News New Mexico: 11/03/10

John Wedel to Appear on NewsNM

John Wedel

With questions concerning estate taxes still up in the air estate planning expert John R. Wedel, CLU, ChFC, MS will appear as a guest on NewsNM Thursday morning. Wedel is a Chartered Financial Consultant and a Chartered Life Underwriter focusing on personal financial and estate planning for professionals, executives and owners of closely held corporations, and their families. John has been with Lincoln Financial Advisors since 1982 and uses his many years of experience to help his clients identify and achieve their financial goals. He holds membership in the Financial Planning Association and the Society of Financial Service Professionals, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, along with the local El Paso Estate Planning Council. Wedel graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s in accounting; he also holds a Master’s of Science degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. Prior to joining Lincoln, John worked for Coopers and Lybrand in Los Angeles, California as an auditor for three years. After accounting, John had a ten-year career as a college track coach where he won three National Collegiate Team Championships. John and his wife, Portia, have four adult children and three grandchildren and make their home in Las Cruces, NM.

ACORN Goes the Way of Air America

Bertha Lewis

From the Daily Caller - Bertha Lewis, the potty-mouthed chief organizer of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) announced today that her group has filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition. Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code provides for the liquidation of the estate of an indebted individual or corporate entity. This is different from Chapter 11 which often provides debtors with temporary protection from their creditors while they reorganize their affairs. Despite the group’s exhaustively documented 40-year track record of corruption and lawbreaking, Lewis blamed the demise of the organization on its conservative critics. Read here:

Corn: A Progressive's Version of Mid-terms

David Corn

From Politicsdaily.com - Now comes Act 3 for Obama and the critical question: Will he change the script? The election results on Tuesday night were no surprise: a tea party-fueled tsunami of discontent washed away the House Democratic majority and eroded much of the Democrats' territory in the Senate. It was a historic rout. The initial returns indicated the Republicans would pick up five dozen or so House seats and end up with a commanding majority in that chamber. Prominent House Democrats -- Florida's Alan Grayson, South Carolina's John Spratt, Virginia's Tom Perriello -- lost. Tea party favorite Rand Paul dominated the early returns, winning the Kentucky Senate seat. Sen. Russ Feingold, a three-term, non-establishment Democratic progressive from Wisconsin: gone. Republican candidates with lobbying and corporate ties waltzed into office. A reelected Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) will be commanding a sizable tea party caucus in the House. Republicans made significant gains in gubernatorial races and state legislative contests, placing the party in a strong position to consolidate power by redrawing congressional districts in key states. Read here:

Sandy Rios - Restoring Sanity

From Townhall.com - by Sandy Rios - From jumping up and down making loud, simultaneous noises to listening to the familiar strains of “Love Train” and the wit of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, Saturday’s “Rally to Restore Sanity” merits comparison to the Land of Oz. Tens of thousands of hipsters (scarecrows) descended on the United States Capitol just three days before a historic election They came not to rally for a candidate, an important issue, or a worthy cause - but to restore faith in the notion that those who really don’t care about much can get into buses and descend on the capitol in as many numbers as those who do. Read here:

Scheer: Payback at the Polls

Robert Scheer

From the Nation.com - by Robert Scheer - Let's not shoot the messenger. Yes, the Tea Party victors are a mixed bag espousing often contradictory and at times weird positions, the source of their funding is questionable and their proposed solutions are vague and at times downright nutty. But they represent the most significant political response to the economic pain that has traumatized swaths of the nation at a time when so-called progressives have been reduced to abject impotence by their deference to a Democratic president. Read here:

Proposition 19 Goes Up in Smoke

From the Nation.com -

California’s initiative to legalize marijuana failed to win a majority at the polls Tuesday. Prop 19, which received 3.3 million votes but lost 54 percent to 46 percent, would have would have legalized possession and cultivation of marijuana and authorized cities and counties to regulate and tax commercial marijuana production and sales. Exit polls showed supporters were mostly young—under 25—while voters over 40 were mostly opposed.

The Obama administration had publicly opposed the initiative. Attorney General Eric Holder promised to enforce federal law that criminalizes marijuana possession and sale even if they became legal under California law. All the statewide Democratic candidates opposed the measure, starting with Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer. All the big newspapers opposed it. Read here:

Little Big Horn

Gen. George Custer

From Progressive.org - by Matthew Rothschild I feel like one of Custer’s relatives after the Little Big Horn. Except that Tuesday’s slaughter at the polls was not unexpected. It marked the death knell of corporate liberalism, and it signed the death certificate of petty gradualism. I’m tired of the Democratic Party’s excuses, and Barack Obama’s apologists. Yes, Bush and Cheney trashed the place like a couple of crazed heavy metal bands in a hotel room. Yes, they left an exploding economy on Obama’s desk. Yes, the Republicans in Congress obstructed Obama at every turn and conspired to stop him at all costs. Read here:

Progressives "Crushed" by Feingold's Defeat

From Progressive.org - How ironic it is that Feingold, who more than any other Senator tried to limit the poisonous influence of corporate money in politics, succumbed to that very disease.

