Friends, Foes, and Family
I wanted to update you on some news regarding The New Mexico Politico. When I started this site last year I was a young, passionate, and opinionated teenager that cared for my beloved New Mexico and country. I have been able to project my opinion on policies, candidates, and culture that I think are important in this running dialogue we call democracy. I am far from being a brilliant student, innovative politico, or kingmaker but I am a regular New Mexico kid engaging in the political process simply because I care for my country and state. The New Mexico Politico has allowed me to be the Citizen Soldier I think we are all called to be. I have found that I am not alone in this and have decided to include more youth from across New Mexico to engage in this dialogue and be Citizen Soldiers. I will be hosting daily, weekly, and monthly columnists from different backgrounds to offer their distinct perspective on New Mexican politics, culture, and national events. I don't care if they are liberal, conservative, moderate, libertarian, black, blue, pink, or orange. It is so important to society to provide an avenue for the youth to voice their opinion because they have as much invested in the well being of our state and country as anyone! I will be moving to another site, www.nmpolitico.com, in the near future but will remain active in this original site. I welcome anyone regardless of age to submit a column to The New Mexico Politico as well. I have decided to work vehemently to give a voice to the youth and with your support we will be able to achieve this! God bless.
AHD
3.05.2008
Dunn Denies Allegations
Most of you know that I am a straight shooter and I will not tolerate inaccurate information. When something smells fishy I will find the truth. I have been hearing fellow politicos chat about Aubrey Dunn allegedly buying votes in the Otero county pre-primary ward conventions. I mentioned it in yesterdays post but decided to call Mr. Dunn to get a definitive answer. Mr. Dunn was courteous enough to answer my phone call and answer to the rumors flying around about him throughout the district. He flatly denied the allegations of vote buying in Otero and explained that family, friends, and acquaintances attended the convention to support him because they believe in his candidacy and cause. He did not pay anyone either family, friend, or employee(he only has one) and won Otero county in a fair manner. I am calling local politicos to please quit the chatter and focus on the real issues. I am not supporting Mr. Dunn at the moment but as a Republican I think it is in our best interest to deal with the issues and facts and let the Democrats "platicar" and gossip. As a party we hurt ourselves when we allow rumors to develop instead of finding the truth in the issue. Mr. Dunn thank you for your honesty and good luck in the remaining months of primary campaigning. Now Heather Wilson and Darren White have some explaining to do. Governor Cargo and Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones have some input in the Bernallilo matter as well. My fellow Republicans lets find the facts, resolve the issue, and get back to the real issues that matter here in New Mexico. "A house divided against itself cannot stand" - President Abraham Lincoln, 1858
Las Cruces, Nuevo California
Today I would like to introduce "Chatty Cathy" a columnist for the New Mexico Politico who wishes to remain anonymous. She and I share similar concerns for our beloved community and hope more citizens will open their eyes to the reality and voice their opinion. "Chatty Cathy" will periodically appear on the New Mexico Politico. I hope you enjoy!
_________________________________________________________________________________
Las Cruces, Nuevo California
By "Chatty Cathy"
I left New Mexico for a while in 2003, but the lure of the Land of Enchantment drew me back in early 2006. There are many things I love about New Mexico, specifically Las Cruces. Among them, I love Hatch green chile, Little Nellie's, Dick's Café, Dia de Los Muertos celebrations on the Mesilla Plaza, and the Whole Enchilada Fiesta. Obviously, I love the food. But I also love the culture. Hispanics like to celebrate, and New Mexico has many celebrations. There is a zest for life here that isn't found in the "white-bread" communities of the Midwest; it is a sense of living each day to its fullest that invigorates me.
Las Cruces has always been an oasis of Democrats in a largely Republican district. New Mexico's second congressional district leans Republican plus 5.7%. The liberal-minded nature of Las Cruces, the district's largest community, can be attributed to New Mexico State University. Communities with a four-year university are always more liberal than communities without a university. Perhaps it's the young ladies and gentlemen stretching their political wings for the first time, trying out their new found freedom to live and believe as they choose. Whatever the reason, it has attracted a bad element to Las Cruces: the Californians.
