Crescit Eundo

Albuquerque- "It grows as it goes" is the translation of our state's latin motto. That's what we're doing here at the New Mexico Politico. I started this as a personal blog over ten years ago. Politics has always been a passion and I relished the opportunity to have a platform to share my thoughts and ideas on New Mexico politics and culture. This blog directly lead me to the crazy campaign world of grassroots organizing and activism, which has preoccupied me since 2008. The mechanics of elections taught me a lot about the process, mostly the egos involved in the pursuit of power. This experience made me an operative, candidate, delegate and general agitator. While trench fighting is fun, it is brutal and will wear you down. It distracted me from what I originally set out to do; observe, write, speak and influence from a genuinely independent perspective. I am the son of entrepreneurs, pioneers, Irish Union soldiers, Spanish conquistadors, Mexican merchants, Tigua farmers, and Apache warriors... I am of this land and the amalgamation of cultures that makes New Mexico so unique. It is from this truth that propells me to revamp and improve this from a personal blog to a media and lifestyle site covering culture and influence in the Land of Enchantment. Fresh voices and perspectives will be featured along with special coverage of topics that, by design, are usually overlooked or ignored by news media, pundits and politicians. I invite you to join us as we grow and go at the new nmpolitico.com 

Perception is Truth in Politics

Albuquerque - The rouge dinosaurs are gathering this weekend to celebrate their self-righteousness while electing delegates to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. They will also pick another saltine elite to represent their country club as a Republican national committeeman and committeewoman.

I was organizing for liberty four years ago at the same convention. A small contingency of liberty minded GOP activists defied the establishment by accruing enough coalition support to be elected delegates and alternate delegates to the 2012 national convention. I represented New Mexico liberty minded Republicans as an alternate delegate to the coronation of Mitt Romney in Tampa Bay. The experience was an education but it was largely a futile exertion of energy and resources; Liberty is not welcome in the party of cronyism, war, and android crew cuts. I will not be attending this year's bridge club mainly because I am now a registered DTS, Independent voter with no plan of ever returning to brunch on the red Titanic.

It was curious to read of the New Mexico GOP's negligence of Sandia Pueblo's press policy barring media (especially lowly bloggers) from covering Saturday's Quadrennial Convention. This may be a genuine error on Chairwoman Debbie Weh Maestas and her team but the perception of this blunder doesn't help her party's image after they already tried to charge media a fee to cover this event. Perception is truth in politics, that's at least what a number of establishment types kept reminding me during my time in the small tent. Andy Lyman reports the state party has remedied the issue,

"The Republican Party of New Mexico announced on Wednesday that members of the press will, indeed, be able to cover the party’s statewide Quadrennial Convention."

You can imagine this media timeline has been anything but gracious for the NM GOP, the party of the people for the people, right?

Open New Mexico Primaries

Albuquerque - Modern political parties have atrophied in scope of their ability to effectively influence and represent current constituencies. This is reflected in the trend of voters here in New Mexico and nationwide ending their associations to the ruling political duopoly and embracing political independence,  the first step in reclaiming their individual sovereignty. 

Are you aware of the current disenfranchisement of 272,301 New Mexico taxpayers registered as independents or minor party who are barred from participating in publicly funded primary elections? Heath Haussamen of NMPolitics.Net opines and offers a pretty straight forward solution for the duopoly masters in Santa Fe to consider,

"I don’t have a strong opinion on whether New Mexico’s primaries should be open to all voters. But if we’re going to continue with closed primaries, I believe the parties, not taxpayers, should foot the bill. The primaries should either be paid for with public money and open to all voters, or they should be closed party processes funded exclusively by Democrats and Republicans."

Read his full commentary with linked sources on the number of registered independent voters and minor party members here. Heath for the most part attempts to keep things balanced so the consistency and fairness of his proposed resolution should be agreeable to most parties. No pun intended. 

Ben Swann: Saudi Arabia Terrified of Release of "28 Pages" in 9/11...

I remember Ben Swann of KFOX TV in El Paso covering sports mostly. He's done good for himself, I think he picked up a bit of the borderland's dialect though. And yeah, the Saudis aren't our friends.