Useful Idiots

Over the weekend Council President Isaac Benton made a foray into international relations calling Israel's current incursion into Gaza "oppression and genocide" (ABQ Journal - Subscription). From a political standpoint, Benton chose to step into a political minefield on a battleground where at best he's a spectator. More importantly, the District 3 councilor is just flat wrong.

"For the record, this is not genocide, and no rational person can justifiably call Israel's actions of self-defense genocide against any people," said Sam Sokolove, executive director of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico.

Webster's New World Dictionary defines genocide as the "systematic killing of a whole people or nation."

Asked Monday whether he believes Israel's actions are, in fact, genocide, Benton referred to the United Nations' definition. A 1948 U.N. convention said genocide involves trying to destroy all or part of a national group and can include "causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group."

- ABQ Journal (Subscription)

Imagine having anywhere between 20 and 100 rockets randomly hitting different parts of the city. Imagine that despite a declared cease fire, these rockets continue to maim and kill your friends and family. Imagine always having to wonder whether or not your next trip to your local pizza parlor or ride on a bus will end in a fiery death. How long would it take for you to demand that your government do something?

Israel has the right and the duty to protect its citizens. It's unfortunate that the Palestinians in Gaza chose Hamas to run their government, but choose they did. Hamas is responsible for the firing of rockets into Israel. The Palestinians in Gaza are responsible for turning their government, their future, and their lives over to Hamas.

While Israel is by all accounts making every attempt to minimize civilian casualties, there has never been a war where the innocent didn't die alongside the combatants - a fact that Palestinians living in Gaza should have remembered before they put a terrorist organization in charge of their government.

Benton said he didn't want to discuss his "genocide" comment further.

"I regret it," he said. "I'll leave it at that."

-ABQ Journal (Subscription)

It's no surprise that Councilor Benton doesn't want to discuss his foray into international politics. His loose tongue reveals a profound lack of understanding of not only what genocide really is, but of how terrorists use the media to claim victim status. In World War II, Germans taught the world what genocide was. Hamas uses the media and "useful idiots" like Benton to confer victim status that they do not deserve. In both cases, the real victims have been Jews and Israelis - who continue to pay on a daily basis with their lives.

"My response is we have freedom of speech," [Rabbi Arthur Flicker of Congregation B'nai Israel] said. "He can say whatever he wants, and we have freedom of the ballot, so we can vote him out of there."

- ABQ Journal (Subscription)

Amen.

Eye on the Grapevine: Perlman on the Way Out?

There's a rumor going around city hall that Albuquerque Chief Administrative Officer Bruce Perlman is on his way out. Our Eyes have yet to confirm the report, but at the very least it's interesting timing.

If you'll remember, Mr. Perlman was hip deep in Marty's ABQPAC. In fact, the city's current CAO was the head of the infamous mayoral slush fund (read it here). Marty originally appointed Mr. Perlman back in 2005 - safely and conveniently after the last mayoral election (read it here).

At the time, the Almighty Alcalde was just past what was thought to be his third and last election to the office of mayor. There were calls for him to run for congress (read our take here) and his own announced ambition to run for governor... again. After jumping from the gubernatorial derby and stumbling out of the gate in an aborted senate run, the mayor took the city charter's term limits to court and had them struck down. At the time he claimed that he was just keeping his options open... rrrrriiiight.

It will be interesting to see if there's any substance to the rumor of Perlman's departure. If the CAO does hit the highway, is it a move by the Almighty One to jettison some ABQPAC baggage that is sure to come up in next year's mayoral contest?

We'd think so. After all, it took some serious testicular fortitude for Marty to put the man in charge of his disgraced slush fund in charge of the city. Can you say payback? But then again, stranger things have happened around here.

So... Who to replace a departed Perlman with? Perhaps the Captain (AKA Transportation Director Greg Payne) would like a change of pace. Or since former Chief of Staff Barry Bitzer won't be serving in the state senate after being trounced by Senator Komadina in the primaries, Bitzer's sure to be looking for a new gig. Who knows? Maybe the Almighty One owes someone else a $100,000 a year job. Don't you just love city intrigue?

----- Correction -----
We want to apologize to Mr. Perlman for misspelling his name in our original post. We originally spelled it Pearlman and we were rightly chastised for the mistake. It has been corrected above.

All Hail The Almighty Alcalde!

Marty can be Mayor for Life

It's not like anyone's surprised or anything but Monday His Honor got his first victory in quite a long time - at least since the last time we sent him back to his perch on the 11th floor. Yes, Marty can run... aaagain.

The Journal reported Tuesday that Judge Linda Vanzi found the Albuquerque City Charter's term limits to be unconstitutional under the New Mexico state constitution (ABQ Journal - Subscription). Of course the city's contract attorneys didn't really put up much of a fight.

"Respondents believe that the mayor term limits provision of the Albuquerque City Charter is inconsistent with the qualifications clause of the New Mexico Constitution ... and as such is unconstitutional,"

- ABQ Journal (Subscription)

As a taxpayer, we wonder exactly how much we paid Joseph Goldberg, Theresa Duncan and Michael Goldberg - the city's contract attorneys - to essentially say "we surrender." Kinda' sounds like a Monty Python skit... "run away, run away, run away!" And apparently it took no less than three, yes THREE attorneys to lose this case without firing a shot or making an argument.

Damn! Whatever happened to vigorously defending your client's (read taxpayer's) position? Who knows, perhaps a good argument might have gone a long way towards reversing the previous decision striking down term limits for councilors. It certainly would have been better than... "we surrender!" But we guess when the guy signing the checks is the same guy that's suing your client the outcome was never really in doubt.

As you might have guessed we are for term limits - especially for executive positions. At least legislative shenanigans are held somewhat in check by the other legislators. But, after eight years even the dumbest executive has managed to stack their branch of government with allies that will look the other way when they screw-up or even break the law. Just imagine how many of Marty's Minions wander the halls of power after eleven years.

A pleased Chavez told the Journal, "It brings clarity to the landscape, and I've had a lot of folks encouraging me to seek an additional term." It certainly makes things clear. The Almighty is going to run again and if we're not very careful we'll all be forced to scream "All Hail The Almighty Alcalde!"