You're Kidding Me, Right?

Now here's an interesting quote from House Speaker Ben Lujan on Heath Haussamen's blog:

Speaker of the House Ben Lujan, D-Nambé, on the other hand, said Foley’s conduct “sets a bad example for children.”

“It’s unfortunate that this thing had to happen, but I feel that we have to take responsibility and we should apologize when we do something not lawful,” he said.

Hmm, Democratic Speaker of the House Ben Lujan has had only one degree of separation from some of the biggest scandals involving unlawful and unethical behavior in New Mexico history and sat silent. But, a Republican Representative rushes to the aid of a son he feels has been assaulted by an adult, and all of a sudden the Speaker is interested in "responsibility" and "apologies."

Sorry Mr. Speaker, that's just not going to fly.

As the Father of Two Boys

The incident involving New Mexico State Legislature Minority Whip Dan Foley (R-Roswell) at his son's basketball game (subscription) continues to gain attention:

The Roswell Daily Record quoted a mall security officer at the Gus Macker basketball tournament as saying that during one of the games played in the mall parking lot an incident flared up between Foley's son and another player.

According to Cpl. James Glenny, the mall security officer, a coach stepped in during the altercation between the players and allegedly pushed Foley's son. That's when Foley rushed the court.

"The coach was straddling players on the ground and pushed (Foley's) son. (Foley) started to get onto the court and between them. He got about three steps onto the court before police stepped in," Glenny said.

I waited to write about it to see if anything new was going to be reported. But, the story has remained the same since it first broke. And, as a father, I've got to tell you I'm sure my reaction would have been the same as Representative Foley's. Both my kids are involved in sports, and I can't imagine seeing an adult push one of my sons without me stepping into the fray - some reactions are just instinctual.

Public Financing of Statewide Campaigns

Yesterday, the House voted to pass HB818, Public Financing of Statewide Campaigns. I was up in Santa Fe on business, so I had a chance to wander over to the Roundhouse and listen to some of the debate that took place on this bill.

Specifically, I caught Minority Whip Dan Foley make some very solid points against the bill. Points like, and I paraphrase:

1. Public financing means that any hate monger can run for office and get their message pounded home at taxpayer expense.
   
   
2. The bill gives unchecked power to the Secretary of State to determine who does and who does not qualify for public funding. Leading to the potential for more, not less corruption.
   

Others also spoke out including Representative Kathy McCoy, who made the point of correcting Speaker Ben Lujan's assertion that the bill had been unanimously endorsed by the ethics task force created by Governor Bill Richardson.

The Right and Wrong Reasons

I support the death penalty. Yesterday, the New Mexico House of Representatives voted to repeal the death penalty. I don't hold it against those who voted for the repeal because I believe that this is one issue on which the individual must vote based on personal values.

With that said, I find the excerpt below to be an interesting illustration of the difference between Democratic and Republican values when it comes making an important decision:

Chasey said she hopes to persuade Richardson that opposing the death penalty would enhance his international stature. She also said signing a repeal bill could “distinguish” him in the Democratic primary. Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia Center for Politics made a similar statement in a recent interview.

During the hourlong House floor debate, Republican Whip Dan Foley of Roswell pointed out that since 1960, New Mexico has executed only one person — child rapist and killer Terry Clark of Artesia. Clark was lethally injected in November 2001 for the murder of 9-year-old Dena Lynn Gore of Artesia.

“The system in New Mexico is working,” Foley said. “We have been very cautious, very careful.”

Republican Representative Foley is clearly and thoughtfully evaluating the merits of continuing the death penalty on the performance of the system to date. By contrast, Democratic Representative Chasey is making the argument that Governor Bill Richardson should abandon his stated values, he is on record as supporting the death penalty, for political gain.

There are many good reasons to support or oppose the death penalty; however, neither "enhancing international status" nor "distinguishing oneself in the Democratic primary" qualify as good reasons. The fact that Representative Chasey would put these forth as motivating factors for the Governor says one of two things:

1) Representative Chasey believes political gain trumps personal values when it comes to making a decision.

AND/OR

2) Representative Chasey thinks that the easiest way to persuade Governor Richardson to abandon his values is to demonstrate political gain.

Either way, it's pretty sad.