who help them, and I am sure it will not be long before the homeless start fighting back even before they are attacked. How long will it be before people start attacking or killing immigrants? Where will the violence end? When does freedom of speech become harmful to our society? We saw a Texas Congressional candidate along with other elected officials harassing a bus full of YMCA children because he mistook them for refugees. To what lengths is this behavior going to encourage young people filled with hate by their parents and political party to attack anyone they disagree with to the point that they will end up killing more people?  

The ability to talk about issues without resorting to violent has become a thing of the past. Party politics has turned into hate groups. Conservative parents are teaching their children to hate people because of their nationality, skin color, sexual orientation, and their social economic status. They are creating a culture of blame. This culture is causing hate crimes.

We must find a way to prevent this from going any further before more people are killed in our city and/or state.        

Democratic Party of New Mexico still not following the State Election Laws

Well this status was written in 1978 but has not been correctly followed by the Democratic Party of New Mexico for as long as I can remember. Now this year it will be enforced by the State Party Chairman to the complete surprise of everyone in the Democratic Party. The rules posted on the state party website had to be changed this year to conform to this state statue which is a law in New Mexico. I feel that this law should be changed during the next legislative session to reflex the practice of the party. Nowhere in the law does it state that only state central committee members for a specific district would appoint a candidate. Although that is how the party worded their changes. This law would allow state central committee members from any district to take part in voting on a district position. As a matter of fact it would require a vote from a majority of the State Central Committee in order to fill the position. This is because no item can be vote on by the State Central Committee unless they have a quote of its members. 

New Mexico State Status:

1-8-8. Vacancy on general election ballot; occurring after primary. 

A.   If after a primary election a vacancy occurs, for any cause, in the list of the nominees of a qualified political party for any public office to be filled in the general election, or a vacancy occurs because of the resignation or death of a person holding a public office not included in the governor's proclamation and which office is required by law to be filled at the next succeeding general election, or a vacancy occurs because a new public office is created and was not included in the governor's proclamation but is capable by law of being filled at the next succeeding general election, the vacancy on the general election ballot may be filled by: 

(1)   the central committee of the state political party filing the name of its nominee for the office with the proper filing officer when the office is a federal office, state office, district office or multicounty legislative district office; and

(2)   the central committee of the county political party filing the name of its nominee for the office with the proper filing officer when the office is a magistrate office, county office or legislative district office where the district is entirely within the boundaries of a single county.

B.   Appointments made pursuant to Subsection A of this section shall qualify pursuant to Section 1-8-18 NMSA 1978.

C.   Appointments to fill vacancies in the list of a party's nominees shall be made and filed at least fifty-six days prior to the general election.

D.   When the name of a nominee is filed as provided in this section, the name shall be placed on the general election ballot as the party's candidate for that office.

Oh, and don't forget people No Proxies by order of the state party chairman. 

Another Power Grab by the New Mexcio Democratic Party Chairman

Since I am on the Bernalillo County Central Committee I checked the rules just a week ago. They clearly stated under a different statement about filling Judicial seats which is now gone from the state party site that County and not state committee members voted for district judges as long as the seat was in one county. But a week later this was posted.

RULE 13. FILLING VACANCIES FOR NOMINEES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE

13-1. Vacancies Filled by State Central Committee. If a vacancy on the general election ballot occurs for a federal, state, district, or multi-county legislative district office, the nominee for the office shall be chosen by a vote of those State Central Committee members from the geographical area corresponding to the jurisdiction of the office that has been vacated. The State Chairperson, as presiding officer of the State Central Committee, shall file the name of the nominee selected for the office with the proper filing officer. (Chap. 1, Article 8, Election Handbook of the State of New Mexico, 2005 Edition.)

