Soy Blue

Bush Sinks Lower in Poll & Cuts Vacation Short

"Spiraling gas prices and continuing bloodshed in Iraq continue to take their toll on President Bush, whose standing with the public has sunk to an all-time low," according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. Bush's overall job approval was 45% -- the lowest ever recorded in the poll.

"The poll numbers paint a portrait of national frustration with the direction and leadership of the country, which if not reversed in coming months, is likely to color the environment for next year's midterm elections, putting incumbents in both parties on the defensive."

Though they insisted he wasn't really on vacation, the White House announced that President Bush "will cut short his vacation to return to Washington on Wednesday to help monitor federal efforts to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina," the AP reports. Bush had been scheduled to return on Friday.

Public Divided on Origins of Life

A new Pew Research Center poll finds that "about half the public (48%) says that humans and other living things have evolved over time, while 42% say that living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time."

Note to Rio Rancho School Board

Despite the growing national debate over the teaching of evolution, there is little evidence that school discussions of evolution are upsetting to students. Just 6% of parents with children in school say their child has mentioned feeling uncomfortable when the subject of evolution comes up at school. Comparably small numbers of parents say their children have expressed unease when the subjects of religion or homosexuality have come up at their child's school.

GW as a Teenager

Via: Political Wire:

Jeffrey Schwartz, a physical anthropologist, developed a digital rendering of George Washington at age 19. The Washington Post has more on what the nation's first president looked like as a young man.

You can bet that this won't be taught in Rio Rancho Schools.  It would be considered blasphemous.

Commuter Rail on track

Governor Richardson will unveil the first New Mexico Rail Runner commuter rail car  at 5pm today.  It is the first of 10 rail cars and 5 locomotives to be delivered.   Service between Belen and Bernalillo is scheduled to begin late this year. 

The news conference will take place at 5pm TODAY at the Urban Council Railyard Property in Downtown Albuquerque.

Click here for more information on the  New Mexico Rail Runner Project

Governor Richardson Orders 200 New Mexico National Guard to Aid in Hurricane Katrina Relief

New Mexico Urban Search and Rescue Team
Deployed to Louisiana

New Mexico Emergency Operations Center Coordinating Assistance with the National Guard, Department of Health and State Police

Santa Fe- Governor Bill Richardson has ordered 200 members of the New Mexico National Guard to aid in the hurricane relief effort.

“The New Mexico National Guard has extensive experience in disaster relief and after my discussions with Governor Blanco; I have ordered two hundred members of the New Mexico National Guard to leave immediately.  Last night, the New Mexico Urban Search and Rescue Team departed for Baton Rouge, the federal and state staging area for eight to ten Strike Force teams for specific instructions,” Governor Richardson said.

“I spoke with Louisiana Governor Blanco and offered whatever help we could.  The total dimensions of the disaster are still unknown. But, it is clear they need all the help they can get and the New Mexico teams are ready and able to provide immediate assistance.  They are well capable and well trained.  The National Guard and the Department of Public Safety have valuable experience that can be put to immediate use in the impacted areas,” Governor Richardson said.

“We will continue to maintain contact with state and federal officials and respond to their requests for aid as we are able.  Our hearts go out to all the victims, their families and the communities,” Governor Richardson said. 

 
New Mexico Urban Search and Rescue Team Deployed for Hurricane Assistance 

Santa Fe—Governor Richardson authorized the deployment of the New Mexico Task Force 1 has been called up for service yesterday by FEMA.  The Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team departed last night and is now en route to Baton Rouge, Louisiana where they will stage with other teams to begin highly specialized and skilled search and rescue missions. 

The 70 member team is composed of New Mexico volunteers who are trained in emergency medicine, K-9 searches, collapsed building searches, fire and rescue and other specialized urban rescue support efforts. They are volunteers from fire departments, police departments, wilderness search and rescue teams and other concerned citizens. NMTF1 is administered by the Department of Public Safety Office of Emergency Management. 

The Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) was deployed to Houston on Sunday. DMAT is a 35 member team of volunteer medical professionals, doctors, nurses and others, who will help local hospitals and medical personnel in the affected disaster areas.

New Mexico Red Cross has sent two-- ten person volunteer teams and supplies.

New Mexicans are very generous when our neighbors are in need but donations of food, clothing and other things can not be accepted. Transportation to these affected areas is severely limited and these items would have to be stockpiled, stored and would not reach those in need. Donations of money should be made to the Red Cross or other disaster relief organizations.

The State of New Mexico will be sending more highly skilled and trained volunteers as the affected states request more help.

NAIOP Mayoral Forum Recap

Link: Duke City Fix � Thoughts on the ABQ Mayoral Forum.

Chantal the HFIC (Head Fixer In Charge) has a great reacp on yesterday's $23 per head (WTF?)  NAIOP Mayoral Forum.

Some highlights:

On Chavez:

Chavez perked up when the crowd responded to his request to "give me a council that will engage in good corporate citizenship."

On Winter:

If you're looking for the 3rd way to salvation in the Rio Grande Valley, Brad Winter might be it.

On Griego:

Griego handled himself well in the lion's den. Furthermore, he was the only candidate to address the untouchable issue of tribal rights to regional water

On Steele:

"Is he crazy?"

Like a Fox!

Victims of Huricane Katrina Need Your Help Now

New Orleans may have dodged a fatal bullet yesterday but much of the Gulf Coast is starting to pick up the pieces today.  In Mississippi up to 80 people are feared dead.  The hurricane left more than a million people without power and submerged highways even hundreds of miles from its center. 

It's time to help out our fellow Americans and the best way that New Mexican's can do that is by donating to the Red Cross. 

Give cash! Here's why:

"The Red Cross have already mobilized people from around the country to head to the Gulf coast and they're the best at dispensing aid, assessing needs and getting reconstruction going.  They know what they're doing, and while not infalible, they're quite good.  There's no need to reinvent the wheel."

DONATE TO THE RED CROSS HERE

Sunday Funnies

The Abq. Journal

Two weeks ago Governor Richardson took the initiative to give New Mexico border counties the resources they needed.  The Governor took the lead largely because Bush's Republican controlled congress is more interested in playing politics instead of governing.

Folks in the MSM and the RNM have been distorting and trying to smear the good Governor since he released more than $700,000 to Dona Ana, Luna, and Hidalgo counties. 

Today the Journal wakes up to the fact that the topic of immigration is a "flash point" and will now begin covering it.  Today's story marks the beginning of their focus on immigration.

• Residents Absorb Some Illegal Immigrants' Costs in Return for Labor
• The battle has officially begun over the proposed increase in the minimum wage on the Oct. 4 ballot in Albuquerque.
• The Rio Rancho school board has brought the national debate over the origins of life to New Mexico classrooms.

The Trib
I love that the Trib leads the Sunday Web Edition with highschool football and Sports Center.  Orale Trib!

• WELCOME TO THE MACHINE
  La Cueva plugs in this year's parts on offense and defense and steamrolls highly rated Manzano
• El Pinto caters to sports show.  ESPN Sports Center is in the North Valley on Tuesday!
• Border safety steps discussed.  Richardson, Reyes Baeza ask for more police and closer watch.

