The ABQ jobs crisis is far from over. That was made abundantly clear this week when 6,400 job seekers sought 400 jobs at the ABQ Downs Racetrack and Casino which will open a new facility this summer.

These are mainly low-skill jobs--slot operators, valets and the like. It is another example of how those without college degrees are having the most difficult time landing employment in the city's stagnant economy.

Earlier this year Target opened a new store in ABQ's uptown and over 7,000 applied for a couple of hundred jobs, most of which paid in the $9 an hour range.

If there's any topic that deserves intense and passionate debate in the upcoming mayoral campaign it's what we are going to do with the thousands of semi-skilled workers who need jobs but can't find any.

COOL THE HAPPY TALK

Happy talk and wishful thinking aren't going to get us out of our plight, but we are getting plenty of that. The latest comes from a state-funded outfit called the NM Partnership whose president and CEO is Steve Vierck and ABQ economic development director John Garcia.

Perhaps out of a sense of desperation over the never-ending economic blues being sung here, they seem to be saying that because more companies have recently expressed an interest in possibly relocating here, the economy is picking up and our jobs depression is about to end.

The partnership has seen its average number of prospects increase from a low of just two in March of 2012 to eight for the month of April. About 10 percent of those companies, said, on average, will move to or expand in New Mexico. “They’re all a work in progress, but it continues to be a pressing need to accelerate the state’s diversification from federal government jobs,” Vierck said. “Our fist push is jobs and investment. It’s been flat.”

Let's state the obvious: The economy will pick up here when companies actually move here not because they are "considering" it. All kinds of companies that are doing well outside of New Mexico are planning expansions and moves. That's because the economy elsewhere is picking up.

The extra spin Vierck and Garcia put on this is that the controversial tax cut package passed in the final, frantic moments of  the '13 legislative session is responsible for this increased curiosity about New Mexico. Again, all we can say is show us the money--and more specifically the signed deals where companies are going to move here because of that tax package. We're not holding our breath. And we advise Messrs. Vierck and Garcia to do the same or else risk turning blue.

DIVERSIFY TO WHAT?

One other note. Why is the NM Partnership insistent on saying we need to "diversify" away from federal government jobs? Why are they and their far-right media allies so cavalier in throwing in the towel on the fundamental economic building block of this state for over 60 years? And that still is.

Again, we ask, where is the fight, the determination to protect what we have and also expand our private sector? Why are these goals seen as mutually exclusive in certain quarters? Is it based on an emotional resentment of government of any kind and not on what is best for our state's future?

Is the plan to replace federal government jobs that pay $80,000 a year with slot machine operators at the ABQ racetrack that pull down $9 an hour? Or are we going to bring in more $10 an hour call center jobs to replace those federal jobs that are viewed with such disdain by extreme elements in the state economic development community?

Let's put it this way: What is the percentage of private sector businesses in this state that receive zero contracts from the Federal, state or local governments? How many of them would be put out of business if they did not have those contracts? We'll wait for the NM Partnership to get back to us on that, but, again, we won't hold our breath.

FIGHT OR PERISH

Here's what we're talking about. At the risk of engaging in our own version of wishful thinking, we see Governor Martinez, seeking re-election next year, as perhaps beginning to see the light on the importance of this state's federal funding and expending some political capital to protect it:

...Martinez is putting pressure on the feds now that a radioactive waste cleanup is in trouble at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The U.S. Department of Energy promised the project would be complete by June of next year...But now it appears the deadline will not be met unless the lab gets tens of millions of dollars in additional funding...More than 100 jobs at LANL are on the line...the Department of Energy requested an additional $40 million to help complete the LANL cleanup....The governor is backing that request and sent out a letter to US lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, urging them to approve the funding...The governor says she has personally called the Department of Energy and also spoke with Vice President Joe Biden about securing additional funds for the cleanup.

Martinez actually showed up at Los Alamos to talk about the risk to the federal funding and allowed her face to be associated with the story.

Welcome aboard, Governor, we've been waiting for you.

And from Senator Udall who is also seeking re-election next year:

U.S. senators from Wyoming and New Mexico (Enzi and UDall) said they plan to roll out legislation this week to restore about $110 million in cuts to a federal minerals payment program that hit their states the hardest...New Mexico faces a loss of about $25 million....

