We extend our congratulations to Senator, now President Elect Barack Obama. He is the result of years of hard work by countless Democrats and his unfailing eloquence. For once we truly hope that we are wrong and that Mr. Obama is more than he appears and deeper than his rhetoric.
Democrats will have the opportunity to lead with a House firmly in their control and Senate where they hold sway. The responsiblity for their governing for - good or ill - will be their own. Ultimately it's our responsiblity to hold them accountable and to remember their campaign, their promises, and this night.
For Republicans it's a time to rebuild, to re-engergize, to find their way. Unlike many pundits who keep claiming that Republicans lost because they were too conservative, we'd argue that Republicans lost because they lost their way. Republicans need to find the core values of limited government, lower taxes, lower spending, and liberty. They lost not because they were too conservative, but because they became too much like their opponents.
For now... congratulations President Elect Obama. Our grand experiment in democracy continues while we peacefully transfer power as we have for over 200 years.
Showing posts with label Election 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Election 2008. Show all posts
Nov 4, 2008
Nov 3, 2008
Beware the Redeemer
History is replete with examples of men who have sold themselves as redeemers. People look to these leaders to restore their pride, save them from enemies, or assuage their guilt over a past sin. Desperation is the common thread. The more desperate or scared the public is, the more willing they are to look past clear indications of danger.
For the past eight years, Democrats have been beating the drums of fear and pointing the finger of blame. For 9/11 it was why didn't we connect the dots? Their demands resulted in the Patriot Act. Iraq was a heralded as a danger to the free world and developer of WMD's (which by the way they were - chemical weapons count) by both Republicans and Democrats. When we invaded, we were doomed to fail (Remember quagmire?). When we deposed Hussein (the dictator not the Senator) the drums beat failure because we hadn't captured the dictator that went to ground - quite literally.
Of course the saga continued with Democrats gleefully counting our honored dead and screaming for more troops. When we sent more troops as part of the surge, they screamed for their immediate departure. At every turn they were the purveyors of doom and fear preparing the way for an articulate man from Illinois to rise out of the fog of dirty Chicago politics - a redeemer to save us from war, a mortgage crisiss, and our past guilt.
Barack Obama was the perfect candidate to act as a redeemer. He undeniably has charm and charisma on a level never before seen in politics, and the ability to beguile an audience with a message of hope, while hiding a core of wealth redistribution, central government control, and associations with domestic terrorists.
Unfortunately, what began as politics as usual has effectively created a pervasive environment of fear - an environment that history shows can give rise to a despot in redeemers clothing. What concerns us is not Obama's skills, or even his terrifying belief in "economic justice," but the blind devotion he inspires in his followers.
In the 1930's another charismatic leader offered redemption to his people - redemption from an economy in shambles and a badly wounded national pride following a traumatic war. Like Obama this redeemer used the media to great effect even creating one of the most famous propaganda films of all time - Triumph des Willens.
Obama has sold himself as a redeemer in a time of economic trouble and eight years of negative propaganda from a party desperate to regain its political power. Now like the Germans of the 30's Obama's followers are ignoring what he has said and who he has associated with in favor of who they would like him to be.
We're not trying to say that Obama is the next great despot. He may be simply a misguided community organizer with uncommon communication skills propelled to national prominence through a series of dirty tricks and uncanny luck. However, Obama has positioned himself as a redeemer - a savior - which is incredibly dangerous when it inspires blind allegiance. Beware the Redeemer for he can bring damnation as quickly as salvation.
-----Update-----
We wrote the above post last night before we had seen what turns out to be a more complete analysis of what the Obama campaign and his handlers have been peddling. Like our post, Claude Benson makes comparisons to 1930's Germany.
Some of the comments we have received tried to compare Regan to Obama. Regan was no doubt charismatic, but the major difference was that Regan ran a campaign based on reason that created hope for the future. Obama peddles undefined "change" and "hope" without reason. His followers believe what they want to believe despite his past and regardless of what he says.
For the past eight years, Democrats have been beating the drums of fear and pointing the finger of blame. For 9/11 it was why didn't we connect the dots? Their demands resulted in the Patriot Act. Iraq was a heralded as a danger to the free world and developer of WMD's (which by the way they were - chemical weapons count) by both Republicans and Democrats. When we invaded, we were doomed to fail (Remember quagmire?). When we deposed Hussein (the dictator not the Senator) the drums beat failure because we hadn't captured the dictator that went to ground - quite literally.
Of course the saga continued with Democrats gleefully counting our honored dead and screaming for more troops. When we sent more troops as part of the surge, they screamed for their immediate departure. At every turn they were the purveyors of doom and fear preparing the way for an articulate man from Illinois to rise out of the fog of dirty Chicago politics - a redeemer to save us from war, a mortgage crisiss, and our past guilt.
Barack Obama was the perfect candidate to act as a redeemer. He undeniably has charm and charisma on a level never before seen in politics, and the ability to beguile an audience with a message of hope, while hiding a core of wealth redistribution, central government control, and associations with domestic terrorists.
Unfortunately, what began as politics as usual has effectively created a pervasive environment of fear - an environment that history shows can give rise to a despot in redeemers clothing. What concerns us is not Obama's skills, or even his terrifying belief in "economic justice," but the blind devotion he inspires in his followers.
In the 1930's another charismatic leader offered redemption to his people - redemption from an economy in shambles and a badly wounded national pride following a traumatic war. Like Obama this redeemer used the media to great effect even creating one of the most famous propaganda films of all time - Triumph des Willens.
Obama has sold himself as a redeemer in a time of economic trouble and eight years of negative propaganda from a party desperate to regain its political power. Now like the Germans of the 30's Obama's followers are ignoring what he has said and who he has associated with in favor of who they would like him to be.
We're not trying to say that Obama is the next great despot. He may be simply a misguided community organizer with uncommon communication skills propelled to national prominence through a series of dirty tricks and uncanny luck. However, Obama has positioned himself as a redeemer - a savior - which is incredibly dangerous when it inspires blind allegiance. Beware the Redeemer for he can bring damnation as quickly as salvation.
-----Update-----
We wrote the above post last night before we had seen what turns out to be a more complete analysis of what the Obama campaign and his handlers have been peddling. Like our post, Claude Benson makes comparisons to 1930's Germany.
Goebbels made famous the utility of the Big Lie. If a lie was big enough and told often enough, people would more easily accept it and themselves make it stick. Axelrod has made Obama’s entire history a Big Lie. Much of Obama’s biography, record, goals and intentions has been staged and structured to fit our wishes rather than our scrutiny. Axelrod has kept much of his history from his birth certificate, his true background, the funding possibly from the likes of an advisor to Saudi Prince Awaleed bin Tal for his Columbia and Harvard education, what he wrote at Harvard and elsewhere to his deep relationships with radical revolutionary Saul Alinsky, ACORN, Raila Odinga’s campaign, and others hidden from true independent clarification.It's a great read and details how the public can be manipulated when the conditions are right and when a charismatic leader emerges. We'd urge you to read the complete post (here).
Some of the comments we have received tried to compare Regan to Obama. Regan was no doubt charismatic, but the major difference was that Regan ran a campaign based on reason that created hope for the future. Obama peddles undefined "change" and "hope" without reason. His followers believe what they want to believe despite his past and regardless of what he says.
Oct 31, 2008
Shenanigans
We're starting to get some reports of voting shenanigans. It seems that voters who have already requested an absentee ballot are turning up at voting sites in large numbers and are asking to vote. So far there's no problem.
The law provides that voters who have requested an absentee ballot may vote as long as they sign an affidavit declaring that they had not previously voted absentee. Instead of receiving a regular ballot those voters are supposed to receive a provisional ballot. It's then up to the clerk to verify whether or not those voters had already voted absentee. If their absentee vote had been received, the provisional ballot would be discarded.
The problem is that early voting sites are allowing these "absentee" voters to cast their vote on a regular ballot, thereby making it impossible to remove an illegally cast vote. Our Eyes tell us that the Presiding Judges had been instructed by the County Clerk to handle these voters using regular ballots and that even though they agreed that the state statute directed otherwise, they had no choice but to continue until they received instructions from the clerk's office.