13-2. Vacancies Filled by County Central Committee. If a vacancy on the general election   ballot occurs for a magistrate, county, or a legislative district office where such district is entirely within the boundaries of a single county, the nominee for the office shall be chosen by a vote of those County Central Committee members from the geographical area corresponding to the jurisdiction of the office that has been vacated. The County Chairperson, as presiding officer of the County Central Committee, shall file the name of the nominee selected for the office with the proper filing officer. (Chap. 1, Article 8,Paragraphs 7 & 8 Election Handbook of the State of New Mexico, 2009 Edition.)

13-3. Call for a Meeting. A meeting to fill a vacancy according to Rule 13-1 shall be called by the State Chairperson. A meeting to fill a vacancy according to Rule 13-2 shall be called by the County Chairperson.

This is a power grab so that they have more influence over district court judges. Clearly since I was unaware of this change I did not run for state central committee.  `The main reason that  I am on county central committee is because of the court positions. Most if not a major number of the state committee members could care less about the district court positions. They know nothing about how to correctly choose a candidate for those positions. I will encourage voters not to VOTE for anyone appointed to these positions on the ballot if  they agree to support this unethical power grab from county central committee members. I for one did not vote for this change in the rules. Too much power in too few hands is unethical and not democratic! We need judges that serve the people and not a limited number of the party.

Oh, and let's not forget that the chairman has arbitrarily decided that there will be NO proxies.

Carlos F Pacheco Meet and Greet

Carlos F. Pacheco

On a hot Sunday afternoon in mid-July the campaigns for judicial seats are beginning to heat up as candidates attend parties to introduce themselves to the voters and Bernalillo County Central Committee members. Some of the candidates have already won places on the ballot during the party primary and other will be voted on by county central committee members come August 16^th.   

Mr. Pacheco is running for a position on New Mexico’s only Metropolitan Court here in Bernalillo County. I spoke with him about why he wants to be a judge. He expressed the view that he could bring a great deal to the court system by helping to support and develop alternative methods of sentencing.

The old way of just putting people behind bars and not reaching out to the community for support systems is not working in our city any longer. People are being shot by the police because they are out of control and the police are not equipped to handle their issues in a life or dead situation on our city streets. Community and court linked programs like Homeless Court and Healing to Wellness Court are just two ways to assist people in reducing the repeat behaviors that end in a tragic situation.

Other Judicial Candidates

Josh Boone, Nancy Franchini, Marie Ward, Erika Anderson

At Mr. Pacheco afternoon party, I was also able to speak with many other judicial candidates.









New Ideas for how to get judges to interact with the public

I also spoke with Terri Holland who is Ward Chairperson of Ward 19C in Albuquerque. The idea that developed is to encourage judges of both District and Metro Court to get out more and interact with the public. Since judges are not allowed to take part in political activities unless they are running for election, a new method of getting them out has to be developed. The answer lies with the funding that the state provides to judges for speaking.

The suggestion was made and I was encouraged to promote to all the judges in the county and statewide the idea of using non-partisan community organizations such as our neighbor associations to create educational programs that would help the public better understand the court system. Judges could be asked to give lectures or questions and answer courses at the neighbor association meetings during the summer months.  While judges are not allowed to speak to how they would rule on a particular case that does not stop them from explaining the system to the public. It does not stop them from promoting different programs within the court to the public either.

This would allow dialog between judges and the communities so that the public does not feel isolated from their legal system. This could also build a dialog between judges and the community that could develop new ideas to reduce crime in the first place. The issues facing Albuquerque has been developing over the years due to the issues with the Albuquerque Police Department and communication is a key method to solving the problems. Judges set the example and lead the legal community when it comes to how the public is treated.

The voting public should reach out to those individuals and develop a method to bring them out from behind the walls of justice and reintroduce them to the people they serve. Over the past few years the New Mexico State Supreme Court has created rules that reduce the interaction between the public and the judiciary. These rules have caused more harm than was ever foreseen. But we must work with the current rules until people who are more open to interaction between the legal system and the public are elected to those seats. 

American Hatred for Women and Children

You have to wonder how some Americans can so openly display their hate for women and children, while claiming that they are following their Christian beliefs. When did their church teach them to hate thy neighbor? 

