Thoughts on the Debate from the Peanut Gallery

Current mood: amused



On Thursday, 20 May 2010, I attended the debate between Republican gubernatorial candidates at UNM's Rodey Hall in the Popejoy Arts Center. The debate was hosted by Channel 4 (KOB-TV), the local NBC affiliate, and sponsored by the Rio Grande Foundation. The hour-long forum was moderated by Nicole Brady and Tom Joles.



Don't take my word for any of what I've typed below. Here's the video of the debate — click here to see for yourself.



First, a disclaimer — I'm a Libertarian and a libertarian, so my presence was mostly for entertainment purposes. I haven't considered myself a conservative for 14 years now, and I'm not in any hurry to revert to doing so. For the most part, this debate simply confirmed what I was already thinking about the candidates.



After the candidates took their spots and gave their opening statements, the fun began.



All of the candidates hit on some common themes throughout the hour —

• They all cited corruption (pay-to-play, backroom / insider deals, etc.) as one of the State's main problems. Can't disagree there.


• It sounded (at least to me) that all of them wanted to drastically cut, if not shut down, the elephante blanco known as the RailRunner, citing fiscal irresponsibility as another big problem in State government. Again, can't disagree there.


• Each of them said they wanted the State to adopt a more pro-business attitude — be friendlier towards the private sector, in other words.


• Secure the borders, with the National Guard if Obama won't reinforce the Border Patrol.

Pete Domenici Jr. stayed on track for what he wanted to say and didn't get involved in sniping at the others. Still, he pointed out his family connection to New Mexico, which is something I expect to see from Democrats. Not saying that's bad per se, but given the former Senator's fiscal wimpiness and apparent closeness to the Busheviks . . . .



Janice Arnold-Jones disappointed me a bit. Bob Cornelius told me that Arnold-Jones came across strongly, and I would disagree a bit — she seemed a bit frazzled at times, especially during the Weh-Martinez sniping, as Weh took a potshot at her, too. That, and as a legislator, she has done her share of citing "emergency circumstances" as the reason that public project funding is necessary. Sorry, but the word "emergency" to me means someone got hurt or could get hurt, lots of police cars, fire trucks and ambulances with their lights and sirens going full blast. Whether some community center gets built in the next decade does NOT to me constitute any sort of emergency.



Allen Weh provided some comic relief for the libertarian-minded in the audience, with his pissy complaints insider deals within the GOP, and the attack adverts ran against him by the Martinez campaign. Poor boy Allen! I still remember reading how in 2008, when he was the GOPNM's State Chairman, he ruled the Ron Paul delegates to their State Convention in Las Cruces as being "out of order," saying that "We don't operate by Robert's Rules but by pleasure of the chair." Aside from that, just a typical Republican, promising tax cuts and spending cuts.



Also from Weh —

• "Everybody hungers for leadership — leadership with integrity"


• On the issue of using military force to secure the border — "No one understands the operational issues like I do . . . ."

Susana Martinez is the front-runner in this race, and according to some sources, the Anointed one by the GOPNM insiders. Still, she doesn't seem to be taking this race for granted, considering that the same person I got the link in the last sentence from also said that the reason that Susana is running as a Republican is that she lost the primary as a Democrat the last time and switched affiliations to avoid losing power. Bad, BAD sign there, if true. Of all of the candidates, Martinez harped on the border "issue" the most^[1], taking a potshot at Weh for his previous support of a guest-worker program^[2].



Doug Turner came across as the clear winner, at least to me, and also to a (non-scientific) online poll of viewers by KOB staff. He deviates from the libertarian party-line with his support for an expanded Drug Prohibition and closing the border. Still, he stayed above the Weh-Martinez pissing contest during the debate, and throughout the campaign. Still, he did say to me, "I'm a libertarian," when all of the other candidates would have blown off the very idea of libertarianism, even if I had explained how the Non-Aggression Principle doesn't disallow the defensive use of force.



After the debate, I met Lance and Patrick from the local Ron Paul Campaign for Liberty group. Patrick was verbally arguing with some of the Weh supporters, who allegedly had gotten belligerent with him over his "NO WEH" sign. Leaving UNM property, we met again at the Nob Hill Bar and Grill, where Doug Turner was partying with his supporters.