In my book, "Californian" is a four-letter word. Right before I moved back to Las Cruces in 2006, Las Cruces had an influx of "retired" Californians. By retired, I mean they sold their two-bedroom, one-bath, 900-square-foot shack in L.A. or San Francisco for $1.6 million dollars and left California. They were youngish, not old enough to collect Social Security, and not worried about finding a job since they had quite a bit of money stashed away from the sale of their house. I'm sure they felt lucky to discover Las Cruces, with it's picturesque views and, in comparison to California, dirt-cheap housing. There was no traffic congestion, no rolling blackouts, and the population was under 100,000.
Somebody should have told them to pack up their crap and get the heck out of Las Cruces. But as New Mexicans, we invited them into our city and made them feel welcome. It's in our nature; we're some of the nicest people you can find. Californians came in and took advantage of our hospitality. They contributed to the rising housing market, making it impossible for working joes in Las Cruces to afford a house. They played the speculation game with our real estate, buying up houses under the guise of "investment companies" and then jacking up the price to gain a larger return on their investment.
I have seen the effects of this first-hand. I lived in Santa Fe for almost two years back in 2000. I arrived the day after the Cerro Grande Fire (or the "Dome Fire," as locals call it). The average price of a house when I moved to Santa Fe was $180,000. That was for a three-bedroom, one-bath, 1100-square-foot fixer-upper in the bad part of town. I was floored. Many of the people I worked with couldn't afford to buy a house, and those that did bought only two-bedroom condos for $170,000. The house-buying frenzy hadn't started yet. Interest rates were still (looking back) high. On August 11, 2000, the New York Times reported that fixed-rate home loans had "fallen" to 8.04%; stil high enough to make home buying an impossibility for many Santa Feans.
The result of Santa Fe's inflated housing market was the effect of Californians moving to The City Different and paying outlandish prices for moderately-sized homes. Santa Fe's housing market was in an upward spiral, and there was nothing anybody could do about it. By the time I left Santa Fe, only 21 months later, the average house price had risen $50,000 to an outlandish $230,000.
Las Cruces has become Santa Fe all over again. On February 26, 2008, MSN Money reported that house prices in Santa Fe had risen 57.28% in the past five years. Las Cruces homes have risen an average of 59.03% in the last five years. At a 59% appreciation rate, I'm looking at paying $160,000 now for a house that was only worth $100,000 in 2003.
In contrast, cities like San Francisco and Santa Barbara, while still expensive to live in, have house prices appreciating in the mid-fortieth percentile. Keep in mind that these expensive California locales have industry and economy, as well as a fairly well-educated population. According to the US Census Bureau, over 50% of the people age 25 or older in San Francisco have a bachelor's degree or higher. In Santa Barbara, that number is almost 44%. Conversely, in Las Cruces, which has a fine public university, the percentage of the population 25 or older attaining a bachelor's degree or higher is only 31.6%.
While the counter-argument may arise that higher housing leads to a higher tax base for the city and county governments, it doesn't do anybody much good if the average citizen can't afford to buy a house. California passed a minimum-wage law years ago, in an effort to equalize the buying power of those who make minimum wage. Even Santa Fe passed a minimum-wage law a few years back. But in Las Cruces, a city that has no industry, no commerce, and no manufacturing (whose only claim to fame is to be named one of the best cities to retire in), minimum wage is a fact of life. The housing market should accommodate this and absorb it, which it did until we had Californians with millions of dollars coming in and buying veritable palaces for a fraction of what it would cost in California. I'm sure they thought they had struck it rich.