You see it in the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court and the treatment of refugees coming from South America. You see it in their hatred of our President for the color of his skin. You see it in the laws that are coming out of a broken legislative system where the rich are more important than starving children in our own country. You see it when states pass laws to take rights of self-determination away from women rather than promoting resources that would help to prevent the circumstances that cause the actions in the first place. You see it in the growth of the sex slavery trade in this country while people just turn a blind eye. You see it in the way victims of rape and incest are blamed for the crime.

The question is when will the men in our country stop hating the women and children in this country? I am not saying that all men are guilty of this hate. The question is when will good men stand up for the rights that they so freely take for granted?  When will people stop demanding that we spend less on the education of our children, while handing more tax breaks to the top one percent of the richest Americans? When will American men start demanding that women be paid at the same rate as men? These issues should outrage good men and drive them into action as it has the women of this country. 

It all comes down to one word “Respect.” 

New Mexico Education Political Football

Governor Martinez sees teachers as lazy and not deserving of their current pay. She attacked educators from day 0 of her administration. With new rules coming out of Washington, where even the President of the United States sends his daughters to high priced private school, the job of teaching is about to become even more difficult. We are about to face major teacher shortages. Our poor educational system is going to hit rock bottom because everyone but teachers has control of the system and the classrooms.

Let’s do to the U.S. Supreme Court what has been done to teachers. We can grade them on their rulings and how happy the public is with their jobs. We can cut their budgets to where they don’t have the support staff or supplies to do their jobs. We can pay them below the market for their type of job and tell them to be happy that they have a job. We can give them an administration to answer to that knows nothing about how to practice law. We can tell them that we can send them to any federal court in the country to preside over a case and that they are not allowed to choose their own cases since they work for the government. After all they work for the government and nowhere in their contract does it say that they only work in Washington D.C.

Now let’s take state legislatures who work in districts and tell them that we will move them to other districts as needed since some state legislators are better qualified than others. We will grade them on how well off their districts are and on the unemployment rate in their district. We will survey all the residents in their district and add the results to their overall work performance job grade. Clearly if their district does not create revenue from income taxes they are doing a poor job and should be graded on that factor. We can cut their state reimbursement if they are rated to be doing a poor job. We can demand that they take an expensive certification exam just to become a legislator. Of course they will have to pay for the printing of any bill they introduce into the legislature and any staff that works for them during the legislature.

If we were to grade Governor Martinez on her job performance over the last four years and link her pay to that grade she would be working to payback her income to the State of New Mexico. Governor Martinez would get an F grade for open honest government, job creation, protecting the state’s environment, employee satisfaction, and financial organization and oversight.     

The Failure of our Legal System

Last weekend was Independence Day. Our forefathers broke with England and created the U.S. Constitution not for corporations or the top one percent of the richest citizens in this country or for that manner this state but to give equal rights to all Americans. Our forefathers envisioned an open, honest, and fair legal system where everyone was treated justly.

Today we have a court system and a police force that fears average everyday citizens. The Legal System should fear normal Americans because they are failing the citizens in this country. Judges do not have to fear creating an impression of impropriety because they have succeed in behaving in a manner that would curl our forefathers toes.

We have judges and justices that refuse to interact with normal citizens while they spend their evenings at high priced events being told how to rule on cases by the top one percent of the population. Judges cheat on their wives, drink to excess, do drugs, and hire prostitutes. Judges and justices lock themselves away behind doors with cameras. Those doors are guarded by armed guards. The people are not allowed any type of recording device yet lawyers and judges are allowed the same devices.  They lie to the public by blaming the upper courts for these changes while they encourage there development in private. Justices for our higher courts are picked from these individuals who have created a system that produces individuals who feel they should be appointed for life so that they are only answerable to the very rich and powerful.

The police see the judges fear and behave in the same manner by shooting people before they can even be tried for a crime. Everyone is considered guilty and not even given a trial. The few people who give up without a fight and quietly give into the system have no chance of getting an honest hearing because of the view of judges. Judges tell their juries what to think and how to decide cases rather than allowing them to depend on their best judgment.  