Finally, a good note — the guy directly in front of me was wearing a M1911-style pistol on his belt in open-carry mode. Good for him! Though I am surprised that no one in the audience called UNMPD out to have him "proned out" facedown and cuffed for "violating UNM policy" and such.

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NOTES

1. Susana seems to be operating under the assumption that EVERY person crossing the border sans approval from the Imperial Washington DC imbecilocracy is intent upon robbery, assault, kidnapping, rape and murder, when the exact opposite seems to be true.


2. As I was exiting Rodey Hall, one of Martinez's supporters handed me a text-only reprint of an Albuquerque Journal op-ed piece dated 3 October 2007, allegedly by Allen Weh, citing support for some sort of guest-worker program.


3. Original posting

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Clarke and Dawes on the 2010 EuroCollapse

Current mood: amused

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Clarke and Dawes on the 2010 EuroCollapse

Current mood: amused





H/T to Allen Cogbill for posting a link to this clip.

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Skipping on Horowitz

Current mood: cynical



I've been getting repeated emails from the Albuquerque Tea Party reminding me about the upcoming speech, dinner and book-signing by anti-libertarian neo-con David Horowitz:

Click the picture for the full-size version

Some examples of his potshots at Ron Paul in particular and libertarians generally in the past few years —



David Horowitz: "Ron Paul...is a Disgrace"

David Horowitz and a Guided Tour of the “Ron Paul Revolutionary” Mind



Check out this video clip from the Glenn Beck Show from 2007 —



The gems from that video clip —

". . . strain of isolation and anarchy in the American tradition which Ron Paul is tapping into

Washington and Jefferson weren't isolationists, they were non-interventionists, and there IS a difference, despite comments to the contrary from the neo-cons:

Friendship and commerce with all, entangling alliances with none.

Here's the part that really sets me off — I see NO evidence from Horowitz that he's changed from this tune in the past three years:

". . . plenty of unfortunately libertarian websites indistinguishable from the anti-American left — lewrockwell.com and others like that . . . totally in bed with the Islamofascists and turned against this country"

In addition, Horowitz seems to me to be the neo-con version of Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.



What Dees (allegedly) does is pick out some Aryan Airhead, then portray that idiot as being ready to take over Washington DC — "but YOU can stop this with your donation! And buy my book, too!" Dees also has a habit of smearing anyone in the militia movement, tax honesty movement, etc., etc., who's ever come into contact with the Airhead. It doesn't seem to matter that said Aryan was kicked out of the militia meeting immediately after showing his "SS" runes tattoo to the membership. It also doesn't matter that the Aryan has no actual hope of gaining any sort of political power over anyone than other Aryan Airheads in their little (infiltrated with federal agents through and through) group.



Horowitz appears to do the same sort of thing where the Islamists are concerned — portray them as just a few steps away from carrying out their dreams of making sharia (Islamic religious law) the core of the American legal system — "but YOU can stop this with your donation! And buy my book, too!" Never mind that, like the Aryan Airheads, the sharia pushers have little to no chance of gaining any sort of actual power in America.



As with the Aryan Airheads, the best answer to the Islamists is to respond with better speech. I prefer to tell them that there's nothing stopping them as individuals from setting the example for the rest of us, and adhering to the tenets of sharia personally. If they want to make it into American law, there's an amendment process all spelled out for them in the Constitution. Until they get 2/3 of the House, 2/3 of the Senate and 3/4 of the State legislatures, it's a no-go^[1]. If they choose the Hamas / al-Qaeda route (suicide bombers, etc.), I look forward to taking corrective action via the Second Amendment.



So what is Horowitz's answer to the prospect of Islamic terrorism here in America? Does he invoke the right of private citizens to own and carry weapons? Nope — for him, it's a reason to expand the reach of Imperial Washington DC, with police-state agencies (DHS, for example) on the domestic side and long-term occupations of other countries for the foreign-policy side.



So Horowitz might have left Marxism back in the 1970's, but I suspect that Marxism never truly left him.



So I'm going to skip seeing Horowitz when he shows up here in Albuquerque tonight — why pay Ø60 to hear this sort of thing when I can get it for free over the net?^[2]

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NOTES

1. Not that this seems to be stopping the Congress lately on anything else.


2. My attending this event would be a double-hit on me financially — not only would I be out the Ø60, but I'd ahve to take a day off to attend, and thus come up short on next week's paycheck.

