29+ Days to a Better New Mexico

Congratulations New Mexico Legislators! With only a few hours until the final gavel for the session you've largely proven that the government-phobic NM Constitutional designers were successful: you pretty much haven't done jack caca in 29+ days (by the way, I think the "Jack Caca" has been named official New Mexico rodent this session).

That's not to say you haven't done anything. You've debated having a State Cowboy Song, including a listen to the proposed tune on the floor of the House. The Senate has done its share, discussing the vital issue of a State Cookbook. Both houses have spent hours and hours in floor sessions introducing guests, pages and assorted other catatonically bored young people on the floor and in the gallery, bored because you've spent hours introducing them. You've also invested serious time talking about webcasting upcoming Legislative sessions so 'Net junkies can watch catatonically bored young people get introduced.

Okay, that's a bit unfair. You have tackled some real "issues" in the last 29+ days. For instance, you rushed through vital legislation to deal with the rampant "cyber hunting" problem, despite the fact most Senators didn't know what it is. Don't worry, only about 5 NM citizens know what it is, too. But something's got to be done. Then, to give the ACLU something to do, you passed, actually passed, a bill authorizing mandatory DNA samples for those ARRESTED for a felony. Aw, gettin' arrested is pretty much the same as convicted, ain't it?

To be honest, what you've spent more time doing than anything is thinking up fascinating ways to divvy up the pork windfall. Looking at the now 156 page Capital Outlay Request list is testimony to what great leaders can do, if those great leaders have a big barrel of cash staring them in the face. Remember Senator Proxmire at the U.S. level some years back? He's the one that would list the stupidest pork legislation passed by the U.S. Congress and have a little humorous Razzies Awards Show press conference. Well if Senator Proxmire hadn't just passed away last December, he'd die laughing looking at the 156 page list.

And that's before we told him about how we're building a "space port" so rich folks can spend outrageous amounts of money going into space for an hour or so while looking down at just about the poorest state in the nation. Poor and getting legislatively poorer.