The ABQ Journal's DC reporter added:

The normally mild-mannered senator seemed to get a bit hot under the collar as he maintained that the federal government has no right to the money.

Exactly. That is, unless you believe the diversification Utopians have a plan to replace that $25 million with private sector development.

THE BOTTOM LINES

In these uncertain times there is indeed the possibility that New Mexico will face continued erosion of its federal funding, but the politicians of this state owe their people a fight--not a white flag of surrender labeled "diversification" that lets them avoid responsibility and  blame "Washington" for everything gone wrong.

The message for this Governor and our congressional delegation in these most perilous times is simple:

Look in the mirror, put on your game face on and come out swinging.

Thanks for stopping by this week. Reporting from Albuquerque, I'm Joe Monahan.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)

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Democratic reader Theresa Trujeque thinks it was irresponsible for a Senior Alligator on Tuesday to call into question the allegiances of Dem House Speaker Kenny Martinez because his longtime friend and ex-legislative colleague Al Park is associating himself with GOP lobbyist/lawyer Mickey Barnett.

Democrat Park and Barnett's law firm are the attorneys for several contractors seeking to overturn ABQ's ban on campaign contributions from businesses that have contracts with city government. Lifting the ban--which Mayor Berry has been accused of violating--would help the GOP Mayor who decided against taking public financing for his campaign and is raising money privately. Here's Trujeque:

Joe, Your Senior Alligator should have facts to support the statement made before throwing stones at our Democratic leadership. Trying to connect the Speaker to the Martinez administration because he and Al Park are "friends" is not a responsible thing to do unless you have facts to support that allegation. So far, I have not seen or heard of any such facts. I have Republican friends but does that mean that I support Governor Martinez or any of her policies? Of course not. As a Hispanic woman, I think she is a big disappointment. I am surprised that you would even print such a thing. I believe that Al Park selling himself out to the Republicans is his own doing and does not involve the Speaker. 

Thanks for the thoughts, Theresa.

When a controversial corporate income tax cut is jammed through in the final seconds of a legislative session, deeply dividing the Democratic Party and was done with no debate, there is going to be plenty of speculating on how public policy is formulated in this state and the motives of the political players. These political relationships are fair game because they potentially impact all of us.

For example, we and others have noted in the past that Speaker Martinez served as the godfather to the son of then-GOP State Rep. Dan Foley and speculated how that friendship could impact public policy. Speaking of which....

DOUBLE STANDARD?

Foley

Will this news inhibit ex-Roswell GOP State Rep. Dan Foley from bashing public employees and the retirement plans that cover them? From the AP:

Voters booted Republican Dan Foley from office after a decade in the New Mexico Legislature, and within months he began collecting taxpayer-financed pension benefits--even though he was only 39 years old. By the time he turns 67 and qualifies for full Social Security benefits, Foley will have received nearly $450,000 in pension payments in exchange for the $5,000 he contributed to the plan while serving in the state House..New Mexico's unique and generous legislative retirement program has raised questions as lawmakers have trimmed pension benefits for some government workers, yet resisted scaling back their own program....Foley's yearly pension benefits are $13,254 currently.

Of course, the voters in Roswell who threw Foley out of office might joke that it was worth at least $450,000 to rid themselves of the once hyper-controversial lawmaker who now lives in Rio Rancho.

And if Dan held out any hope that he might launch a political comeback on the wings of the Tea Party, this news isn't going to get him much lift.

MORE CONNECTIONS

The connections of La Politica go on and on. Here's another dealing with that lawsuit to overturn limits on city campaign contributions. Dem mayoral hopeful Pete Dinelli has asked the federal court to allow him to intervene in the case. And who did the asking for Pete? Why none other than former two term Dem ABQ City Councilor Michael Cadigan---the ex-law partner of Al Park, who, as you know, is on the opposite side of this issue.

Cadigan helped craft the city campaign law in question while on the council. He is now in private law practice;

(Veteran ABQ photographer Mark Bralley was among a number of readers who pointed out the Park-Cadigan connection).

PERSONA NON PETE

Pete Domenici

Some stories speak for themselves and this one about 81 year old former NM GOP Senator Pete Domenici falls in that category:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) refused to meet with former Sen. Pete Domenici last week, citing the New Mexico Republican's bombshell revelation that he secretly fathered a son outside of marriage more than 30 years ago.