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Zbigniew Brzezinski -- People are Politically Awake Now

Aww, poor Ziggy — now he and his ilk actually have to be up front with us about their plans for us. The horror of it all!

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Armed Citizens in New Mexico, 1959-1979

Current mood: pleased

1. The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM, 7/10/79 / American Rifleman Issue: 10/1/1979
   
   When two men entered an Albuquerque, N. Mex., convenience store demanding money, night clerk Reno Petrucci thought they were joking. One of the thugs, however, punched Petrucci and two companions. At that, Petrucci pulled a .38 and held the assailant until police arrived; the second man fled the scene.
2. The Journal, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 9/1/1979
   
   The man who held up an Albuquerque, N.M., food store, got a rude surprise. As he approached the fourth checkstand, he found himself face to face with a lady shopper holding a .25 cal. automatic. To enforce her demand that he put down his gun and surrender, the woman told him that she was an undercover policewoman. With that, the thief gave in, dropped his revolver and waited patiently at gunpoint until the real police arrived to make the arrest. Albuquerque police have since offered the housewife a position on the city force.
3. The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 3/1/1978
   
   Albuquerque, N. Mex., pharmacist Ron Bunt was in his drugstore when two armed robbers entered and demanded narcotics. Bunt filled a small bag with the drugs and handed it to one of the pair, then pulled a cal. .25 pistol and shot one of the thugs to death. The other fled and is being sought by police.
4. The News-Journal, Clovis, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 11/1/1977
   
   Mrs. Cleo Ainsworth saw two young thugs attack her husband outside their farmhouse near rural Dora, N.M. After calling for help, she got her husband's pistol and fired a warning shot. The men fled.
5. The Tribune, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 10/1/1977
   
   When a young robber entered his Albuquerque, N. Mex., pharmacy and demanded narcotics, Delbert Swindle drew a pistol instead and held the man for police.
6. The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 7/1/1976
   
   Two men, one armed with a knife, entered Sidney McQueen's Albuquerque, N.M., gun shop, grabbed up some firearms and then bolted for the front door. But one of the thugs turned and pointed a gun at McQueen. The shop owner fired first, killing one robber and wounding the second.
7. The Alamogordo Daily News, Alamogordo, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 9/1/1974
   
   Awakened by the sounds of a prowler in her Alamogordo, N. Mex., home, Mrs. Teresa Middlestead got her husband's shotgun from the bedroom closet and shouted down the hallway, "I've got a gun." Although Mrs. Middlestead didn't see the intruder, she heard him dash through the kitchen and out the front door. Nothing was stolen.
8. The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 9/1/1974
   
   Three youths, one armed with a knife, walked into Mike Seargent's Albuquerque, N. Mex., store intent on robbery. Seargent noticed that the knife was apparently their only weapon, so he took his gun from beside the cash register and held the thieves at bay until police arrived.
9. The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 5/1/1974
   
   As he walked his dog near an Albuquerque, N. Mex., apartment development late one night, E.K. Van Aernam and his sister were stopped by two robbers, one armed with a pistol. Van Aernam clutched a handgun in his coat pocket and asked the armed man to "put his gun away." When the attacker refused, Van Aernam slapped the assailant's gun downward and fired six shots at the thugs through his pocket. The men fled, one of them possibly wounded.
10. Hobbs Daily News-Sun, Hobbs, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 6/1/1973
    
    A man began pounding on the front door of Evelyn Burkey's Hobbs, N. Mex., home and refused to identify himself or say what he wanted. When he started pounding on the back door, Mrs. Burkey got a small revolver and threatened to "blow his head off." At this the prowler dove over a back fence and disappeared.
11. The Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 2/1/1973
    
    Spotting two suspicious men wandering around his Albuquerque, N. Mex., drugstore, owner Carl De Alderete kept a close watch on the pair. When one man reached for a gun, De Alderete drew his own first. One suspect escaped, but the storeowner held the second for police who took the would-be robber's gun in evidence.
12. Aztec Independent Review, Aztec, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 1/1/1973
    
    Brian Blacklock, an Aztec, N. Mex., pharmacist, was working late in his store when a rock smashed through the skylight above him. Blacklock ran outside, got a rifle from his car, and ordered the man on the roof to come down. Police arrived and arrested the rock thrower, along with his less-than-successful lookout man.
13. Tribune, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 7/1/1967
    
