MB Blog - May 2008
The political season seems old already, because of the need for perpetual fundraising. In order to "compete" in the modern campaign, candidates for federal office must spend, on average, 4-6 hours per day calling donors.
In colloquial terms, this is known as "dialing for dollars."
The fundraising dynamic is nothing new to politics. It's just that the numbers have grown at an almost exponential rate over the past decade.
The advent of Internet fundraising has helped level the playing field in terms of giving smaller donors a meaningful way of participating. But donors, who call themselves bundlers, rangers, or any other campaign-created distinction reserved for the wealthy, are still driving fundraising for federal candidates.
So why do candidates perpetuate this madness? The short answer is because they've been told this is what it takes to win.
In all fairness, the presidential public financing system has not kept up with inflation and thus must be repaired. Candidates need to believe they are not unilaterally disarming by accepting public financing. Accordingly, when the new Congress convenes next year, there must be immediate action taken to fix the system and offer proper stipend amounts.
What makes this election year different from the past is that all of the remaining presidential candidates ostensibly support the idea of expanding public financing systems to Congressional races. Despite their rhetoric on the issue, they have all danced around the idea of using the system for the general election.
This is wrong.
Read More »
In colloquial terms, this is known as "dialing for dollars."
The fundraising dynamic is nothing new to politics. It's just that the numbers have grown at an almost exponential rate over the past decade.
The advent of Internet fundraising has helped level the playing field in terms of giving smaller donors a meaningful way of participating. But donors, who call themselves bundlers, rangers, or any other campaign-created distinction reserved for the wealthy, are still driving fundraising for federal candidates.
So why do candidates perpetuate this madness? The short answer is because they've been told this is what it takes to win.
In all fairness, the presidential public financing system has not kept up with inflation and thus must be repaired. Candidates need to believe they are not unilaterally disarming by accepting public financing. Accordingly, when the new Congress convenes next year, there must be immediate action taken to fix the system and offer proper stipend amounts.
What makes this election year different from the past is that all of the remaining presidential candidates ostensibly support the idea of expanding public financing systems to Congressional races. Despite their rhetoric on the issue, they have all danced around the idea of using the system for the general election.
This is wrong.
Read More »
Loyal readers of Clearly New Mexico know that discussions of the broken American health care system are nothing new to this blog. (See this, this and this.)
Usually, we give the insurance industry no quarter in our forum, and with good reason. They are not in the business of health care. They are in the business of managing coverage and making a profit.
The insurance industry aside, there is an incredibly pressing topic that should be as much a part of the health care reform debate as figuring out a way to cover the uninsured. I am referring to the American epidemic of childhood obesity.
Childhood obesity has become a pervasive concern, due in large part to the soaring rates of obese children, particularly in the past twenty years. Add to this the analysis suggesting life expectancy rates will likely decrease in coming decades, and there is more than enough cause for concern.
So, what can be done to reverse the trend? Read More »
Usually, we give the insurance industry no quarter in our forum, and with good reason. They are not in the business of health care. They are in the business of managing coverage and making a profit.
The insurance industry aside, there is an incredibly pressing topic that should be as much a part of the health care reform debate as figuring out a way to cover the uninsured. I am referring to the American epidemic of childhood obesity.
Childhood obesity has become a pervasive concern, due in large part to the soaring rates of obese children, particularly in the past twenty years. Add to this the analysis suggesting life expectancy rates will likely decrease in coming decades, and there is more than enough cause for concern.
So, what can be done to reverse the trend? Read More »
At a time in which there is plenty to be pessimistic about, it would seem to us in New Mexico that credible answers to the country's myriad problems are few and far between.
International conflict, natural disasters that claim the lives of tens of thousands of people, rising food prices, rising oil prices and a weakened U.S dollar have deepened an already palpable despair.
As New Mexicans witness grim scenes on their television screen, hear about job loss on the radio and feel the impact of rising health care costs, all hope appears to be lost. For all of the questions raised by a gloomy national and international climate, not to mention the struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis, there are clear answers to the problems facing New Mexicans.
