51 Dead Over Weekend - 9 More on Monday

From the El Paso Times - EL PASO -- A suspected Juárez drug trafficker appeared in U.S. District Court in El Paso on Monday after being extradited from Mexico even while rampant bloodshed continued in Juárez. Felipe Dominguez Vargas is purported to be a "cell head" running a drug-trafficking ring that smuggled heroin, cocaine and marijuana into El Paso County to be distributed throughout the United States, a DEA spokeswoman said. It was unclear what cartel Dominguez worked for. Dominguez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in Juárez by Mexican authorities in November.

On Aug. 10, Mexico's attorney general's office, or PGR, extradited Dominguez and handed him over to the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration at the PGR airplane hangar at the Mexico City airport, officials said. The DEA said Dominguez made his initial appearance in federal court Monday morning in Downtown El Paso. He waived a detention hearing. He faces six counts of conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine and marijuana. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison. In Juárez, street shootings and other violence continued Monday after a bloody weekend. There had been nine homicides as of Monday evening. Fifty-one people were slain between Friday and Sunday, a police spokesman said. There were 24 homicides on Sunday, making it one of the deadliest days of the year. Read more here:

51 Dead Over Weekend - 9 More on Monday

Thomas Sowell - Dismantling America Part I

Thomas Sowell

"We the people" are the familiar opening words of the Constitution of the United States-- the framework for a self-governing people, free from the arbitrary edicts of rulers. It was the blueprint for America, and the success of America made that blueprint something that other nations sought to follow. At the time when it was written, however, the Constitution was a radical departure from the autocratic governments of the 18th century. Since it was something so new and different, the reasons for the Constitution's provisions were spelled out in "The Federalist," a book written by three of the writers of the Constitution, as a sort of instruction guide to a new product.

The Constitution was not only a challenge to the despotic governments of its time, it has been a continuing challenge-- to this day-- to all those who think that ordinary people should be ruled by their betters, whether an elite of blood, or of books or of whatever else gives people a puffed-up sense of importance. Read more here:

Thomas Sowell - Dismantling America Part I

Progressive Magazine - Managing the War on Terror

Gen. David Petraeus

From Progressive Magazine - General David Petraeus is in the midst of his Afghanistan offensive. But it’s not against the Taliban; it’s against those in Congress, and those of us in the public, who oppose the ongoing—and escalating—Afghan war. Petraeus is preparing the battlefield for next summer, when President Obama is on record as saying the withdrawal from Afghanistan will commence. Petraeus announced very publicly over the weekend that he didn’t take the job as top general in Afghanistan to preside over “a graceful exit,” and he affirmed that he may advise Obama to delay the withdrawal. Read more here:

Progressive Magazine - Managing the War on Terror

Secretary of State Herrera Accused of Criminal Activity

Mary Herrera

From NMPolitics.net - Secretary of State Mary Herrera is under fire once again, this time from Office Administrator Manny Vildasol, who secretly recorded video in Herrera’s office and says he has turned it over to the FBI because it shows “issues of criminal activity and unethical behavior.” Vildasol made that comment to KOB-TV reporter Gadi Schwartz, who included the allegations in a report about Herrera’s laptop computer being infected with viruses. KOB had a difficult time getting “a straight answer” on what exactly was found on Herrera’s computer, according to the report. Read more here:

Secretary of State Herrera Accused of Criminal Activity

Heath on Denish and Martinez

Heath Haussamen

NMPolitics.net founder Heath Haussamen weighs in on some of the sound bytes and news stories associated with the New Mexico gubernatorial campaign.
Diane Denish’s frequent use of a state jet and Susana Martinez’s purchasing of office supplies from a business owned by an employee create negative appearances that will harm their credibility with voters. Read more here:

Heath on Denish and Martinez