Judge Halts License Verification Program
Posted by
Michael Swickard
on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
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New Mexico News
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From KOAT-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A judge issued a temporary restraining order for a program requiring foreign nationals to prove they live in New Mexico or lose their driver's license. The order means that the thousands of illegal immigrants and foreign nationals who were required to prove that they do in fact live in New Mexico don't have to show evidence for now. The judge's restraining order said the state is required to stop the license verification program until a court hearing. The decision was a result of a petition by a number of legislators and immigrants' rights groups who called the driver's license verification program unconstitutional. The protesters said that foreign nationals were being unfairly targeted because of their place of birth. Until the hearing, all of the license verification and in-person interviews with the people targeted by the investigation have to stop. There can also be no additional license cancellations connected to the investigation. Read more
Indians defend legislative districting
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Michael Swickard
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New Mexico News
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From KRQE-TV.com - SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - Native American leaders are urging lawmakers to protect Indian-majority House and Senate districts as the Legislature redraws the boundaries of elective office districts. There are nine districts - six in the House and three in the Senate - in which Indians account for a majority of the population. A group representing tribes and pueblos in New Mexico outlined redistricting proposals to a legislative committee on Wednesday that will continue to provide for that number of Indian-majority districts. Read more
Indians defend legislative districting
Senator on Driver's Licenses: " That’s what my constituents seem to overwhelmingly want.”
Posted by
Jim Spence
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New Mexico News
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Capitol Report New Mexico - If Gov. Susana Martinez is going to overturn New Mexico’s statute allowing illegal immigrants to receive driver’s licenses in the upcoming special session, she’s going to have to get at least six Democrats in the state Senate to switch their votes. She may have picked up at least one. On Wednesday (Aug. 31), Sen. Steve Fischmann (D-Mesilla Park) said in a radio interview he’s seriously thinking of voting in favor of rescinding the law. In the 60-day legislative session earlier this year, Martinez — with Rep. Andy Nuñez leading the charge — was able to get a bill overturning the law through the House of Representatives. But the bill died in the Senate, on a 25-16 vote with every Democrat except one (Sen. John Arthur Smith of Deming) voting against the measure. Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Albuquerque) missed the vote but was expected to have voted against the bill, so in order to win over a majority in the Senate, Martinez will need six Democrats to flip — a tall order. Well, that number my be reduced to five because Fischmann said Wednesday on the News New Mexico radio program: Read rest of story here: News New Mexico Listen to archive of interview with Senator Fischmann here: News New Mexico
Senator on Driver's Licenses: " That’s what my constituents seem to overwhelmingly want.”
Protestors Want to "Manage" PNM
Posted by
Jim Spence
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Energy,
New Mexico News
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KOB - TV - The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission plans to have a hearing to consider several protests filed over Public Service Company of New Mexico's plan for meeting future demand for electricity. The groups protesting PNM's resource plan argue the utility failed to consider anticipated environmental regulations and didn't adequately consider natural gas as a resource for weaning the company from its reliance on coal. Read full story here: News New Mexico
Protestors Want to "Manage" PNM
Confederacy memorial to be dedicated Saturday
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Michael Swickard
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New Mexico News
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From the Clovis News Journal - Saturday marks the dedication of a new confederacy memorial in Portales Cemetery. The memorial was bought and is being dedicated by United Daughters of Confederacy, the Ellen W. Jones Chapter 1022 in Portales. According to president of the chapter, Janelle Foster, the memorial is in honor of confederate soldiers who fought in the Civil War and includes the names of the 30 confederate soldiers buried in Portales Cemetery along with the names of 25 confederate soldiers buried in rural cemeteries in the surrounding area. “I think it’s important that people know where their ancestors are buried,” Foster said. “Many people don’t even know they have ancestors who fought in the war.” Foster said the UDC has owned the circular area in the center of the cemetery since about 1913 and they have dedicated it to confederate soldiers and their descendants. The memorial stone with the names was added last month in the center of the graves, where a UDC monument also stands. It was built in 1930. The dedication will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the site. Read more
Confederacy memorial to be dedicated Saturday
New Mexico awards HMS Holdings a 4-year contract
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Jim Spence
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New Mexico News
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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HMS, a wholly owned subsidiary of HMS Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ:HMSY), announced today that is has been awarded a contract by the State of New Mexico, Human Services Department/Medical Assistance Division (HSD/MAD), to provide third party liability (TPL), program integrity, Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC), and revenue enhancement/expense reduction services. This is a four-year contract and extends through May 2015. “This is the first comprehensive TPL procurement New Mexico has ever issued,” said Maria Perrin, Executive Vice President of Government Services for HMS. “We are excited about this opportunity to help the state optimize its Medicaid program and contain costs.” Read full story here: News New Mexico
New Mexico awards HMS Holdings a 4-year contract
Corrupt Columbus officials enabled killing in Mexico
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Jim Spence
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Commentary
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Heath Haussamen |
