Just Been Waiting

I haven't written about Congressman Tom Udall's son-in-law taking a position as Director of Elections while his father-in-law runs for Senate.

Jim Noel, the son-in-law of U.S. Representative Tom Udall, will be the new director of the state's Bureau of Elections. And that has Republicans crying foul.

After chatting with supporters in Albuquerque Monday night, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tom Udall reacted to his son-in-law's new title.

"I think Jim is somebody who is a professional," Udall said after being asked if had a problem with Noel getting the job.

Noel is married to Udall's daughter, Amanda Cooper. And Cooper is Udall's campaign manager.

I've just been waiting. Waiting to see if Congressman Udall was going to listen to the outcry and decide, "Whoa, maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Even if Mr. Noel is a standup guy, the appearance of this is not good. Unfortunately, Congressman Udall is showing us just what kind of Senator he would make - one that would put personal interests above those of our state and our country.

Congressman Tom Udall this was a test. Everyone was watching, and you just failed.

Tom Udall Folds Under Union Pressure

Take a moment and imagine what it would be like to live in an America where your right to vote by secret ballot was taken away. It's hard to imagine, right? It just wouldn't be America. Yet, that is precisely what Big Labor wants to do - eliminate the secret ballot. And, Congressman Tom Udall is more than eager to do their bidding:

So important is eliminating the secret ballot to Big Labor that a few weeks ago Democrat Senate candidates, Reps. Tom Allen (ME), Tom Udall (NM), and Mark Udall (CO), along with Kay Hagan (NC), Bruce Lunsford (KY), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), and Jeff Merkley (OR) all scurried to Chicago for a meeting when Union bosses beckoned. The three current Congressmen already voted to eliminate the secret ballot and likely, along with the other Democrat candidates in Chicago, pledged to eliminate secret ballot elections in the future as well.

Think about that when you step into the voting booth this fall. If Tom Udall is willing to support the elimination of secret ballot protection for workers, can eliminating the secret ballot voting protection for you and me be far behind?

Udall and Heinrich Out of Touch

When it comes to increased access to domestic oil and natural gas resources, a new poll clearly shows that Congressman Tom Udall and Congressional hopeful Martin Heinrich are apparently out of touch with the majority of New Mexicans:

A new survey finds that 59% of New Mexico voters support increased access to domestic oil and natural gas resources.

It seems that the rest of the country shares the same view. Polls from Pew, CNN, Zogby and others indicate that the majority of Americans from coast to coast are in support of more energy exploration in the United States.

This is a critical shift in public opinion, and one that our leaders in Washington need to recognize. According to federal government data, the United States has enough oil to fuel more than 65 million cars for 60 years and enough natural gas to heat 60 million homes for 160 years. But current policies restrict access to 85% of the outer continental shelf and 83% of onshore federal lands.

If Congressman Udall is elected to the Senate, you can be sure that he will stay true to his record of doing everything in his power to restrict access to offshore oil and gas as well as that which can be found on federal lands. Even worse, if Martin Heinrich is elected to Congress, Tom Udall will have an ally in ignoring the needs of the majority of everyday New Mexicans.

They'll be living high on the hog off our tax dollars. What do they care about the pain we're feeling at the pump? It's easy to be an environmentalist supporting higher energy costs when you're pulling down a six-figure income paid for by taxpayers.

Tom Udall Aligns With Litigating Radicals

Our nations founders believed that a separation of powers and a series of checks and balances were a critical component to maintaining a Democratic society. It is for this reason that we have three separate branches of government each with their own unique role - the Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial.

In a nutshell, the legislative branch crafts our laws. The executive branch enforces our laws, and the judicial branch rules on whether or not enforcement of those laws violate our Constitution. This is the basics of our government that everyone is supposed to learn at an early age in school.

On a daily basis, this separation of power comes under attack by radical groups that believe that their agenda is more important than the balance of power created by the Constitution of the United States. One such group is Earthjustice. Read this excerpt from their President's vision:

We function like a law firm in some ways because we represent clients and we don't go to court in our own name. The clients' effectiveness is strengthened by the legal clout and other skills we bring to the issues on which we work together, and the breadth and depth of our work depends on our working with clients.

