This Day In New Mexico History - January 27

On this day in New Mexico history - January 27, 1838 - the final battle of the was known as The Revolt of 1837, also known as the Chimayó Rebellion - was fought under the guidance of three term governor Manuel Armijo who ended up technically the last Mexican Governor of New Mexico when the United States took over ten years later. The rebellion started in August 1837 when disaffected residents of the northern part of New Mexico assassinated then Governor Albino Pérez and took over the state. Many people in the southern part opposed the new government. Former governor Manuel Armijo, who was born in Albuquerque, lead a counterrevolution. In the fall of 1837 he marched to Santa Fe and declared himself governor. Armijo wrote to the Mexican government requesting federal troops. Those troops from Veracruz, Mexico arrived in early January 1838. A few weeks later the rebellion flared up again and Armijo led the force that defeated the rebels at Pojoaque. Of note: when the American forces ten years later came to New Mexico Armijo did not fight them and ended up living the rest of his life in Limitar, NM which is six miles north of Socorro, NM

This Day In New Mexico History - January 27

Justice Dept. Seeks to Have All Web Surfing Tracked

From rawstory.com -Mandatory data retention 'raises serious privacy and free speech concerns' WASHINGTON — The US Justice Department wants Internet service providers and cell phone companies to be required to hold on to records for longer to help with criminal prosecutions. "Data retention is fundamental to the department's work in investigating and prosecuting almost every type of crime," US deputy assistant attorney general Jason Weinstein told a congressional subcommittee on Tuesday. "Some records are kept for weeks or months; others are stored very briefly before being purged," Weinstein said in remarks prepared for delivery to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. He said Internet records are often "the only available evidence that allows us to investigate who committed crimes on the Internet." More here

Justice Dept. Seeks to Have All Web Surfing Tracked

Google Comes Under Fire for ‘Secret’ Relationship with NSA

From yahoo.com -Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group largely focused in recent years on Google's privacy practices, has called on a congressional investigation into the Internet giant's "cozy" relationship with U.S. President Barack Obama's administration. In a letter sent Monday, Consumer Watchdog asked Representative Darrell Issa, the new chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, to investigate the relationship between Google and several government agencies. The group asked Issa to investigate contracts at several U.S. agencies for Google technology and services, the "secretive" relationship between Google and the U.S. National Security Agency, and the company's use of a U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration airfield in California. Federal agencies have also taken "insufficient" action in response to revelations last year that Google Street View cars were collecting data from open Wi-Fi connections they passed, Consumer Watchdog said in the letter. "We believe Google has inappropriately benefited from close ties to the administration," the letter said. "Google is most consumers' gateway to the Internet. Nonetheless, it should not get special treatment and access because of a special relationship with the administration." More here

Google Comes Under Fire for ‘Secret’ Relationship with NSA

Andy Nunez to Appear on NewsNM

Andy Nunez

Andy Nunez, the only true "Independent" in the entire New Mexico legislature is scheduled to appear on News New Mexico Thursday morning. Nunez has been a major newsmaker in the state since early November of 2010 when House Republicans gained eight new seats in the legislature. Nunez (Hatch - I) became a vocal backer of the removal of current speaker Ben Lujan during the Democratic Party Caucus in late November. At one point in early 2011 it appeared that the votes were in place for Representative Joseph Cervantes to replace Lujan with the help of votes from House Republicans. However, in the end, the bi-partisan coalition that would haved ended Lujan's reign fell apart. The collapse was due in great part to last minute efforts by Tea Party groups from Las Cruces and around the state.

Many Tea Party members had deep reservations about Cervantes, particularly over his positions on allowing same-day voter registrations and issuing driver's licenses to illegal aliens. Eventually, pressures from the Tea Party acted as a catalyst. Both Democrats and Republicans united strictly along party lines and the final vote for Speaker was 36 for Ben Lujan and 33 for GOP  leader Tom Taylor. Of note was a single abstention. The lone "present" vote came from Andy Nunez. Quickly Speaker Lujan made Nunez the sacrificial lamb in the aftermath of the vote. Nunez, who had experienced major committee disruptions at the hands of Lujan in recent years, was promptly removed from his chairman post on the House Agriculture Committee. We will talk to the lone truly "independent" voice in the New Mexico legislature at 7:00am on News New Mexico.

