Free Republic

This one took out an ad in El Diaro, a Spanish-language daily in New York City, to attract clients for his services facilitating driver’s license acquisition in New Mexico, according to court papers. The cost of the service: $2,500 to $2,700, plus expenses incurred getting to New Mexico. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested and charged Jose Luis Aguirre last month with harboring illegal immigrants Elsa Puente-Vasquez of Ecuador and her husband, Luis Sancho-Pachar, along with Edwin Zorrilla-Ordonez of Colombia. Aguirre’s is the latest case in an international market that has drawn foreign nationals from India, Poland, Brazil, Korea and elsewhere...

Massive wildfires in Arizona continue to grow, burning at least 192, 000 acres of timber and brush, and prompting evacuations most recently in the town of Greer. The fires sent smoke into skies visible from 200 miles away. Residents in White Mountain community of Alpine in eastern Arizona near the New Mexico border were also ordered earlier to evacuate as the fire neared.

I think everyone should lighten up on President Obama. The stimulus is working. Why, just one month ago, he got jobs for 63 Republicans.

Jeff Bingaman (D NM) plans to require employers to set up automatic IRAs for their employees — who would be required to "opt out" if they don't want to participate Snip which targets businesses with 10 or more full-time employees that don't already offer a 401(k) or other qualified retirement program Snip Under Bingaman's plan, prompted by the Obama administration, employees would be automatically enrolled in an Individual Retirement Account, with at least 3 percent of their wages going into it. They could opt out. Their employer would get a tax break equal to the cost of administering the program.

I can see a scenario played out this September as we have no budget for Government Fiscal Year 11 and no prospect of one until after the elections. The Democrats will submit a Continuing Resolution with so much spending and additions that the Republicans will not support it. This will of course shut down the Federal Government just after 1 Oct. The Democrats will then blame the Republicans for shut down the Government and being obstructionist causing a backlash against the Republicans in the November elections. On the other hand, if the Republicans hold their noses and vote for the...

Not sure if this has been posted before, but it sure funny enough for a second posting. The first part is the Republican women. As you're listening to that part, be thinking of what song they will play for the Dems. I laughed out loud when it started. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=sXzrUztyd1Y

The Governor's Office and the state's Children, Youth and Families Department were acting at cross-purposes in May after a high-profile case in which an illegal Mexican immigrant was accused of molesting a 6-year-old girl at an Albuquerque gym. Juan Gonzalez, now 21, had been accused of similar crimes when he was younger, but no one had notified immigration authorities. Enter Gov. Bill Richardson, who announced on May 17 that he was ordering CYFD to start notifying federal immigration authorities when a young illegal immigrant in its care commits a violent crime. At about the same time, though, CYFD was scrapping...

Beginning Jan. 1, you might need a passport. New Mexico is on a collision course with the federal government over a controversial federal ID law. State officials and at least one congressman are scrambling to avoid what could be massive disruption to airline travel. As things stand now, New Mexicans won't be able to use their state-issued driver's licenses to gain airport security clearance starting Jan. 1, 2010. Instead, a passport will have to be presented to board an airplane, a top state official confirmed. …………. New Mexico is one 36 states that don't meet requirements of the federal Real...

SANTA FE — A grand jury Wednesday indicted Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. and his father, former PRC member Jerome Block Sr., on multiple felony counts. The charges stem from campaign finance violations last year during the younger Block's successful, but controversial, bid for the powerful state commission. The eight charges against Block Jr. include two counts of embezzlement, as well as tampering with evidence and violation of election laws. An attorney for Block Jr. noted that the commissioner has already paid civil fines to the New Mexico Secretary of State's Office after admitting to misstatements on campaign finance...

Speaking at Albuquerque Interfaith's 15th anniversary celebration, Lt. Gov Denish said government will need advocacy groups like Interfaith to help retool an ailing state and national economy. "For so long, we thought business made the sole determination about who gets the jobs, but what you and I know is that the community helps to make those decisions, by working together and by organizing," she told about 150 people at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. --snip— "We now know that government can't do this alone," she said, adding that strong advocacy communities are needed "to tell the story of...

My only vanity posting of the year. I love this game each year not just because I was Army and grew up Army but because the players on both sides play the game with CLASS

<p>Two 17-year-old reputed gang members approached a bicycle rider near the painted water tank by the Wal-Mart in Las Cruces Sunday afternoon and allegedly brandished a knife and demanded money, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.</p> <p>The would-be victim, however, was an off-duty Dona Ana County sheriff's deputy, who happened to be armed -- as many off-duty officers are, and produced his handgun, the Sun-News said.</p>

SANTA FE — New Mexico's financial woes won't end if lawmakers and Gov. Bill Richardson plug a budget shortfall estimated at more than $200 million this year. The revenue outlook for the upcoming budget year also appears bleak. There's essentially no new money projected to cover potential increases in operating costs next year for public education, health services for the poor and general government operations ranging from courts to prisons, lawmakers were told Tuesday. That's spells trouble for public school teachers, college faculty and state employees hoping for salary increases next year. The budget squeeze also poses problems for Richardson's...

We in New Mexico need help Freeping this Poll. The Question is: Sarah Palin: Enough already? Or do you still want more coverage? You do not need to be a subscriber to the paper to vote. Thanks

When looking through Dumb Laws at dumblaws.com I came across this one in Utah No one may have sex in the back of an ambulance if it is responding to an emergency call. Can any Freepers tell my why this one went on the books?

As I came out of the supermarket that sunny day, pushing my cart of groceries towards my car, I saw an old man with the hood of his car up and a lady sitting inside the car, with the door open. The old man was looking at the engine. I put my groceries away in my car and continued to watch the old gentleman from about twenty-five feet away. I saw a young man in his early twenties with a grocery bag in his arm, walking towards the old man. The old gentleman saw him coming too and took a...

Friday, April 11, 2008 Gov. Eyes Session Before Primary By Jeff Jones Journal Politics Writer Gov. Bill Richardson says he's inclined to call a special legislative session on health care reform next month— smack-dab in the middle of primary election season. In a round of phone calls Wednesday to state Senate leaders, Richardson said he's considering calling lawmakers back to Santa Fe before the primary election on June 3, when more than 20 House and Senate members face challenges. "The governor has tried to work with Senate leaders to move this issue forward and forge an agreement on health care...

Neither Hillary nor Obama can win the nomination of their party on simply the vote of the people. Remember this is the party that demanded that Al Gore be given the Presidency because he won the popular vote. Hillary would have to get 101.23% of the remaining votes to get the nomination simply on the popular vote which under normal circumstance that would not be possible, however we are talking about the Democrat party. Obama would need 98.16% of the remaining delegates to be nominated by the popular vote and that is not going to happen. So the Super Delegates...

SANTA FE — The House has approved a $6 billion budget to finance public education and general government operations next year. About $2.6 billion will go for public schools. That's an increase for schools of slightly more than 5 percent.

SANTA FE — With the 30-day legislative session at its midpoint, the governor's health coverage bill started moving — but only after a House committee gutted it. The House Health and Government Affairs Committee on Wednesday removed key provisions of Gov. Bill Richardson's universal coverage plan: requiring New Mexicans to have health insurance, and requiring employers to contribute to a fund to help pay for it. Instead, under the committee changes, a newly created Health Care Authority would determine by October 2009 what the impact of such a mandate would be. The requirements in Richardson's bill were "very onerous for...