More New Mexico newspaper roundup on the flip

Cannon Stays Alive

Via the Albuquerque Journal

Friday,  August 26, 2005

"... Cannon Stays Alive"


Associated Press
      WASHINGTON — A federal panel voted Friday to accept the Pentagon's recommendation to send Cannon Air Force Base's three F-16 fighter squadrons to bases elsewhere — but stopped short of closing the base.
       Instead, the commission voted 6-0, with two abstentions, to turn it into an enclave, keeping the eastern New Mexico base open in a much reduced form while the Defense Department searches for another mission for it.
       "It's not a closure; it allows a facility to remain open in a diminished state,'' said Commissioner Samuel Skinner, who offered the amendment.
       The decision asks the secretary of defense to re-examine the closure recommendation and find a new mission for the base if possible. If a new mission is defined before 2010, Cannon can be designated an active base again; if not, the Department of Defense can close it.
       "We're declaring a partial victory,'' Gov. Bill Richardson said before the vote but after the admendment had been proposed. "... Cannon stays alive; it stays open.''
       Commissioners said the decision over Cannon was one of the most agonizing they faced in the entire BRAC process, forcing them to weigh what was good for the nation against what was good for a community that they praised for its resolute support of the military.

CLOVIS BRAC UPDATE

BREAKING NEWS!

UPDATE VII
12:02
KRQE is the first to have it:

BRAC votes to remove F-16's from Cannon
Source: KRQE News 13 / AP

WASHINGTON -- A federal panel has voted to accept the Pentagon's recommendation to send Cannon Air Force Base's three F-16 fighter squadrons to bases elsewhere.

But the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission has stopped short of closing the base.

The commission voted six-to-one, with two abstentions, to turn Cannon into an enclave.

The vote keeps the eastern New Mexico base open in a much reduced form while the Defense Department searches for another mission for it.

Commissioner Samuel Skinner offered the amendment to turn the base into an enclave.

He says it allows the base to remain open in a diminished state.

UPDATE VI
11:51

CANNON AFB GETS A REPRIVE UNTIL 2009
Details to follow.

UPDATE V

11:38
Well the committee reconvened but did not return a decision on CAFB due to a "typo" in the decision report.

A Typo?  Come On!

Update IV
11:23 am

The New Mexico Channel reports

WASHINGTON -- The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission has rejected a plan that would have realigned Cannon Air Force Base instead of closing it.      The tight vote ended a morning of commission deliberations to close the base.      

The Pentagon contends the base is no longer needed as the Air Force consolidates and phases out its F-16 fighters.      Cannon's fate remains in limbo as the commission went into a noon recess. After the break, the panel is expected to consider another compromise plan that would keep the base open with greatly reduced operations.      

Gov. Bill Richardson said he's optimistic Cannon will remain open in some form.

UPDATE III
9:41 am
The WaPo has bios of all the BRAC commission members here.

UPDATE II
9:28 am

Gen. Newton's Motion fails on 4-3 vote with two abstentions.  Three members who voted against the motion were Anthony Principi, Harold W. Gehman Jr, and Samuel Knox Skinner. 

A new motion was submitted to the committee by Skinner which would give CAFB enclave status. Under this status CAFB would remain open in a diminished state until the Secretary of the Air Force found new missions for CAFB.  If the SOAF is unable to find new missions for the base CAFB would be closed.

The committee has recessed until 1:30 pm (EST). 

The Journal has an update on their homepage.

UPDATE I
The BRAC committee just went into a 15 minute recess quite possibly to consider the fate of CAFB.  BRAC committee member  General Lloyd Warren Newton, USA (Ret.), submitted a motion to the committee right before the committee adjourned for their break.   

FYI: Gen. Newton is a retired Air Force general, now executive vice president for military engines at Pratt & Whitney, a manufacturer of plane engines. He was recommended by Sen. Frist.

The motion if successful would move the F-38 fighter and trainings wing from Moody AFB to CAFB.  The F-16 wing from CAFB would be broken up and sent up to 5 different AFB arround the country.

Governor Richardson stayed in Washington, D.C. at the request of one of the BRAC commissioners who supports the Governor’s efforts to keep Cannon Air Force Base open.

“The situation is very fluid,” Governor Bill Richardson said. “We continue to have discussions with commissioners about various scenarios to keep Cannon open.

“This is an important decision facing the state. I will remain here to lobby the BRAC until the last possible moment to make sure we save Cannon.”