We don't know whether this is some coordinated effort to poison the voter well, but Presiding Judges shouldn't need the clerk's approval to follow the law. We'd remind anyone thinking of stealing someone else's vote by voting more than once that it's a felony to vote multiple times.
The law provides that voters who have requested an absentee ballot may vote as long as they sign an affidavit declaring that they had not previously voted absentee. Instead of receiving a regular ballot those voters are supposed to receive a provisional ballot. It's then up to the clerk to verify whether or not those voters had already voted absentee. If their absentee vote had been received, the provisional ballot would be discarded.
The problem is that early voting sites are allowing these "absentee" voters to cast their vote on a regular ballot, thereby making it impossible to remove an illegally cast vote. Our Eyes tell us that the Presiding Judges had been instructed by the County Clerk to handle these voters using regular ballots and that even though they agreed that the state statute directed otherwise, they had no choice but to continue until they received instructions from the clerk's office.
We don't know whether this is some coordinated effort to poison the voter well, but Presiding Judges shouldn't need the clerk's approval to follow the law. We'd remind anyone thinking of stealing someone else's vote by voting more than once that it's a felony to vote multiple times.
Oct 29, 2008
Desperation or Dementia?
This late in any campaign things start getting strange particularly when an incumbent who has never been seriously challenged finds herself on the downside of an election. In Tuesday's Journal incumbent DA Kari Brandenburg commented on the fundraising disparity between herself and challenger Lisa Torraco. It seems that Torraco has outraised the incumbent by over $50,000.
Brandenburg went on to question some of Torraco's donations - specifically ones that the challenger for District Attorney received from eight bail bondsmen.
Second, how is accepting donations from bail bondsmen any different from accepting donations from attorneys? They both have criminals for clients and they both get paid for their services.
You see... Bail bondsmen are really a kind of insurance. Bondsmen put up the court ordered bond in exchange for certain personal and financial guarantees. In addition, they charge a fee - generally about 10% of the court ordered bond.
If the accused shows up, the bondsman keeps the fee and releases any financial guarantees made by the defendant or on the defendant's behalf. If the accused chooses to jump bail, the bondsman hires a bounty hunter to deliver the defendant to the court and collects on any financial guarantees. If the bounty hunter fails to find the fleeing felon, the bondsman is forced to fork over the court ordered bond - not something they are fond of doing.
The point here is lowering bonds are not in the best interests of bail bondsmen. A lower bond means a lower fee and believe it or not, these guys aren't running charities.
Which brings us back to the question - is it desperation or dementia? It's desperation if Brandenburg is simply making a ham fisted attempt to tie her challenger to one of the seedier industries in society. It's dementia if Brandenburg really believes that bondsmen want to see bonds reduced and would donate the astronomical sum of $200 in order to influence a potential DA. Hey, you decide. But after Brandenburg's comments about dancing in the office and root beer float day...
Brandenburg went on to question some of Torraco's donations - specifically ones that the challenger for District Attorney received from eight bail bondsmen.
Brandenburg said she has never accepted contributions from bail bondsmen and calls doing so unethical."I would not take money from bondsmen. That is a clear conflict of interest," Brandenburg said. "(Torraco) has been out on the campaign trail promoting low bonds. That raises potential conflict.There are a few things that are just odd about that statement. First, the Journal reported that the total amount of the contributions to Torraco's campaign from all 8 bail bondsmen was $1,600. We don't know what the individual contributions were but that average is $200 each.
"Is she going to be the law-and-order district attorney that wants what's best, or is she going to be promoting low bonds because she has support from the bail bondsmen?"
Second, how is accepting donations from bail bondsmen any different from accepting donations from attorneys? They both have criminals for clients and they both get paid for their services.
People who donated $1,000 or more to Brandenburg's campaign include attorneys Sam Bregman, Randi McGinn and Charlotte Rich; the law firm of Sanchez, Mowrer, & Desiderio; and physician James R. Shiveley.What's clear is that Brandenburg is trying to create the illusion of impropriety by trying to link Torraco to our local Dog the Bounty Hunters. As one of our Eyes pointed out today, if Torraco wants to lower bonds she wouldn't be doing the bail bondsmen any favors.
More than $23,000 — nearly half — of Brandenburg's contributions came from attorneys. [emphasis added]
"It's clear I have support from a lot of attorneys," Brandenburg said. "They are familiar with the system and are in the position to understand the job I have done."
You see... Bail bondsmen are really a kind of insurance. Bondsmen put up the court ordered bond in exchange for certain personal and financial guarantees. In addition, they charge a fee - generally about 10% of the court ordered bond.
If the accused shows up, the bondsman keeps the fee and releases any financial guarantees made by the defendant or on the defendant's behalf. If the accused chooses to jump bail, the bondsman hires a bounty hunter to deliver the defendant to the court and collects on any financial guarantees. If the bounty hunter fails to find the fleeing felon, the bondsman is forced to fork over the court ordered bond - not something they are fond of doing.
The point here is lowering bonds are not in the best interests of bail bondsmen. A lower bond means a lower fee and believe it or not, these guys aren't running charities.
Which brings us back to the question - is it desperation or dementia? It's desperation if Brandenburg is simply making a ham fisted attempt to tie her challenger to one of the seedier industries in society. It's dementia if Brandenburg really believes that bondsmen want to see bonds reduced and would donate the astronomical sum of $200 in order to influence a potential DA. Hey, you decide. But after Brandenburg's comments about dancing in the office and root beer float day...
Something to Think About
This little presentation was sent to us... you might want to think about it before you vote.
Don't believe for a second that it couldn't happen here. Liberty once lost, can only be restored through great sacrifice and loss of life.
Don't believe for a second that it couldn't happen here. Liberty once lost, can only be restored through great sacrifice and loss of life.
Oct 28, 2008
Endorsement: Torraco
We don't often agree with the Albuquerque Journal's Editorial Board. However, this time we find ourselves in complete agreement. Tuesday, the Journal officially endorsed Lisa Torroco to replace incumbent DA Kari Brandenburg.
----- Correction -----
For some reason we just can't seem to spell Lisa Torraco's last name right or even the same way twice. We spell it with one R or two Cs, an O instead of an A - all in the same paragraph! We apologize to Ms. Torraco for the continued mutilation of her last name. We hope we have at least four years to get it right.
Crime stories have been stealing the headlines in recent months, making it clear the district attorney is a key position in local government, and the race for the top prosecutor slot a critical question on the ballot.The District Attorney's job is to protect the public... not to protect the system. Kari Brandenburg's obsession with her early plea program may have reduced the number of cases that judges and juries have to hear, but her inability to tell the difference between a first time offender and a serial killer have cost the lives of far too many. Lisa Torraco not only has the experience to prosecute criminals, but the will to see criminals kept safely away from their potential victims.
The Journal endorses Lisa Torraco for the job.
Torraco, a Republican, says one reason she is running is because she sees resources squandered on cases that should not be prosecuted — resources that could be used to manage Bernalillo County's huge caseload more effectively, reducing delays and increasing the conviction rate.
Her candidacy is motivated by cases that shouldn't be prosecuted, but are. Charging DWI when breath tests fall below the presumed level of intoxication can often fall in that category. Torraco thinks there's plenty of work to be done at the .08 limit and above.
Worse is the injustice committed against a young man with an IQ of less than 65. He should not have lost 24 of the 32 months he spent in jail awaiting trial for murder, while all the DNA evidence pointed to another person who went unidentified until June.
Then there are cases that should go to trial but are plea bargained, she says, like the career criminal who, thanks in part to a deal, was adding to his list of homicide victims instead of being in custody.
And, in too many of the cases selected for trial, the conviction rate indicates prosecutors don't have the evidence — or the trial skills — to prevail. Torraco argues these examples are symptomatic of poor assessment of cases presented to the DA.
A member of the bar since 1991 who has worked on both sides of the criminal justice process and taught prosecution skills at the University of New Mexico, the challenger has experience.
Just as important, Lisa Torraco has the potential to shake up the District Attorney's Office.
----- Correction -----
For some reason we just can't seem to spell Lisa Torraco's last name right or even the same way twice. We spell it with one R or two Cs, an O instead of an A - all in the same paragraph! We apologize to Ms. Torraco for the continued mutilation of her last name. We hope we have at least four years to get it right.
