Your Last Chance to Vote
The rightwing tilt of American politics today, pro-cop, anti-Black, anti-immigrant, and the voter suppression of disagreeable Democrats, should tell you something about what to expect from Republican extremists, funded by billionaire descendants of the John Birch era back in the fifties and sixties, who are coming to power. The Taos News and the Santa Fe New Mexican elites have joined the party at GOP headquarters on the fourth floor of the Santa Fe Roundhouse, where Gov. Martinez circles the legislature like a predatory coyote. Hometown newspaper? Not likely.
Still, some of my best friends are Republicans and I urge you to vote today for Virgil Martinez as Commissioner and Ron Montez as Taos County Sheriff. Taos Republicans from the grass roots era of New Mexico shoulder a tradition that is more populist and leftward leaning than Democrats in my home state of Nevada. Heck even Nixon, a Republican, famously gave back Blue Lake to Taos Pueblo.
We northern Nevadans who grew up under the influence of radio announcers Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons, followed Willie Mays out to the west-left coast and have cheered the Giants since 1958. To put it all in perspective, when the Giants win the World Series, the rest of the world slips into oblivion. For another week or so I won’t wake up regardless of who wins the election.
Yet I want to remind you of at least one good thing the Democrat, AG Gary King, has done and the things left undone by corrupt Democrats. Gary sent an assistant Attorney General up to Taos to prosecute the case against Dr. Aversa, the Stray Hearts progenitor of cruelty to animals, according to a report from the State Board of Veterinary Medicine. Hence King called out the liars, who sponsored the cover-up at The Taos News, the Stray Hearts board, and the columnist at Taos Bark.
Taos Friction also reminds voters that the DA’s office issued “hometown subpoenas,” without authorization by the court or grand jury and in the name, reportedly, according to The Taos News forum, of Taos Police Chief Jerry Hogrefe, who is the democratic candidate for sheriff. Jerry and the Pacemakers at Stray Hearts and The Taos News deserve a thumbs down.
The weekly’s writers and advertisers, some of their endorsed candidates and supporters are all doing the Taos Shuffle: I didn’t know, we did “something,” but we don’t understand and we won’t do it again (implied). One must ask if the editors and alleged do-gooders, endorsed ones, etc. know the difference between right and wrong?
Perhaps they can be excused like “Former Santa Fe Municipal Judge Fran Gallegos (who) demonstrated a “high level of incompetence or ignorance,” according to a famous story in the Santa Fe New Mexican. “Judge Michael Vigil said incompetence does not equal criminal intent as he dismissed 12 counts of felony records tampering brought against Gallegos.”
“I’m incompetent, but I’m not a crook,” a tearful Gallegos proclaimed to a throng of supporters after hearing.”
I imagine that’s what Donald, Emilio, and Jerry will plead at some point to excuse their behavior in the Hometown Subpoena case, which has resulted in the dismissal of charges against the Kit Carson Robbers, who got away with $200,000 of the members’ money. So that’s why your electric rates are going up? Ask Jerry, Donald, and Emilio.
We think Taosenos can do better. This may be the last free election what with elite extremists coming to power, who plan on exporting our brothers and sisters back to Mexico. After visiting Juarez in search of affordable dentistry, my favorite politician Virgil Martinez said about the border fence, “I don’t know if they are putting up the fence to keep us in or keep us out.”
Vote for Virgil: he’s our kind of Republican, the “Mad Bum(garner)” and MVP of politics. Oh, yes, Virgil walks the talk. He’s the Man from Cerro.