Just an Observation

In a market driven economy, those who buy products and services in bulk usually do so at a discount. Think about your last trip to a warehouse store. Buy more, and pay less on a per unit basis. Or, think about the last membership offer you received. Your discount was higher for a three year commitment than it was for a month to month commitment.

Keeping all of that in mind, read how different the situation is if the "product" comes from a government entity (subscription) as described in this article by Sean Olson:

The city-county water board tonight could close a loophole that lets some high water users escape penalties for hogging water in the summer months.

The board will take up an amendment that would affect the top 1 percent of residential water users in Albuquerque, who officials say account for 5 percent of total residential water use.

It would impose higher penalties on about 1,500 residential users who use large amounts of water in the winter months, defined by the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority as December through March, water authority executive director Mark Sanchez said Tuesday.

For example, the No. 1 residential water user had a $2,989 water bill in 2007. Under the proposed change, it would be $4,811. The 2007 bill that included sewer services was $4,335, and that would increase to $6,157.

The proposed amendment would charge $1.41 extra per unit of water to customers using more than 84 units per month in the summer, Sanchez said. Another $1.41 would be added for every unit above 112.

Why the difference? Simple. This is a classic example of how government run services work. 99% of the users have absolutely no idea what the real cost of water is. They comprise 95% of the water usage. Yet, since they are not responsible to pay real costs, they have no motivation to reduce unnecessary water consumption. Instead, the 1% that use only 5% of the water will be taxed. Will the tax make a difference? Probably not. Since these users either need the water, or find the higher water rate cheaper than fixing the leak that might be causing it.

For a moment think about all of this in terms of the recent spike and decline in gas prices. Everyone felt the pinch, and all of sudden people were driving slower and coming up with solutions to minimize their consumption. Everyone was equally hit. People who operate fleets of vehicles were not charged a premium, nor were those who operate less fuel efficient vehicles. This is a much better approach. Sure there has been public outcry about higher gas prices, but conservation is much more likely in this scenario.

Now, think about all of this in terms of universal public health care, and you'll understand why it is such BAD IDEA.

Governor Richardson's Priorities

Governor Bill Richardson called the legislators into a special legislative session and according to an article by Winthrop Quigley And Jeff Jones our State Senators were less than pleased with the Governor for doing so (subscription):

State senators on Sunday panned a $58 million-a-year children's health coverage plan by Gov. Bill Richardson, while blasting the governor himself for calling them into a special legislative session.

Angry senators said the session is unnecessary, will accomplish little and was called only to serve Richardson's national political ambitions.

"I really have no earthly idea why we are in this building except to serve the political purposes of this governor," Senate President Pro Tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, said during a hearing on Richardson's proposal to provide universal children's health coverage — a bill the Senate, acting as a committee of the whole, later voted to table.

Sen. Kent Cravens, R-Albuquerque, said a legislative staff analysis of the bill amounts to "a list of reasons not to do this." And he said it was introduced to give Richardson, who is discussed as a possible Democratic vice-presidential nominee, a "headline" for his speech later this month to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

The bill is "about self-glorification of a man who is moving on," Cravens said.

Richardson spokeswoman Alarie Ray-Garcia said later, "Governor Richardson is not concerned about personal attacks made by a couple members of the Senate. Rather his focus, as it always has been, is on getting meaningful legislation passed to give 50,000 uninsured children access to health care and provide relief to working families who are struggling because of high gas prices."

Ok, let's just skip straight to the meat of this issue. Richardson's spokeswoman would have us believe that this session is about the importance of providing 50,000 uninsured children access to health care. The problem with this argument is that Govenor Richardson has been in office since 2002. That means that he has had at least six regular sessions to allocate $58 million for uninsured kids. However, he had more important priorities, for example:

1. Richardson chose to give billionaire Richard Branson a $100 million gift that just keeps on giving, rather than providing 50,000 uninsured children with access to health care.
   
   
2. Spending over $400 million and counting for a train that serves a very small percentage of the overall state population.
   
   
3. Increasing annual spending by over $2 billion - including an 11% increase in one year alone - without ever giving a second thought to 50,000 children.
   
   
4. Even fish farms have ranked higher than the 50,000 uninsured children.
   

I could go on, but you get the idea. Oh, and lest you think I'm just just conveniently neglecting to give the Govenor credit for the other "purpose" of this special session - " provide relief to working families who are struggling because of high gas prices" - it's important to remember that both the Governor's spaceport and train require an increase in gross receipts taxes in order to operate long term.