If Las Cruces doesn't start telling the Californians to go home, the city may end up becoming another California, with ever-rising housing prices. The locals will be getting the short end of the stick, only they'll be in a worse situation than California—New Mexico doesn't have the tourism, industry, manufacturing, or educational levels that California has. What will happen to the people that settled and built Las Cruces, the people that tilled the Mesilla Valley soil to nurture world-famous chile, and the people that work hard to provide for their families? What will happen to that zest for life that makes Las Cruces such a great place to live? It will disappear, and Las Cruces will become another California community.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Las Cruces, Nuevo California
By "Chatty Cathy"
I left New Mexico for a while in 2003, but the lure of the Land of Enchantment drew me back in early 2006. There are many things I love about New Mexico, specifically Las Cruces. Among them, I love Hatch green chile, Little Nellie's, Dick's Café, Dia de Los Muertos celebrations on the Mesilla Plaza, and the Whole Enchilada Fiesta. Obviously, I love the food. But I also love the culture. Hispanics like to celebrate, and New Mexico has many celebrations. There is a zest for life here that isn't found in the "white-bread" communities of the Midwest; it is a sense of living each day to its fullest that invigorates me.
Las Cruces has always been an oasis of Democrats in a largely Republican district. New Mexico's second congressional district leans Republican plus 5.7%. The liberal-minded nature of Las Cruces, the district's largest community, can be attributed to New Mexico State University. Communities with a four-year university are always more liberal than communities without a university. Perhaps it's the young ladies and gentlemen stretching their political wings for the first time, trying out their new found freedom to live and believe as they choose. Whatever the reason, it has attracted a bad element to Las Cruces: the Californians.
In my book, "Californian" is a four-letter word. Right before I moved back to Las Cruces in 2006, Las Cruces had an influx of "retired" Californians. By retired, I mean they sold their two-bedroom, one-bath, 900-square-foot shack in L.A. or San Francisco for $1.6 million dollars and left California. They were youngish, not old enough to collect Social Security, and not worried about finding a job since they had quite a bit of money stashed away from the sale of their house. I'm sure they felt lucky to discover Las Cruces, with it's picturesque views and, in comparison to California, dirt-cheap housing. There was no traffic congestion, no rolling blackouts, and the population was under 100,000.
Somebody should have told them to pack up their crap and get the heck out of Las Cruces. But as New Mexicans, we invited them into our city and made them feel welcome. It's in our nature; we're some of the nicest people you can find. Californians came in and took advantage of our hospitality. They contributed to the rising housing market, making it impossible for working joes in Las Cruces to afford a house. They played the speculation game with our real estate, buying up houses under the guise of "investment companies" and then jacking up the price to gain a larger return on their investment.
I have seen the effects of this first-hand. I lived in Santa Fe for almost two years back in 2000. I arrived the day after the Cerro Grande Fire (or the "Dome Fire," as locals call it). The average price of a house when I moved to Santa Fe was $180,000. That was for a three-bedroom, one-bath, 1100-square-foot fixer-upper in the bad part of town. I was floored. Many of the people I worked with couldn't afford to buy a house, and those that did bought only two-bedroom condos for $170,000. The house-buying frenzy hadn't started yet. Interest rates were still (looking back) high. On August 11, 2000, the New York Times reported that fixed-rate home loans had "fallen" to 8.04%; stil high enough to make home buying an impossibility for many Santa Feans.
The result of Santa Fe's inflated housing market was the effect of Californians moving to The City Different and paying outlandish prices for moderately-sized homes. Santa Fe's housing market was in an upward spiral, and there was nothing anybody could do about it. By the time I left Santa Fe, only 21 months later, the average house price had risen $50,000 to an outlandish $230,000.
Las Cruces has become Santa Fe all over again. On February 26, 2008, MSN Money reported that house prices in Santa Fe had risen 57.28% in the past five years. Las Cruces homes have risen an average of 59.03% in the last five years. At a 59% appreciation rate, I'm looking at paying $160,000 now for a house that was only worth $100,000 in 2003.
In contrast, cities like San Francisco and Santa Barbara, while still expensive to live in, have house prices appreciating in the mid-fortieth percentile. Keep in mind that these expensive California locales have industry and economy, as well as a fairly well-educated population. According to the US Census Bureau, over 50% of the people age 25 or older in San Francisco have a bachelor's degree or higher. In Santa Barbara, that number is almost 44%. Conversely, in Las Cruces, which has a fine public university, the percentage of the population 25 or older attaining a bachelor's degree or higher is only 31.6%.
