News New Mexico: 01/03/11

Democrats Start Clearing Out OFA Deadwood

From redstate.com -Well, that didn’t take long. I mean, when I wrote this post indicating that Tim Kaine’s retention as DNC chair meant that the Democratic leadership had decided to concentrate solely on the President’s re-election*, I did not expect that I would receive some sort of confirmation of this within minutes. But, thanks to Doug Heye I see this report that the DNC is laying off… selected… Organizing for America staffers. Which ones? Well, Roll didn't give specifics but it’s fairly clear that the firings reflect the final abandonment of Howard Dean’s Fifty-State Strategy: they’re removing field staffers, which means that the leadership is writing off entire states. Smart move for a Presidential campaign that’s starting kinda-sorta on the rocks; dumb move for a political party that wants to avoid regional status. More here

GOP Will Move to Repeal Obamacare This Week

From gatewaypundit.com -The GOP will move to repeal Obamacare this week. Republicans will unveil repeal legislation Monday night. CNN reported: CNN has learned that Republicans plan to try to repeal the health care law almost immediately after taking control of the House, setting the stage for an early confrontation with President Obama. House GOP sources tell CNN that they will unveil repeal legislation Monday night, even before they claim the majority Wednesday. Then, on Friday, Republicans will hold a critical procedural vote – the first step towards passing the repeal. A final House vote will likely take place next Wednesday. Republicans have said for some time the House would take up repealing health care, a top GOP campaign issue, during the first month of the new Congress, but up to now have not revealed exactly when. Regardless, the repeal has little chance of passing the Senate. More here

Martinez proposes expanding DNA sampling law

From the Santa Fe New Mexican.com - Gov. Susana Martinez proposes expanding state law to require DNA samples from people arrested for any felony. Martinez made the announcement Monday at a news conference on her first business day as governor. She also reversed a decision by former Gov. Bill Richardson's administration to move a state DNA center to Santa Fe. Martinez directed that equipment be returned to Albuquerque. She previously promised to take the action. She will ask the Legislature to broaden a DNA sampling requirement enacted in 2006. It's called "Katie's Law" in memory of Kathryn "Katie" Sepich, a New Mexico State University student who was raped and killed in 2003. Currently, DNA samples are required for those arrested of some felonies, such as murder, kidnapping and sex offenses. Read more

Change in Substance and "Style"

Susana Martinez

New Mexico will be seeing a change of "style" in 2011. Susana Martinez and her husband, Chuck Franco, will eventually move into the Governor's Mansion. But exactly when they make the move is still unknown. It would seem that there is simply too much work to do for now. Martinez and Franco plan to keep their home in Las Cruces and the new governor also has no plans to use the two chefs at the Governor's Mansion. Additionally, the number of State Police officers in the security detail will also be reduced.

Governor Martinez and Chuck Franco on Inauguration Day

January figures to be a hectic month for Martinez. She must submit a budget proposal to the state legislature by Jan. 10. There is a $400 million deficit gap to be closed. The Martinez team will also be appointing another ten people to fill out the leadership positions at Cabinet-level departments. Roughly 360 appointees, often referred to as exempt employees remained on the payroll as Martinez was sworn in Saturday. According to the Albuquerque Journal, in a memo dated December 30th, Martinez's deputy chief of staff Brian Moore indicated that all exempt employees who have not submitted their resignations by Friday would be fired on Saturday. Apparently a handful of the holdover exempt employees from the Richardson regime will be retained.

Pearce to Appear on NewsNM at 7:30am

Steve Pearce

Two months ago New Mexico voters decided to send Steve Pearce back to Washington. In a general election victory that saw Republicans score a 63 net seat win nationwide, Pearce regained the seat he held in the U.S. Congress before his Senate loss to Tom Udall in 2008. In the 2010 election Pearce decisively defeated his opponent, freshman Democrat Harry Teague. The final margin was 55.6% to 44.4%. Pearce will be sworn in later this week at the nation's capitol and will appear via telephone from Washington D.C. at 7:30am as our guest on News New Mexico. Please submit your questions for Steve Pearce at contact@newsnm.com.

Espionage Safer than Cartooning

Debra Saunders

Townhall - While WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is celebrating his $1 million-plus book deal on a 600-acre estate and enjoying his status as a lefty fringe hero, former cartoonist Molly Norris is in hiding. The moral of this column is that in today's world, cartoons, if they target Islam, can be more hazardous to your health than crossing the mighty U.S. government and its allies.Swedish and Danish authorities arrested four suspected militant Islamic jihadists last week for allegedly planning a terrorist attack before this weekend.

Julian Assange

Their target was the Jyllands-Posten news bureau in Copenhagen. In 2006, the newspaper became the target of terrorist threats after it printed controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in 2005. Authorities say the suspects arrested planned to use the same "swarm" tactics used in the 2008 Mumbai killing spree that left at least 160 people dead. Kurt Westergaard drew a cartoon that depicted Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban. Last January, a Somali man wielding an ax and demanding "revenge" broke into Westergaard's home. In 2009, Danish authorities arrested three men for planning to behead Westergaard. Read full column here:

Former Shell C.E.O. Says Gas Prices Headed for $5

Washington Times - Oil and gasoline prices have risen to their highest levels in two years, and analysts say prices could shoot up dramatically this year as the thirst for fuel grows in the U.S. and around the world. The former head of Shell Oil has warned that gas prices could hit $5 a gallon by 2012 because of fast-growing demand in emerging countries such as China and India, where more and more people are buying cars, combined with restraints on drilling in the U.S. in the wake of last year's disastrous Gulf oil spill. Less-worrisome forecasts are calling for a rise in gas prices to $3.75 a gallon by spring from today's $3.07 average level, with premium crude prices easily exceeding $100 a barrel this year as demand for oil around the world returns to pre-recession levels last seen in 2007. Read full story here:

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