From NM Politics.net - by Senator Tom Udall - As we head into another election year, New Mexicans are about to be bombarded with negative attack ads paid for by anonymous, third-party organizations that dominate our TVs and radios in growing numbers each election cycle. We will see an unprecedented amount of money in our elections, and more than ever it will be coming from corporations and outside special interests. We cannot stand idly by and watch our elections be fundamentally degraded by a flood of unaccountable money into the system. That is why I have introduced an amendment to the United States Constitution to address our country’s broken campaign finance system. Read Commentary
Cleaning up our campaign finance system
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Michael Swickard
on Thursday, November 3, 2011
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Commentary
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From NM Politics.net - by Senator Tom Udall - As we head into another election year, New Mexicans are about to be bombarded with negative attack ads paid for by anonymous, third-party organizations that dominate our TVs and radios in growing numbers each election cycle. We will see an unprecedented amount of money in our elections, and more than ever it will be coming from corporations and outside special interests. We cannot stand idly by and watch our elections be fundamentally degraded by a flood of unaccountable money into the system. That is why I have introduced an amendment to the United States Constitution to address our country’s broken campaign finance system. Read Commentary
DISGRACE: Over 900 Days Since Dems Passed a Budget
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Michael Swickard
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U.S. Politics
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From National Review Online - By US Representative Jeff Sessions & Paul RyanAmerica is greatly in need of strong, competent leadership. Our nation’s total debt is now larger than our entire economy. Unemployment is painfully high and growth is painfully slow. Since taking office, the president has accelerated Washington’s reckless spending spree, has added trillions of dollars to the debt, and has refused to present a credible plan to put Washington’s fiscal house in order. This is the second consecutive year that Senate Democrats have disregarded the legally mandated budget process. In fact, this Sunday will mark the 900th day since Senate Democrats last adopted a formal budget plan as outlined in the Congressional Budget Act. It is a national disgrace. As we encourage our colleagues to fulfill their basic duties of governance, we will continue to advance proposals aimed at strengthening the budget process. It is time Washington played by the rules. Elected leaders have a legal — and moral — obligation to prioritize taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars with an honest budget. We’re approaching 900 days since Senate Democrats last took that obligation seriously. Read more
DISGRACE: Over 900 Days Since Dems Passed a Budget
A country of too many laws and rules
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Michael Swickard
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Swickard Columns
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From NM Politics.net - Commentary by Michael Swickard - We are a country of too many laws and rules. There are millions of laws and rules that apply to the citizens of our country. The IRS rules alone can fill a medium-sized room with paper. No one person has read all of the laws and rules of our country, or could read them. These billions of words apply to each of us but there is not enough time to read them all. Many are selectively applied to citizens, often for political reasons. How did we get so many laws and rules? Lawmakers pass new laws each session on top of the thousands upon thousands of laws already on the books. The media talks about the laws that get passed as if passing more laws was the sole function of the legislators. They must add lots of new laws every session. Additionally, bureaucrats come up with new rules on top of the multitudes of rules already governing our every action. The number and complexity of these are multiplied by our court’s interpretations. Read column
A country of too many laws and rules
Reality Setting in on Zero Percent Interest Rate Policy
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Jim Spence
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New Mexico News
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Santa Fe New Mexican - Educational employees across the state can weigh in during the coming weeks on a half-dozen proposals that would change retirement benefits for teachers and professors. The Educational Retirement Board will hear public input in Santa Fe on Nov. 14, ahead of a Nov. 21 meeting to vote on the proposals. The meetings come as the retirement board is working to reduce an unfunded liability of about $6 billion, benefits it has promised to current and upcoming retirees. The pension plan has a funded ratio of about 62 percent, which it hopes to boost to about 80 percent by 2030. "The longer we wait to make the changes, the more drastic the changes will be in the future," board Director Jan Goodwin said Wednesday. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Reality Setting in on Zero Percent Interest Rate Policy
Occupiers in Las Cruces told to LEAVE