In other words, both of these pet projects require a regressive tax, which takes far more from the working poor than the Governor is offering to give back.

George will and Stephen Colbert

Thanks to our friends at Errors of Enchantment for pointing this out:

Getting to the Illegal Immigration Bottom Line

Based on what is going on in Arizona, it looks like making inroads in turning back the tide of illegal immigration is not as difficult as everyone would like us to believe (Hat tip: The Westerner):

Parents are pulling students out of school. Construction workers are abandoning their jobs. Families are hastily moving out of apartments.

Two months after Arizona enacted a law punishing employers who hire illegal immigrants, the law is already achieving one of its goals: Scores of immigrants are fleeing to other states or back to their Latin American homelands.

Gaby Espinoza, who has been unemployed since November, is among those affected. She gave up looking for a job because of the law and may have to return to Mexico.

Espinoza's husband works here legally, but the law means that employers must ask her for papers, and she faces the daily fear of being deported.

"There's no work over there in Mexico," said Espinoza, who has three U.S.-born children. "People there live so poorly. Here, my kids have health insurance and Medicare. Over there, there's nothing."

If Ms. Espinoza has been unemployed since November, then apparently there is no work over here either. Interesting to note that the draw for Ms. Espinoza is not the promise of a better life if you work hard, but the ability to take advantage of government entitlement programs like Medicare.

Now, anyone want to talk about why we have a health care crisis?

Open Letter to Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce

Looks like a broad coalition of business associations have been successful in their efforts on behalf of New Mexico businesses in fighting an unwarranted, unwelcomed and economically crippling tax pushed by Governor Bill Richardson (subscription).

The House late Sunday narrowly passed a much weakened version of Gov. Bill Richardson's universal health coverage proposal.

On a 37-31 vote, the House passed a bill that had been completely rewritten over the weekend by the House Judiciary Committee. That bill eliminated Richardson's plan to require all New Mexicans to have health insurance and to tax some employers who do not offer their employees health insurance [emphasis added].

Of course, the one business organization that CANNOT claim this as a victory for common sense is the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce (GACC). The GACC was actually the only business organization whose leadership took it upon themselves to be vocal supporters of this seriously misguided legislation.

As such, the coalition made up of organizations, who remember that their first obligation is to protect their members interest, is taking this as an opportunity to remind the GACC of what it means to actually represent the interests of the business community:

An Open Letter
To the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce

Terri Cole, President/CEO GACC
Paul Sowards, Bank of Albuquerque
Don Chalmers, Don Chalmers Ford
Lonnie Talbert, Summitt Electric Supply
Rick Alvidrez, Miller Stratvert
Del Archuleta, Molzen-Corbin & Associates
Norm Becker, Manuel Lujan Insurance Inc.
Mike Burgess, KOB-TV
Frank Chavez, Pueblo of Sandia
Del Esparza, Esparza Advertising
Sherman McCorkle, Technology Ventures Cindy McGill, Public Service Company of NM (PNM)
Tom Morton, Albuquerque Convention Center
Cynthia Reinhart, KPMG, LLP
Ron Stern, Lovelace Health System
Cheryl Willman UNM Cancer Research Center
Greg Winegardner, Wells Fargo Bank NM
Michael Zientek, Gap Inc.
Eloise Gift, Keller Williams Realty

Dear Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors:

It is of great concern that the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce (GACC) consistently takes positions on legislation and public policy issues contrary to the interests of New Mexico businesses and in direct opposition to the welfare of small businesses in the state. GACC’s latest position advocating for the inclusion of employer sanctions in the “HealthSOLUTIONS” bill is unfathomable.

“HealthSOLUTIONS” places an impossible burden on New Mexico’s small businesses. The bill mandates employers pay an annual penalty or tax to the state of up to $500 for each full-time employee and up to $250 for every part-time employee. The definition of employee includes those working only 90 days a year, and “full-time” is defined as working as few as 20 hours a week! Unbelievably, the bill would expand this tax by 2011 to all businesses, no matter how small – even one or two employees.

Under the GACC supported “HealthSOLUTIONS” proposal, small businesses would be penalized for creating more jobs. New Mexico’s small businesses often have narrow profit margins that can’t absorb a $500 per employee tax on job creation. We should be doing exactly the opposite – creating subsidies for small businesses that can’t afford to both create jobs and offer health insurance.