Progressives across Wisconsin, and across the country, are feeling crushed by the defeat of Sen. Russ Feingold, one of the finest Senators ever to represent the Badger state. Feingold lost 52-47 to Ron Johnson, a wealthy plastics manufacturer with no political experience. Read here:

Window for "Change" Might be Closed

From Bloomberg - The window for President Barack Obama to accomplish big things may have closed. Obama came to office expressing admiration for Ronald Reagan and Franklin Roosevelt because of their ability to achieve change on a grand scale from the White House. With his party’s losses in congressional elections last night, Obama confronts a new balance of power, one that constrains his ability to deliver such unfinished pieces of his agenda as climate change legislation. Similar midterm losses in 1994 led then-President Bill Clinton to pursue small-bore initiatives, a strategy Obama derided as a candidate. Read here:

Businesses Get a Life Line

From Bloomberg - The Republican victories in Congress mean U.S. companies from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to Wellpoint Inc. may be able to weaken or block what they consider President Barack Obama’s anti-business policies on health care, the environment, taxes and financial reform. Republicans retook the House of Representatives yesterday with a gain of at least 60 seats, their biggest increase since 1938. The party will use its first majority in the House since 2006 to try to eliminate funding for parts of Obama’s health care bill opposed by business as well as curb regulations and government spending, Jay Timmons, senior vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, a Washington-based lobbying group, said in an interview before the election. Read here:

Fed to Come Under More Scrutiny

Ben Bernanke

From Bloomberg - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke may have to renew his battle to preserve the central bank’s independence after Republican victories in yesterday’s congressional elections. With Republicans reclaiming a majority in the House of Representatives and eroding Democrats’ hold on the Senate, Tea Party candidates who campaigned in part against the Fed get an opportunity to call Bernanke to task for taking part in the unpopular financial rescues that helped propel them to office. “There’s certainly going to be more hearings and more pressure,” said Mark Calabria, a former Republican Senate Banking Committee aide who is now director of financial- regulation studies at the Cato Institute, a policy research group in Washington that favors free markets. Read here:

GOP Takes 8 House Seats from Dems in New Mexico

From the New Mexico Independent - Republicans appeared to pick up several seats in the state House on Tuesday, significantly narrowing the Democrats’ margin of control in the chamber, GOP lawmakers said late Tuesday night. Tuesday’s election returns caused GOP legislative leaders to wax about the coming changes they predicted after apparently picking up eight seats. Read here:

Former Governor Garrey Carruthers to Appear on NewsNM

Garrey Carruthers

Former New Mexico Governor (1986-1990) and current New Mexico State University College of Business Dean Garrey Carruthers will be our guest on News New Mexico this morning at 7:30am. We will use the opportunity to try to benefits from his personal insights on what it is like to emerge from humble beginnings to become the governor-elect of the State of New Mexico.

Cote, Steinborn Losses Part of Major Shift

Nate Cote

From NMPolitics.net - Losses tonight by state Reps. Nate Cote and Jeff Steinborn, Democrats from Southern New Mexico, are part of a major shift that will see Republicans gain eight seats in the House. That will dramatically shift the composition in the House, where there are currently 45 Democrats and 25 Republicans. Steinborn is not conceding the race yet – absentee ballots have yet to be counted – but the writing is on the wall. “At this juncture it would appear that I lost this race,” Steinborn said. “If in fact that it turns out that I lost, I want to certainly congratulate Terry McMillan and his supporters on an extremely hard-fought campaign. … Should it come to pass, I’m here to support him if he needs any assistance.” Read here:

Steve Pearce to Appear on NewsNM at 8:30am

Steve Pearce

New Mexico voters will send Steve Pearce back to Washington. Pearce, who regained the seat he held in the U.S. Congress, will appear as our guest on News New Mexico this morning at 8:30am. Yesterday Pearce decisively defeated his opponent, freshman Democrat Harry Teague 55.6% to 44.4% in yesterday's election. Please submit your questions for Steve Pearce to contact@newsnm.com.

Martinez Claims Historic Victory

Susana Martinez

Las Cruces – Below is Governor-elect Susana Martinez’s speech as prepared for delivery:
Tonight, we have made history. Together, we have taken a decisive step toward bringing bold change to New Mexico. I am deeply moved and humbled by the confidence and trust you have placed in me. The campaign was a spirited one, and I would like to take a moment and acknowledge Diane Denish for her service to our state. At the end of the day, New Mexicans chose a new direction and I thank them for their courage and trust. It means so much to share this with each one of you in my hometown of Las Cruces. And for those watching on television though out the state – thank you all as well. I must thank my wonderful and patient husband Chuck who has stood by me throughout. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for him. Also, with us tonight is my stepson Carlo, who we are so proud of, as well as my father, brother and sister Lettie and so many others. I want to thank my running mate John Sanchez who is here with his beautiful family.