Oct 27, 2008
Eye Poll: Marks
Eye readers decisively chose incumbent PRC Commissioner Jason Marks in last week's unscientific Eye Poll (view it here). It's always hard to unseat an incumbent because name ID is generally the major factor. If Commissioner Cummins hadn't had his recent plumbing problems, we'd bet that this poll would have tilted in his favor.
There were relatively few participants with only 135 votes. That's unfortunate because the Public Regulatory Commission oversees everything from insurance to utility rates. They have more impact on your daily life than any other board or commission in the state.
The national election is down to the final week... What better way to drive you absolutely crazy than to ask for the 5,024,678th time who your going to vote for just one week from now? Yep, its a Presidential poll, but this time we're adding a companion poll. Don't forget to vote (twice)!
There were relatively few participants with only 135 votes. That's unfortunate because the Public Regulatory Commission oversees everything from insurance to utility rates. They have more impact on your daily life than any other board or commission in the state.
The national election is down to the final week... What better way to drive you absolutely crazy than to ask for the 5,024,678th time who your going to vote for just one week from now? Yep, its a Presidential poll, but this time we're adding a companion poll. Don't forget to vote (twice)!
Oct 26, 2008
Associations
One of the problems we have with the Albuquerque Closed and Un-Ethical Elections Ordinance is that the election financing scheme created by the ordinance also creates an ideological iron curtain that effectively hides the groups supporting a candidate. It's important to know just who influences candidates for office on every level and it's even more critical on down ballot races. After all, it wasn't all that long ago that a certain candidate for President started his political career in the living room of an admitted and unrepentant domestic terrorist.
What we're saying is that a candidate's associations are important. They provide a clear indication of what one's true beliefs and/or positions really are regardless of what they say in TV spots, campaign literature, or in debates.
Martin Heinrich has been trying to sell the voters of the 1st Congressional District the idea that he's a moderate. The truth is that Martin Heinrich is one of the most liberal candidates ever to run for Congress in the 1st Congressional District. Look no further than his voting record and the legislation he sponsored while serving on the city council.
If you'll remember, Lee is the target of a lawsuit alleging voter fraud. The lawsuit - filed by three Democrats - alleges that Lee used 501 c(3)s and 501 c(4)s to illegally influence the outcome of the spring primaries by spending some $180,000 in unreported campaign cash to benefit three candidates - Eric Griego, Tim Keller, and Eleanor Chavez.
Lee and his Sotari crew snatched up the camp counselor and made him a city councilor back in 2003. That year they also managed to install Debbie O'Malley and Eric Griego in the council chambers.
Lee is now involved in a network of non-profits whose only objective is to see far left candidates put in office by any means necessary (read it here and here). A few months back Peter St. Cyr interviewed State Senator Shannon Robinson. Robinson makes some serious allegations against Lee's non-profits and their coordinated effort to throw him out of office. Listen to the full interview here.
What it comes down to is that Martin Heinrich is Eli Lee's creature. Lee created him and put him in a position to run for Congress. From this and other associations it's easy to determine what Martin Heinrich's positions really are.
What we're saying is that a candidate's associations are important. They provide a clear indication of what one's true beliefs and/or positions really are regardless of what they say in TV spots, campaign literature, or in debates.
Martin Heinrich has been trying to sell the voters of the 1st Congressional District the idea that he's a moderate. The truth is that Martin Heinrich is one of the most liberal candidates ever to run for Congress in the 1st Congressional District. Look no further than his voting record and the legislation he sponsored while serving on the city council.
(Sidebar)By now, we all know that Heinrich has never held a job of consequence. Sure he served on the Albuquerque City Council. Sure he was an unregistered lobbyist (a violation of New Mexico law) for a number of groups that Heinrich has yet to reveal. Sure he operated a "consulting" business illegally. What we don't know - and what the Heinrich campaign would rather you not consider - is his association with Eli Il Young Lee.
The City of Albuquerque's website is a great place to do some research. Go to http://cabq.legistar.com/legislation.aspx and search Heinrich to see all of the Legislation that the former councilor sponsored.
(End Sidebar)
If you'll remember, Lee is the target of a lawsuit alleging voter fraud. The lawsuit - filed by three Democrats - alleges that Lee used 501 c(3)s and 501 c(4)s to illegally influence the outcome of the spring primaries by spending some $180,000 in unreported campaign cash to benefit three candidates - Eric Griego, Tim Keller, and Eleanor Chavez.
Soltari Inc. specializes in strategic consulting and field operations for progressive political candidates, nonprofit organizations and small businesses. Whether you are running for office or advocating for an issue, Soltari Inc. will craft a winning strategy for your campaign. We can also coordinate your field operation, emphasizing the most effective form of voter contact -- live interaction, through doorknocking and phoning. Combining the science of research and data analysis with the art of persuasion and strategy, Soltari Inc. formed in September 2000 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The word Soltari comes from sol, the Spanish word for sun, and tari, Korean for bridge. We have a saying at Soltari - "our work speaks for itself."Soltari was Lee's first foray into local politics. They're political business model was to recruit a far left candidate that was generally unknown to the public, raise their money, create their mailers, and run their campaign. Soltari was a one stop shop for ideologically pure leftist candidates. One of Soltari's first fair haired boys was none other than Martin Heinrich.-Soltari Website (recently pulled down)
Lee and his Sotari crew snatched up the camp counselor and made him a city councilor back in 2003. That year they also managed to install Debbie O'Malley and Eric Griego in the council chambers.
Lee is now involved in a network of non-profits whose only objective is to see far left candidates put in office by any means necessary (read it here and here). A few months back Peter St. Cyr interviewed State Senator Shannon Robinson. Robinson makes some serious allegations against Lee's non-profits and their coordinated effort to throw him out of office. Listen to the full interview here.
What it comes down to is that Martin Heinrich is Eli Lee's creature. Lee created him and put him in a position to run for Congress. From this and other associations it's easy to determine what Martin Heinrich's positions really are.
The Iraq War - Withdrawal at any cost even if that cost is failure for our troops and chaos in the Middle East.When you're trying to figure out who to vote for, don't look at the ads, the mailers, or even the media. Find out who supports them, what they've done and why. Once you know these things you can make an intelligent choice - a choice based on associations. A choice based on who these candidates really are.
Taxes - Don't believe the ads. Heinrich has a history of raising taxes on everyone. There's nothing but campaign rhetoric to indicate otherwise. In fact, taxes reached their highest rates locally while Heinrich presided over the Albuquerque City Council.
The Bailout - Heinrich hasn't take an "official" position on the bailout but his support of government mandates like the city minimum wage and the $240 MILLION trolley lead one to believe that Heinrich is for more government control and using taxpayer money to pay for it. In other words... socialism.
Oct 24, 2008
Special O-ccommodations
Looks like Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse-Oliver is getting ready to make some special accommodations for the Anointed One's Saturday rally. Our Eyes tell us that the clerk plans to increase the size of the early voting site from 25 booths to 70 booths to allow for the Obama acolytes to cast their votes. In addition, the clerk plans to expand the hours from the 10am to 6pm specified by state law to 9am to 8am - coincidentally overlapping the start of the Obama rally.
Long lines have been a problem this year at a number of early voting sites including the UNM site.
From our understanding of the law, Toulouse-Oliver has the discretion to increase the size of a polling place as long as it is not moved. However, state law explicitly determines the times of operation.
The peaceful transition of power from one elected official to another - from one party to another - requires the public's faith in the accuracy of the tabulation and their ability to cast a vote and have it counted. To that end, even the appearance of partiality poisons the public's faith that the outcome of an election is based on the collective will of the people.
There's no way that an objective person can look at the last minute changes being made by the clerk to one polling site and believe that these changes are not politically motivated. Consistency breeds confidence and Toulouse-Oliver's actions are anything but.
We suspect that there has been pressure brought to bear on Toulouse-Oliver to make these special accommodations. After all, she's a Democrat whose husband works for the Governor who just so happens to have endorsed Obama. However, voters expect a clerk to act in a consistently and without regard to their party affiliation.