Small businesses are the very strength of New Mexico’s economy. The proposed “HealthSOLUTIONS” tax would be economically crippling to labor-intensive businesses, including small manufacturers, restaurants, hotels, family farms, and retailers. By supporting this poorly designed legislation GACC is clearly advocating punishing and penalizing the small business engine which creates vitally important new jobs in New Mexico.

The big businesses represented on the GACC board can afford to pay health insurance premiums to their employees and most probably do. Unfortunately, many of these big businesses are also laying off workers at alarming rates.

We do not believe that a small group of 18 individuals representing big business interests, heavily state regulated industries, and a few chosen suppliers have the right to speak for the entire business community. We resent and reject your ongoing claims to the public and legislators that you are the “voice of business”, especially small businesses which you clearly do not represent. You should be aware that GACC is the only business group in favor of this healthcare proposal. Several other business organizations have formed an employers’ coalition to strongly oppose the “HealthSOLUTIONS” legislation. These groups include:

Association of Commerce and Industry
Associated Builders and Contractors
Dairy Farmers of America
Dairy Producers of New Mexico
Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico
National Federation of Independent Business
New Mexico Farm and Ranch Bureau
New Mexico Grocers Association
New Mexico Ground Water Association
New Mexico Petroleum Marketers Association
New Mexico Restaurant Association

Your position on healthcare is yet another example of a long history of questionable policy making by the GACC. Your recent support of an increase in the minimum wage at the state level is another. The fact that you have yet again taken a politically expedient position, contrary to developing a vibrant private business climate in New Mexico, is no longer surprising. However, this year you miscalculated if you thought that we were going to sit quietly on the sidelines while you misrepresent the impacts of the proposed healthcare legislation on small businesses of New Mexico. In light of the severe impacts to small businesses and citizens of the state, we urge GACC to reconsider your position on healthcare legislation.

As a small business owner (and seriously reconsidering GACC member), I applaud this letter and fully support its message. I hope that if you are a business owner reading this blog, you will add your name in the comment section urging the GACC to reconsider their stance.

The bill as originally devised no longer exits. But, if the GACC wants to redeem itself, it must now issue a statement saying that, "We've heard the message loud and clear from our members and realize that our position in support of this bill was wrong. As such, we revoke any support for this legislation, and furthermore pledge to fight any future legislation that results in new taxes for New Mexico businesses."

It's Coming - The Endorsement

As we all know by now, Governor Bill Richardson spent yesterday watching the Super Bowl at his mansion with former President Bill Clinton. Now, he may not have officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, but that's called sending out a strong message.

Expect the Governor's endorsement of Senator Clinton to come sometime before Wednesday. My only hope is that he doesn't pick up ANOTHER page from Hillary's playbook when it comes to universal healthcare:

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to garnish the wages of workers who refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.

Ouch, "garnish the wages of workers" Isn't garnishing wages something we do to deadbeat dads and other people who fail to pay their debts? I'm sure that's going to go over well with the voters.

Can you imagine? You're working at a minimum wage job, maybe two, to make ends meet and President Hillary Clinton wants to garnish your wages to ensure you have health insurance. Yeah, that's brilliant health care policy. Clinton and Richardson are made for each other.

As a comical aside, how did these two great proponents of universal health care, former President Clinton and Governor Richardson, while away the time with the big game on the screen:

Political questions were off-limits as Clinton and Richardson sat glued to the television in a room that smelled of cigars, a table holding sandwiches and fresh fruit at arm's length.

Now, I like a good cigar as much as the next guy, but then again, I'm not asking that everyone be lumped into the same insurance pool as me.

Visiting Governor Gets His Due

I don't like Governor Richardson's ill-conceived health care proposal. That's probably no surprise to anyone. But, what really irks me lately is Governor Richardson's holier than thou attitude regarding our citizen legislators:

At a news conference just 15 days ago, an upbeat Gov. Bill Richardson repeated two key words for lawmakers as they convened in Santa Fe: health care, health care, health care.

On Wednesday, halfway point for the legislative session, Richardson used the same words — with a much different tone.

"I said before the session that the focus of this 30-day legislative session would be health care, would be health care, and would be health care," he said, "and up until today we saw very little action."