While the counter-argument may arise that higher housing leads to a higher tax base for the city and county governments, it doesn't do anybody much good if the average citizen can't afford to buy a house. California passed a minimum-wage law years ago, in an effort to equalize the buying power of those who make minimum wage. Even Santa Fe passed a minimum-wage law a few years back. But in Las Cruces, a city that has no industry, no commerce, and no manufacturing (whose only claim to fame is to be named one of the best cities to retire in), minimum wage is a fact of life. The housing market should accommodate this and absorb it, which it did until we had Californians with millions of dollars coming in and buying veritable palaces for a fraction of what it would cost in California. I'm sure they thought they had struck it rich.
If Las Cruces doesn't start telling the Californians to go home, the city may end up becoming another California, with ever-rising housing prices. The locals will be getting the short end of the stick, only they'll be in a worse situation than California—New Mexico doesn't have the tourism, industry, manufacturing, or educational levels that California has. What will happen to the people that settled and built Las Cruces, the people that tilled the Mesilla Valley soil to nurture world-famous chile, and the people that work hard to provide for their families? What will happen to that zest for life that makes Las Cruces such a great place to live? It will disappear, and Las Cruces will become another California community.
3.04.2008
Wilson-White Alleged Vote Buying... They should be ashamed.
While attending school in Chicago I have witnessed the dirty, unethical, and corrupt Democratic political practice the common citizens are subject to. It has made me appreciate La Politica here at home and has compelled me to support government and party transparency. When I read about Heather Wilson and Darren White allegedly buying delegate votes at the Bernallilo ward and county conventions I am reminded of Mayor Daley's corrupt political machine and New York's Tammany Hall. I have one question for Wilson and White... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?! According to Dennis Domrzalski Albuquerque's KKOB Radio news anchor Laura MacCallum quit her job last Thursday after the news director refused to allow her to report on Heather Wilson and Darren White allegedly buying votes at the Bernallilo Republican pre-primary ward conventions. The Wilson camp called KKOB to protest to the report calling it "unfair" and not valid. The media has a right to publish legal and credible reports with out political pressure not to. Now we have all heard the rumors and believed it was just "chatty cathy" news but what caught my attention is that Ms. MacCallum had two very credible sources notify her of the corrupt activity. Ex Governor David Cargo and State Representative Janice Arnold Jones saw suspicious blocks of voters attend the ward conventions and heard them mention that they were being compensated for attending and voting for a specific slate of ward delegates who supported Heather Wilson and Darren White. Why? Bernallilo county has the highest number of delegates to vote at the Republican State convention at next weeks pre-primary convention. The Wilson and White camps are vying to be placed first on the ballot and restrict opposition in the most populous Republican district. This seems to be yet another invalid, in genuine and crude maneuver on the part of Heather Wilson to defeat Pearce this June. I understand this is politics but to sink to this level of corruption is intolerable and Congresswoman Wilson should be ashamed of herself. If an ex Governor and State Rep. witnessed this activity and verbal affirmation of such activity an investigation should be prescribed to find the truth. Wilson's camp has not denied the allegations and they shouldn't because they are already in the mud. Governor Cargo is sure that this situation is vote buying and he lists state elections codes that refer to this as:
"1-20-11. Offering a bribe. (1969)
Offering a bribe consists of willfully advancing, paying, or causing to be paid, or promising, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable consideration, office or employment, to any person for the following purposes connected with or incidental to any election:
A. to induce such person, if a voter, to vote or refrain from voting for or against any candidate, proposition, question or constitutional amendment;
B. to induce such person, if a precinct board member or other election official, to mark, alter, suppress or otherwise change any ballot that has been cast, any election return, or any certificate of election; or
C. to induce such person to use such payment or promise to bribe others for the purposes specified in this section.
Whoever offers a bribe is guilty of a fourth degree felony,” and
“1-20-12. Accepting a bribe. (1969)
Accepting a bribe consists of knowingly accepting any payment or promise of payment, directly or indirectly, of money, valuable consideration, office or employment for the unlawful purposes specified in Section 1-20-11 NMSA 1978.
Whoever accepts a bribe is guilty of a fourth degree felony.”
