Category Archives: loco

As Tip O’Neill never said, “All politics is loco.”

Election, media, NADA - New American Dark Ages, other voices

Marriage is a civil contract governed by established contract law

The following letter is a cogent and thorough argument for marriage rights for all adults. Marriage is a contract. Indeed, Merri has made this argument for 25+ years. Kudos to David Paul Blacher.

A different letter insists Americans bow to Leviticus as the law. Not in America, bub. We have the Constitution. You are free to let the Bible rule your life, but not to force that rule on the rest of us. Amen. peace, mjh

Contract Law Applies To Marriage Licenses

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER’S comments (“The Same-Sex Marriage Dilemma,” May 19) are interesting, but he misses the fundamental issue— marriage is a contract. In fact, in America, it is most often actually two contracts: one civil and one religious. I absolutely support the right and obligation of religious organizations to define, pursuant to their own doctrines, who may enter into a contract that they validate and recognize.

However, the civil contract — usually in the form of a “marriage license” — automatically provides the individuals who sign and register the document with several unique and valuable government- issued and -sanctioned advantages. First and foremost is a significantly lower income tax rate, both federal and state. Add to this the way married couples may choose to own real property — usually as community property — and the inheritance advantages which are thereto attached.

Also, married couples have access to a capital gains deduction upon sale of the primary residence that is double that of a single owner. Add to this the general inheritance rights and tax levels provided by governments to married couples but not single couples.

Furthermore, the ability for hospital visitation, treatment and health-decision participation are treated differently for married and unmarried couples. The list of civil rights available only to married couples is extensive. … Most, if not all, governmental entities have laws that disallow discrimination on the basis of sex in the fulfillment contracts — both oral and especially written. The most significant contract that most people will ever sign is their civil marriage contract.

To abrogate a contract based on the sex of the signatories goes totally against the grain of the history of the United States as to the sacrosanct nature of contracts — see Article I, section 10, clause lof the U.S. Constitution that forbids the states from passing any “Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts.”

DAVID PAUL BLACHER
Albuquerque

[Curiously, this letter is not available on-line. What’s up with that, abqjournal.com?]

Election, loco

Lujan Grisham should stop unfair attacks | NMPolitics.net

Grisham has one constituent: herself. peace, mjh

Lujan Grisham should stop unfair attacks | NMPolitics.net

Rather than focus on the issues…

Rather than focus on the issues, Michelle has used her staff, surrogates and her allies in the conservative media to bring up old issues related to traffic tickets, Eric’s work on children’s issues, and even his hard work taking on establishment politicians in the Senate. …

The best person to fight for women and families

Michelle Lujan Grisham and her surrogates have suggested that only she can fight for women and families. I resent that as a woman. Eric has spent his career on the front lines of fighting for women and families as an advocate, an elected official and an active member of his community.

I hope other women and mothers will reject the attacks that Michelle Lujan Grisham and her conservative allies in the media and elsewhere have launched against Eric. I know him best. I have watched him as a loving father, dedicated husband and passionate fighter for kids who came from families like his. Those who know his heart know he is the best person to fight for women and families in Congress.

Kim Griego is Eric Griego’s wife, mother to Lucas their 3-year-old son, and has worked with and for young children with special needs and their families for 20 years. She currently works for the Albuquerque Public Schools in the Special Education Department.

Lujan Grisham should stop unfair attacks | NMPolitics.net

Election, loco

Vote! Now, the problem with the voting process …

Today, I voted early. Kudos to Maggie Toulouse for distributing numerous early voting sites. (Remember: You can vote at any location now and in the fall.) I was greeted at the door by one person who lead me to a clerk who asked me for information. He printed the application for early in-person voting, which I signed. Then, he printed my ballot, which he told me he was not allowed to touch, so I took it off the printer. Another person pointed me to the booths. I filled the short ballot. Another person pointed me to the machines that read ballots. I was the 60th person to use the 3rd machine; over 200 had used the first and 99 the second. That person said, “I want to see you again in the fall.” You bet. Finally, I was shown the door (in the nicest sense). The process was quick and easy.

My gripe? Filling in ovals with a pen. Seriously, I hate that laborious process, which is made worse by a rickety booth that oscillates with my efforts. Can’t I have an oval stamp – one press per race?

Better: Let me use a computer to make my selections, and then review them all before printing the completed ballot. I’m not talking about electronic voting. The entry computer would not create a record. I would still carry my ballot to the machine. No ballots would be rejected for improper completion – that would be eliminated.

Election, loco

Why women support Eric Griego for Congress | NMPolitics.net

I will add here that people who know Grisham professionally say she presents herself very well without delivering on the implied promise. Based on comments from people I don’t know personally, I gather she’s very difficult to work with, to say the least.

Why women support Eric Griego for Congress | NMPolitics.net

By Dede Feldman and Mimi Stewart ? 5/24/12, 8:54 am ? Commentary

Eric Griego is the one Democrat in the 1st Congressional District race with a long, consistent record of taking on the status quo and powerful interests to fight for our core Democratic values.

We have three experienced and accomplished Democrats running in New Mexico’s Democratic-leaning 1st Congressional District. However, if the person you wish to support for Congress is a proven progressive reformer who has a long, consistent record of fighting for women’s rights, we believe Eric Griego deserves your strongest consideration.

Eric Griego is a lifelong advocate for women. Eric grew up watching his single mother who worked two minimum-wage jobs struggle to balance work and family. He believes that women and men should not have to choose between their jobs and their families in time of need. …

The difference between Griego and Grisham

Some say women should automatically support Bernalillo County Commissioner Michelle Lujan Grisham because she is a woman. As women who have spent our careers leading the fight in New Mexico’s Legislature to promote a woman’s right to make her own health-care decisions and for pay equity and paid family leave, we respectfully disagree.