Domenici confessed his affair with Michelle Laxalt, daughter of Paul Laxalt, a former Nevada senator and governor of Nevada, in February. The son, Adam Paul Laxalt, now works as an attorney in Nevada. Reid and Domenici became close working in the Senate for over 22 years, but the revelation soured their relations.

“I don’t mention Domenici’s name anymore because of what he did to Michelle Laxalt," Reid told the Las Vegas Review Journal on Monday, adding that Domenici requested to see him last week. “I wouldn’t let him come and see me. But anyway, that’s another story.”

Domenici reacted this way from his DC home:

I have occasion to call [Reid] every now and then. Harry has been a longtime friend, and I'm sorry for what happened 35 years ago, and look forward to an opportunity to talk to him.

Pete celebrated his 81st birthday Tuesday. He's had better ones.

TECH SUMMIT?

ABQ reader Dr. Henry Casso writes:

Your frequent references to the dropping of federal and state jobs provides ample rationale for the convening of a summit on the use of technology transfer by our two US Senators. Retired Senators Bingaman and Domenici were the founders of technology transfer. There has been a shift in leadership at Sandia National Labs and Los Alamos Labs. There is a tendency to lack institutional memory. I suggest these two Senatorial offices convene a Technology Transfer Summit, explore its current use, past effectiveness and explore how, in these economically challenging times, this policy can effectively be used....Let’s wake up before it is too late.

Al Park

The latest news on the mayoral front is a real eyebrow raiser. The story itself is interesting--a lawsuit has been filed by several city contractors to overturn the city ban on mayoral candidates receiving money from businesses or owners of businesses that have contracts with the city. The eyebrow raiser and what has Democrats talking is the attorneys who filed the federal lawsuit.

It was a team effort--stalwart ABQ Republican attorney Mickey Barnett's law firm was joined by none other than ex-progressive ABQ Dem State Representative and attorney Al Park. Yeah, we're off to the races on that one...

Overturning the contribution limit would benefit Republican Berry. Unlike Dem Pete Dinelli he did not opt to receive public financing of some $360,000. He is raising private money and at last count had banked $250,000. But he has run into trouble. $17,000 of those donations are being called into question because it appears the donors do business with the city--a no-no under the current law. (The full lawsuit is posted here.) (Dinelli had $200 in questionable donations and donated them to charity),

The lawsuit says the restrictions are unfair, saying unions and others who do business with the city are free to donate. The Barnett-Park suit--if successful--could pave the way for Berry to start taking contractor money in time for the October election. but it would also give Dinelli and mayoral hopeful Paul Heh the opportunity to accuse Berry of pay-to-play and soil his choir boy image. Dinelli's campaign is already on it:

With all of the issues of this election breaking against the Mayor--our flailing economy first and foremost--the Mayor's political cronies have launched a desperate attempt to buy this election and cling to their power...They want to legalize pay-to-play contributions and put the corporate special interests in charge of our government to maximize their bottom line. That's simply unacceptable....

PARK'S PLACE

Park lost his bid for the Dem nomination for an ABQ Public Regulation Commission seat last year after it was disclosed here that his law firm raked in hundreds of thousands in state contracts from the Republican administration of Susana Martinez. Since then he has been dubbed a DINO--Democrat in name only.

Park is a close personal and professional friend of NM Democratic House Speaker Kenny Martinez who, like Park, is an attorney. Park was a key ally of Martinez when Martinez, in 2006, launched a coup attempt against then House Speaker Ben Lujan. It failed, but Martinez did become Speaker following the 2012 election.

Speaker Martinez lost progressive support in March when in the final seconds of the legislative session he gave in to the Governor and rammed through a corporate tax cut. His ties to former GOP State Rep. Keith Gardner--now the Guv's chief of staff--were called into question by Dems outraged by the Speaker's cave in.

Now Park surfaces again in the Republican camp and that's going to keep the spotlight on the Speaker and how much behind the scenes footsie he is or isn't playing with the R's.

A Senior Alligator comes with the suspicions:

Al Park teaming up with Mickey Barnett should be a giant red flag for Democrats statewide. Once a star of the progressive cause, Park sold out to the Martinez Administration for a lucrative legal contract when he was chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and it cost him his race for the PRC. The question Democrats needs to ask: Is Park the only one? Why were other supposed progressives so quick to push through at the last minute of the legislative session the Martinez corporate tax cut?  Was it out of principle? Or do Democrats need to start following the money with their own leadership? 