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Jim Spence
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| Protestor tents at Albert Johnson Park in Las Cruces |
Occupiers in Las Cruces told to LEAVE
Colorado Electorate: Throwing More Money at the Public Education Monopoly is NOT the Answer
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Jim Spence
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Washington Times - Coloradans overwhelmingly rejected Proposition 103, a statewide ballot measure that would have increased the sales and income taxes to fund education. The lopsided outcome — the initiative lost by a margin of 64 percent to 36 percent — upended predictions that the measure probably would lose but that the vote would be close. While they were at it, voters shot down anything that could pick their pocketbooks or cost them jobs, including school bond measures and a Denver proposal requiring businesses to give employees sick leave. The Denver Post called the Election Day results “a killing field for tax measures.” The implications were not lost on most political analysts, who noted that a tight-fisted electorate, still feeling pinched by the economy in 2011, could spell trouble for Democrats in 2012. That includes the biggest Democrat of them all, Mr. Obama, whose campaign has made winning Colorado a crucial piece of its re-election patchwork. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Colorado Electorate: Throwing More Money at the Public Education Monopoly is NOT the Answer
Harbison: Denigration is Not Productive
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Jim Spence
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| Jim Harbison |
We are again involved in an election campaign cycle at National and local levels to change our society. Unfortunately, political groups are using these protests as an opportunity to continue the constant bitter political, social and economic mudslinging to divide, rather than unite, our nation. As soon as someone learns that they do not have economic, social or political equality, the volley of nasty bitter partisan attacks begin. They start using terms such as racist, tea-bagger, socialist, Christian zealot, greedy capitalist, or some other term intended to divide society. We continue to see examples of these derogatory and slanderous character assassinations with an ever increasing volume and viciousness.
Seldom is a contemporary political race without negative campaigning. Negative attacks are normally launched by some political action group that has no direct or traceable link to the candidate or their organization. This is a deliberate opposition tactic to derail the candidate’s campaign strategy, cast doubt on their character or integrity, and avoid any meaningful discussions on the actual issues that separate them from their opponent. Read rest of column here: News New Mexico
Harbison: Denigration is Not Productive
Rep. Espinoza: APS Superintendent Winston Brooks is Covering Corruption
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Michael Swickard
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New Mexico News
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From KRQE-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Winston Brooks is coming under fire for changing a rule to let a state lawmaker who works for the district keep collecting paychecks while she's at the Roundhouse. Under previous rules, veteran Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton, D-Albuquerque, who takes home a hefty salary for overseeing vocational programs at APS, was prohibited to collect paychecks when she took off for Santa Fe. Only APS teachers who are also lawmakers were able to receive their salaries, according to their union contracts. But a recent Larry Barker investigation found Stapleton deliberately didn't take political leave from APS, cheating taxpayers out of more than $167,000 in pay over the years. Stapleton also accepted more than $100,000 in per diem from the state while serving in the legislature. But when Superintendent Brooks found out, he didn't punish her or make her pay it back. Instead, he changed the rules. But under state constitution, lawmakers are not supposed to get a salary from the state for legislating. They are only allowed to receive per diem for reimbursement for food, travel and lodging. But the move is drawing some major criticism. Republican Rep. Nora Espinoza from Roswell has called for an investigation into Brooks' actions. "He's covering corruption," said Espinoza. "Here he is, the superintendent, asking us for money every time he comes up (to Santa Fe) and yet he doesn't take care of his employees." Read more
Rep. Espinoza: APS Superintendent Winston Brooks is Covering Corruption
King’s red-herring allegation won’t silence me
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Michael Swickard
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NewsNM Swickard: an attack upon one of us is an attack upon all of us. If Attorney General King silences Heath and his blog on politics, we all are injured. I support Heath completely. Shame on you Gary King!From NM Politics.net - by Heath Haussamen - Attorney General Gary King attempted to damage my credibility and intimidate me into silence last week by suggesting that I colluded with Republicans to deflect criticism away from the governor and onto him. I don’t collude with politicians, and I won’t be silenced. Read story
King’s red-herring allegation won’t silence me