    When 3 men pounded on his back door, laundry owner James Self, Albuquerque, N. Mex., answered and found himself confronted by a robber holding a .410-bore shotgun. Dropping to the floor, he fired a shot from his .22 revolver. The trio fled. Police later got a hospital call — "man with a gunshot wound" — and arrested the wounded man and 2 accomplices on charges of attempted robbery.
14. Tribune, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 11/1/1961
    
    Armed with a cal. .22 revolver, a thief three months out of prison after serving a 10-year term for armed robbery, entered John Waldrick's Albuquerque, N. Mex., store, forced Waldrick to hand over his wallet and empty the cash register. As the robber reached the door, Waldrick drew his own weapon and felled him.
15. Journal, Albuquerque, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 12/1/1959
    
    Thomas H. Myrick was in the back room of his Albuquerque, N. Mex., liquor store when he heard his wife pleading with a holdup man rifling the register. Myrick rushed out with shotgun in hand. As the bandit fled, Myrick fired 4 blasts over his head. When police arrived, they found Myrick standing over the bandit who cowered on the ground, his pistol and robbery loot beside him.
16. The New Mexican, Santa Fe, NM / American Rifleman Issue: 7/1/1959
    
    In Tierra Amarilla, N. Mex., shopkeeper Albert Wheeler called on neighbor Jack Taylor to cover the front when the intercom alarm rang in the store owner's bedroom. Wheeler went to the rear office where he surprised an armed burglar who attempted to escape. Neighbor Taylor's 12-ga. shotgun dropped him near the door.

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Ronnie James Dio, RIP (1942-2010)

At about 7:45 AM on Sunday, 16 May 2010, we lost one of the good guys:

"Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45am 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private good-byes before he peacefully passed away. Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all. We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us. Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever."

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"Fear the Boom and Bust" a Hayek vs. Keynes Rap Anthem

Current mood: amused

Econstories.tv is a place to learn about the economic way of thinking through the eyes of creative director John Papola and creative economist Russ Roberts.

In Fear the Boom and Bust, John Maynard Keynes and F. A. Hayek, two of the great economists of the 20th century, come back to life to attend an economics conference on the economic crisis. Before the conference begins, and at the insistence of Lord Keynes, they go out for a night on the town and sing about why there's a "boom and bust" cycle in modern economies and good reason to fear it.

Get the full lyrics, story and free download of the song in high quality MP3 and AAC files at econstories.tv.

Plus, to see and hear more from the stars of Fear the Boom and Bust, Billy Scafuri and Adam Lustick, visit their site: billyandadam.com

Music was produced by Jack Bradley at Blackboard3 Music and Sound Design. It was composed and performed by Richard Royston Jacobs.

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My Political Compass Quiz Score

My Political Views
I am a far-right social libertarian
Right: 8.62, Libertarian: 7.22

Political Spectrum Quiz

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ABQ Journal Questionnaire for Legislature Candidates [1]

Political Party — Libertarian Party / Boston Tea Party

Place of Residence — West Side of Albuquerque

Age — 39

Education — Currently a student at CNM, going for a degree in photonics

Occupation — see here

Political / Government Experience — see here for the full list

Highlights —

• Boston Tea Party NM State Chair — 1998 — present, National Vice Chair 2009 — present
• Libertarian Party, Vice Chair — 1997-2001, Secretary, 2005-2009, Editor, New Mexico Liberty, 2003 — present
• US / NM Army National Guard, Alpha Battery, 7/200 Air Defense Artillery — 1994-1998
• US Army Reserve, 157th Separate Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) — 1991-1994
• US Army ROTC at Penn State University, Abington Campaus — 1989-1992

Major Professional Accomplishment — Ten years as camera technician for New Mexico's Consumer Advocate and on-screen talent for The Weekly Sedition on Comcast Channel 27.

Major Personal Accomplishment — I'll wait til much later in life before selecting any one event in my life as "pivotal."

1. In dealing with state government revenue downturns, would you generally favor additional spending cuts and government efficiency or tax and fee increases?
   
   I would favor additional spending cuts and greater efficiency, as well as holding the line on creating new spending programs.



2. Would you support or oppose a New Mexico law recognizing domestic partnerships that would grant same-sex couples most of the same rights afforded to heterosexual couples?
   