The only right remaining to the public is to vote for the lower courts judges. Judges would love nothing more than to deprive voters of even this right. Judges tell their friends that the public is too stupid to be able to make an informed choice. Just one more example of how these individuals place themselves above the people they serve. Judges also take the right to give themselves hefty pay raises for their poor behaviors and even the police force give themselves hefty raises for the number of kills they succeed at every year while the America people simply get poorer.

In the end we are a society without justice for all. We are no longer free but enslaved to the rich through the legal system that was originally created to protect and defend our constitutional rights. We see the poor and the young being imprisoned and killed to increase the wealth of the rich.         

Fourth of July (War it is!)

Refugees or Illegal Aliens

Unaccompanied children fleeing from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador because of violence and extortion by gangs in their own countries are crossing in to America in record numbers in hopes of finding safety. There are also women with small children coming across the border in Texas. Now place this event in another country and Americans would be demanding that the country in question find a way to help these children and their mothers. Americans would be outrages at the thought of sending them back into harm’s way just to remove them from the receiving country. The children would not be called illegal aliens but refugees.

The United States of America has a very vocal population that hates anyone that comes into our country from south of our borders. They look down upon these individuals as criminals. In California, angry mobs threatened the safety of mothers and children and their buses had to turn back to prevent harm to the children. Is this the way we want people from around the world to view the people of our country? Where is the compassion from our people that we would expect other countries to show refugees fleeing violence and extortion?

Overcrowding in Texas has forced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to move children from centers in Texas to other holding facilities while they review the case of each child. Our country is facing a huge humanitarian crisis that will tell the world what type of country we live in and decide our standing for years to come with other countries in the world. Will we be known as the heartless country that turned away women and children refugees and then demanded that other countries around the world open their borders? Is our country the type that would send young children and babies into harm’s way just to placate a few haters? Where is the outrage for the behavior of the mobs in California? What kind of people would harm children just because they are Hispanic?

People in our country should be helping these children by sending clothes, toys, and books. They should be reaching out to let them know that we the greats country in the world will protect them and keep them safe until we can find their family or a home to take them. Our country should be working with the countries from which the children come in order to create a safe stable environment for them to return home. 

U.S. Supreme Court’s War on Woman

Justice Samuel Alito made his views most clear yesterday when he stated that women are not people and therefore have no constitutional rights in this country. His view is the one most conservatives take when it comes to a woman’s right to piracy or self-determination. Justice Alito views women as property, which is owned by men.  

Justice Alito sees women as the enemy in a war to control the direction of this country’s future. He must have had a sad childhood to grow up hating women to the extent that he does. Women have to stand up for their rights because men like Alito will always be present in our society. I see no different in Alito’s stand then that of the Taliban, which views women as property to be used and abused. Justice Alito and the other four male justices do women in this country a major disservice with their views.

The only answer to such behavior that was on display yesterday is to vote in such a way that would remove power for the hands of these men. The court has long held the belief that women are second class citizens in this country. The controlling majority of the Supreme Court thinks that they have the responsibility to put corporation’s interest before those of women in this country. We have placed four justices on the court that do not hold their views and in the future if we want a country that protects the rights of our daughters than we had better elect people to the house and senate that hold the same views. So that when the time comes to replace those justices that we do so with a justice that is willing to acknowledge that women are indeed people.

“We the people…”  Have constitutional rights!

The U.S. Supreme Court has gone too far when it comes to Women’s Issues!

Justice John G. Roberts has allowed his court to lean to the far right once too often. It is the responsibility of the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the rights of women in this country. The court in its Hobby Lobby ruling today sided with corporations against women in this country. No man let alone an employer should be allowed to control the reproductive rights of women. The court has crossed the line on this ruling.