In short... The Bernalillo County Clerk should not be making changes to the times, place, or size of polling places based on the appearance schedules of either one of the candidates for President or their campaign schedule. Making O-commodations undermines the integrity of the election process by poisoning the faith that voters have in the process - a faith that has taken nearly 250 years to build.
----- Update -----
Our Eyes tell us that the Republican Party of New Mexico has agreed to the extension of hours and the expansion in the UNM polling site as long as all of the early voting sites have similarly expanded hours.
First and most importantly, the RPNM does not have the authority to allow the county clerk to violate the law. And while they may be patting themselves on the back for cutting a good deal, most voters won't know about the expanded voting hours and therefore their "good deal" will be worth very little to them.
Folks, we have laws for a reason. It's unconscionable that the clerk and the RPNM are colluding to violate the law for what they both see as a benefit - real or not.
Long lines have been a problem this year at a number of early voting sites including the UNM site.
The University of New Mexico and the Northeast Heights locations — especially Integrity Plaza on Wyoming and Market Center on Lomas — have been the busiest. The South Valley and Downtown locations have been the lightest.Understand we want everyone to have an opportunity to vote... ONCE. What we're concerned about is what appears to be the special accommodations being made for one candidate for office over another. To date the County Clerk has made no attempt to expand voting sites around the city to handle this year's heavy turnout. However, when an Obama rally comes to UNM's Johnson Field presumably drawing with it a large crowd of The One Named O's supporters - the clerk expands the size and hours of operation at the last minute of a polling site that's next door to the rally.
From our understanding of the law, Toulouse-Oliver has the discretion to increase the size of a polling place as long as it is not moved. However, state law explicitly determines the times of operation.
NMSA 1-6-5.7(A) Early voting may be done at an alternate location from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday through the Saturday immediately prior to the election.By law, Toulouse-Oliver cannot extend the hours - or for that matter change them in any way.
The peaceful transition of power from one elected official to another - from one party to another - requires the public's faith in the accuracy of the tabulation and their ability to cast a vote and have it counted. To that end, even the appearance of partiality poisons the public's faith that the outcome of an election is based on the collective will of the people.
There's no way that an objective person can look at the last minute changes being made by the clerk to one polling site and believe that these changes are not politically motivated. Consistency breeds confidence and Toulouse-Oliver's actions are anything but.
We suspect that there has been pressure brought to bear on Toulouse-Oliver to make these special accommodations. After all, she's a Democrat whose husband works for the Governor who just so happens to have endorsed Obama. However, voters expect a clerk to act in a consistently and without regard to their party affiliation.
In short... The Bernalillo County Clerk should not be making changes to the times, place, or size of polling places based on the appearance schedules of either one of the candidates for President or their campaign schedule. Making O-commodations undermines the integrity of the election process by poisoning the faith that voters have in the process - a faith that has taken nearly 250 years to build.
----- Update -----
Our Eyes tell us that the Republican Party of New Mexico has agreed to the extension of hours and the expansion in the UNM polling site as long as all of the early voting sites have similarly expanded hours.
First and most importantly, the RPNM does not have the authority to allow the county clerk to violate the law. And while they may be patting themselves on the back for cutting a good deal, most voters won't know about the expanded voting hours and therefore their "good deal" will be worth very little to them.
Folks, we have laws for a reason. It's unconscionable that the clerk and the RPNM are colluding to violate the law for what they both see as a benefit - real or not.
Oct 21, 2008
16 Reasons
We're beginning to understand just what the problem in the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's office is... The DA's primary concern is with preserving the system. Granted, our judicial system suffers from a chronic lack of funding and heavy case loads. However, that fact in and of itself does not justify moving criminals through the system as the main goal of "New Mexico's largest law firm."
To make matters worse, our Eyes tell us that Bloomfield's most recent plea that saves him from the needle and moves him out of state, actually sends him to Idaho to be closer to his Aryan Brotherhood cohorts. Bloomfield is allegedly bragging that he has committed 1o additional murders that authorities don't know anything about.
There's little doubt that extending plea bargains is part of what the DA does. However, Brandenburg makes the system her top priority while ignoring the safety of her constituents.
Moving criminals through the system places them right back in society endangering innocent people. Like it or not, incarceration is a far better solution. At the very least prisons keep criminals away from their victims and their potential victims.
There are as many as 16 people who lost their lives simply because the DA put the criminal justice process before our protection, 16 families who mourn the loss of their loved ones, and 16 reasons to send Brandenburg on her way.
At least 13 people sentenced to probation in the past five years have been charged with committing homicide while serving their sentences, according to a survey of court records.Even more disturbing is that the DA didn't seem to know that so many of her sweet plea deals had ended up going sour.
Two of them have been charged with multiple killings while on probation, bringing the total number of deaths to 16.
"I'm surprised by that number," she said. "I would be interested to know what the circumstances are. Whenever something like that happens, I want to go back and say, 'What happened? How did we miss it?' "Clifton Bloomfield is the poster child for bad pleas killing no less than four people while out on probation - the result of a plea deal that reduced a potential 40 years in prison to 200 days of community arrest. Yeah, that's what we thought.
To make matters worse, our Eyes tell us that Bloomfield's most recent plea that saves him from the needle and moves him out of state, actually sends him to Idaho to be closer to his Aryan Brotherhood cohorts. Bloomfield is allegedly bragging that he has committed 1o additional murders that authorities don't know anything about.
There's little doubt that extending plea bargains is part of what the DA does. However, Brandenburg makes the system her top priority while ignoring the safety of her constituents.
Moving criminals through the system places them right back in society endangering innocent people. Like it or not, incarceration is a far better solution. At the very least prisons keep criminals away from their victims and their potential victims.
There are as many as 16 people who lost their lives simply because the DA put the criminal justice process before our protection, 16 families who mourn the loss of their loved ones, and 16 reasons to send Brandenburg on her way.
Torroco
In our second poll of Eye readers, Candidate for 2nd Judicial District Attorney Lisa Torroco once again trounced her opponent, incumbent Kari Brandenburg, by 34 points. In our unscientific poll 31% preferred Kari Brandenburg, 65% Lisa Torroco, and 3% didn't know (view it here). The results mark a slight trend towards Brandenburg as Ms. Torroco received 71% of our readers support the last time around (view it here).
We've had a number of posts asking where law enforcement stand on this race. Our Eyes tell us that the rank and file everyday officer on the street is either voting for Torroco or against Brandenburg - despite the Brandenburg endorsement by their unions.
In the case of the APOA, the endorsement is determined by a board and not the rank and file. In addition the APOA's endorsement came way before anyone knew there was a for real DAs race. The FOP endorsement on the other hand was a recent event involving the membership of the Sheriff's Office. Our Eyes tell us that Brandenburg won by a razor thin 4 votes and that the endorsement meeting was well attended.
The bottom line here is that the incumbent DA is under siege by an under funded opponent and that by itself should give you pause. Brandenburg's performance in office should be judged by how well she has protected the public not by how she has reduced the burden on the judicial system.
To date we have virtually ignored the race for PRC. There are two candiates running for the position - incumbent Jason Marks (D) and challenger Tim Cummins (R). The Eyes have it that County Commisioner Cummins enjoys a slight lead over the incumbent, what say you? Don't forget to vote!
We've had a number of posts asking where law enforcement stand on this race. Our Eyes tell us that the rank and file everyday officer on the street is either voting for Torroco or against Brandenburg - despite the Brandenburg endorsement by their unions.
In the case of the APOA, the endorsement is determined by a board and not the rank and file. In addition the APOA's endorsement came way before anyone knew there was a for real DAs race. The FOP endorsement on the other hand was a recent event involving the membership of the Sheriff's Office. Our Eyes tell us that Brandenburg won by a razor thin 4 votes and that the endorsement meeting was well attended.
The bottom line here is that the incumbent DA is under siege by an under funded opponent and that by itself should give you pause. Brandenburg's performance in office should be judged by how well she has protected the public not by how she has reduced the burden on the judicial system.
To date we have virtually ignored the race for PRC. There are two candiates running for the position - incumbent Jason Marks (D) and challenger Tim Cummins (R). The Eyes have it that County Commisioner Cummins enjoys a slight lead over the incumbent, what say you? Don't forget to vote!