   Inasmuch as the State requires any consenting adult to get a permission slip ("marriage license") from the State to enter into any sort of formal relationship with any other consenting adult, I support full equality across the board for everyone in this matter, regardless of sexual orientation. I don't see any reason that LGBTQ people should have to put up with different standards in the legal sense than the heterosexual crowd.
   
   That being said, I don't see any reason why anyone (LGBTQ, hetero or whatever) should have to go to a government official for permission to enter a relationship with another person. Those who want government out of their wallets, businesses and gun cabinets shouldn't have any problem kicking the State out of the bedroom. Nor does it make any sense to support government involvement in other people's relationships. Thus, I would work to get the State out of the marriage-license and -definition business entirely, by repealing the law(s) requiring people to get a "marriage license" before declaring themselves "married."



3. What should the Legislature do to ensure that New Mexico's pension plans remain solvent?
   
   I don't know that the public pension plans are actually solvent at this time — see this study sponsored by the Rio Grande Foundation that says those plans are currently somewhere between Ø8,300,000,000 and Ø22,900,000,000 IN THE RED — The Government “Gravy Train”: An Analysis of New Mexico’s Private versus Public Sector Employment and Compensation.
   
   Part of the problem is the defined-benefit system currently used by the State, where public employees are promised a specific amount of cash to be disbursed when the pension is cashed out. Replacing this with a defined-contribution system such as 401(k)s or mutual funds will partially fix the problem.
   
   But the best solution to the State pension insolvency is to STOP expanding the State — QUIT creating new agencies for every problem, real and imagined. Check first to see if there's an existing agency that can do the job. Ask if the problem is one that should be properly addressed by the State, and not by the private sector.



4. What should be done to improve New Mexico public school perfomance and student achievement?
   
   I would first make parents fully responsible for the full cost of each child's public education, by sending them a bill for that cost at the end of the school year. This would cause them to develop an interest in what the kid(s) are learning, if for no other reason than to see where their money is going, and what result they're getting for the expenditure.
   
   Next, I would support ending the compulsory attendance and enrollment laws, along with ending the restrictions upon homeschoolers.



5. Do you support or oppose the "pit rule" on oil and gas drilling in its current form?
   
   At the very least, I would seek to amend the pit rule make New Mexico's version closer to that of Texas. Think about it — every drop of oil spilled on the ground is a drop that can't be converted to gasoline, motor oil or other usable, salable products. Every drop spilled is a loss off the bottom end for the drilling company.



6. Would you support or oppose the State Environment Department's establishment of a "cap and trade" regulation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
   
   Considering Climategate and related scares (see global cooling), I think that those currently ensconsed on the NM Environmental Improvement Board should recuse themselves from further interference in the private-sector economy. I will vote against further restrictions on the private sector, and will sponsor a "precautionary" rule requiring a regulatory impact statement detailing how any new laws will affect the private sector.



7. Would you support or oppose a new state law requiring mandatory jail time for first-time DWI offenders?
   
   How about liberalizing the liquor license laws so that we can have a bar on every street corner, like Texas has? That way people who drink too much wouldn't have to drive, as they could just walk home.



8. Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?
   
   No — I'm guessing this disqualifies me for the spot of U.S. Treasury Secretary.



9. Have you ever been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy proceeding?
   
   No.



10. Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or felony in New Mexico or any other state?
    
    My crimes against humanity

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NOTES

1. Reposted —
   
   1. Personal blogs — Myspace / New Mexico Liberty / Blogspot / Wordpress / Tumblr
   2. KCUF Media — Myspace / Xanga / Blogspot

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Quote of the Day, 7 May 2010

“Voicing an opinion is costless - anyone can argue that socialism is great, or that the government won’t really inflate a fiat currency.

“Having a false opinion may be costless if it doesn’t affect your life much, and it can produce a benefit of feeling good. So people may choose an opinion based on how it appeals to their hopes, rather on on what they believe is true.

“An example of a more incentive compatible system is gambling. While people often gamble irrationally, gambling still tends to draw out more beliefs and less hope than mere discussion. By placing a wager, you tie your opinion to a personal gain or loss, so you care whether you are correct. Hence 'Wanna bet?' really means 'Do you actually think that, or are you just saying it?', and its a great way to call the windbag’s bluff. People offer absurd opinions much more often than they make idiotic wagers.”
– Patri Friedman

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