Unfortunately for Richardson's agenda, the only action on his proposal was a vote by a key House committee on Wednesday morning to strip the bill of its mandate to insure all New Mexicans and ship the measure on to its next stop in the Roundhouse.

The governor deemed the move "unacceptable" and called the assembled lawmakers a "do-nothing Legislature, especially on health care."

I've been known to give the legislators a hard time on occasion. Ok, on many occasions. However, I find it more than a bit offensive for the PAID Governor, who has been absent from the state for nearly a year pursuing his delusions of grandeur, to call the men and women who volunteer their time to serve New Mexicans "a do-nothing Legislature" because they don't rubber stamp the most expensive and ill-conceived program of this administration.

New Mexico is facing an impending budget crisis because of the spendathon launched during this Governor's tenure. Mark my words... in 2009 there will be a grab for additional permanent fund dollars to balance the overgrown state budget.

I, for one, am glad our legislators have finally said enough is enough.

The Railroad to Taxation

The proverbial other shoe is about to drop on the railroad:

The six-member statewide commission sent a letter to the governor this week encouraging establishment of the new transit district, which would let participating counties first elect to be involved, then ask voters to approve up to a 1/2 percent gross-receipts tax to pay for services.

And, "the tax-cutting" Governor has issued a statement supporting it. As the Governor's universal health care proposal continues to be pushed, New Mexicans would be wise to remember that so far every "big" initiative this Governor has put forth has been followed shortly after with a cry for a need for new taxes. We're seeing it with railroad. We saw it with Spaceport America, and we'll see it with the health care proposal.

My biggest fear is that in the very near future, we will see another attempt to raid the permanent fund to pay for all of these unrealistic and poorly planned new entitlement programs.

Governor Richardson's 2008 State of the State

Today, Governor Bill Richardson gave his 2008 State of the State (pdf), and true to form, he laid out an agenda that is much too expansive to be dealt with in the time allotted. Not too mention, that it's not appropriate for a session which is supposed to be focused on budget issues. What makes this worse than usual is that he just got back in to town after almost a one-year hiatus.

They say when you run in a Democratic Primary, you tend to run to the left because the base is far to the left. Well, based on the Governor's State of the State address, someone forgot to tell him to stop running to the left:

It begins with insurance reform.

Today there is a unified voice from business, labor and patients alike -- demanding solutions to the ever-rising cost of care and insurance premiums.

My plan requires that at least 85-percent of premiums must be spent directly on care.

Not on overhead.

Not on bureaucracy.

Not on profits.

Our public programs already require this--private insurers must do the same.

First off, let's deal with the obvious. I'm a member of numerous business organizations, and I can tell you that when it comes to the health care proposal the Governor has put forth, there is NO unified voice from business community.

And, what's this nonsense about limiting profitability of insurance providers? Someone please remind Governor Richardson that it's still legal in America to make a profit. In fact, it - the free enterprise system - is one of the cornerstones of our democracy.

Then, the Governor goes on to say, "Everyone must pay their fair share." Gee, when was the last time you looked at your tax bill and thought, I'm not paying my fair share. The state budget has grown astronomically since the administration took over, and the Governor has the nerve to say "everyone must pay their fair share." What's next? "...from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."

After his Socialist Health Care agenda, the Governor proposes:

A new mandate calling on utilities to invest in energy efficiency programs. Programs that will be cheaper and cleaner than building new power plants.

Now, he's telling the utilities how to run their businesses. Who do you think is going to pay in the long run for this mandate? That's right, you and me. We're going to end up paying higher rates. Can you say, "Hidden taxes."

I could go on, but I'm just getting frustrated. Maybe I ought to invest in the campaign to draft Richardson as Vice-President, it's got to be cheaper for me than keeping him in the state.

Governor in For a Rude Awakening

Governor Richardson has spent a year on the campaign trail only to return a week before the 30 day legislative session with big plans (subscription):

We already know the lawmakers will be asked to tackle health care and ethics reform.

There's a plan to change how the state funds public education.

Granting gay and lesbian couples the same rights as married, heterosexual ones, is a familiar and controversial issue likely to return to the table.

By the way, legislators also must craft a multibillion-dollar state budget and might divvy up more than $300 million for brick-and-mortar projects around the state that are better known as pork.

That's just the big stuff; hundreds of additional issues, with legislators pushing their own priorities, will pile up as everyone tries to address a year's worth of problems and wishes in one month's time.

