Balloting underway
• Starting this week, voters can cast their ballots early at the City Clerk’s Office, 600 Second NW, and at the Albuquerque Records Center, 604 Menaul NW, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Ten other early-voting locations open Oct. 30.
• The clerk is mailing absentee ballots. Applications can be downloaded from cabq.gov. Scroll down to the “vote” link.
• Sample ballots are available at cabq.gov. The ballot is long because the abortion ordinance is printed in its entirety.
• Voters must present a photo ID to vote in person.
• Voters in District 7 get one ballot with both the City Council runoff and the abortion ordinance on it. Voters registered in other districts get only the abortion question
[T]he proposal to add the UNM location failed on a 5-3 party-line vote.
In favor of adding a UNM location were Democrats Garduno, Ken Sanchez and Isaac Benton. Voting “no” on the proposal were Republicans Dan Lewis, Roxanna Meyers, Janice Arnold-Jones, Trudy Jones and Don Harris. Republican Brad Winter was absent.
Garduno accused the council of disenfranchising people who want to vote. Harris responded that Garduno deserved blame for not trying to add a voting location earlier when it would have been more practical.
On the Nov. 19 ballot are a proposal to ban abortions in Albuquerque after 20 weeks of pregnancy and a runoff election to choose a councilor for the Uptown-area District 7.
[mjh: That runoff is between Arnold-Jones and Gibson and will decide the majority of the council.]
Pardon the pooping of the party, but it’s hard to cheer the aversion of a crisis that:
A) Was entirely manufactured.
B) Will in all likelihood recur very soon.
This is what it has come to in Tea Party America: government of the crisis, by the crisis, for the crisis, government that lurches from emergency to emergency, accomplishing little, resolving less and generally behaving with all the thoughtful reflection of a toddler holding her breath until she gets her way.
Let no one claim this is no big deal because we’ve had shutdowns before. Let no one chirp that this is how things are supposed to work – checks and balances and all. Let none of us act as if it’s anything but bizarre to see a militant faction in one chamber of the legislature bring government to a halt because it doesn’t like a law.
Most of all, let us finally stop pretending this is only about that law, the Affordable Care Act, and the delusional claim that it will usher in socialism, communism and slavery, resurrect Vladimir Lenin and send Nazis marching down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Obamacare?
No, this is about Obamascare, the terror of what some still regard as alien and their consequent refusal, even five years in, to accept the legitimacy of a president twice elected with nary a hanging chad in sight.
There are some who see Cruz for what he is. “The fact is, if you come up with a strategy that’s going to shut down the government of the United States, and you have no way of winning, you’re either a fraud or you’re totally incompetent,” Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) told CNN. “We are not going to allow Ted Cruz to hijack this party.”
Many House Republicans — perhaps a majority — would agree. But few will utter such sentiments out loud, what with powerful right-wing pressure groups such as Heritage Action still sounding the battle cry.
About 47 percent of the district’s registered voters are Democrats, and 31 percent are Republicans. …
The candidates are divided on two recent ballot measures brought forth in Albuquerque.
Neither was in office at the time, but at the polls, Arnold-Jones voted against the minimum-wage increase last year, while Gibson supported it.
The two are also split on the proposed ordinance to ban abortions in Albuquerque after 20 weeks of pregnancy. That proposal goes before voters Nov. 19, the same day of the runoff election.
“The last thing I want is for Albuquerque to be known as the abortion capital of the world,” Arnold-Jones said. “I don’t think it’s OK to kill babies.”
Gibson describes herself as “pro-choice” and said she will vote “no.”
“It doesn’t belong on a city ballot,” she said. “It is not constitutional, and I cannot support that.”
Hey, Janice, I don’t know anyone who wants Albuquerque to be known as the abortion capital of the world. How about “the place women lost their freedom and self-determination” — sound better?
I’ve heard several people say “a pox on both their houses,” equating the roles of left and right or House and Senate in our delayed but unresolved political crisis. There are idiots in every group of people. However, it takes two to tango but both have to want to dance.
Responsibility for our ongoing crisis starts with the voters who elected the lunatic fringe, as well as those loonies. Further responsibility belongs to John Boehner for not having the gumption to stand up to a few foaming mouth-breathers. Further responsibility belongs to the rest of the Republican majority of the House for being frightened by the loonies and their deep-pocket backers. Unprincipled cowards all.
When you say “a pox on both their houses,” you have handed victory to those who hate government and will do everything they can to undermine it. Don’t let them win.
[A]s long as more middle-of-the-road conservatives hang back because they fear primary challenges, scoldings from Heritage Action or occasional insults from the talk-show barons, the Republican Party will remain in receivership.
Those who genuinely want a more moderate approach to politics must also reflect on what just happened.