Andy Nunez to Appear on NewsNM

Mayor Richard Berry to Appear on NewsNM

Richard Berry

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry is on the guest list for News New Mexico Thursday morning. It will be the Mayor's first appearance on the show. Topics for discussion will be the City of Albuquerque's hopes for the ongoing legislative session in Santa Fe. Also up for discussion will be the status and potential impact of the so-called "hold harmless" agreement related to Albuquerques's gross receipts taxes. The issue has been estimated to be worth more than $38 million for city coffers. Mayor Berry is scheduled for 7:30am.

Mayor Richard Berry to Appear on NewsNM

Senate Bill #1

Michael Sanchez

Capitol Report New Mexico - It’s the first bill formally introduced by the New Mexico State Senate in this legislative session and by the time the 60-day session is over, it could be ranked No. 1 in the amount of debate generated as lawmakers try just about everything to tackle the state’s budget deficit. It’s Senate Bill 1 — The Recovery Investment Bonding Act – and has been introduced by Sen. Michael Sanchez (D-Belen), who believes that most — if not all — budget cuts can be eliminated should this legislation pass. But critics — including the administration of Gov. Susana Martinez – says it merely papers over the state’s budget problems. Here’s how the bill works: The state would issue up to $300 million in bonds from New Mexico’s permanent funds through the State Investment Council (SIC). The state could then use that money to pay off the deficit. To repay the permanent fund dollars, New Mexico would pledge future proceeds from the state gross receipts tax over a five-year period. Read full story here:

Senate Bill #1

Williams: Can Our Nation Be Saved?

Walter Williams

Townhall - National debt is over $14 trillion, the federal budget deficit is $1.4 trillion and, depending on whose estimates are used, the unfunded liability or indebtedness of the federal government (mostly in the form of obligations for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and prescription drugs) is estimated to be between $60 and $100 trillion. Those entitlements along with others account for nearly 60 percent of federal spending. They are what Congress calls mandatory or non-discretionary spending. Then there's discretionary spending, half of which is for national defense. Each year, non-discretionary spending consumes a higher and higher percent of the federal budget. Read full column here:

Williams: Can Our Nation Be Saved?

NM Supreme Court Backs EIB

New York Times - The New Mexico Supreme Court’s rebuke to Susana Martinez, the state’s new governor was blunt. “No one is above the law,” the state’s chief justice, Charles W. Daniels said Wednesday morning as he announced the high court’s decision to reinstate two environmental regulations that the governor had unilaterally blocked upon taking office earlier this month. Gov. Susana Martinez. In a unanimous decision, the court ordered that the rules — one requiring annual 3 percent cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and another aimed at controlling waste discharges from the state’s dairies — must be published in the state’s register, which will make them effective. Governor Martinez had forbidden the register from publishing the rules. Read full story here:

NM Supreme Court Backs EIB

Governor Martinez, Acting on the Advice of Taxpayers

Governor Martinez

SANTA FE – Governor Susana Martinez made the following statement after announcing that she is taking action on numerous cost-saving measures proposal by the people of New Mexico. After inviting her fellow New Mexicans to submit their spending cuts through CutWasteTips@state.nm.us, the Governor’s office received over 1,250 responses and examined each suggestion. Today, Governor Martinez announced that she would implement the first of these proposals during a press conference at the Roundhouse. “It should come as little surprise that when we asked for ideas to cut government spending from everyday New Mexicans, rather than politicians and bureaucrats, the response was overwhelming,” said Governor Martinez. Read rest of story here:

Governor Martinez, Acting on the Advice of Taxpayers

Nunez Makes it Official - Declines to State

Andy Nunez

In accordance with a report by News New Mexico on Sunday morning, Representative Andy Nunez of Hatch joined the ranks of those who “decline to state” a party preference yesterday. In New Mexico “declining to state” is as close as one can come to being identified as an “INDEPENDENT.” Because the basic assumption of New Mexico law and the rules of the legislature are so steeped in the idea of party caucuses, the state does not even bother to formally recognize the term, “independent.” Nunez will not caucus with the Democrats or the GOP. He will appear as our guest tommorrow on News New Mexico.

Nunez Makes it Official - Declines to State