My prediction is that the lame duck Governor is going to make very little headway during this session on that massive health care proposal. Then, he is going to be faced with calling folks into special session or aligning himself with a presidential campaign and going back out on the trail to try and win the Hispanic vote. My guess is that latter. With all of the legislators up for re-election, a special session would not be well-received.

More Interesting Media Spin

Governor Richardson is pushing a single payer healthcare system for this legislative session (read: Government Run and Mandated Healthcare). So, we can expect to see more and more articles popping up in the press regarding health insurance.

However, beware of the spin. For example, an article in today's Albuquerque Journal has the misleading headline, Small Businesses and HR Offices Explain What's Wrong With the Way We Pay (subscription) and begins:

University of New Mexico public health researchers asked human resource workers and small business owners what is wrong with the way health care is financed.

Among their answers: The present system encourages injustice and inequity.

Business people who took part in a UNM Institute for Public Health series of focus groups earlier this year said they don't feel qualified to choose the right health insurance plan for all employees and say they have very little leverage when negotiating with insurance companies.

Now, I read the article all the way through because I'm a small business owner, and I found it hard to believe the picture that was being painted here. Namely, that small business was supporting the Governor's efforts.

You see, most small business owners don't like anything mandated by the government. Actually, we don't like "mandates" in general, government or corporate - it's just part of the entrepreneurial spirit.

Ok, back to my point...

It's not until the last paragraph of the article that the real sentiment of small business comes through:

Wiese detected no groundswell of support for a government takeover of health care.

That's the journalistic equivalent of burying the facts in the fine print. The paper is showing their bias. That important fact should have been headline (i.e. Small Business Does NOT Support Government Health Care Takeover), instead of being buried at the end of the article.

Watch out for more shenanigans on this issue in the weeks to come.

Why Do I Feel Like I've Been Here Before?

Well, it looks like Governor Richardson is committed to making sure that his legacy to New Mexico is a budget crisis (subscription):

Gov. Bill Richardson's proposed universal health coverage plan would require $590 million in new general fund spending over the next five years, with business picking up most of the tab, Human Services Secretary Pamela S. Hyde said Tuesday.

Thankfully, at least two Senator's are showing some fiscal sense:

Legislative Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, told the Journal the Health Solutions budget assumes significant new federal matching funds for the state's Medicaid program— which would be in addition to the extra money collected from employers and other new revenue sources.

"That's a sort of ostrich with its head in the sand," Smith said. "Congress is trying to slow Medicaid spending."

The administration's budget counts on additional federal funds to help pay for the program.

"I don't think we're going to buy the governor's numbers," said Senate Minority Whip Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces, who is a member of the committee. Rawson also told the Journal he opposes giving Richardson more power by authorizing a new health care authority that is part of the governor's package.

We'd be wise to heed these two gentlemen. After all, it wasn't that long ago that Senator Rawson was warning us about another spending fiasco of Governor Richardson's administration:

Four years ago this month, in ... a special legislative session called by Gov. Bill Richardson, lawmakers passed a mega-bill to improve 37 roads at a cost of nearly $1.6 billion.

Tucked into the legislation was a phrase that authorized one of New Mexico's most expensive and controversial transportation projects— not a road but a commuter rail system from Belen to Santa Fe.

Back in 2003, documents show, the cost for the rail project was listed at $90.2 million. Now the projected tab for the RailRunner Express has ballooned to as much as $425 million— and that doesn't include another $50 million held in escrow.

That's one-fourth of the total authorized for all projects in GRIP— also known as Governor Richardson's Investment Partnership.

While work on the RailRunner is proceeding full speed, other road projects authorized in the GRIP bill have moved to the back burner for lack of funding.

Over the past year, the GRIP funding shortfall has gone from $250 million to nearly $500 million.

It's a cash crunch created by what some lawmakers say is the need for more money for the RailRunner, increased costs for road construction and a projected decline in federal transportation funding.

The Legislature's attempt this year to gain more oversight of train finances proved futile. Richardson line-item vetoed language in the appropriations bill that would have required a separate RailRunner operating budget and quarterly reports on its progress and anticipated expenses.

In the five months since that veto, commuter rail capital costs have grown by 33 percent, legislators learned recently.

Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson, R-Las Cruces, said he feels the Legislature was deceived as to the project's true costs.

"How can you miss the mark five fold without deliberately being deceptive? What we've had here is bait and switch," Rawson said.