Oct 14, 2008
Kari in Wonderland
There's a point in every campaign where a candidate for office does something or reveals a piece of information so strange that you can't help but wonder about their sanity.
This is just bizarre and more than a little alarming. We've got a DA dancing in her office while her stuffed animals sing and serving up root beer floats while repeat offenders like Clifton Bloomfield are cut pleas and set loose on the public. It's like Alice... or at least Kari in Wonderland.
Brandenburg's office doesn't exactly fit the "Law & Order" mold.Huh? Dancing in her office while the deer and the bear rug play? Never mind that the DA's office has been a no show on voter fraud. Never mind Brandenburg's single minded obsession with putting the innocent behind bars. Never mind her plea before prosecute mentality. It's quite possible the District Attorney for the 2nd Judicial District is insane.
She has several plush animals in her office that sing, including a bear rug and a deer head on the wall. She is known to dance to the animals as they break out with such tunes as "Sweet Home Alabama."
In the corner of her office is a large refrigerator. On top is a case of A&W Root Beer and inside the freezer are gallons of ice cream.What?! Hey, we like an occasional root beer float as much as the next Eye, but shouldn't one of our top law enforcement officials be more concerned about putting criminals in prison?
"I don't like soda," she says. "We were having root beer float day for everyone in the office."
Brandenburg prides herself on being able to improve morale. It was part of her platform when she first elected eight years ago.
This is just bizarre and more than a little alarming. We've got a DA dancing in her office while her stuffed animals sing and serving up root beer floats while repeat offenders like Clifton Bloomfield are cut pleas and set loose on the public. It's like Alice... or at least Kari in Wonderland.
Oct 11, 2008
Questionable Judgement
After the arrest but before the courtroom District Attorney's are charged with making decisions about who will be prosecuted and who will not. We got our Eyes on the motion filed yesterday by alleged murderer Clifton Bloomfield... you know the one charging DA Kari Brandenburg with prosecutorial misconduct. It's interesting reading to say the least, but it all boils down to this claim:
We all know that District Attorney Brandenburg has a history of heading straight to a plea bargain - do not pass a judge, do not see a jury. But Clifton Bloomfield is suspected of as many as SIX MURDERS - at least two of which have DNA evidence linking him to the killings. If Bloomfield is guilty of killing even one person - he shouldn't be in prison he should be under it.
We'd argue that it's her job to try the case not to plead it - particularly when the accused has such a long criminal record and most people would consider him nothing less than a serial killer. There's little doubt that Clifton Bloomfield is a danger to society and should be permanently removed from society. In addition, we'd argue that he's the type of career criminal that the death penalty was meant for.
Now, because a DA in a hotly contested election leaks information to the press there's a possibility that a serial murderer could go free. It reminds us of another DA in another jurisdiction using a racially charged rape case as a vehicle to victory.
Brandenburg may even be playing fast and loose with the facts in order to save her political career. In a recent New Mexico Bar Association Forum she made two claims that our Eyes tell us were not factual regarding the Elton John Richard case. The first that the fleeing felon Daniel Romero was shot in the back and the second was that before being shot he was yelling "put down the gun."
You'll notice in the video that Brandenburg uses "back" and "under the arm" interchangeably. With all due respect there's a huge difference. If Romero was shot in the back he was fleeing. If on the other hand he was shot under the arm, then it's far more likely that Romero was lunging for Richard at the time he was shot.
The other problem with Brandenburg's statement at the Bar Association Forum was the claim that Romero was yelling "put down the gun." There were no witnesses at the scene of the shooting that could have heard any statements by either party. Brandenburg seems to be playing a game of spin the facts to make them fit her actions in order to justify prosecuting a Marine whose actions made us all safer.
Challenger Lisa Torroco made the argument that if the evidence showed that Richard chased Romero a quarter of a mile and shot him in the back - Richard should have been charged with 1st degree murder. On the other hand, if Richard chased Romero for a quarter of a mile attempting to detain the felon and shot him under the arm defending himself, then the case against the former Marine should have been dropped.
Whether it's the case of mentally retarded Robert Gonzales who sat in jail for 3 years for the murder of an 11 year old girl despite exculpatory forensic evidence, the case of a decorated Marine defending himself and his family, or the case of an alleged serial murderer (subscription) who could be set free due to questionable actions by the DA herself, Brandenburg's head-long rush for an easy conviction is punishing the innocent and endangering the lives of all of those who reside in the 2nd Judicial District. Questionable judgment? Absolutely.
----- Update ------
Yesterday, Clifton Bloomfield cut a deal with the DA's office and his attorney withdrew her motion to dismiss. In the deal, Bloomfield admitted to killing five of the six people he was linked to murdering (ABQ Journal - Subsription).
DA Brandenburg called it a "deal with the devil," and in this case we agree. The question remains, if Bloomfield did it why are Lee and Rowley still in jail? If Lee and Rowley were part of any of the six murders, why didn't the plea agreement include testimony against the pair? APD announced there would be more arrests next week, if that's the case we're talking a real criminal enterprise here.
If Lee and Rowley were involved, they need to have a date with a needle. If holding the two and promising more arrests is a ploy aimed at job security then the DA is playing with Constitutional fire that could burn her even if she manages to hang on to her job.
----- Correction -----
We initially named a Richard Gomez as the mentally retarded man accused of rape and murder. Thanks to a reader who sent us an email correcting our mistake. The accused was Robert Gonzales. It has been corrected above.
The Statements Provided by Clifton Bloomfield were Provided in Furtherance of Plea Negotiations and are Barred from Disclosure by the Prosecution, yet some of the Contents were Leaked to the Media, in Violation of the Rules of Evidence and Professionalism.According to the filing, inadmissible and confidential information concerning three murders was leaked to the media in violation of a confidentiality agreement covering plea negotiations. Further, Kerr's motion alleges that Brandenburg kept changing the terms of the plea agreement.-Liane Kerr, Attorney for Clifton Bloomfield (Request for Dismissal)
We all know that District Attorney Brandenburg has a history of heading straight to a plea bargain - do not pass a judge, do not see a jury. But Clifton Bloomfield is suspected of as many as SIX MURDERS - at least two of which have DNA evidence linking him to the killings. If Bloomfield is guilty of killing even one person - he shouldn't be in prison he should be under it.
We'd argue that it's her job to try the case not to plead it - particularly when the accused has such a long criminal record and most people would consider him nothing less than a serial killer. There's little doubt that Clifton Bloomfield is a danger to society and should be permanently removed from society. In addition, we'd argue that he's the type of career criminal that the death penalty was meant for.
Now, because a DA in a hotly contested election leaks information to the press there's a possibility that a serial murderer could go free. It reminds us of another DA in another jurisdiction using a racially charged rape case as a vehicle to victory.
Brandenburg may even be playing fast and loose with the facts in order to save her political career. In a recent New Mexico Bar Association Forum she made two claims that our Eyes tell us were not factual regarding the Elton John Richard case. The first that the fleeing felon Daniel Romero was shot in the back and the second was that before being shot he was yelling "put down the gun."
You'll notice in the video that Brandenburg uses "back" and "under the arm" interchangeably. With all due respect there's a huge difference. If Romero was shot in the back he was fleeing. If on the other hand he was shot under the arm, then it's far more likely that Romero was lunging for Richard at the time he was shot.
The other problem with Brandenburg's statement at the Bar Association Forum was the claim that Romero was yelling "put down the gun." There were no witnesses at the scene of the shooting that could have heard any statements by either party. Brandenburg seems to be playing a game of spin the facts to make them fit her actions in order to justify prosecuting a Marine whose actions made us all safer.
Challenger Lisa Torroco made the argument that if the evidence showed that Richard chased Romero a quarter of a mile and shot him in the back - Richard should have been charged with 1st degree murder. On the other hand, if Richard chased Romero for a quarter of a mile attempting to detain the felon and shot him under the arm defending himself, then the case against the former Marine should have been dropped.
