"Errors" in the Scarantino piece.

Jim Scarantino put up a report on spending by Lt Governor
Diane Denish, link.

A couple of "errors" have been brought to my attention.

The first had to do with Christmas cards. Scarantino wrote;

• "... take Christmas pictures and write Christmas cards ..."
• "... work on Christmas cards ..."

Those were the only two references I found to Christmas Cards.

Denish's rebuttal, link, said that because she paid for the
printing and mailing, that Scarantino had lied in pointing
to the creation of those cards.

I don't think she made her case; she has not successfully
refuted his allegation. In fact she did not address his specific
allegation at all. Rather, she brought in a red herring as the
foundation for an ad hominem attack.

Scarantino wrote;"... opinion polling ..."

Denish supporters argue that is was a policy poll, not an opinion poll.

The title of the report was;

New Mexico Children's Cabinet Public Opinion
Survey on Children's Issues.

The title seems to corroborate Scarantino's allegation, though
no substantive point is made.

Questions not yet asked or answered in the exchanges of name
calling and pigeon holing;

1. Did Denish do anything wrong in using tax dollars to create Christmas cards?
2. Did Denish do anything wrong in using tax dollars to gather input via an opinion poll, on major problems facing New Mexico's children?

On the first, I would like to hear more in order to make up my own mind. In any case, who cares? How important is the answer in the overall scheme of things? There are more important fish to fry. If that is the worst thing she ever did, a case has not been built that she wouldn't be a good steward of tax dollars.

I am disturbed though, by Denish's denial of that specific allegation, which was a denial of something that was never alleged, a red herring diversion and, a bunch of ad hominem attacks on the messenger, rather than his message.

On the second, although Scarantino got the terminology right, I don't see a problem with the opinion polling, and Scarantino didn't build a case that there was.

Please notice how this whole "debate" can take place without labeling or name calling.