A wonderful example of a creative solution is the push for green collar jobs (solar panel installation, green building trades, water treatment, etc.). Green collar jobs, and the associated programs that provide training to workers, can open up possibilities for a new energy economy.
Green collar jobs are but one example among many that provide answers to what seem like daunting problems.
Our problems as a state and as a country are real and they are serious. But, with solutions that embrace the assets of our land and the ingenuity of our people, while honoring the rich cultural history that is clearly New Mexico, the future is bright.
You will see and hear more in the coming days about why there is cause for hope. You will also learn more about what is clearly New Mexico.
International conflict, natural disasters that claim the lives of tens of thousands of people, rising food prices, rising oil prices and a weakened U.S dollar have deepened an already palpable despair.
As New Mexicans witness grim scenes on their television screen, hear about job loss on the radio and feel the impact of rising health care costs, all hope appears to be lost. For all of the questions raised by a gloomy national and international climate, not to mention the struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis, there are clear answers to the problems facing New Mexicans.
A wonderful example of a creative solution is the push for green collar jobs (solar panel installation, green building trades, water treatment, etc.). Green collar jobs, and the associated programs that provide training to workers, can open up possibilities for a new energy economy.
Green collar jobs are but one example among many that provide answers to what seem like daunting problems.
Our problems as a state and as a country are real and they are serious. But, with solutions that embrace the assets of our land and the ingenuity of our people, while honoring the rich cultural history that is clearly New Mexico, the future is bright.
You will see and hear more in the coming days about why there is cause for hope. You will also learn more about what is clearly New Mexico.
Yesterday was the first deadline of the year for candidates to file campaign finance reports with the Secretary of State's office. Candidates are encouraged (I write "encouraged" because anybody filing a report can claim a "hardship" and fax in their paper reports) to file donation and expenditure reports on-line.
According to news reports, the Secretary of State's office has announced that it is granting a 24-hour extension for candidates to file. Additionally, the public learned this morning that this first set of campaign finance reports will not be available on-line until May 26th.
May 26th. That's just one week before the June 3rd primary election. Consider that the second candidate campaign finance report is due to be filed on May 29th. If the Secretary of State's office continues this practice of delayed public disclosure, then the second report won't be available until June 12th -- nine days after the primary election.
Folks, it's 2008. New Mexico has had an electronic reporting law on the books for five years.
Ostensibly, the law has been in effect for over two years.
With today's news of deadline extensions and two-week delays, one can only conclude that, when it comes to on-line reporting and public transparency, the Land of Enchantment has been thrown back to the Dark Ages.
According to news reports, the Secretary of State's office has announced that it is granting a 24-hour extension for candidates to file. Additionally, the public learned this morning that this first set of campaign finance reports will not be available on-line until May 26th.
May 26th. That's just one week before the June 3rd primary election. Consider that the second candidate campaign finance report is due to be filed on May 29th. If the Secretary of State's office continues this practice of delayed public disclosure, then the second report won't be available until June 12th -- nine days after the primary election.
Folks, it's 2008. New Mexico has had an electronic reporting law on the books for five years.
Ostensibly, the law has been in effect for over two years.
With today's news of deadline extensions and two-week delays, one can only conclude that, when it comes to on-line reporting and public transparency, the Land of Enchantment has been thrown back to the Dark Ages.
This past weekend, the Sunday public affairs programs were ablaze with the latest nonstarter of an idea from the campaign trail. Yes, the concept of giving motorists a "holiday" from the national gasoline tax continues to be debated, despite universal condemnation from economists.
Let's do a quick fact check about the national gas tax. Read More »
Let's do a quick fact check about the national gas tax. Read More »
By now, most Americans are cognizant of the fact that today marks the five-year anniversary of President Bush's "mission accomplished" speech. A vast majority agree that this war was a mistake - in terms of both lives sacrificed and the long-range damage to our economy.
And now we're learning more about the toll taken in the broken bodies and minds of our veterans -- and what's not being done to care for them. Read More »
And now we're learning more about the toll taken in the broken bodies and minds of our veterans -- and what's not being done to care for them. Read More »
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