I for one call on President Obama to create two new positions to the U.S. Supreme Court. Women in American with the support of their U.S. Senators can than appoint justices that will respect the will of the people over the will of Corporate America when it comes to their basic rights to privacy and self-determination. Two new positions would allow the U.S. Supreme Court to regain its respect of the American Women. It would allow them to hear cases that would lead to more acceptable rulings when it comes to women’s rights.

Justice John G. Roberts has no one but himself to blame for his failure to protect the power of his court. A Justice that respects the will of the American people over the will of corporations would not have allowed this type of overarching.

President Obama was supported by the women of this country to prevent just this type of rulings that women in America find to be disrespectful and invasive. He has the power to create new positions to the U.S. Supreme Court. He would have the support of the America People when it comes to this action.  

It's The Economy Stupid!

New Mexico is now in yet another recession because of the failure of Governor Martinez to work with the federal government and her inability to convince any company that New Mexico would be a good place to open a business. Her failure is hurting families across the state. By the time someone else is elected our state will have dried up and blown away with the winds.

Mayor Berry has shown that he knows nothing about how to run a city as large as Albuquerque. His police force is out of control. It is driving away any hope of attracting outside businesses. His Chief Administration Officer is causing problems.  Mayor Berry spends his time in public meetings on $300,000 artwork while businesses close all around him. People are leaving the state because they cannot find jobs in the state’s largest city.  He is rude to anyone that points out his failures. He might as well install a giant violin downtown.

We need a Democratic Party Chairman who can raise the funding to get Gary King elected to the governor’s seat before it is too late. Our current chairman should be organizing a ground game but little is heard from the man. Where is the money to get King elected? Where is the statewide ground game? Where is the fire this chairman promised the voters? 

Mayor Richard Berry a Failed Administration

Ok, Mayor Berry had to dismiss Darren White because of his misconduct when it came to appearing at the scene of an accident that his wife caused. Now the Chief Administration Officer of the City of Albuquerque Rob Perry is allegedly rumored to have a drinking problem and is showing up at shooting scenes by the Albuquerque Police Department drunk and unable to drive. Never mind that this behavior should get the attorney disbarred for creating an appearance of impropriety. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has stated that the Albuquerque Police Department is guilty of violating individual’s constitutional rights with the usage of excessive force. How is having a drunken attorney at the scenes screaming at officers going to help?

Berry’s administration has hired an expensive attorney on the taxpayer’s dollar to defend his administration. The public is being kept in the dark as to the process of those talks with the DOJ. Mayor Berry’s office has shown a callus disregard when it comes to the citizens of the city and their safety. You would think that if the Department of Justice was serious about fixing the problems with the police department that they would at this point take over the department. The police are spying on peaceful protesters. One of the officers that shot an individual was at the last protest with a camera taking shots of the protesters and we still do not know what was done with those photos.  That behavior in and of itself displays the lack of respect that the mayor’s office has for citizens of this city. Mayor Berry has been careful to remain in hiding from the public as his office circles the drain.   

We are also looking at the fact that making national news because of these issues are driving away businesses; therefore, adding to the lack of high paying jobs as the city and state continue to lose jobs even as other states around us gain thousands of new jobs. One has to wonder where Governor Martinez is while this is going on in one of the largest cities in the state. At what point is she going to demand a Department of Justice takeover? 

Lawsuit to open elections

When I first heard about this lawsuit to open the primary elections I hated the idea. It would allow people who refuse to support a party to influence that party's decision on who would be their candidate.

Now after taking the time to think the issue over I have decided that the primary elections should be wide open to all voters. If someone does not want to declare a party than they should have the right to vote in the primary, I do however feel that they should not be limited to voting for candidates in one party. I think to be fair that all voters should be allowed to vote for a candidate no matter which party they are affiliated with in the primary elections. The state constitution does not wish to limit the opinions of voters in any manner. Why would anyone wish to limit voters to one party’s candidates when that person has already decided that they are opposed to that system in the first place? Clearly the right approach is to have fully open primaries so that anyone can vote for any candidate no matter what the candidate’s party affiliation.  