NMPolitics - New Mexico has seen lots of government corruption exposed in recent years that involves stealing money from taxpayers. But the recent weapons-smuggling case involving Columbus village officials takes government corruption to a more egregious level. The (now former) mayor, police chief and a city councilor were involved in a ring that helped smuggle firearms to the La Linea cartel in Mexico and also provided it with ammunition and tactical gear. In other words, public officials in a tiny border town in New Mexico used their jobs to help arm a cartel in Mexico, where the drug war and other lawlessness have claimed tens of thousands of lives in recent years. Is it a stretch to say that former Columbus Mayor Eddie Espinoza, Trustee Blas Gutierrez and Police Chief Angelo Vega enabled the killing of people in Mexico? I think not. Public corruption that enables killing, in my view, dwarfs the thefts of millions of dollars that we’ve seen in some high-profile public corruption cases in recent years. As the Las Cruces Sun-News has reported, the 15 defendants in the case allegedly bought about 200 guns – including AK-47-type pistols and 9mm pistols – from a gun store in Chaparral and smuggled them to the Juárez-based cartel. Dozens were intercepted by law enforcement before they crossed the border, but most apparently were not. Three were found on dead individuals in an SUV in Juárez. Read full commentary here: News New Mexico
Corrupt Columbus officials enabled killing in Mexico
Heads Start to Roll: "Fast and Furious" Fallout at Justice
Posted by
Jim Spence
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National News
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Dennis Burke |
Heads Start to Roll: "Fast and Furious" Fallout at Justice
Deming Gun Store Owners Arrested
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Jim Spence
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New Mexico News
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KOB TV - Federal agents have raided a Deming gun store and arrested the owner, his wife and their two sons on a 30-count indictment accusing them of smuggling guns across the border with Mexico. According to the federal indictment, the firearms sold by the defendants included 27 AK-47-type rifles, three AR-15 rifles, two .50 caliber rifles, and two 9 mm pistols - weapons favored by Mexican Cartels. U.S. Attorney Ken Gonzales says Rick and Terri Reese and their sons, Ryin and Remington, were arrested in nearby Las Cruces where they were opening a new shop. Read full story here: News New Mexico
Deming Gun Store Owners Arrested
We Must Remember to Thank Our Veterans
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Jim Spence
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Guest Columns
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Steve Pearce |
We Must Remember to Thank Our Veterans
Harbison: The importance of the Military
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Jim Spence
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Guest Columns
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Jim Harbison |
Recent surveys reflect that the youth of this nation have an unfavorable opinion of military service and those who served. Schools taught this generation global citizenship instead of national sovereignty. Prominent universities have banned ROTC from their campuses and professors increasingly disparage our military and those who serve in it. This attitude is also reflective of many supporters of the Obama Administration. His administration threatened not to pay military personnel during the recent budget crisis and structured future automatic budget cuts to the military if the Congressional “Super Committee” cannot reach an agreement. The military is not the cause of our budget problems.
Unfortunately, these same government officials did not recommend suspending the pay and benefits for members of Congress or the White House staff. Nor did they suggest defunding those non-essential government agencies such as the dysfunctional Department of Energy, Department of Education or the job killing Environmental Protection Agency.
We have a Congress where few have ever performed any military service and yet they are the ones that make policy decisions that send our military into harm’s way. The security of this nation has been maintained by the US military since the beginning of our history. The military has remained apolitical and has traditionally been restricted from displaying political signs, bumper stickers, or engaging in any political activity while in uniform or on military installations. This Administration and segments of society seem bent on destroying the power and prestige of our military services and view them all with contempt.
As many of you know I avidly oppose the United Nations Agenda 21 and its sustainable development policies. The United Nations Conference on Environment & Development was adopted at Rio de Janerio’s Earth Summit in June 1992 but it has never been ratified by the US Congress. We also know that President Clinton signed an Executive Order in 1993 to administratively implement the provisions of Agenda 21 by executive fiat. A policy repeated by President Obama. We have a Congress where few have ever performed any military service and yet they are the ones that make policy decisions that send our military into harm’s way. The security of this nation has been maintained by the US military since the beginning of our history. The military has remained apolitical and has traditionally been restricted from displaying political signs, bumper stickers, or engaging in any political activity while in uniform or on military installations. This Administration and segments of society seem bent on destroying the power and prestige of our military services and view them all with contempt.
On March 19, 2011 President Obama announced in a White House Press Release that he reaffirmed it was imperative to move toward sustainable development and that he was fully committed to establishing an international world order. He created the White House Rural Council for Sustainable Development on June 9, 2011 and extended government control over every aspect of rural America.
Its stated purpose was to coordinate Federal programs and maximize the impact of Federal investment to promote economic prosperity and quality of life in our rural communities. It also will coordinate federally directed growth and development and facilitate economic opportunities associated with energy development, outdoor recreation and other conservation related activities. All objectives and policies right out of Agenda 21.
Why do I mention that? Perhaps it is because this United Nations program also calls for all governments to self-fund the implementation of Agenda 21. According to section 33.16 (g) of Agenda 21 one of the methods is “the reallocation of resources at present committed to military purposes”. One of the criteria for worldwide implementation of UN Agenda 21 is to dismantle or neutralize a nation’s military. President Obama’s actions and announcements clearly demonstrate his support of this global agenda. His policies implementing components of this UN program attempt to weaken our military diminish our national sovereignty and forfeit our constitutional rights. President Obama and our youth admire global citizenship over national sovereignty and see the military as a threat to this UN vision and want to denigrate and eliminate it. Thankfully, our military is committed to preserving our Constitution rather than Obama’s quest for an international world order.
Harbison: The importance of the Military