Taos Ironies and Clarifications

“When you have “C” students running the country or Defense Secretaries with enormous egos, who ignore history, or private contractors and defense corporations driving policy, you end up in the sand traps of Iraq or getting pummeled in Afghanistan—like the Greeks, Brits, and Soviets.” –Chaucer Henderson

Speaking Truth to Power

The Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, has issued a “Warning Against Wars Like Iraq and Afghanistan,” according to a story By THOM SHANKER, in The New York Times, February 25, 2011. Gates said: “In my opinion, any future defense secretary who advises the president to again send a big American land army into Asia or into the Middle East or Africa should ‘have his head examined,’ (my bold) as General Macarthur so delicately put it,” Mr. Gates told an assembly of Army cadets here [West Point].

Macarthur reportedly said, “Never fight a land war in Asia”—an oft-quoted remark during the anti-Vietnam war protests.

Current Arab unrest suggests, as always, that self-determination is the driving force in sovereign countries, not faux claims about terrorism—another name for criminal behavior. Diplomacy, not war, is the persuasive force: Human rights, not bullets. You can’t build nations from the outside in–self-determination and democracy threaten terrorists. Unions threaten rich people and politicos with hidden agendas.

On Wisconsin

If you want to support the workingmen and women of Wisconsin, call Ian’s Pizza on State, 115 State Street, Madison, WI 53703 at (608) 257-9248 and send the strikers a slice. Folks from all fifty states and across the world have been buying slices for freedom and a decent wages.‎

Although local politicos haven’t come out in support of decertifying unions, the Coopsters and their high-priced CEO have been trying to subvert the members’ business for years. They travel on the members dime and spend big bucks on diverting the members money into Mr. Egoist’s projects. It’s the Taos version of real people v. parasitical politicos–who spend and play while raising the rates.

The Land Grant Reaction

Realtors in Taos are threatening to strike if land grant activists don’t withdraw what some consider “faux” warranty deeds, claiming 40,000 acres of Greater Taos. Aggrieved homeowners are preparing to file lawsuits against individuals responsible for clouding property titles with warranty deeds, based on historic 19th and early 20th Century injustices. About 99% of these claims have been settled by court decisions in the past, so the movida-makers have exposed themselves to allegations of fraud, abuse of process, and causing financial hardship to hundreds of property owners.

We’re all for discussing legitimate land grant claims in the proper forum but filing claims in the County Clerk’s office is a cheap shot. If you have a legitimate claim, and some do, then do your homework and file in court.

On Tuesday, March 1, under Legal Matters, the County Commissioners will discuss claims by La Serna and Arroyo Hondo regarding threatened or pending litigation in which the County may become a participant, particularly, a claim of ownership of Taos County property.”

One of the principle supporters of the La Serna land grant movement in Taos, according to news reports, is a member of the Taos County Planning and Zoning Commission, El Comanche. The Comanche is a former state senator, who was thrown out of the Roundhouse and is an alleged felon. None of the state Governors since the 70s have seen fit to pardon the well known radio announcer and eulogist. A few years ago, El Comanche filed to run for the KCEC Board of Trustees. But NOW (National Organization of Women) objected and the board refused accept the nominating petition. He appears to more concerned about recognition than redemption.

La Martina of Old Martinez Hall must be asking what hit her. She spent more than two million dollars to renovate the historic dancehall. Then the Commission rejected her application for a simple beer and wine license. Now she can’t sell her property because of “faux” warranty deeds. We call it the “The Taos Lesson.”

Below, the Town’s p.r. agent, Cathy Connelly, alerts residents to their options and how to recover from the recent natural gas cut-off. Despite the difficulty of her mission—promoting tourism and the challenges of the economic climate of Greater Taos, Connelly perseveres. The national recession has created challenges for local business. But that’s not enough. Now, Los Taosenos penchant for fighting among themselves at the Town of Taos or Taos Municipal Schools makes it equally challenging to keep up the morale of locals or newcomers.

The new school board has made it clear that they will forego future audits in favor of covering up financial irregularities. The Mayor, Manager, and town council have been debating petty office politics on local radio. The Chamber of Commerce has endorsed the Coop’s secret doings, like the Broadband initiative, and by implication, the cover-up of cross-subsidization and irresponsible spending for the last decade at the Coop.  The County has one set of rules for outsiders and another for insiders: Think La Martina, the Outlaw Garage, etc.

On one side of the coin, you have Connelly trying to reinforce the image of bucolic, pastoral, and peaceful Taos. On the other side of the coin, you have El Comanche, representing the Taosenos unique brand of ethnocentrism. In philosophy we call this an antinomy or “irony.” Even if contradictory, both sides of the coin can be seen as true.

But from the politician’s point of view—County, Schools, Town, and Coop–it’s called heads I win; tails you lose. As the economy sinks, the pyramid has turned upside down. At the tip of the upside down pyramid, the taxpayers pick up the tab for the follies—those who manage and who work for local government and the Coop. The follies are funny but comedy is ultimately tragic for children who are deprived of an education or multicultural citizens, threatened by ruin, who are trying to sell, refinance, or just survive.

Here’s a note from the helpful Connelly.

“DFA’s Local Government Division Offers Help to Low-Income Residents Affected by Gas Shortage: Low-income New Mexico residents who sustained damage to homes during freezing temperatures and a natural gas outage earlier this month can get help for needed repairs through the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). DFA’s Local Government Division is making $1.1 million available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG). Eligible participants can fund emergency repairs up to $2,000 for problems such as broken pipes, repairs to water heaters and furnaces and water damage to walls. New Mexico regional planning districts are taking applications through March 18.

“To qualify, residents of affected areas must meet certain income limits depending upon family size and other localized factors. For example, a single mother in Espanola who has three children must have total income of less than $35,900 to receive financial assistance under this program. Pueblos and tribes that receive direct funding from HUD are encouraged to submit applications to HUD’s office in Albuquerque. The program is offered strictly for repairs on individual properties – weather-related damage from the utility meter to the home’s interior — and is not available for municipal or community projects.

“Also, this financial assistance is not available to homeowners who have home insurance and can file claims with their insurers. Applications must be submitted through the various New Mexico regional planning districts to confirm eligibility. Officials will submit a list of qualified residents to DFA for review and approval. Qualified payments will be processed expeditiously. Qualified residents who already paid for eligible repairs can seek reimbursement but receipts must reflect services performed after February 1. Interested residents should contact the regional planning office in their area. North Central Economic Development District, Santa Fe, (505) 827-7313 — Colfax, Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Santa Fe and Taos counties.”

“As part of the Town’s ongoing commitment to help generate various types of affordable housing for area residents, the Town is conducting a housing needs survey. The information gathered will serve to guide housing programs in the Taos area. Print surveys can be found in the lobby of Town Hall, the Public Library, and the Youth and Family Center starting this Saturday, 2/26. Complete them and return them to any of those locations. A link to an online version of the survey can be found on the Town’s web site, surveymonkey.com/s/taos_housing The deadline for responses is March 30th. We thank you for your participation, and look forward to hearing your responses.”