Are we really going to allow this bait and switch to happen TWICE?

Government to Dictate Doctor's Fees

Sometimes you've got to wonder if Governor Richardson's administration is actually aware that the "great" communist experiment of the Soviet Union FAILED (subscription):

The newest incarnation of the governor's proposals for [healthcare in] New Mexico could limit doctor fees, require everyone to have health coverage and impose new regulations and fee limits on insurance companies.

The cornerstone would be a powerful new authority with a mandate to transform the health care industry.

What's next, a limit on the price of milk? We're headed down a slippery slope.

Obesitiy is Now an Epidemic

People come in all shapes and sizes, and I don't think anyone should be discriminated against because of their weight. However, I'm really struggling with Governor Richardson's latest "great" idea (subscription):

Gov. Bill Richardson said Wednesday that if elected president he will push for a federal law protecting obese Americans from workplace discrimination and vowed to use the power of the White House to "fight obesity every day."

A large-framed former athlete who has admittedly battled his own weight problems, Richardson said the stigma of obesity is unfair.

"We must help people understand that obesity is a disease, not a behavior," Richardson said. "Those of us who may be overweight or obese are not lazy or undisciplined. We cannot allow Americans to be taken in by the easy comfort of stereotypes."

Ok, so if we follow this logic, that obesity is a disease, then apparently it must be contagious airborne disease because the article goes on to point out that:

According to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity among adults in the U.S. jumped from 15 percent in 1980 to nearly 32 percent in 2004.

Obesity is considered a leading cause of serious ailments, including heart disease, diabetes and strokes. Obesity in children is also increasing, according to CDC.

But wait, with a little bit of Wiki research it only gets better:

Approximately one-third of the adult population [in the United States] is obese and an additional third is overweight;^[163] the obesity rate, the highest in the industrialized world, has more than doubled in the last quarter-century.^[164]

Sorry folks, I'm not buying what the good Governor is selling. There may be a genetic disposition for some people to be obese, but that does not account for the soaring obesity numbers.

The problem is simple... we are becoming an ever more sedentary society that over consumes with little regard to the consequences. This is a problem that can only be fixed by taking personal responsibility for our actions. The sooner people realize that this, the better off we'll all be.

Of course, Governor Richardson doesn't see it that way. By his logic, we should reward the behavior, which is a contributing cause of the health care crisis, by offering universal health care to all Americans. This way you can pony up more in taxes to pay for your neighbors' over indulgence.

Anyone still think this Governor Richardson is a conservative?

More Government Mandates

Sorry for the blogging absence. It wasn't planned. Well, the absence was planned, but I had fully intended on blogging. The family and I took a little Northern NM/Southern Colorado pre-back to school escape and blogging just sort of fell by the wayside. That's not to say I couldn't have blogged from Chama, Telluride or Durango - I just decided not to do it.

After catching up on recent news stories, I'm glad I took the break. For starters there is this gem of a recommendation from the Health Coverage for New Mexicans Committee (subscription):

• That everyone in New Mexico be required to have health coverage.

Great, I love where this is is going. Maybe in the near future we can have state funded committees to recommend:

• That everyone in New Mexico be required to have life insurance coverage.
• That everyone in New Mexico be required to have pet insurance coverage.
• That everyone in New Mexico be required to have property insurance coverage.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

And, it looks like this is not the only committee working overtime coming up with foolish recommendations on how to solve all that is wrong with the world. The Ethics Committee is back in the saddle with yet another brilliant recommendation:

Lobbyists would have to reveal how much they are being paid and wear badges identifying themselves and their clients if state government adopts recommendations by a task force studying ethics reforms.

The panel, appointed by Gov. Bill Richardson, recommended the New Mexico Legislature consider these and other proposals in a special session.

“The public deserves to know who’s influencing our laws,” said task force member Fred Nathan, who heads a local think tank called Think New Mexico.

Why stop with making lobbyists wear badges at the Roundhouse? We all know that all lobbyists are evil people who do nothing but corrupt our democratic system. We also know that their devilish efforts are not limited to the thirty and sixty day session. These lobbyists can be found throughout the year at committee meetings as well as local coffeehouses and restaurants poisoning the minds of our honest and hard working elected officials.

Let's do this right and have a recommendation with some teeth. Pass a law to require, from this day forth, that all lobbyists sew a yellow star onto all of their clothing, so that they are easily identifiable to the good people of New Mexico.