Whether it's the case of mentally retarded Robert Gonzales who sat in jail for 3 years for the murder of an 11 year old girl despite exculpatory forensic evidence, the case of a decorated Marine defending himself and his family, or the case of an alleged serial murderer (subscription) who could be set free due to questionable actions by the DA herself, Brandenburg's head-long rush for an easy conviction is punishing the innocent and endangering the lives of all of those who reside in the 2nd Judicial District. Questionable judgment? Absolutely.
----- Update ------
Yesterday, Clifton Bloomfield cut a deal with the DA's office and his attorney withdrew her motion to dismiss. In the deal, Bloomfield admitted to killing five of the six people he was linked to murdering (ABQ Journal - Subsription).
DA Brandenburg called it a "deal with the devil," and in this case we agree. The question remains, if Bloomfield did it why are Lee and Rowley still in jail? If Lee and Rowley were part of any of the six murders, why didn't the plea agreement include testimony against the pair? APD announced there would be more arrests next week, if that's the case we're talking a real criminal enterprise here.
If Lee and Rowley were involved, they need to have a date with a needle. If holding the two and promising more arrests is a ploy aimed at job security then the DA is playing with Constitutional fire that could burn her even if she manages to hang on to her job.
----- Correction -----
We initially named a Richard Gomez as the mentally retarded man accused of rape and murder. Thanks to a reader who sent us an email correcting our mistake. The accused was Robert Gonzales. It has been corrected above.
Oct 9, 2008
Principle
From time to time our vocation gets in the way of our avocation. In fact, we haven't even had the opportunity to watch this week's Presidential Debate. Don't worry, we have it tucked away on TIVO and will be reviewing both candidates performances for ourself.
Apparently, John McCain brought up the idea of adjusting principle amounts for "toxic" loans purchased by the government under the bailout bill. We've been challenged by our readers over the issue and rightly so. Most of the comments went something like this one:
This is the type of "maverick" crap that drives us crazy. McCain is consistently inconsistent and a good portion of the time he betrays his own party in the process. Democrats and Independents have always loved him for it - while conservatives are busy pulling the knife(s) from their backs.
This isn't the first time that we've been on the sharp end of one of McCain's knifes and we're quite sure that it won't be the last. However, McCain's failings don't make Obama fit to be President. Wealth redistribution through government spending and regulation are at the core of Obama's philosophy (or at least at the core of whoever it is that's pulling his strings).
Our principles on the other hand, will not change. Biden was wrong when proposed resetting principle values. McCain was wrong when he proposed doing the same.
For now it's more important that we save the country and ourselves from a man who would make the biggest corporation in the world, larger, more wasteful, and more intrusive - while taking our money, our liberty, and endangering our lives. Without doubt that man is Barack Hussein Obama - an anathema to liberty and prosperity.
Apparently, John McCain brought up the idea of adjusting principle amounts for "toxic" loans purchased by the government under the bailout bill. We've been challenged by our readers over the issue and rightly so. Most of the comments went something like this one:
Eye are you planning on ever addressing the fact that McCain directly proposed adjusting mortgage principals to match current market values during the second debate? Do you actually care about this issue or are you just casting about for things to attack Obama/Biden on?It's a fair criticism... sort of. The fact is we don't care which candidate or party supports readjusting the principle value of a loan whether that loan is "toxic" or not. Wealth redistribution is wealth redistribution regardless of the party proposing it and regardless of the reasoning behind the move. It's immoral and it's wrong.
It must make you feel pretty dumb when you go out on a limb to write an attack piece in support of your candidate and then your candidate comes out in favor of and even more extreme version of what you attacked his opponents for, doesn't it?
(Sidebar)If the government purchases a "toxic" loan at full value and then lowers the principle, tax payers are giving the mortgage holder not only the difference in principle but the difference in the interest that would have been collected over the life of the loan. To the taxpayer it's an immediate loss followed by a long-term earnings loss - all with the stroke of a politician's pen.
You'll note that we haven't been blaming either party for the current mortgage debacle. The fact is they both had a hand in Fannie and Freddy's irresponsible trade in "affordable housing" loans - loans that were made to people who could never repay them.
Whether it was President Bush and his "culture of ownership" or Jimmy Carter's affirmative action for loans - government policies directly harmed the financial markets and all of those who were given those "toxic" mortgages.
(End Sidebar)
This is the type of "maverick" crap that drives us crazy. McCain is consistently inconsistent and a good portion of the time he betrays his own party in the process. Democrats and Independents have always loved him for it - while conservatives are busy pulling the knife(s) from their backs.
This isn't the first time that we've been on the sharp end of one of McCain's knifes and we're quite sure that it won't be the last. However, McCain's failings don't make Obama fit to be President. Wealth redistribution through government spending and regulation are at the core of Obama's philosophy (or at least at the core of whoever it is that's pulling his strings).
We're going to have to drag Senator McCain over the finish line, and then deal with what he does in the Oval Office. We have to save the country from Obama, and then save it (and the Republican Party) from whoever McCain puts in his cabinet. We're going to have to do it one step at a time. Do not throw in the towel.If you want "maverick" - McCain is your choice. If you want limited government, restrained spending, and personal freedom - McCain is your only choice despite his propensity to betray each of those principles from time to time.
Our principles on the other hand, will not change. Biden was wrong when proposed resetting principle values. McCain was wrong when he proposed doing the same.
For now it's more important that we save the country and ourselves from a man who would make the biggest corporation in the world, larger, more wasteful, and more intrusive - while taking our money, our liberty, and endangering our lives. Without doubt that man is Barack Hussein Obama - an anathema to liberty and prosperity.
Oct 2, 2008
Pale-in Comparison
We just finished watching the debate... you know the one, between the mocked Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden. We wish that we could have been as excited about the last debate between The Anointed One and John McCain, but really there wasn't anything all that exciting about a stodgy senator and a stuffed suit. Both were predictable and both were infuriating for different reasons.
Tonight's debate couldn't have been better prepared for a Palin victory. What made it all the sweeter was all of the prep work was done not by the McCain campaign "lowering expectations" but by the irrational hatred of John McCain's running mate Sara Palin.
The far left - frothing at the mouth - spent the last few weeks trying to turn the Governor from Alaska into the idiot sister of the village idiot. They were wrong then and tonight they were proved wrong once again. Sarah Palin did a credible job representing her ticket and herself.
To be fair, Senator Joe Biden didn't do a bad job he just didn't do anything to distinguish himself. Biden did exactly what people expected. He was smooth, he was congenial, he came off knowledgeable, but all of those things are expected from a thirty year U.S. Senator.
Meanwhile, Biden's opponent looked the public directly in the eye and told them about her core values. There was no condescension or superiority, there was simple expression and acceptance. She showed who she was, and she was loyal to her ticket.
Sarah Palin's energy and her ability to be herself is her strength - she showed that tonight. The contest left Senator Biden pale in comparison.
Tonight's debate couldn't have been better prepared for a Palin victory. What made it all the sweeter was all of the prep work was done not by the McCain campaign "lowering expectations" but by the irrational hatred of John McCain's running mate Sara Palin.
The far left - frothing at the mouth - spent the last few weeks trying to turn the Governor from Alaska into the idiot sister of the village idiot. They were wrong then and tonight they were proved wrong once again. Sarah Palin did a credible job representing her ticket and herself.
To be fair, Senator Joe Biden didn't do a bad job he just didn't do anything to distinguish himself. Biden did exactly what people expected. He was smooth, he was congenial, he came off knowledgeable, but all of those things are expected from a thirty year U.S. Senator.
Meanwhile, Biden's opponent looked the public directly in the eye and told them about her core values. There was no condescension or superiority, there was simple expression and acceptance. She showed who she was, and she was loyal to her ticket.
Sarah Palin's energy and her ability to be herself is her strength - she showed that tonight. The contest left Senator Biden pale in comparison.
Sep 28, 2008
White
Last week's Eye Poll took up the 1st Congressional District race between Sheriff Darren White and former Councilor Martin Heinrich. In this poll Sheriff White extended his lead over the former councilor by two points resulting in a 16 point lead. 57% of Eye readers preferred Darren White, 41% Martin Heinrich, and 1% didn't know (read this week's poll here).
