What's Tom Udall Doing in Congress?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but what Tom Udall is doing in Congress is voting to raise taxes on the middle class, families and small businesses. Of course, don't take my word for it. Instead, read what Democratic Congressman Bill Foster (IL-14) had to say about the tax bill that Tom Udall voted to pass:

“I can’t support a budget, from either party, that raises taxes on the middle class. This bill hurts families all across the 14th District by eliminating the 10-percent bracket for lower-income taxpayers, reinstating the marriage penalty and increasing taxes on small businesses and investments.

I campaigned on a platform of middle class tax relief, and I was elected to Washington to bring about change. When asked to choose between my party and the people I represent, I will choose the families of the 14th District every single time.”

Before my readers on the left start leaving comments about how Congressman Bill Foster is just some sort of rogue Democratic Congressman, I think you ought to watch the recent video endorsement by one of the Congressman's supporters.



So where does that leave us? Well, I think that leaves us with a novel concept that Tom Udall might want to consider... putting families before party. Congressman Tom Udall wants to become Senator Tom Udall, yet he's voting to eliminate the 10-percent bracket for lower income taxpayers.

In case you're wondering what someone in the 10-percent bracket is earning, if they're single, the answer is up to $8,025 per year. If they're married filing jointly, it is $16,050 per year. Let me put that another way. We're talking about people barely making the minimum wage, and Congressman Tom Udall voted to raise their taxes.

Is there any wonder that most people think Congressman Tom Udall is too liberal to be elected to represent everyday New Mexicans in the Senate?

Steve Pearce Enters the Senate Race

Well, it looks like Congressman Pearce is not going to take the career path I laid out for him. That's unfortunate, not because Steve would be a bad Junior Senator, but because he could have accomplished so much more as New Mexico's next Governor.

Speaking of the Governor, it looks like that House of Cards Governor Bill Richardson built is falling apart everywhere we look. In the Albuquerque area that the Governor's really expensive train is costing more and more with each passing day:

When reporters pressed him on plans for funding the Rail Runner, he was noncommittal about where the money will come from— repeating it would come from state and federal funds.

One powerful lawmaker wondered if earmarking state dollars to operate the Rail Runner might harm other state programs.

"I want to see where they find the money, what programs they take it from," said Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, and chairman of the Legislative Finance Committee.

Sixty percent of the state budget goes to education, 25 percent to health and seven percent to corrections, Smith said.

"Until people sit down and think about it, it gets people off his back," Smith said of Richardson's comment. "But he is acknowledging that it does need money. They've never acknowledged that before. Now we are just down to finding out what pot it will come from."

As if this was problematic enough, the Governor's other expensive investment, that Spaceport experiment, has also run into quite a few hiccups:

The state won't allow Doña Ana County to delay the collection of a spaceport sales tax, county officials said Friday.

There's a chance the county could take legal action to keep the tax from being collected.

The county commission passed a resolution Wednesday to delay collecting the tax until proper framework was in place to spend it. But the state taxation and revenue department notified the county Friday that the action wasn't valid, despite saying earlier that it was, said County Commission Chairwoman Karen Perez.

What does this all have to do with Steve Pearce entering the US Senate race? Well, I believe these financial woes are just a taste of what is to come. Which means that although there has been a national tide against Republicans, I expect we will not see that replicated in New Mexico come the 2008 general election cycle. Sure, we're going to see a spirited race for the open US Senate seat, but I believe in the general election, we're going to see the Senate and Congressional seats that are up for grabs remain in Republican hands. And, early polls in the first Congressional District seems to support that.

Steve Pearce for U.S. Senate

I don't understand the thinking behind people asking Congressman Steve Pearce to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Domenici. Now don't get me wrong. I'm a HUGE fan of Congressman Pearce. I just don't see how running to be New Mexico's Junior Senator representing the minority party at age 60 makes sense for a man with such a bright future.

Think about it.

By the end of the Congressman's second term in the Senate, about the time he would be moving up in the seniority ranks, he would be 72 years old - three years younger than Senator Domenici is today. That's not to say he wouldn't want to keep going into his 80's, but why would he want to do that?

If you're thinking I'm advocating for Steve just to spend the rest of his days comfortably ensconced in his current Congressional seat, you're wrong. That may be okay for someone like Congressman Tom Udall, a career politician from a political family. But, a leader like Steve Pearce can actually accomplish so much more.

Steve's a self-made business man from VERY humble beginnings who has a net worth that had him ranked in 2005 as the 22nd wealthiest member of the House. That means he could easily throw two to three million into a political race, and I think he should.

I think Steve Pearce should run for Governor in 2010. It just makes a whole lot more sense.

Like another self-made man, who was the first to be elected to two consecutive terms as Governor in New Mexico, Steve could provide the leadership and fiscal restraint that has been so sorely lacking on the fourth floor since Bill Richardson landed in the Governor's seat. At 62 years old, with millions in the bank and an impressive political, personal and business resume Congressman Pearce could surely win the Governor's seat - no matter who the Democrats put forth.

From there, well, as Governor Richardson has demonstrated, the sky is the limit. If Hilary Clinton were to win the Presidential election next year, and somehow managed to be elected to a second term, there is one thing that could be certain. By 2016, the country would be a mess and in need of a strong conservative leader.

In 2016, Steve Pearce would be a 69 year old, accomplished, conservative Western Governor with a leadership track record in politics and business second to none. Hmm, kind of reminds me of someone else who became the leader of the free world at 69 years of age.