The Republicans are waging war on women – and we believe that both Eric and Commissioner Lujan Grisham will be outspoken champions for women in Congress. But the Republicans are waging war against not just women; they are also waging war against teachers and other public employees, against Social Security and Medicare, against clean energy in favor of Big Oil, against middle class taxpayers in favor of millionaires, and against ordinary voters who want to have a voice in our democracy in favor of billionaires and big corporations that can spend unlimited money to influence our elections.

To take on these fights, we need someone like Eric, who is the one Democrat in this race with a long, consistent record of taking on the status quo and powerful interests to fight for our core Democratic values.

That is why we enthusiastically endorse Eric Griego, and encourage everyone – men and women – to support him for Congress.

State Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, chairs the Senate Public Affairs Committee and the Interim Health and Human Services Committee. Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, chairs the House Health and Government Affairs Committee.

Why women support Eric Griego for Congress | NMPolitics.net

Read all of the comments for the following article.

Attack on Grisham solidifies my support for her | NMPolitics.net

May 23, 2012 • 2:16 pm

[Comment from someone named Hemingway] Former controversial Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham has been described as a “loose cannon” by the UNM President David Harris. In another article she is said to have “a bizarre micromanagement and manipulative style of leadership that is very destructive to the health of the public and the morale of the department.” You judge for yourself her performance. Here are articles on her:
http://www.abqjournal.com/news/state/464485nm05-31-06.htm
http://www.abqjournal.com/news/metro/29113618metro06-29-08.htm
http://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/editorials/545370opinion03-11-07.htm
Ms. Denish acts like Ms. Grisham was a saint! The best assessment of her performance as Health Secretary is substandard at best. You will realize she is not a team member after you read these articles on her. So Ms. Denish don’t exaggerate Ms. Grisham’s so-called accomplishments.

Attack on Grisham solidifies my support for her | NMPolitics.net

alBAHquerque

I talked to a burglar … #neighborhoodwatch #abq

I happened to be walking through my living room when something next door caught my attention and drew me outdoors. An older, mostly non-descript red car was backing into my neighbor’s driveway. Odd. Odder still, the driver released the trunk from inside. Hmmm. I stood there, in plain sight, as the driver rustled through something in the front seat. He seemed to be pulling on gloves or ransacking the car. He looked up and through the open window on the passenger’s side we exchanged pleasantries. “How’s it going?” “Not bad, how about you?” I don’t recall who spoke first, just that it was an standard exchange between civil strangers.

The driver – a thief, as it turns out – was decent-looking, thirty-ish, clean-shaven, with short but not really-short black or dark hair. He was calm, albeit distracted. As I stood there, I pulled out my cellphone and called my neighbor. Perhaps she was expecting a delivery or worker or friend. She was quite surprised by my information. During this brief call, the guy closed his trunk and slowly drove off into the neighborhood. I saw a balloon fiesta NM plate starting with ‘LM’. (I’m easily befuddled by license plates – I expend a lot of energy scanning random characters for meaning.) At that point, my neighbor and I concluded it was an odd episode, nothing more.

When she got home, the neighbor realized someone had actually broken in. The front door was ajar. The back sliding door was broken and open. The bathroom window was broken. Some of her stuff was in pillowcases, but it seems they didn’t get away with anything. The cops arrived minutes after she called them and were very thorough and professional. They say they’ve had many such calls in our neighborhood and the University area.

If I’d gone down the hall instead of through the living room, I’d have missed the whole thing. Keep an eye out. Neighborhood watch works.

alBAHquerque, Election, NADA - New American Dark Ages

If I agree with Wiener does that make me a dick?

I think Michael Wiener is an insensitive boor, surely sexist, possibly racist (who isn’t). His bumper sticker: Guns don’t kill people, husbands who come home early kill people. Why didn’t his mindset die in the Sixties? Still, I agree with him: let the people decide. I hope the voters in his district kick his ass to the curb. If they don’t, well, that will say a lot about those voters. But electing the fool in the first place did that.

Wiener rejects calls for his resignation | NMPolitics.net

“There’s an election in 37 days and if the people at that time want to pick somebody else to represent them on the county commission, that’s certainly the way a democracy works that we all belong to,” KOB-TV quoted him as saying. “And I’m going to let the voters in my district speak rather than a few elected officials.”

Wiener rejects calls for his resignation | NMPolitics.net

alBAHquerque

Paramilitary police lead to violence

Our cops are soldiers now. Thanks to the boatload of money and carte blanche after 9/11. Let me see your ID.

ABQJournal Online » Jury Verdict In Excessive Force Case Overturned

By Scott Sandlin / Journal Staff Writeron Thu, Apr 26, 2012

APD’s arrest of an unarmed, 60-year-old intoxicated man by firing numerous bean bags at him, siccing a dog on him and then repeatedly Tasering him was “clearly excessive” force, says a federal judge who took the unusual step of overturning the jury’s verdict in the case …

“No reasonable person could believe that an inhibited, slow-moving 60-year old individual who made no physical or verbal threats and wielded no weapons could constitute a threat to the safety of any of the 47 armed and shielded police officers who stood 20 feet away,” Black wrote, reversing the outcome of the weeklong jury trial last October in Santa Fe.

“Nothing presented at trial showed that the officers’ extraordinary use of force was reasonably necessary to safely arrest (the plaintiff),” said the opinion Black wrote this month.

ABQJournal Online » Jury Verdict In Excessive Force Case Overturned