I'll tell you right up front, I think Governor Bill Richardson
just got away with murder.
The other point of view is equally represented by people who
write in forums and blogs.
Whether there was an occasion when Richardson, or one of his cronies, sat down at a table with someone from CDR, and one or the other of them said,
"OK then, we have a deal; CDR will give the governor a bootfull of cash, and the governor will give CDR a bunch of multimillion dollar contracts."there are a whole bunch of people who believe that it did.
And, their perception is their reality. They believe that their
government is really corrupt.
And now more than ever, they have lost confidence in their
government. They believe more deeply than ever that their
government is corrupt. They believe more deeply than ever
that they are no longer protected by their "legal" system.
Indictment or no, damage has been done, irrevocably.
It is not impossible to run a government that is above suspicion.
Any government that is as transparent as is possible, any
government that has unequivocal standards of conduct and
competence, and any government that has honest accountability
to those standards, is above suspicion.
Bill Richardson could have created a government above suspicion and did not.
Diane Denish could have stood up at any point, and demanded transparent accountability to meaningful standards of conduct and competence in government, and did not.
When ever I point out the fact that Denish could have, and still can, stand up and end the culture of corruption, I am likely to hear someone say,
"She can't. Bill Richardson will not let her.Suicide is such an awful characterization of the death of those
If she stands up to Bill Richardson, it would be
political suicide."
who die standing up for what they believe in,
those who are first through the breech.
When Rep Janice Arnold-Jones took a web camera into the legislature, she was committing political "suicide".When she spoke out on talk radio, she was committing political "suicide".
And yet, here she is still, and running for Governor no less.
Promising transparent accountability, and a government above suspicion.
Proven competence, proven character,
proven courage.
photo Mark Bralley
8 comments:
It stands to reason that if Richardson were innocent, or could easily "get off the hook", then he would have accepted the cabinet position offered to him by Obama. He knew there was so much proof stacked against him that he hade to decline.
So why wasn't he impeached as Governor? Good question. I guess "that's not how we do it here in NM". The crooked and corrupt run wild in the wild west.
When Rep Janice Arnold-Jones took a web camera into the legislature, she was committing political "suicide".
She committed New Mexico political suicide, not far right Republican suicide. There is a difference. She has a chance at the GOP nomination, but no chance at a statewide win.
Republicans in New Mexico have marginalized themselves. Their relevancy state wide is as low as it has ever been. They have turned themselves into a southern states GOP. Sans any minority representation within their ranks. They can win selected areas where their strength id still good. But a state wide office in New Mexico? I think not.
Not any more. New Mexicans can see thru their thin veneer.
There is a reason why I didn't write anything about Arnold-Jones being a "Republican", and that is that there is a world of difference between the Republicans you describe, and her.
She has an a-partisan appeal that will transcend party lines. She will be good for all New Mexicans, Republican, Democrat, Green or Independent.
As an independent often voting Democrat, it's strange to say. but... there are different types of Republicans, and many "modern" republicans are way different than what the party used to stand for.
For example,I found John McCain to be a hero and a gentleman. Against anyone other than Obama (and taking Sara PAlin out of the picture), he probably would have won hands down against anyone else. McCain is what the Republican party used to be about.
"New" Republicans like Rush Limbaugh spouting their hate turns people off and tends to make people think he is the "typical" Republican. HE's a star, his voice is heard, he has a follwing, but we should not judge all republicans by that hateful lunatic.
There are well-minded Republicans, just as there are sleazy Democrats. When voting, we really should look at the whole person of the candidate, and not be like lemmings following their leader off a cliff.
I know exactly what you mean about John McCain; impressive character and courage.
I think you will find those same qualities in Janice Arnold-Jones as well, even if she is a republican!
I hope you give her candidacy your consideration.
If Republicans are not like Limbaugh and Hanity, they need to say so. Staying quiet is an endorsement of the way they do business. What does Ms. Jones say?
In fairness, I have never heard a republican say that Limbaugh or Hannity spoke for them-it is usually "the other side" that claims these guys speak for republicans. The are first and foremost, entertainers. They are making a very good living screaming hyperbole.
You ask, why don't Republicans say that they aren't necessarily followers of Limbaugh and Hannity? I think that they would if you asked them. They don't have a talk radio industry to present their more moderate positions.
It would be inappropriate for me to answer your question on her behalf.
I would encourage you to attend her Saturday morning discussion group, if you can.
You can ask her any question you want, and count on her candid, forthright, and honest response.
We have heard prominent Republicans say that "Rush Limbaugh does not speak for us" or that he "is not the face of the Republican party". But then again, you had Mr. Steele, chairman of the party say that, then turn around, apologize and kiss Limbaugh's ass.
Both Republicans and Democrats are fracturing horribly. Maybe that's good, sometimes it's bad.
All it takes is 1 new, popular voic to rise above both parties and they'd both be out of business for awhile.
We should be voting on the issues primarily, then on party for tie breakers. Neither party is perfect, and both have a lot of room for improvement.
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