News New Mexico

Martinez on the VP Short List?

Gov. Susana Martinez

From dailycaller.com -Will New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez be the next vice president? “Don’t know her, but on paper I think she looks very impressive,” veteran GOP strategist Mike Murphy, a one-time aide to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, told The Daily Caller. A conservative former prosecutor, Martinez is the most popular of the new Republican governors elected last fall, with an approval rating at or above 50 percent in a traditionally liberal state. More News New Mexico

Oh Joy, a Compromise!

The Nobel Peace Prize

There is joy spreading throughout the land. Washington has agreed to a "compromise." A 60-day extension of what was supposed to a one-time reduction in the cash flowing going into the Social Security program (payroll taxes) has been universally labeled as "the right thing" to do by nearly all politicans and media alike.
The solvency of Social Security, which was already an actuarial nightmare before the latest "compromise," has been made even worse. And the great benefits to the "middle class" that will come as a result of this deal will come directly out of the cash flows that won't be going into their future retirement program.

Did Congress agree to this extension for another year so businesses payroll departments can make plans? Don't be silly! This extension is only good for less than nine weeks. The pitiful length of the nine week extension was characterized as "inexcusable" by President Obama just last weekend. However, yesterday, Obama was pleased with what was just five days ago......."inexcusable."

"Holder's Bag of Tricks"

Courtesy of Conservativedailynews.com

janice2012.us

Another snowstorm to hit NM

From KRQE-TV.com - by Russell Contreras, AP - Just days after a blizzard struck parts of New Mexico, the state is bracing for another snow blast that could cause trouble for holiday travelers. The National Weather Service has placed most of the state on a winter storm warning until late Friday. Heavy snow and winds up to 65 mph are expected to hit western and central New Mexico late Thursday. As much as 12 inches of snow is expected in mountain regions and up to 7 inches could hit parts of northeast and central New Mexico. The storm could pose problems for holiday travelers since heavy snow and wind gust could reduce visibility to near zero in some parts, making travel nearly impossible, according to the National Weather Service. "It's going to be very difficult to drive on I-40 from the Arizona border to Albuquerque, and on I-25 just south of Albuquerque," said Chuck Jones, a National Weather Service meteorologist. Officials said the Raton Pass also is expected to be difficult to drive through. Read more

Fitch Affirms NMSU Revs at 'AA'

From marketwatch.com -Fitch Ratings has affirmed its 'AA' rating on approximately $143,420,000 of revenue bonds and revenue and improvement bonds issued by the Regents of New Mexico State University (NMSU, or the university). The Rating Outlook is Stable. More News New Mexico

N.M. Sixth Largest Recipient of Federal Funds

From bizjournals.com -New Mexico’s dependence on federal government spending increased in FY10. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, federal government spending during the year grew to $28 billion, up from $27.5 billion in FY09. New Mexico ranks sixth among the states in terms of per capita federal spending. In FY10, the federal government spent $13,577 per capita for every New Mexican. More News New Mexico

Bachman, Santorum & Huntsman Fail to Make VA. Ballot

From hotair.com -That’s not even the worst part. The worst part is that Perry and Gingrich, either one of whom could still become the Great Grassroots Hope against Romney, might not have qualified either. You need 10,000 signatures to make the ballot but 15,000 are recommended since a bunch are bound to be thrown out as false or duplicative as the petitions are scrutinized. You also need at least 600 signatures from each of Virginia’s 11 congressional districts. Romney submitted 16,026 and Ron Paul submitted 14,361. Perry’s total: 11,911. Gingrich’s: 11,050. If they end up getting bounced, the Republican primary ballot for one of America’s key swing states will consist exclusively of … Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. You know who that benefits? More News New Mexico

Alb. Rolls Back Energy Code

From businessweek.com -Albuquerque city councilors have narrowly agreed to roll back the city's strict energy code, which was intended to make the city a leader in energy conservation. The council voted 5-4 along party lines Monday night to abandon the code in favor of the less strict -- and less costly -- state code. Republicans supported the rollback, saying it will make Albuquerque more builder-friendly. Some developers and environmentalists said Tuesday the city has taken a step backward by adopting the new code, which is based on the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code, a collection of standards that have been vetted by architects, engineers and builders from across the country. More News New Mexico

Latest in N.M.'s Largest Ponzi Scheme

Douglas Vaughan

From forbes.com -Last year, we first told you about the activities of Douglas F. Vaughan, a New Mexico real estate broker who authorities said orchestrated that rural desert state’s biggest-ever Ponzi scheme. Since the early 1990′s the popular Albuquerque businessman sold to his fellow New Mexicans promissory notes touting high annual returns–averaging 17.5%–and no risk.Vaughan, 64, pleaded guilty in a Santa Fe federal courtroom to two of those counts, mail fraud and wire fraud. He formally admitted to running the state-record Ponzi, which was put at $75 million. More News New Mexico

Curtis: "Not Being a Politician, I Don't Understand"

Capitol Report New Mexico - We’ve written how it looks like Republican Gov. Susana Martinez has no choice but to seat a Democrat and president of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers Association, Lisa Curtis, to serve out the final year of the term of state Sen. Kent Cravens (R-Albuquerque). Cravens resigned his post to become a lobbyist for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association and while the district he represents is largely a GOP stronghold, the Bernalillo and Sandoval county comissions on a party-line vote nominated Curtis to replace Cravens. In an interview with Capitol Report New Mexico earlier this month, Gov. Martinez said, “The people in that district elected Kent Cravens as a Republican and wanted a Republican representing them and the commissions have played politics instead and have submitted a Democrat and only one name. It looks like that’s the only option we have [to select Curtis to fill the seat] and if it is, I will do what I have to do but it’s a shame that politics has to play a part in this when, in fact, what the people want should be first and foremost.”

Lisa Curtis

Recently, Curtis sent an e-mail to reporter Milan Simonich of the Texas-New Mexico Newspapers Partnership claiming she’s apolitical:

“Not being a politician, I don’t understand why anyone would be appointed based on party,” Curtis said. “Right now I represent one New Mexico family at a time … All this talk about parties divides us and is completely unproductive.”
But a quick review of records by Capitol Report New Mexico shows Curtis has made $9,200 in personal political contributions in just the last two years and all of them went to Democrats. Read full story here: News New Mexico

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