I Believe Plates

I just need to preface this post with a little reminder... I'm Jewish. Why is that important? Well, it provides perspective. I simply don't understand this nonsense about suing the state of South Carolina to keep people from having "I Believe" plates on their cars:

"I do believe these 'I Believe' plates will not see the light of day because the courts, I'm confident, will see through this," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, the group's executive director.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for South Carolina, asks a judge to stop the state from making the plates and rule that the law allowing them violates the First Amendment.

Seriously, I don't get what all the hoopla is about. "State law allows private groups to create specialty plates as long as they first collect either a $4,000 deposit or 400 prepaid orders." So, someone can create plates for their favorite University team, charitable organization or anything else for that matter, but people go bonkers if they want to advertise their faith?

Let's get real here. People are already advertising their beliefs on the their vehicles. Heck, it seems like every fifth car in New Mexico has a little fish on their trunk (with and without legs). Is anyone offended? I'm not.

Allowing people to express their beliefs is yet another thing that makes this country great.

There is absolutely nothing stopping another religious entity from creating their own customized plates, so live and live is what I say. Plus, if we're paying for those dang plates anyway, shouldn't we be able to customize them as we see fit?

A Man Who Knows About Monarchies

Governor Bill Richardson and Clinton strategist James Carville appear to have had an entertaining little debate on Larry King. This is by far my favorite part of the exchange (subscription):

Richardson told King that he believes Clinton was too negative during her quest to win Pennsylvania.

There's a sense of "clinging to the throne," Richardson said, clearly referring to the Clinton camp. "You know, we're America, we're not Monaco."

This coming from a man who has made a habit of tossing aside the New Mexico Constitution when it suits his needs. I hope during the next legislative session our legislators take time to remind the Governor that "You know, we're America, we're not Monaco." After all, they don't call him King Bill for nothing.

Governor Richardson Violates State Constitution

I know what you're thinking, this isn't news. Governor Richardson's tenure, when visiting the state, has been chock full of state constitution violations, but this is the most recent:

Gov. Bill Richardson's administration probably violated the state constitution when it asked the state's two largest universities to pick up part of the salaries for three high-level appointees this year, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Some other recent example of the Governor's disregard for the laws of the land include:

1. Richardson appointed regulatory body supplants legislature and creates law.
2. Richardson threatens to cut legislature out of the process
3. Richardson has a pattern of overstepping authority.

Well, at least it looks AG King is going to enforce the law of the land as opposed to rewrite it like his predecessor.

Beware Regulation Gone Wild

Uh oh, they're at it again. Governor Richardson's appointees are doing his bidding and ignoring the fact that in New Mexico it is the legislature, not appointed regulatory bodies serving at the pleasure of the Governor, that are supposed to create laws:

New Mexico became the first Intermountain state to implement the Clean Car program today after the Environmental Improvement Board voted late last night to approve the regulations that address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars.

The program, which will become effective Jan. 1, 2008, requires car manufacturers to sell and lease vehicles that meet the standards beginning with model year 2011. The program only applies to new vehicles and will not affect new or used cars sold before that model year.

“The Clean Cars Program is a key part of our state’s effort to reduce global warming emissions to the levels necessary to avoid the worst effects of a warming planet,” said Governor Richardson. “Today’s decision by the Environmental Improvement Board means New Mexico can implement the cleanest standards for vehicle emissions in the country. New Mexico is again taking action, when Washington won’t.”

And there you have it, the Governor's reason for brushing aside the lawmaking process is so that he can have that all important sound bite for his doomed presidential campaign: "New Mexico is again taking action, when Washington won't."

Maybe that has something to do with the fact that the rest of the country is still run like a Democracy?

Regardless of where you stand on the issue of emission standards, you should be troubled by a regulatory body acting in a way that completely eliminates the legislative process. This is a very dangerous slope. The people on this body are not accountable to anyone in New Mexico other than the Governor - and he hasn't spent any significant time in New Mexico in months.

There is no deliberation involved here. There is simply one man dictating the law of the land, and single-handedly changing that law at the witching hour with little to no public input. This is just wrong. You have a Democratic Governor with a Democratic controlled legislature. If this is what is in the best interest of New Mexico, then he should put it on the Legislative agenda for the session and get it passed legally.

Before the environmentalists among you leave comments that support the Governor's mandate over the constitutional process we still have for making laws. Let me put this in another context for you. Let's take an issue like abortion that pretty evenly divides the population. Should a pro-life Governor be able to appoint a regulatory body to regulate abortion?

How supportive would those who are pro-choice react if this body some evening at midnight decided to ban abortion throughout the state? Would you be okay with the pro-life Governor's edict that:

“The Ban Abortions Program is a key part of our state’s effort to reduce the murder of the unborn to avoid the worst effects of a misguided planet,” said Governor Conservative. “Today’s decision by the Life Improvement Board means New Mexico can implement the most stringent standards for protecting the sanctity of life in the country. New Mexico is again taking action, when Washington won’t.”

Like I said, it's a slippery slope.

A Paycheck By Any Other Name

A paycheck is a paycheck. You can call it something else (subscription), but it is still a paycheck:

The measures would give each New Mexico lawmaker $16,000 a year for legislative expenses, establish an independent ethics commission that could recommend disciplinary action, and place limits on gifts and campaign contributions to state public officials and political candidates.

It is ironic that ethics legislation would begin by doing something that is contrary to the state constitution:

Sec. 10. [Compensation of members.]

Each member of the legislature shall receive:

A. per diem at the internal revenue service per diem rate for the city of Santa Fe for each day's attendance during each session of the legislature and the internal revenue service standard mileage rate for each mile traveled in going to and returning from the seat of government by the usual traveled route, once each session as defined by Article 4, Section 5 of this constitution;

B. per diem expense and mileage at the same rates as provided in Subsection A of this section for service at meetings required by legislative committees established by the legislature to meet in the interim between sessions; and

C. no other compensation, perquisite or allowance. (As amended November 7, 1944, September 15, 1953, November 2, 1971, November 2, 1982 and November 5, 1996.)

And here I thought only the people could vote on changes to the constitution. Oh well, I guess once the legislature decided that big retirement bonuses were ok, it was only a matter of time before they pushed for paychecks.