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Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Time For Another Edition Of Reader Vox Populi 

A few notes before we get to reader Vox Populi. . .

Steve Pearce has confirmed that he is running for chairman of the NM Republican Party. The news follows our Monday blog in which our sources told us Pearce was thinking about running. The entry of the southern GOP congressman and unsuccessful '18 Guv candidate will likely clear the field of most competitors for the slot. The GOP State Central Committee will meet December 8 to choose the new chair.

Could the giant projected state surplus of over $1.2 billion and perhaps nearing $2 billion be in jeopardy because of the recent slide in oil prices? That's the question a number of readers posed recently as oil dropped below $60 a barrel. The answer?

Probably not. Unlike past oil booms this time we're dealing with once in a lifetime production levels that are going to stay up even if the price drops some more. The NM SE Permian Basin can profitably churn out the black gold with the fracking process even if the price drops to the low 40's. The boom will eventually end but probably not because of price but because Basin production gradually slows.

Some follow-up on our comment that if NM Dem US Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, presided over a loss of the House or only a small gain, his DC status could be in jeopardy. Well, his supporters are quick to tell us that Dems have now picked up nearly 40 seats, meaning Lujan has presided over a "blue wave." They believe that success will help him secure the House leadership role he is pursuing--as long as his mentor House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi takes over the speakership.

It was, by any historical standard, a blue wave. Democrats look like they’re going to pick up around 38 House seats, which would be the third-biggest gain by any party in 40 years (after Republicans in 2010 and 1994). The Senate moved in the opposite direction, but not by much.

NO HOPE

Longtime NM Republican Spiro Vassilopoulos is in the oil business. He offers this comment on the election of Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard as state land commissioner:

Joe: There is no hope for New Mexico Republicans. The whole election process is a ruse. Let's take one race as an example. The current Commissioner-elect of Public Lands ran on the platform that she was "for women and planned parenthood." So, in order to spare all Republicans from false hopes and save money in advertising and the cost of running elections, we should do the following: Once the Democratic primaries are decided, the winner should be declared the rightful occupant of the respective office and sworn in. Republicans can grouse all they want to, but they best just move to Utah or Wyoming.

Meantime, Commissioner-elect Garcia Richard has 30 job vacancies she is seeking to fill. Job seekers can check them out here. And in case you missed it, here's the transition website for the Governor-elect where applications for state jobs are being taken and where you can also schedule a meeting with her.

OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST

Reader Norm Gagne writes:

Many of our best and brightest high school graduates leave the state for college and never return as opportunities are thin here. A “Best and Brightest Initiative” could seek to identify those students early in high school, offer them mentoring in their areas of interest from academic, engineering, scientific and other leaders. Perhaps internships and summer jobs with local enterprises could be arranged and subsidized, connections made, etc. Financial assistance for college might be part of the package for student participants tied to a commitment to serve a certain number of years locally. The idea, in addition to giving talented youngsters a path to stay in New Mexico, would be to build a talented work force to attract other enterprises here. It would take some money for staff and the like, hence the connection to the oil windfall money. Whether this is a new idea or even viable matters not. It felt good to think positively about the State, my home for over fifty years.  

Good stuff, Norm. And it's the right week of the year for some positive thinking.

THE RESULTS

Reader Richard Flores checks in with thoughts on the results of Election '18:

With Democrat Xochitl Torres-Small's win in the southern congressional district, New Mexico experienced a blue tsunami as opposed to a blue wave. Congratulations to all the winners. Looking forward to reforms in public education, a big boost in teacher pay, early childhood education, infrastructure, health care and immigration policy. With all due respect, if Senator John Arthur Smith, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, continues to be an obstacle, legislative leadership must do what is necessary to get around him, and bring on the reforms that are needed to improve the lives and the future prospects for all of our children. Also, Joe, thanks for your coverage of the campaigns, election day results and post election analysis.

Thank you, Richard.

Senator Smith is standing at the crossroads of history with this new Governor-elect. We won't say it's the last best chance to turn the state in the right direction, but it's something like that.

IT'S PETER

In a first blog draft Monday we omitted the name of State Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth regarding his selection once again for that position by the Senate Dem caucus. Congrats, Peter. Now about Senator Smith. . .

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018
 
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