Several weeks ago we ran the same poll with similar results. Sheriff White led that poll by 14 points with 210 votes registered. Last week's poll registered 50% more votes with only 4 voters undecided (view the previous poll here).
So what's the significance? The 1st Congressional District race is certainly attracting more attention and at least with Eye readers, their choices seem to be already made. In the final analysis, this race will come down to how well each candidate gets their supporters to the polls. A large Obama wave would certainly help Heinrich, but Democratic waves have broken on the rocks of the 1st CD before.
This week we'll take a look at the Wall Street bailout. As you might have surmised, we have serious reservations about the ability of politicians (Republican or Democrat) to effectively fix a situation that they are largely responsible for. We'd like to know what you think about Washington's willingness to spend HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of our tax dollars to buy up loans that shouldn't have been issued in the first place. Don't forget to vote!
Several weeks ago we ran the same poll with similar results. Sheriff White led that poll by 14 points with 210 votes registered. Last week's poll registered 50% more votes with only 4 voters undecided (view the previous poll here).
So what's the significance? The 1st Congressional District race is certainly attracting more attention and at least with Eye readers, their choices seem to be already made. In the final analysis, this race will come down to how well each candidate gets their supporters to the polls. A large Obama wave would certainly help Heinrich, but Democratic waves have broken on the rocks of the 1st CD before.
This week we'll take a look at the Wall Street bailout. As you might have surmised, we have serious reservations about the ability of politicians (Republican or Democrat) to effectively fix a situation that they are largely responsible for. We'd like to know what you think about Washington's willingness to spend HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of our tax dollars to buy up loans that shouldn't have been issued in the first place. Don't forget to vote!
Sep 24, 2008
KNME Debate Back On
We received word that the on-again off-again KNME televised debate between DA Kari Brandenburg and challenger Lisa Torraco is back on. Kevin McDonald over at KNME told us via email that the debate will be taped Sunday, October 19th at 10:00 am and will air the following Friday, October 24th at 7pm. McDonald also told us that he plans to post the debate at NewMexicoInFocus.org as soon as possible after the taping but before the program airs the following night.
We still think the Brandenburg folks are trying to keep their candidate sealed for as long as possible, but at least there will be some opportunity for the voters of the 2nd Judicial District to see the two candidates before they cast their votes.
----- Correction ------
We really ought to consult our calendar before posting. The debate will be taped on Sunday not Thursday as originally posted. Keven McDonald sent over an email setting us straight. The debate will be posted for nearly a week before the airdate. Thanks for the correction!
We still think the Brandenburg folks are trying to keep their candidate sealed for as long as possible, but at least there will be some opportunity for the voters of the 2nd Judicial District to see the two candidates before they cast their votes.
----- Correction ------
We really ought to consult our calendar before posting. The debate will be taped on Sunday not Thursday as originally posted. Keven McDonald sent over an email setting us straight. The debate will be posted for nearly a week before the airdate. Thanks for the correction!
The Bite Heard 'Round the World!
Ok... so maybe we got a little carried away with the title. It's hard to make anything grandiose out of a dog bite case. But in this case, it may have brought attention to a District Attorney's race where publicity has been sorely lacking.
Two years ago, District Attorney Brandenburg's cute and cuddly little K-9 bit one of her neighbors -Elaine Hazelrigg- on the face causing some bleeding and a chipped tooth. When Animal Control officers arrived they found that the DA's pooch was an illegal! Yep, Brandenburg's perp pet was unlicensed and found not to be current on their rabies.
Folks, most of the time the cover-up is what gets you into trouble. Is it important that DA Brandenburg was engaged in a civil contest with her neighbor? Was it important that the licensing and vaccination of her dog had lapsed? Generally speaking... No. There probably isn't a pet owner anywhere that hasn't missed sending their fees in or been a little late getting to the vet.
The elephant (or donkey if you prefer) in the room here is that DA Brandenburg received special treatment that worked to her political benefit by sealing a case that would normally have been of little consequence or public interest. It's the cover-up stupid! But the action taken by the DA to seal this case gives an indication of the DA's integrity and her willingness to hide even the smallest of embarrassments from the public. It's the bite heard 'round the world - or at least around town.
----- Update -----
A number of posters have complained about our take on this particular case. Let's be clear here... We don't have a problem with maintaining a certain amount of informational security where law enforcement officials are concerned. In this case - a minor civil suit - the DA chose to ask the court to place the entire case under seal when all that was truly necessary was to place documents that revealed her home address under seal.
When an elected official (even one in law enforcement) decides to extend the privilege of secrecy beyond the point where it's absolutely necessary, their actions invite suspicion. After all, civil court is a public proceeding and therefore rightfully a part of the public record. There were alternatives here and the DA chose a path that would protect not only her physical person but her political self - the latter of which has no right to the court's protection.
Two years ago, District Attorney Brandenburg's cute and cuddly little K-9 bit one of her neighbors -Elaine Hazelrigg- on the face causing some bleeding and a chipped tooth. When Animal Control officers arrived they found that the DA's pooch was an illegal! Yep, Brandenburg's perp pet was unlicensed and found not to be current on their rabies.
Hazelrigg, who lives on a street of high-end homes, said she decided to sue Brandenburg after the DA denied fault for her injuries and refused to pay her medical and dental expenses.As happens in many civil suits, the case was eventually settled and the two parties went on their way. So far, there's really nothing particularly remarkable about the case. In fact, the only thing that is remarkable about the case is that Brandenburg and her attorney asked that the case be sealed - and the court helpfully obliged.
"There was no remorse whatsoever. Zero," she said. "I wasn't in it for the money."
Attorney James Johansen, who represented Brandenburg in the suit, said no. He said the case was sealed because of concerns by the DA that file documents revealed the location of her home.That last bit is the problem. If Brandenburg's address is readily available then sealing the record is unnecessary and unwarranted.
"There has to be a balance here in protecting public officials and letting the public know what officials are doing in their private lives," Johansen said.
But Brandenburg's home address is easily and widely available from public sources. [emphasis added]
...Don Kochersberger, a lawyer for Hazelrigg, said one document in the case file — a summons issued to Brandenburg — had previously been sealed because it disclosed the DA's home address.This wasn't a nasty divorce where very personal and embarrassing details about the sex lives and personal habits of the contestants find their way into the public record. Without doubt there are times when sealing a case is both appropriate and necessary.
(Sidebar)In the Brandenburg Bite case, it appears that the court had more options than to seal the entire case. Paperwork that included the DA's home address had already been sealed so the only real reason to seal the case would be to avoid public scrutiny.
You'll no doubt remember an infamous child custody case where the alleged sexual habits of a candidate for U.S. Senate were made public after the Chicago Tribune sued in California for the release of those sealed records. The improper release of those records resulted in Jack Ryan ex-husband of actress Jerri Ryan withdrawing from the race a mere 3 months before the election and Barrack Hussein Obama becoming the Junior Senator from Illinois.
(End Sidebar)
Folks, most of the time the cover-up is what gets you into trouble. Is it important that DA Brandenburg was engaged in a civil contest with her neighbor? Was it important that the licensing and vaccination of her dog had lapsed? Generally speaking... No. There probably isn't a pet owner anywhere that hasn't missed sending their fees in or been a little late getting to the vet.
The elephant (or donkey if you prefer) in the room here is that DA Brandenburg received special treatment that worked to her political benefit by sealing a case that would normally have been of little consequence or public interest. It's the cover-up stupid! But the action taken by the DA to seal this case gives an indication of the DA's integrity and her willingness to hide even the smallest of embarrassments from the public. It's the bite heard 'round the world - or at least around town.
----- Update -----
A number of posters have complained about our take on this particular case. Let's be clear here... We don't have a problem with maintaining a certain amount of informational security where law enforcement officials are concerned. In this case - a minor civil suit - the DA chose to ask the court to place the entire case under seal when all that was truly necessary was to place documents that revealed her home address under seal.
When an elected official (even one in law enforcement) decides to extend the privilege of secrecy beyond the point where it's absolutely necessary, their actions invite suspicion. After all, civil court is a public proceeding and therefore rightfully a part of the public record. There were alternatives here and the DA chose a path that would protect not only her physical person but her political self - the latter of which has no right to the court's protection.