But, we are not like a law firm in the fundamental sense that we identify critical issues and strategies that need to be moved forward, rather than just wait for clients and cases to show up. We think about what kinds of clients are needed to best advance the particular cause. We bring judgment, experience, and strategic leadership to the problem, working with the clients to figure out what needs to be done in court and elsewhere to achieve lasting results. Our powerful and diverse array of regional offices take on litigation that will make a difference in the places they know best as well as cases that will set nation-wide policies that other groups can use in their own advocacy.

In addition to our unparalleled litigators, we have lobbyists in Washington D.C. who are skilled at moving the politics forward and at protecting our victories from Congressional attack.

In other words, they use the judicial system to do something it was not intended to do - namely the creation of new laws , and then try to prevent Congress from doing what it was intended to do - namely, pass laws. It is these actions, not their environmental cause, that makes them a radical group. Their vision is to try and disrupt the underlying fundamentals of our Democratic system.

So, where does Congressman Tom Udall fit into all of this. Well, a quick Google search of "Tom Udall" and "Earthjustice" shows that Congressman Tom Udall is a reliable ally for this radical environmental group. When they need a pawn in Congress to introduce a bill or an amendment to support their judicial activist efforts, they have been able to count on Tom Udall time and time again.

Earthjustice is one of those groups that keeps America reliant on foreign oil by fighting at every turn domestic oil and gas exploration. When we feel the pinch at the pump, we have radicals like Earthjustice and Congressman Tom Udall to thank.

Why is Tom Udall Afraid of an Energy Debate?

I don't get it. Congressman Steve Pearce challenges Congressman Tom Udall to an energy debate, and Tom Udall runs away from the challenge? (subscription):

With gas at $4 and the energy crunch a topic of daily conversation, Steve Pearce says it’s high time for him and Tom Udall to debate energy issues in their U.S. Senate race.

Udall says it’s too early, but his supporters already are hounding Pearce on the same subject.

An environmental group backing Udall has a rolling billboard of sorts — a Toyota hybrid — portraying Pearce as a poster boy for big oil.

This debate should be a no brainer for Congressman Udall. Prices at the pump are at $4 and rising. Tom Udall and his backers believe that oil companies are to blame, and that alternative sources of energy are the solution to the economic pinch everyday Americans are feeling at pump.

This should be a topic on which Tom Udall should feel confident about debating Steve Pearce any and every day of the week. After all, Mr. Udall comes from a long family tradition of environmental conservationists and has been able to capitalize on his father's name to achieve political success. Sometimes people forget that, like others, he is from one of those dynastic political families - think Lujan, Block, and yes, Bush.

By contrast, Steve Pearce worked his way up from very humble beginnings in the oil fields of Southeastern New Mexico to achieve the American Dream. A self-made man for whom public service has always been a way to give back to a country that has given him so many opportunities.

Steve is not known as a great orator or debater. He is just a regular guy who has worked hard, served in the military, built a business and speaks frankly from the heart. In any debate Steve is going to be at a distinct disadvantage against Mr. Udall's polished debate skills - honed over decades as a lawyer.

I'm sure in any energy debate, Tom Udall would be successful in portraying Steve Pearce as the poster child for the New Mexico oil and gas industry. Udall would probably point out that if it were not for the opportunities presented by the oil and gas industry, Steve Pearce would have never pulled himself out of poverty. Instead, he would have remained struggling and poor in Southern New Mexico and politics would be properly left to the political families - handed down from father to son in true monarch fashion.

Undoubtedly, Tom Udall would point out all that the oil and gas industry has taken from the state of New Mexico and its residents:

The industry provides New Mexico schools, roads and public facilities with more than $1.3 billion in funding each year. It is the state's largest civilian employer. Each night, 23,000 New Mexicans come home to their families from jobs related to the oil and gas industry.