What makes someone a great candidate for judge?

In a little over a month a small group of people who hold the position of County Central Committee members will have to decide among various candidates who to put on the ballot for the open positions. The members of this committee are very well educated voters who know what to look for in a candidate. The candidates will spend a great deal of their time talking to these committee members so as to explain why they would be the best fit for the ticket.

What should a committee member be looking for in a candidate?

• a history of being a successful attorney
• an ability to listen to someone when they speak
• a willingness to believe in the voters and value their decisions 
• a desire to educate the voters about the legal system
• a solid family life with a supportive environment
• a desire to be an active member of the community
• a full knowledge of the law
• an understanding that people can make mistakes 
• a desire to keep the system open to the public
• a person who values human life over money
• an ability to organize their time effectively
• a view that not everyone is a criminal
• a understanding that their judgment can have a profound effect on someone’s life
• a need to work hard and deliver an honest fair judgment on issues
• a willingness to keep an open mind on all things related to work
• a sincere desire to work with the public as a servant
• an ability to develop strong friendships across social and economic boundaries 
• an ability to work well with others

                                                  And most of all

• Respect for the voting public

This task before the committee is no easy job but the future of our local legal system and our local communities depends on these people understanding that it will be their judgment that has a profound effect on others in the future. 

Save Our Centers Campaign Email

Governor Martinez's people at work again to harm the children in our state. The CYFD need fixing before things like this get out of hand and our children have no place to go. 

From Save Our Centers,

The Save our Centers Campaign fights this week to stop the Children, Youth & Families Department from paying child development centers LESS than the cost of care. Dozens of centers have closed in the past few years because CYFD reimbursement rates simply don't cover their costs.

Now CYFD is rolling out FOCUS—a plan to increase quality and reimbursement rates to centers. The problem? FOCUS makes demands of centers that cost more to implement than the increased reimbursement rates.

Center owners are just beginning to understand the flaws in FOCUS because the new program was designed without their input and its details have been kept under wraps until recently. CYFD needs to learn what most people already understand: Quality can only improve at child development centers if teachers and center owners are leading the process.

Write CYFD Secretary Yolanda Berumen-Deines at yolanda.berumen-deines@state.nm.us. Tell her it was a mistake to cut child development center owners and teachers out of the process. Do not implement FOCUS until teachers and owners have had a chance to identify flaws in the program that CYFD is committed to fix. Otherwise, we'll have to keep fighting to Save Our Centers, and FOCUS will be be just another well-intended fix that makes things worse for our hard-working preschool teachers and center owners.

Gary King for Governor

Gary King is faced with replacing his campaign manager right after the primary race. King is faced with the fact that he is running against the Koch money machine and a popular governor. It did not help that his first choice for campaign manager turned out to be a very bad one. I would strongly encourage that he chose a woman for his second choice.

The people of New Mexico do not understand all of the flawed the current governor has managed to display over the past three years. Unless you are a political junkie, you most likely have not listened to the tapes where Governor Martinez is heard allowing her staff to make horrid remakes against teacher, women, Hispanics, and disabled individuals. Unless you are an accountant you may not understand just how bad it was that the people she appointed to the New Mexico Finance Authority did not even bother to read documents before they signed them. If you do not live in the international district of Albuquerque you may not understand that she sold the Downs Racetrack to the highest bidder while disrespecting the wished of the  people who live in that area of the city. I could go on and on about her failures but the biggest one is that while all the other states around us are adding jobs she has managed to create an environment that drives business away therefore resulting in negative job growth.  Her money allows you to think that she is a saint while she is far from that when it comes to her behavior in office.

Gary King is no saint but he does have core democratic values mixed with good old-boy, male views that has cause him problems in the past. His saving grace is that his parents were strong influences when it comes to how you run this state. Martinez on the other hand wishes nothing more than to be accepted as a white individual in a group that hates Hispanics. She will do anything to win their acceptance even if it harms New Mexicans in the process.