Sep 19, 2008
Biden Remorse?
After the thunderous entry of Sarah Palin into the Presidential race, Democrats may be feeling a sense of buyers, or at least Biden remorse. Obama's safe pick turned out to be a less than inspiring choice, particularly when compared to McCain's coup.
With one decision the Arizona Senator nearly wiped out Obama's convention bounce and put the wind in his campaign sails allowing him to close on the Democratic frontrunner and surpass him in some polls. Now we're hearing whispers that Obama and the Ds are considering a veep swap.
The rumor - which could be just that - goes that Biden will step down citing health problems. Obama will then choose his vanquished opponent Hillary Clinton to replace the ailing Biden. All of this is timed to happen after the October 2nd debate.
Remember these are just rumors but if true, Biden could become a rabid attack dog during the debate without risking a public backlash. We believe that Democrats have been looking with envy at the McCain pick and would be willing to do just about anything to get Hillary back on their ticket.
With one decision the Arizona Senator nearly wiped out Obama's convention bounce and put the wind in his campaign sails allowing him to close on the Democratic frontrunner and surpass him in some polls. Now we're hearing whispers that Obama and the Ds are considering a veep swap.
The rumor - which could be just that - goes that Biden will step down citing health problems. Obama will then choose his vanquished opponent Hillary Clinton to replace the ailing Biden. All of this is timed to happen after the October 2nd debate.
Remember these are just rumors but if true, Biden could become a rabid attack dog during the debate without risking a public backlash. We believe that Democrats have been looking with envy at the McCain pick and would be willing to do just about anything to get Hillary back on their ticket.
Sep 16, 2008
Prevent Defense
In football they call it the prevent defense. You hear about it mainly when one team - we'll call it Team D - has a lead over another team - say Team R. The idea is that Team D plays conservative defense designed to minimize mistakes. The problem is Team R is hungry and playing from behind and is free to take the initiative away from the cautions even fearful Team D.
We'd argue that Democrats expecting another Democratic storm surge are playing their own version of the Prevent Defense. So far, two high profile candidates are busy trying to protect their lead or a perceived lead by preventing their candidates from appearing in televised debates with their opponents.
We told you about Kari Brandenburg backing out of a KNME channel 5 debate last week (read it here). Now, Congressional hopeful Martin Heinrich has joined the DA in the Democrat's undisclosed location.
Apparently, Heinrich has withdrawn from a KRQE/AARP debate that would have been televised on the CBS affiliate.
Worst of all, it sure looks like Heinrich was a... LOBBYIST! That's a lot like a "community organizer" only he's getting paid by special interests to "organize" state and federal law makers and officials. You can bet that like a lot of other lobbyists, Heinrich's efforts weren't about saving your money.
Team Democrat doesn't want these types of uncomfortable questions being asked of their anointed candidates. As a result, they're sent to the bunker to hide out and wait for the anticipated Obama storm surge that they believe will flood the voters and carry their candidates along to victory.
As most football fans will tell you, Team D better be careful when they employ the Prevent Defense. A good portion of the time the Prevent Defense prevents a team from winning.
----- Update -----
We had hardly pressed publish on this post than we received a news release from the Republican Party of New Mexico that included a link to a statement from Martin Heinrich to the media that included the all important question of whether or not he was going to release his lobbying records (listen to it here). His answer was, well... not yes.
The former councilor talked about the White campaign "owing" $5,000 to the taxpayers for the President Bush fundraiser on White's behalf. And when pressed on releasing his lobbying records the councilor from an undisclosed location talked about his "work" with groups to "protect" the Ojito Wilderness. In political speak work equals lobbying and the answer itself means "hell no I'm not going to answer your question!"
More importantly this little media appearance was a pitiful attempt to change the subject. Presidential visits are expensive affairs and we taxpayers generally pick up the tab no matter who's in the White House. But that wasn't really the point of Heinrich's idiotic statement.
Heinrich's real objective was to use Bush and White in a sentence together in an attempt to remind voters that Darren White worked on the Bush campaign. Ok... guilty. Darren White is a Republican. Darren White worked on the Bush campaign. Done being surprised now?
We'd bet that Heinrich supported Clinton and he probably would have supported Jimmy Carter had he been old enough to do so.
Here's another reminder... For the past two years, Democrats have been in charge of Congress. We know that comes as a surprise to many, but the truth is that every one of the talking points that Democrats ran and won on two years ago - including immediate troop withdrawl from Iraq - have been virtually ignored by those same politicians.
Democrats have an obsession with President Bush that is only surpassed by their recently discovered meniacal hatred of Sarah Palin. They will attempt to run against him at every opportunity even though there's not a single ballot that he will appear on ever again. If they're not careful, it will be their undoing.
We'd argue that Democrats expecting another Democratic storm surge are playing their own version of the Prevent Defense. So far, two high profile candidates are busy trying to protect their lead or a perceived lead by preventing their candidates from appearing in televised debates with their opponents.
We told you about Kari Brandenburg backing out of a KNME channel 5 debate last week (read it here). Now, Congressional hopeful Martin Heinrich has joined the DA in the Democrat's undisclosed location.
Apparently, Heinrich has withdrawn from a KRQE/AARP debate that would have been televised on the CBS affiliate.
“After agreeing to the debate, and even after both campaigns agreed to change the date to appease Martin Heinrich’s ‘busy schedule,’ today Martin Heinrich surprised no one and declined the opportunity to debate Darren White on the important issues of the day,” White spokesman Stephen Schatz said. “Martin must have reconsidered after his abysmal performance at the other candidate debates and forums and awakened to the fact that his liberal politics are out of touch with the independent voters of the First District.”Like his fellow Democrat, Heinrich has a number of recently revealed questions to answer like why he never registered as a lobbyist when he was admittedly engaging in the practice and getting paid to do so. The former councilor's company Heinrich Consulting allegedly lobbied both state and federal agencies and in doing so broke state and federal lobbying laws by not registering.
Worst of all, it sure looks like Heinrich was a... LOBBYIST! That's a lot like a "community organizer" only he's getting paid by special interests to "organize" state and federal law makers and officials. You can bet that like a lot of other lobbyists, Heinrich's efforts weren't about saving your money.
Team Democrat doesn't want these types of uncomfortable questions being asked of their anointed candidates. As a result, they're sent to the bunker to hide out and wait for the anticipated Obama storm surge that they believe will flood the voters and carry their candidates along to victory.
As most football fans will tell you, Team D better be careful when they employ the Prevent Defense. A good portion of the time the Prevent Defense prevents a team from winning.
----- Update -----
We had hardly pressed publish on this post than we received a news release from the Republican Party of New Mexico that included a link to a statement from Martin Heinrich to the media that included the all important question of whether or not he was going to release his lobbying records (listen to it here). His answer was, well... not yes.
The former councilor talked about the White campaign "owing" $5,000 to the taxpayers for the President Bush fundraiser on White's behalf. And when pressed on releasing his lobbying records the councilor from an undisclosed location talked about his "work" with groups to "protect" the Ojito Wilderness. In political speak work equals lobbying and the answer itself means "hell no I'm not going to answer your question!"
More importantly this little media appearance was a pitiful attempt to change the subject. Presidential visits are expensive affairs and we taxpayers generally pick up the tab no matter who's in the White House. But that wasn't really the point of Heinrich's idiotic statement.
Heinrich's real objective was to use Bush and White in a sentence together in an attempt to remind voters that Darren White worked on the Bush campaign. Ok... guilty. Darren White is a Republican. Darren White worked on the Bush campaign. Done being surprised now?
We'd bet that Heinrich supported Clinton and he probably would have supported Jimmy Carter had he been old enough to do so.
Here's another reminder... For the past two years, Democrats have been in charge of Congress. We know that comes as a surprise to many, but the truth is that every one of the talking points that Democrats ran and won on two years ago - including immediate troop withdrawl from Iraq - have been virtually ignored by those same politicians.
Democrats have an obsession with President Bush that is only surpassed by their recently discovered meniacal hatred of Sarah Palin. They will attempt to run against him at every opportunity even though there's not a single ballot that he will appear on ever again. If they're not careful, it will be their undoing.
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