It is the state's leading educational supporter and provides over 90% of all school capital investment through the Permanent Fund, saving New Mexico's taxpayers an excess of $800 annually. The oil and gas industry also makes up 15-20% of New Mexico's General Fund revenues. These are distributed to public schools and state colleges, fund the construction of public roads, buildings and state parks, and help keep New Mexico's government operational.

Yes, I'm sure that Steve Pearce would be left mouth agape and without response as Tom Udall heaped attack after attack on Steve's connections with such a destructive industry operating within our borders.

Then, Tom Udall would undoubtedly go in for the kill. Tom would point out that if New Mexicans were to elect Steve Pearce to U.S. Senate, Steve would most assuredly continue in the tradition of Senator Pete Domenici in an unabashed effort to allow more domestic oil and gas exploration.

Sensing imminent victory, Tom Udall would then put the final nail in the coffin of Steve Pearce's candidacy for U.S. Senate by unveiling two damning photos that show the success achieved by Tom Udall and the environmental groups which support him in preventing more domestic drilling.

The first would be a picture of Dubai in 1990, when we believed drilling for oil and gas in America was still a good thing:


The second would be a photo of the same street in Dubai taken in 2003 after Tom Udall and his friends have successfully fought the continued exploration for domestic oil and gas:



Based on this scenario and its inevitable outcome, I don't understand why Tom Udall is afraid of participating in an energy debate.

Udall's Endorsement by Fraternal Order of Police

According to Roll Call, Congressman Tom Udall has received the endorsement by the New Mexico Fraternal Order of Police:

“Tom Udall has spent his career serving the citizens of New Mexico. He has a proven record of supporting laws that protect our citizens and he has always been a strong supporter of law enforcement,” FOP President Bill Standridge said in a statement released by the Udall campaign.

Tom Udall has always been "a strong supporter of law enforcement." Oh, really? Apparently, someone forgot to suggest to FOP President Bill Standridge to take a look at Congressman Udall's voting record. If they had, they would have found that Congressman Udall was a member of a very, very small caucus of Congressman to vote against the bill Condemning the decision of St. Denis, France, to name a street in honor of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the convicted murder of Philadelphia Police Office Danny Faulkner.

Someone please explain to me how being a member of the Cop Killer Caucus makes Tom Udall a supporter of law enforcement?

Tom Udall Attempts to Rewrite Recent History

It looks like Congressman Tom Udall has a new TV spot that is a little less than honest when it comes to his record on funding for Los Alamos labs:



At the end of the ad Congressman Udall says:

That's why I voted for funding to expand the mission of Los Alamos to create new jobs in counterterrorism and energy research. I'm Tom Udall and I approved this message because we have to do what's right for New Mexico.

Ok.... let's see... let me try and start this off with a positive. That is Tom Udall in that ad. We can all agree that he should be doing what's right for New Mexico. And, there is no question that Los Alamos plays a critical role in countering terrorism and energy research.

So, what's the problem? Well, Congressman Udall, knowing everything above, actually voted TO CUT FUNDING for Los Alamos labs. Of course, don't just take my word for it. You can can go back and read about Tom Udall's vote to cut funding for the labs last summer. Oh, and let's not forget the lack of concern that Tom Udall showed when layoffs were announced at Los Alamos because he wouldn't fight to protect their funding.

Look, Tom Udall is entitled to vote for his own priorities. But, he should not get a pass on trying to rewrite his history to run away from his votes to cut funding for our labs.

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?

Question for Congressman Tom Udall

How Not to Make a Decision

So, you'd think that Congressman Tom Udall, who would like to join Senator Bingaman in the United States Senate, might take heed when he is told by the junior, soon to be senior, Senator that something is not a good idea (subscription), but that does not seem to be the case:

On Monday, Sens. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., and Pete Domenici, R-N.M., said they opposed Pelosi's decision to package the tax repeals and the utility mandate with the broader energy bill because it could doom the entire bill in the Senate.

Ok, a bi-partisan recommendation from two guys who definitely know a little bit about how to get energy bills passed in the Senate. And, what does Congressman Udall do:

Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said Wednesday he supports a massive energy bill that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to bring to a vote today, in part because he crafted a key provision in the legislation.