John Sanchez

Thank you all for coming and standing with us tonight. This victory tonight says something… that someone who grew up in a working class family a few miles from the border can achieve anything…I hope the message sent to all those children watching tonight is: the American Dream is alive and well and with hard work, dedication and honesty, everything and anything is possible in the greatest state in the greatest nation on Earth…My friends, as your next governor, I will work every day to make our state stronger, safer and more productive. But I will not be able to accomplish these goals alone. You were the driving force behind this campaign to institute reform and restore integrity to state government. And as I campaigned across our great state, every where I went – you were the ones telling me how desperately we needed a new direction in New Mexico…A new direction in our economic policy so small businesses – the backbone of our economy – are able to compete…A new direction so we can get our fiscal house in order and save for the future…A new direction in the way government operates so we increase transparency and accountability ending waste, fraud and abuse…

A new direction in public education so New Mexico is no longer at the bottom of the list when it comes to the future of our children…My friends, this is a bold agenda because that’s exactly what our state and the times require…These are my priorities in the coming four years… By working together, we will create jobs, get our books in order, eliminate the corruption and turn our schools around. As I said during the campaign, we must do more than just change the party in power if we’re going to set a new course in New Mexico… We must work across party lines – Republicans and Democrats – to move our state forward. We have a lot of work to do… Tonight, we have taken a significant step in turning around New Mexico once and for all. Clearly, our top priority is creating jobs. But until New Mexico is able to put forward an economic framework that encourages growth and investment, employment will not increase. That is why I developed a jobs plan to get our state back to work. Small businesses will know they have any ally in Santa Fe…Come January, New Mexico’s employees and employers will have no stronger advocate than the state’s new chief executive.

Job creation and pro-growth economic policies are built around instituting common-sense budgeting principles that every single one of us utilizes in our homes. No longer will state government operate differently than any of us. We’re going to get our books in order and end the shell games that have taken over the Roundhouse for the last eight years. Together we will work toward fiscal responsibility by putting in place bold solutions, that will make state government – once again – live within its means. While we are working to create a pathway for job creation, and getting control over New Mexico’s budget, we’re also going to change the culture of corruption in state government. No more will we tolerate the abuse of taxpayer dollars, wasting of state resources, and never again will we allow a fraud to be committed against this state’s citizens. For far too long the excuse has been: that’s how business is done in New Mexico. Well, I’m here to say, bold change has been victorious tonight and we’re not taking no for an answer. This matters a great deal to all of us. I have stood up to corruption my entire adult life. It is not the way we will do business in a Martinez Administration and it will no longer be the way we do business in New Mexico. And as we fix our economy and end the abuse that has become our state’s calling card, we can never forget the responsibility each and every one of us has to the children of New Mexico.

Quite honestly, thinking about the children of New Mexico is what started me on this journey many, many months ago. Children are our greatest promise. We are obligated as Americans to pass onto our sons and daughters a better, safer place than we inherited…That was the commitment our parents made to us…And tonight, I ask you to stand with me and renew that commitment to our children…Today, our state languishes in educating our young people… We are 49th in the nation…I make this pledge; we will no longer tolerate mediocrity inside our classrooms and we will turn our educational system around. In preparing to address the challenges our schools confront, I have called for a bold reform agenda in education.That is my commitment to each one of you… Together, the changes we make in Santa Fe will directly benefit our most prized asset – our children – whether they reside in Alamogordo, Farmington, Clovis or Española. I began this campaign a year and a half ago and it has been my privilege to travel the state and meet so many good, hard working, honest people who only desire the best for our beloved New Mexico. The process will make me a better advocate for each one of you. As I make Santa Fe my new home, I carry the advice, concerns and appeals each one of you have communicated over the past year… They will guide me as I work to turn our state around. I give you my word that I will always put the interests of New Mexicans first… I will always tell you the truth whether it benefits me or not… And I will always commit myself – heart and soul – to making our state the very best it can be. I look forward to the challenge and I am invigorated by the confidence you have placed in me… I ask for your prayers and your continued support as we forge a new course for our state. Thank you so much for believing in me and for the opportunity to serve as your next governor. By working together, we will make a difference. I will do everything in my power to never let you down. God bless you and God bless New Mexico. Thank you.

Carlson: Category 4 Blows Dems Away

Margaret Carlson

The message is loud and clear, if not cogent or consistent. The Category 4 hurricane hit as predicted on Election Day and never let up. It’s hard to remember when so many politicians have been blown away at once. Few of the losers could have been surprised. No members of Congress seeking re-election had publicly put their houses on the market, although a few real-estate agents told me they fielded calls. The storm proved the anti-incumbent, anti-establishment fervor was real, deep and lasting. It ended up benefiting Republicans not because they offered any great promise or confidence-inspiring record, but simply because they are the party out of power. The closest thing to a primal scream this year was casting votes against Democrats. Read here:

House Flipped - Senate Clipped

From Bloomberg - Republicans seized control of the U.S. House and, while falling short of winning the Senate, narrowed the chamber’s Democratic majority in midterm elections shaped by voter anxiety over jobs and the economy. Republicans gained at least 60 House seats yesterday across the country, capitalizing on concerns about government spending and delivering a rebuke to the domestic agenda of President Barack Obama. Read here:

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