In La Politica, you always follow the money.

PRESS BASHING

Some  Dems are not only running against the R's, they're also taking on the newspaper. From Bernalillo County Dem Party Chair Ana Canales:

The Republicans are beginning their attacks on us, even digging up old news. They may have the Albuquerque Journal and the money on their side but we have the votes. The number of registered Democrats is greater than the number of registered Republicans. So why do they win? Because we do not get our Democrats out to the polls. Let's start our own attack campaign but let's do it by having block parties, house parties, precinct meetings, etc. 

TALK WARS?

Some of our media Alligators are speculating that if conservative talker Rush Limbaugh leaves 770 KKOB-AM radio at the end of the year, we could get one of the market's FM stations going to an all-talk format with Limbaugh as its centerpiece. That could be the first serious competition in decades for #1 ranked KKOB.

Limbaugh, as we blogged this week, is having conflicts with Cumulus, the company that recently purchased KKOB and where his broadcast is carried weekdays. The talk FM format has been growing in popularity.

Limbaugh has had some problems with advertisers since a boycott was launched over remarks he made, but still has a large core audience.

It seems as though half of Texas has blown into New Mexico this very dry and windy spring. Our picture today--"New Mexico--Putting the 'sand' in sandwich for centuries" sums it up. But rest assured toasty June will soon arrive, banishing the winds (for the most part) and ushering in the blessed New Mexico summer which might even deliver some of the wet stuff that has been so sparse in yet another year of the super drought....

It's not only blustery winds keeping New Mexicans on guard. It's all those blustering politicos. We mean the many (is it dozens?) who claim to be running for Governor next year but in the end will retreat to the safety of their current offices.

The growth in "vanity candidacies" seems to be outperforming the soaring stock market. Those are ones in which the hopeful has no intention of being a hopeful but likes to have his or her name mentioned as a potential Governor.

State Senators aren't up for re-election next year so they can look in the mirror and admire themselves as potential chief executives as much as they like. For state representatives, it's trickier. They are up for re-election but they can say they are running for Governor or actually run, but get out in time to seek-re-election to their House seats.

The really serious candidates? Those are the ones out there starting to raise serious money. You can count them on a hand with two missing fingers. One of them is Susana Martinez, the incumbent Governor whose out-of-state fund-raising travel has had a noticeable uptick since the end of the legislative session...

COUNCIL CRUNCH

There's mot much faking it if you are running for a seat on the ABQ city council in the October election. You have the month of May to gather the required 500 signatures from registered voters.

To qualify for public financing you have to get anywhere from about 350 individual $5 donations to nearly 500, depending on the size of the district you are running in. If you qualify for the public financing, you receive $1 dollar per registered voter in the district. That is in the $40,000 area.

Republican Janice Arnold-Jones, recently appointed to the District 7 NE Heights seat, is the only city council candidate listed by the city clerk as not seeking public financing.

Sixteen candidates (listed here)  have announced for the six council seats up for election on the nine member council.

West side Councilor Ken Sanchez is going to win another four year term--he is unopposed. Councilors Lewis, Harris and Benton start as early favorites to win-re-election.

A couple of the current 16 contenders will probably fail to get the needed signatures. We will have the final field at the end of May.

THE 11TH FLOOR

It's an open secret that Guv Martinez political adviser Jay McCleskey has the run of the Fourth Floor at the Roundhouse and this report from the liberal advocacy group ProgressNow NM confirms that other open secret--That Jay, who managed Mayor Berry's, 2009 mayoral campaign, also has the run of the 11th Floor at City Hall:

Internal emails and documents...show that ABQ Mayor RJ Berry and senior staff used private emails to communicate with city contractors and to coordinate the use of city resources supporting a political action committee run by Berry’s political advisor and political donors. Business leaders receiving city funds for public works projects formed a political committee in 2011 and hired Berry’s chief political advisor Jay McCleskey to pass bonds paying for Berry’s massive new public works project, ABQ The Plan.

There we go with the private email accounts--again  The Dems are going to need to find their voice on this and other matters or else they will continue to languish on the bottom floors in Santa Fe and ABQ.