You're kidding me, right? Congressman Udall is ignoring Senator Bingaman's advice "because [Udall] crafted a key provision in the legislation."

This self-serving approach to decision making helps explains why Congress has an 11% approval rating.

A Glimpse into Udall's Priorities

Yesterday the Journal reported on significant layoffs at Los Alamos that are going to have significant economic repercussions for Northern New Mexico (subscription):

The lab already has cut hundreds of jobs from its subcontractor work force. Monday's meeting signals the start of cuts within the lab's core scientific work force.

"It directly impacts people's lives, not only those of our employees, but also their families, and the northern New Mexico community. People are the soul of any institution," Anastasio said in a memo to employees. "You have my personal commitment to make this process as fair as possible."

Charles Mansfield, president of the Laboratory Retiree Group Inc., said the layoffs could have an impact throughout northern New Mexico.

"It's not just Los Alamos," said Mansfield, who worked at the lab for 17 years before retiring in 1993. "I think it will hit the whole Española Valley, everywhere from Española up through Taos and El Rito. The lab is a major economic engine for northern New Mexico."

Los Alamos is in the Congressman Tom Udall's district. Although the Congressman was not quoted in yesterday's article, Udall is featured in an article today (subscription):

Gov. Bill Richardson to his key New Mexico backers: Support anyone you want for the 2008 U.S. Senate race, because I'm not getting in.

That was Richardson's message during a face-to-face meeting with those supporters earlier this month, according to Rep. Tom Udall, a fellow Democrat who next week will announce his U.S. Senate bid.

"He basically released them to do what they wanted to do in the Senate race," the 3rd Congressional District representative told the Journal on Tuesday.

WOW! Talk about a slap in the face to the people of the 3rd Congressional District. On the day that it is announced that hundreds of people are going to lose their jobs, and that the economy of surrounding communities might be devastated, Congressman Udall's only comment to his constituents is regarding a comment made Governor Richardson earlier this month about his U.S. Senate race intentions.

Talk about a guy out of touch with what's important to New Mexicans.

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?

Sometimes less is more, and in the case of Governor Bill Richardson, and less is definitely better. Steve Terrell points out that in the latest Democratic debate Governor Richardson finally got his fair share of the limelight.

Unfortunately, Steve points out that our dear Governor took the extra time and filled it with half-truths and outright inaccuracies. Here is a taste:

Answering a question about a hot button issue in Nevada — the unpopular Yucca Mountain nuclear waste facility — Richardson said: "All my life, as secretary of energy, as a congressman, I oppose the site, for environmental reasons, water saturation."

However, an Associated Press story this week pointed out that Richardson as a congressman "voted in favor of the 1987 measure that designated Yucca Mountain as the sole dump site to be studied by the federal government." And during Richardson's tenure as secretary of the Energy Department in the 1990s, he approved a critical viability assessment, going on record saying, "Overall there is no reason to disqualify the site."

At the debate, Richardson said, "I would turn Yucca Mountain into a national laboratory. We have the greatest brains in our national lab scientists."

Great, first we have Congressman Tom Udall supporting budget cuts at Los Alamos labs that would result in massive layoffs and a New Mexico brain drain. And now, our own Governor Richardson wants to have the limited and dwindling national lab funds available to New Mexico diverted to creating a new national lab in Nevada.

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Tom Udall for U.S. Senate

I spent this weekend attending my son's soccer tournament in Bernalillo. We stayed at Tamaya, rather than trekking back and forth from the East Mountains. We rationalized the expense of staying at the resort as our way of reducing our carbon footprint. I even used one of those little electric carts to check out the culturally and ecologically sensitive areas around Twin Warriors.

Now, I hadn't brought my computer, so I missed the announcement over the weekend that Congressman Tom Udall was getting into the U.S. Senate race (subscription):

U.S. Rep. Tom Udall will seek the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Republican Sen. Pete Domenici in 2008, making him the third of New Mexico's three U.S. House members to seek the seat.

"He's definitely running," Udall's chief of staff Tom Nagle said Saturday.

