Tuesday, March 27, 2018Unloading On The Chamber Of Commerce; Suggestion That They Come With Job Plan, Plus: It's fake News But Still Some Of The Best Political Spin
Please God, let’s not ask the Chamber of Commerce and the NM Association of Commerce and Industry (ACI) how to create jobs as Dan Klein suggests! The Chamber and ACI are the ones who got us into this mess. They only have two ideas, cut taxes for the well-off and keep wages low for those who aren't. They wanted a cut in personal income taxes and got a massive $500 million per year tax cut, but we got no jobs. Then they wanted a massive $200 million corporate income tax cut and they got it, but we got no jobs. Over the years they got dozens of tax cuts including 40 or more from Governor Martinez. Again… few if any jobs. What did happen however is that we had to cut K12 education by 12% and higher ed by over 30% since the beginning of the recession. We also cut health care, public safety and all the other supports that our families and communities need to thrive. Over a billion dollars in tax cuts requested by the Chamber and we got no jobs.
And they opposed a Constitutional Amendment to fund very early childhood education that would provide thousands of jobs.
Seriously Joe, name one good strategic initiative of the Albuquerque Chamber. I can’t think of any. If we want our economy to improve, if we want safer streets, if we want a better quality of life, the new mayors in Albuquerque and Santa Fe and our new governor in January would be well-served to do the opposite of whatever is on their policy agenda. Adrian Carver, executive director of Equality NM, weighed in with this: ACC and ACI have been the biggest culprits at putting sticks in our spokes every time we get the chance to get our economy moving. While the rest of the region is pulling itself out of the recession, the chamber has gotten everything it has wanted for at least 8 years and there is little to show for it. Meanwhile, municipalities are struggling to keep communities safe and big corporations aren’t fully paying taxes! LGBTQ+ people and all New Mexicans have been done a disservice by ACC/ACI's ideas. Here’s an idea for economic growth—replace Terri Cole at the Chamber (president and CEO) with someone who cares about the bottom line—the people. Pretty rough stuff. But with reason. Remember, the "tell" on where the major biz players in the city stood came when freshly sworn-in Mayor Keller appeared before the Economic Forum. He received rousing applause when he said there was no need to blame anyone for the dire straits the city finds itself in. Obviously, that's not the rule around here. NOT A HOTBED? We thought that UNM of late was a hotbed of student activism. Think again?: Elections for president and vice president of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico will be held over a period of three days--with only two names on the ballot. President Pro Tempore Becka Myers and Sen. Emily Wilks are the only candidates running for ASUNM president and vice president, respectively. Presidential elections will take place from March 26 to 28. No opposition for Myers and Wilks as UNM gets yet another tuition and student fee increase and as the athletic department's credibility along with its budget, continues to crumble? Either a large dose of apathy has seeped onto the campus or those two candidates have got some really right stuff. BEST SPIN EVER? NOTE: Reader Ken Rooney sent this in about this submission from reader Tom Miles but even with the caveat that this is apparently "fake news" the spin is delicious. Looks like you may have been caught in the spin cycle yourself! The story about Harry Reid's ancestor is an entertaining one to be sure but sadly not true. Looks like everyone from Tipper Gore to Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump have been accused of a family lineage filled with horse thieves. Now that's some fake news! Okay, with that major caveat, enjoy. . .  Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California, was doing some personal work on her family tree. She discovered that former Nevada Senator Harry Reid's great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. Both Judy and Harry Reid share this common ancestor. The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory. On the back of the picture is this inscription: “Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.”
So Judy e-mailed Senator Reid for information about their great-great uncle. Believe it or not, Harry Reid's staff sent back the following biographical sketch: “Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.” Yeah kids, now were spinnin'. This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018 |
|