Berry mayoral election foe Pete Dinelli gave it a shot:

The information...illustrates the continuation of a disturbing pattern of ethical lapses and transparency failures by the Berry administration. The mayor and his political cronies have shown an incredible lack of respect for our laws made clear by the recent filing of three ethics complaints related to illegal campaign contributions and pay to play. I call for an immediate investigation by the city council as well as the independent audit department into any criminal misconduct by the mayor and/or his staff.

DEFENDING PADILLA

We blogged last month that some Dem insiders are worried about the past of former Bernalillo County Treasurer Patrick Padilla as he mounts a bid for the 2014 Dem nod for state treasurer. His troubles include being indicted in the 90's on a criminal charge related to the county treasurer's office. However, he was found not guilty. Robert Marcotte, the attorney who represented Padilla back then comes with an in-depth explanation of the case which we posted here. An excerpt:

(Padilla) was accused of being a criminal and run out of office, all as the result of an audit by an individual who had insufficient knowledge as to the propriety of the short term activities and complex investment strategies employed by Patrick. Patrick was acquitted on the criminal charges and Patrick filed a civil law suit against the auditor which was settled to Patrick's satisfaction.

Padilla was elected county treasurer in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was a Bernalillo County commissioner from 1981-1984. He ran and won for treasurer in 2004 and 2008 and completed his final term last year. The current treasurer is Manny Ortiz. Padilla has done work for the treasurer's office under Ortiz.

Current state Treasurer James Lewis is term limited and will leave office at the end of '14.

CARRUTHERS MAKES IT

There was an aggressive effort to torpedo the candidacy of former NM Guv Garrey Carruthers as president of New Mexico State University in Cruces but Carruthers, the longtime dean of the NMSU business school, squeaked through on a 3 to 2 vote by the regents Monday.

Although Dona Ana legislative Dems opposed his candidacy, largely because of his conservative environmental record, on the whole Carruthers' appointment should be a net positive for the school. The 73 year old is seemingly in good stead with Governor Martinez and she has the veto power over the eduction budgets. Also, although his reputation took a beating in the press leading up to his appointment, Carruthers, a native New Mexican, has biz and social connections that are long and deep.

Softening the blow for his critics is his age. At 73, Carruthers won't be at the helm for an exceptionally long time. The fervor of his foes to cause him pain may be diminished.

LIMBAUGH SWITCH?

Rush Limbaugh

We've mentioned the possibility of talker Rush Limbaugh leaving his longtime perch at ABQ's 50,000 watt 770 KKOB-AM. Now it is looking more likely as Limbaugh tangles with the management of Cumulus radio--the new owners of KKOB and several dozen other stations that carry Limbaugh.

If Rush does end his over 20 year relationship with KKOB, it would be at the end of the year.

Where would Rush pop up on the radio dial? For sure another station would pick up the conservative host, but no other station in the market has the reach or power of his present outlet.

OUR WORLD

Have you seen this incredible video making the rounds? It's human history in a rapid-fire, two minute video and is a project of a high school student. Worth watching--maybe more than once.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com)

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You already know what a whopper of a recession this has been for New Mexico, but stark statistics from the Census Bureau drive home the harsh truth. From 2007 to 2011 the state saw 3,000 businesses close their doors and over 50,000 of us lose our jobs. The collapse of the housing bubble was responsible for nearly half the job losses. In the aftermath of the epic downturn lethargy and sluggishness are the best adjectives to describe the economy in the ABQ metro area.

Local business owners have had to work harder than ever to hold on to a share of the market that shrunk as jobs disappeared and consumers of all stripes cut their spending, either because of a job loss or fear of one.

The best businesses pull through. There's a reason they have been around a long time.

For example, a recent visit to the venerable Keller's Farm Stores, in business in ABQ for 66 years, revealed there has been no backing down from their pledge to deliver quality natural foods. Their meat case is filled with choice steaks, living up to the store's adage of "best quality at honest value." Service is snappy as some budget conscious shoppers order smaller sizes. The consumer will dig deep if the value is there.

Other businesses have been creative in the effort to keep the top line from declining. No doubt the Octopus car wash franchises have seen a drop in customer demand as car owners scale back the number of times they put the Chevy through the wash. To preserve the top line Octopus is now offering comprehensive car cleaning packages at $50 a pop. That's not for everyone but the few who go for them compensate for the cutbacks Octopus is seeing from other customers. Again, service, so often the downfall of ABQ businesses, is snappy and courteous at Octopus.