Previous portion was provided by 1-20-11. Offering a bribe. (1969)
Offering a bribe consists of willfully advancing, paying, or causing to be paid, or promising, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable consideration, office or employment, to any person for the following purposes connected with or incidental to any election:
A. to induce such person, if a voter, to vote or refrain from voting for or against any candidate, proposition, question or constitutional amendment;
B. to induce such person, if a precinct board member or other election official, to mark, alter, suppress or otherwise change any ballot that has been cast, any election return, or any certificate of election; or
C. to induce such person to use such payment or promise to bribe others for the purposes specified in this section.
Whoever offers a bribe is guilty of a fourth degree felony,”
(The previous was provided by Dennis Domrzalski's f-brilliant.blogspot.com)
This is sounding serious and illegal. If this story transpires into an investigation it could very well derail Wilson's campaign. A fellow politico has also notified me that Aubrey Dunn (candidate for congress in D-2) had pulled a similar tactic in the Otero county pre-primary conventions but contests that it is legal because it is a primary. Well Mr. Dunn maybe you should look at state statute 1-20-12. Interesting to see where this goes. Shame shame on Wilson/White and Dunn better get prepared. Republicans should have a higher standard and should not follow such petty avenues of electioneering. This is part of the problem with the disunited New Mexico Republicans and this issue must be resolved.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATE 11:23 pm 3-05-2008
Mr. Dunn did not comment on the legality of the issue. A politico had notified me that the method was legal, not Mr. Dunn. The issue needs to be looked into... Gov. Cargo, Mr.Dunn, State Rep. Arnold-Jones expect a phone call from me.
"1-20-11. Offering a bribe. (1969)
Offering a bribe consists of willfully advancing, paying, or causing to be paid, or promising, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable consideration, office or employment, to any person for the following purposes connected with or incidental to any election:
A. to induce such person, if a voter, to vote or refrain from voting for or against any candidate, proposition, question or constitutional amendment;
B. to induce such person, if a precinct board member or other election official, to mark, alter, suppress or otherwise change any ballot that has been cast, any election return, or any certificate of election; or
C. to induce such person to use such payment or promise to bribe others for the purposes specified in this section.
Whoever offers a bribe is guilty of a fourth degree felony,” and
“1-20-12. Accepting a bribe. (1969)
Accepting a bribe consists of knowingly accepting any payment or promise of payment, directly or indirectly, of money, valuable consideration, office or employment for the unlawful purposes specified in Section 1-20-11 NMSA 1978.
Whoever accepts a bribe is guilty of a fourth degree felony.”
Previous portion was provided by 1-20-11. Offering a bribe. (1969)
Offering a bribe consists of willfully advancing, paying, or causing to be paid, or promising, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable consideration, office or employment, to any person for the following purposes connected with or incidental to any election:
A. to induce such person, if a voter, to vote or refrain from voting for or against any candidate, proposition, question or constitutional amendment;
B. to induce such person, if a precinct board member or other election official, to mark, alter, suppress or otherwise change any ballot that has been cast, any election return, or any certificate of election; or
C. to induce such person to use such payment or promise to bribe others for the purposes specified in this section.
Whoever offers a bribe is guilty of a fourth degree felony,”
(The previous was provided by Dennis Domrzalski's f-brilliant.blogspot.com)
This is sounding serious and illegal. If this story transpires into an investigation it could very well derail Wilson's campaign. A fellow politico has also notified me that Aubrey Dunn (candidate for congress in D-2) had pulled a similar tactic in the Otero county pre-primary conventions but contests that it is legal because it is a primary. Well Mr. Dunn maybe you should look at state statute 1-20-12. Interesting to see where this goes. Shame shame on Wilson/White and Dunn better get prepared. Republicans should have a higher standard and should not follow such petty avenues of electioneering. This is part of the problem with the disunited New Mexico Republicans and this issue must be resolved.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATE 11:23 pm 3-05-2008
Mr. Dunn did not comment on the legality of the issue. A politico had notified me that the method was legal, not Mr. Dunn. The issue needs to be looked into... Gov. Cargo, Mr.Dunn, State Rep. Arnold-Jones expect a phone call from me.
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