However, learning of this news today explains the loud noise I heard coming from the direction of Albuquerque over the weekend. It was obviously the collective groan of Mayor Martin Chavez's campaign camp. Any chance they had of winning the Democratic nomination of the U.S. Senate seat vanished with Udall's announcement.

Udall's announcement is also a clear indication that Governor Richardson is serious about not getting into the Senate race. Udall's step-daughter, Amanda Cooper, is the deputy campaign manager of Richardson's presidential campaign.

This also mean that every Congressional seat except for one, Senator Jeff Bingaman's seat, is up for grabs. Combine that with the fact that every state legislative seat is up re-election, and we've got the makings of "all politics, all the time" in 2008.

A Rare Tom Udall Post

I don't spend a lot of time writing about U.S. Representative Tom Udall (D). Mostly, because he really doesn't seem to do much to write about - positive or negative. Sure, some bloggers and the MSM gave him a lot of ink when Udall was appointed to the House Appropriations Committee:

It wasn't an accident, fluke, luck or anything else of that nature. It had been in the works for a long time. And it was evidence that playing by the old rules still works quite well, thank you.

Udall had been working at getting a seat on this most powerful of all committees ever since former Rep. Joe Skeen announced his retirement almost five years ago. Skeen had been on the Appropriations Committee for many years and had chaired several of its subcommittees.

That made Skeen a "cardinal," a title given to Appropriations subcommittee chairmen because of the tremendous power they wield. Udall won't be chairing a subcommittee anytime soon, but that's where he's headed.

So, what does Representative Udall do after all of these years of trying to get into the powerful Appropriations Committee?

The House approval, on a 312-112 vote, would cut nuclear weapons spending by the Department of Energy by $396 million— 6 percent.

The Senate, meanwhile, is pushing a $213 million increase— 3 percent. To come up with a final spending plan, leaders of the two bodies must come together to reconcile the differences between the two spending plans.

Sorting out the differences in the nuclear weapons budget involve larger questions about how much money is available for related energy and water projects in fiscal 2008.

The House bill could mean the loss of 900 jobs at Sandia National Laboratories and even more at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Democrat Tom Udall, who represents Los Alamos, voted in favor of the bill. New Mexico Republicans Heather Wilson, whose district includes Sandia, and Steve Pearce voted against it.

Ouch.

Medal of Honor Recipient Deserves Respect

It's not often that I blog during work hours. After all, a guy has to make a living. But I just came across something that is probably one of the most offensive partisan acts I've seen come out of Congress in a long time.

Take a moment and watch the video that shows the floor discussion between the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’Affairs, Bob Filner (D-California) and the ranking Republican, Steve Buyer (R-Indiana):



Naming the VA Medical Center in Albuquerque after New Mexico war hero and Medal of Honor recipient, Raymond G. 'Jerry' Murphy, was a bipartisan recommendation that enjoys the support of the entire New Mexico Congressional delegation. In fact, you can view the original press release in its entirety on Senator Jeff Bingaman's website. But, in a nutshell, this is the type of man we are talking about:

"Jerry Murphy was a true American hero who in war and peace dedicated himself to others. I am proud to have known Jerry and to have been able to call him my friend. It is a privilege to play a part in bestowing this deserving honor on a great man and a great American," Domenici said. "I will work with our House counterparts to get this bill passed and enacted as soon as possible."

"Jerry Murphy bravely served our country. While he was recognized during his life with a much-deserved Medal of Honor, we are now a step closer to ensuring that the memory of his service to our country—and his fellow veterans—will live on," Bingaman said.

So, why isn't this bill, which incidentally has the support of the VA Department as well as the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services, Albuquerque Armed Forces Advisory Association, American Legion, American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Vietnam Veterans of America, being heard.

A very simple and offensive answer: "Companion legislation (HR.474) was introduced in the House by Representative Heather Wilson."

That's right, the Democrat leadership in Congress is willing to insult this Medal of Honor recipient's memory rather than let the legislation be carried forth by a Republican they so badly want to see defeated.

This is wrong. There are no two ways about it. This is wrong.