I suggest that since Martinez has too much money therefore King should work on developing a grassroots campaign much like the one run by President Obama in 2012. He should start with house parties where individual supporters are encouraged to share why they think King would do a better job than Martinez. Get people to express why they feel Martinez has failed them as governor. There is no better campaign approach than having neighbor speak to neighbor. It worked well for President Obama. Having young people who never give up on encouraging people to show up is also a good idea. Zack just would never take no for an answer much less I am too busy with life child.

The cold hard truth is that New Mexico cannot afford another four more years of Governor Martinez’s fail government policies that hurt all New Mexicans.   

Judicial philosopher-priest or just judges

Should judges be viewed as philosopher-priests? Has the New Mexico Supreme Court failed to see the value of having them be connected to the communities they serve during election years? If attending a political event can affect their decision making skills, what other types of activities could also biases their judgment on legal issues. Should judges be place in monasteries the minute they are elected and secluded from everyone in their community or even their family and friends. After all if something they hear or someone they speak to at a political event can affect their ability to make sound judgments than surely a family member, lawyer, or even a friend would have a better chance of doing much more harm.

The Supreme Court must think that judges have very poor abilities when it comes to making decisions on their own if so little exposure to politically active individuals can have such a profound effect on their ability to make decision on factual information. They must truly be weak and flawed if a politically active individual can force them to make decisions on court cases based solely on what other people think or say.  

I believe that anyone who can pass the bar exam and practice law for three years or someone who can meet and marry a person of good character or someone who can raise children and develop a successful home life while developing a successful career in the field of law cannot be that easily influenced by the views of someone they meet at a political activity. The New Mexico Supreme Court has it wrong and should do away with their rule that keeps judges from attending political events. The rule was created as an overreaction to a few flawed individuals.

The rule allows rich private individuals in the community to have far more access to those judges than the people the judges serve in the community.  I believe this limited exposure to people does have a profound negative affect on judges and their judgment when it comes to cases. I believe that lawyers and rich business leaders are allowed to influence the behavior of judges by the mere fact that the events judges do attend are solely attended by those individuals.

Judges only see middle class and poor people in their courtrooms and at their worst and lowest point in life. How could this not affect how they view those individuals? How could that not affect their judgment when it comes to cases before them? The New Mexico Supreme Court should either do away with this rule or force all judges into monasteries at the point when they are elected to the bench. 

2014 and The Stage is Set

Coming out of the Bernalillo County Convention candidates for governor with the strong lead are Lawrence Rael and Alan Webber. Rael knows the route well and shows his skills as a veteran vote getter. Rael knows how to get the voters excited about the coming election. Webber is new to the game and may need some education. Rael is likely to teach the new comer a thing or two. Webber has the money and the experience in business. I don’t get the feeling that he will take long to build a strong campaign. He should have come more prepared to discuss key issues that affect Albuquerque.

Martinez will find that she is in for a fight this year. Money alone will not get her reelected. She only took the office because the Democratic Party lacked a strong candidate. Now we have two. The time is now to start asking the hard questions of our top two candidates.

How do we keep what we have but build off of our successes? Who among these two men has what it takes to rebuild our economy and our embattled educational system? Which one will stand the fires of public review? The voting public is looking for strong leadership to get us off the bad lists. We have not one but two strong well educated candidates.

I wish I could say more about the other candidates but the voters lack interest in them. I will say that they are good people who want to serve our state. Now is not their time.

Other positions: Early Endorsements

State Auditor: Tim Keller He knows the job well and bring strong honesty to the position.

State Attorney General: Hector Balderas Lots of legal experience and a willingness to work nonpartisan.

State Treasurer: John Wertheim Smart, skilled and experienced with protecting investments.

Secretary of State: Maggie Toulouse Oliver Born for the job with more skills than any state could ask for out of a SOS.

And as always don’t forget to vote for the judges. I liked what I was hearing from a few of them. Remember no issues questions for the judges. But feel free to ask questions about work experience and family. Also community involvement.

I will post pictures tomorrow.