From the by M.D. Fletcher |
January 2011 |
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Gosh, I really don't know to delicately approach this, but as soon as you have successfully unstuck your eyelids from what I'm charitably guessing to be cranberry eggnog backsplash, I've got some items of interest for you. First of all, it's 2011. No, I'm not talking about your cholesterol count (though given your raucous excesses of the past few weeks that may be close); I'm talking about the year on the calendar. It's January Two - Zero - One - One, by golly, so it's time to shuck the Snuggie and bunny slippers, slip on your big boy pants and get down to business. Ready? Ok, listen up: The annual gathering of eagles otherwise known as the New Mexico State Legislative Session has begun and lawmakers from all over our great yet deeply impoverished backwater dominion are currently encamped in The City Different, each and every one fighting hammer and tong to snatch a bit of pork to bring home to their own particular nest of expectant voters. The pickin's are indeed slim this year in the wake of the departure of our former and unlamented Governor Richardson who, after having thoughtfully named everything except three public toilets in Colfax County after himself, pocketed the cheese from the mousetraps in the Governor's Mansion and high-tailed it for Hollywood. Next up to fill the broad and deep indentations pounded in the Governor's seat by Big Bill is Susanna Martinez, a spunky welterweight up-and-comer hailing from the state's forbidden zone, namely southern New Mexico, who won the Governorship by a wide margin after simply pointing out her opponent's unfortunate but nonetheless documented organizational relationship with Bill Richardson. As a long term District Attorney and an accomplished criminal prosecutor, Ms. Martinez is well suited for the political environment and could obviously make use of her skills in the Legislature. |
The primary order of business for our new Governor should be cleaning up the results of eight years worth of irresponsible and vindictive leadership, reckless fiscal mismanagement and bald-faced political pandering and manipulation perpetrated by her predecessor. Only the most unrepentant die-hard political thug will oppose her efforts in this regard (despite the inbred inclinations of many, including the Speaker of the House). This is not a Republican or Democratic issue: members on both sides of the aisle will be held equally accountable by the electorate. One particularly massive dropping in this vast pasture of political cow pies is the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board which, at the instruction of their gubernatorial benefactor, bypassed the Legislature to promulgate regulations that will dramatically increase the cost of doing business in New Mexico by monetizing carbon dioxide emissions among certain industries - like the electric and petroleum businesses. Their stated purpose is to reduce carbon emissions and save the world from global warming. Aside from being flat-out stupid economically, the notion that piddly little New Mexico has any significant impact on global warming is an insult to the mathematical application of the scientific method. The actual purpose of the EIB action was to curry favor from the Far-Left political elite, advance the Governor's street cred in preparation for future California-style political misadventures and get the name Bill Richardson about two minutes worth of attention among certain circles inside the Beltway of Washington D.C. At stake, of course, are the lives and livelihoods of hard-working New Mexico citizens. He obviously never cared. But it's a new day, a new year and we've got a new Governor here in the Land of Enchantment. Let's hope this one actually works for the long-suffering people who gave her the job. |
