Why is it okay to defy the "will" of the People?

We researched the topic about Berry's "ABQ: The Plan" and the shenanigans being orchestrated behind the scenes by Berry and his foot soldiers. The best and most simplistic explanation we found was on Joe Monahan's Blog.  The Almighty Alcarde RJ Berry has managed to embezzle fundings for his "ABQ: The Plan" after the CITIZEN'S OF ALBUQUERQUE SPOKE (VOTED) THEIR "WILL" AND TOLD BERRY THEY DO NOT SUPPORT HIS WASTEFUL SPENDING.

As you can see by reading below Berry used his political friends in the City Council to do the old "Shell Game" and switch money around thinking the citizens of Albuquerque are idiots and would not learn the truth.  Since the voters already said no, doesn't this become an act that violates moral turpitude at a minimum, if not criminally?

The Eye On Albuquerque is fed up with the political games and the dirty politicians.  Why can't we get a real person into office who will do the "right thing" and follow the "will" of the people?  What ever happened to "We the people; by the people and for the people."   

SIDEBAR

BERRY'S PLAN

We blogged this week of how Mayor Berry's "ABQ: The Plan" is getting increasingly wary treatment from the city council. There will be no bonds for the plan on the October ballot but as reader Elaine Hebard explains "The Plan" will still get money:

At the City Council meeting March 4, the Council voted to delete these items from the GO Bond Program: River Amenities, Enhancements and Bosque Restoration, $2,250,000; Bosque Trail Development, $1,000,000 (General Obligation Bonds categorized by purpose must be approved by the voters in the municipal election Oct. 8).

…And then the Council transferred $2,892,000 from the City’s General Fund to the Parks & Recreation Capital Acquisition Fund: River Amenities, Enhancements and Bosque Restoration, and Bosque Trail Development, $2,892,000. These funds do not have to be voted on and will be available as soon as the Mayor signs the G.O. Bond Programming Resolution. While we should be wary of adding new commitments, what really happened is that the public okay was removed.

Yes, the public okay was removed from "ABQ: The Plan" and the Mayor still got cash for his pet projects, but going forward it is going to be more difficult for him--especially if the Dems become the majority party on the nine member panel.

http://joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com/

END SIDEBAR

Former President George H. W. Bush Sr. stated it best when he lost to Bill Clinton back in 1992. The Republicans wanted to raise hell about Bush's loss.  In response Bush went on National television and asked everyone to respect the people's voices. The latter part of Bush's statement was something to the affect; "THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN!" Now why is it Republican Berry cannot be a decent honorable man and follow the will of the citizens of Albuquerque; they too have spoken?

Our apologies we are in no way, shape or forum are attempting to compare Berry to Former President Bush.  Obviously there is no comparison; one man has integrity and follows the will of the people and the other has no integrity and DOES NOT follow the will of the people.

Remember; this is the same guy who is asking for your support and vote in October.

Fear and Division

Fear... it's nothing new in political campaigns. Last year we saw a bumper crop of candidates using fear as a weapon against their opponents. Sometimes those fears are justified. Other times fears are completely manufactured.

One of the easiest ways to scare one group is to identify an opposing candidate with another group. It's part of defining your opponent. This one's a conservative, a Republican, a developer. That one's a liberal, a Democrat, an environmentalist. The idea is to scare people into voting against someone simply because they're not like the group they identify with. One of the easiest ways to create these divides is to interject race into the discussion.

Of course, no one will admit to using race in a campaign - that would be repugnant, reprehensible, and something only the other campaign would do. But if you can get a surrogate to make race a topic of discussion...

Developer Rob Dickson could be the long-shot to watch.. Although liberal-leaning, as an Anglo candidate Dickson could help Chavez by peeling some NE Heights votes away from Berry.

-joemonahan.com

City Hall watchers are now framing the race this way: Chavez is positioned to get 40% of the vote and avoid a run-off election. However, they see the fly in the ointment as Rep. Berry, but do not see him as the strongest Chavez challenger. They see Berry in the role of spoiler, peeling conservative and Republican votes away from Chavez and boosting Romero, giving him a chance to hold Marty below the magic 40% and forcing a run-off election.

Naturally, the Berry camp and the R's disagree with that analysis saying Berry can consolidate conservative and Anglo votes and force the run-off between him and Chavez, leaving Romero in the dust.

-joemonahan.com

Don't believe for a moment that Monahan's racial mentions are an accident. The Democrat blogger could have easily identified the Northeast Heights as conservative or leaning Republican - which would be more accurate - rather than making his description based on race. Further, the implication is the R's injected race into the discussion.

We're not saying that Monahan is being racist. That accusation is being thrown around far too frequently and in our experience it's generally thrown around most often by those who harbor racist views themselves. What we're asserting is that Monahan is using race to support an analysis that is fundamentally flawed and perhaps wishful thinking.

What terrifies Democrats like Monahan is that two strong Democrats facing a single strong Republican will deny the mayor access to the very voters who are responsible for his past victories. If you'll remember, Marty ran his previous campaigns as a business oriented Democrat - a moniker that he has since tried to lose by courting the far left through his "green" initiatives.

Do the math. Even if Democrats manage to garner 60% of the overall vote the odds are pretty good that neither one of the two will reach the magic 40%. Unless of course there's some kind of wild card introduced into the campaign - something to polarize voters and set one group against another.

The Chavez administration has become increasingly overbearing and vindictive. Romero has aligned himself with one of the most liberal activists in the state, Eli Lee. With the growing crime rates, budget deficits, and out of control spending that both candidates are associated with, Berry should easily be able to make a convincing case to conservatives and Blue Dog Democrats that he is the man for the big chair on the 11th floor.

In the meantime look for the two "major" Democrats to attempt to create divisive wildcards that have nothing to do with major issues like red light scam-eras, term limits, crime, and out of control spending. Wildcards that are designed for one purpose and one purpose only... fear.