The long downturn has caused much pain in the ABQ metro, but it has also made many businesses better as they fight to survive and await better times.

HEALTHCARE AND YOU

The problem in the ABQ area with healthcare isn't about its quality, but about access. A recent visit by a friend to ABQ's Presbyterian Hospital illustrated the matter.

She arrived at the day surgery center shortly before 6 a.m. and was greeted at the front desk by a friendly clerk who briefly interviewed her about her insurance and the upcoming operation and then advised her to take a seat in the waiting room. Shortly after, she was taken to the surgery prep area where a string of visits ensued--from two nurses, an assistant to the anesthesiologist, the anesthesiologist himself and finally the surgeon.

They asked her some of the same questions several times to make sure everyone was on the same page. They were all highly professional and obviously well-trained. The hour-long surgery went well. Afterwards, another nurse briefed her on what to expect in the hours and days ahead. Late in the day she had a concern and called the surgeon's answering service. Her call was returned within minutes and her concern allayed.

Another friend combating health challenges has had to be taken to the Presbyterian emergency room a number of times over the past year. Each time he reports no inordinate wait times and says he received timely and efficient care. He, too, has health insurance.

THE OTHER SIDE

At the publicly funded University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) officials say average wait times for a bed are at 11 hours and often much longer. They say occupancy is well over 90% when it should be 75%. This is the healthcare received by most of those unfortunate not to have insurance.

There are valid questions about a new $146 million UNMH hospital, but if we are to cease having one health care system for those who have insurance and another that is forced to offer nearly Third World care, we are going to have to continue to invest--just as we are doing with the expansion of Medicaid.

GARREY OR NOT?

How about that beating former NM GOP Governor and New Mexico State University business school dean Garrey Carruthers is taking? (Here and here).

It comes as the NMSU Regents prepare to announce later today if Carruthers or one of the four other finalists will be the new NMSU president. Odds are now even money that Carruthers ends up with it, but before the press beating it seemed a certainty....

A MARTINEZ DEMOCRAT

Domingo Martinez is going to be a tough candidate for state auditor in 2014. The Democrat has previously won two four year terms to the post and is finishing up his second term as Santa Fe County assessor. The R's have not elected a state auditor since the 60's. Martinez waits now to see if he draws any primary opponents.

BIDEN, BILL AND SUSANA

New Mexico Dems upset that Vice-President Biden has been so chummy with GOP Governor Martinez got a wee bit of revenge when she showed up at the Cinco de Mayo party Biden threw late last week. Guess who was also on the guest list? None other than her nemesis--former Governor Big Bill who in 2010 she used as her foil to win the Governor's office. One of our Alligators in DC with a decidedly partisan Dem bent had a ringside seat and tells us how the Richardson-Martinez encounter went down.

About 20 guests were there. Governor Martinez appeared very uncomfortable. It was mostly Hispanic Dems in attendance and she was clearly the black sheep in the crowd. She and Richardson did not appear to speak even though they sat at the same table....

Not exactly a cozy evening for Susana who gifted to the VP some toned-down salsa from ABQ's El Pinto restaurant. But she did get the headlines before the dinner for being invited by Biden and she touted her ability to work with Dems as she approaches re-election in 2014. One supposes being the victim of a Biden-Bill ambush was worth it for her.

HONEYMOON INTERRUPTUS

There are exceptions to the long press honeymoon that Republican Governor Martinez has enjoyed. Ironically, it comes from her home turf in the south.

Milan Simonich, Santa Fe bureau chief of the Texas-NewMexico Newspapers Partnership, has come with a string of tough commentaries on the Fourth Floor--including this latest one on the supposed "structural deficit" the Guv takes credit for resolving:

If a politician's resume is lacking in one way or another, the fastest way to beef it up is with a heavy spin cycle. Accomplishments take time, effort and struggle. Spin is instantaneous and potentially just as good politically. Take credit for what you did not achieve. Ignore the lack of jobs in your state. Stick to your story no matter what. So it is with Gov. Martinez. She is as consistent as the desert sunshine in spreading self-serving myths. Martinez, a Republican, will stand for re-election next year without many accomplishments. In the tradition of someone determined to win votes, she is re-inventing how government works in hopes of receiving credit where little is due her....

Can we get Susana and Milan together on YouTube? Let her do it, Jay. You could probably sell fund-raising tickets to that one.

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