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Thursday, March 08, 2007
Statement by Senator John Grubesic on Action to Stop Debate of NM Impeachment Resolution
This is a statement just released by Senator John Grubesic (D-Santa Fe), who was one of the sponsors of SJR 5, the impeachment resolution that was killed without debate this afternoon. He's one of the patriots in our NM Democratic caucus and in today's America, along with co-sponsor Gerald Ortiz y Pino, all the other Democratic Senators who voted for the resolution as it was passed through three committees and all the ordinary citizens who worked so hard on this effort. I hope future generations will know that there were many who dedicated themselves to stopping the madness of the Bush era, whether we are ultimately successful or not. Not everyone clung to business as usual, in the worst possible sense.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SENATOR JOHN T.L. GRUBESIC
MARCH 8, 2007
This country was founded by rebels. This country was forged in violence, ferocity, dissent and uproar. This country is vanishing before our eyes, not because we are blind, but because we are willing participants in its destruction. Today on the Senate floor you witnessed an excellent example. The Impeachment Resolution died quietly with no debate whatsoever. The dignity of the New Mexico State Senate was maintained as we followed carefully designed rules of procedure to ensure that nothing disrupted the workings of this austere body. We did a great job of making it appear that government was working.
However, we have to ask, which government and on whose behalf? The action taken by the Senate was not the action taken by a body that protects the freedoms of a sovereign people. The action was a carefully orchestrated option designed to protect the integrity of an institution and perpetuate the well oiled workings of government. A government that has evidently forgotten that we serve at the pleasure of those we govern.
It is clear, that from the highest levels of government in our country down to our State, very few of us want to deal with the unpleasant political mess that impeachment could become. Our actions today showed where our priorities are, we forgot that the Constitution was not designed to serve government, but to protect the people. There should have been a debate, argument, uproar. Instead, we quietly gutted the sovereign power of the people with polite political procedure.
When future generations look back on our time, the shock will not be because of the violent, impolite nature of the fight that preceded the destruction of Constitutional government, but by the meekness with which we watched it die.
To read our post on the Senate vote today, click here.
To read all our previous posts on this issue, visit our impeachment archive.
March 8, 2007 at 06:00 PM in Impeachment, NM Legislature 2007 | Permalink
Comments
Well, just got done writing a scathing letter to be published in the Alibi to those in the Democratic Party opposing the idea of impeachment. Not sure how much good it'll do by the time the next edition comes out, but... hopefully it'll be there, at least.
I also finally got around to making another anti-Bush design for my store... it has a picture of him smiling and says, "Your ignorance is his bliss."
Posted by: <| Mar 8, 2007 6:43:30 PM
Hurrah for what Sen. Grubesic says in his statement. Someday, if we survive, people will look back at this era and wonder why so many were taking such pleasure in conducting business as usual. It's almost like it turns them on to insist there is no emergency at hand when there are so many emergencies at once its hard to keep them all straight.
A passionate thank you to all who are fighting the good fight on every level by any means. And to the rest of those who haven't yet woken you, your time time will come.
Posted by: bloggo | Mar 8, 2007 7:35:33 PM
Yes, a big thanks to the citizens that went to SF and spoke out! And to the handful of true legislators who did listen. It will be telling in history that today was the day the NM legislature killed the impeachment bill, to hold accountable bush who is killing countless humans everyday, and meanwhile vote almost unanimously for the ban on cock fighting.
It tells me they care more about chickens killing, ripping each other apart then the humans doing that same primal behavior.
It is truly ironic on the very same day, one bill after the other. Priorities? Don't let the chickens fight and kill each other. Let the humans go on killing in this senseless lie of a war for oil.
Posted by: Mary Ellen | Mar 8, 2007 8:14:35 PM
The chickens are going to come home to roost.
It is just a matter of time. Check out the spending ticker on the top right corner of this blog....405 billion and counting! And counting and turning real fast. 2 billion a week.
Insane and no sign of this madness stopping. It is like these people who represent us are in another world.
Taxation without representation.
Posted by: Mary Ellen | Mar 8, 2007 8:23:36 PM
What is with Altamirano, Taylor, Cisneros, Griego (Phil) and Ulibarri playing patsy with the Bush lovers? Altamirano voted for impeachment in committee then flips around to kiss Bush's butt and avoid even a debate on the floor? Altamirano has been around way too long. Let's hope the new wave in Silver City washes him out to sea. What a schmuck.
Posted by: Jim | Mar 8, 2007 9:30:33 PM
Well have you watched what Michael Sanchez is doing up front and behind the scenes this year? All he cares about is proving his is bigger than Richardson's, the hell with the people.
People are so sick of these crooked Democrats from the old power blocs and their crap. I wonder when the people in their districts will wake up and see they are robbing their own people blind. First it was the for profit prisons, now its the payday loan crooks and the gambling casino mob. No wonder they want to make sure no campaign finance reform passes.
Posted by: roundhouse rat | Mar 8, 2007 9:38:50 PM
It's really a sad day in New Mexico that those Senators chose to act like cowards and kill this legislation because IMO they didn't have the fortitude to openly vote against it on the Senate floor for all to see.
Posted by: VP | Mar 8, 2007 10:08:57 PM
Because of 'social engineering.'
The myth that we are a free country is perpetuated by the 'free' market, which constantly smothers us in other things which are of course more interesting than the operations of our government.
We are 'distracted' by all the 'better things' going on in life, whether it be britney's new bald head or the Eagles I watched lose their superbowl chances for the 5th straight year.
"Who watches the watchers?"
Posted by: Phil E. Drifter | Mar 8, 2007 11:26:30 PM
Phil- even so, we pretty much only have ourselves to blame. The free market system in itself is basically flawless. The news reports what people want to hear about, and people are under the mistaken impression that politics are for "eggheads."
It's unfortunate... myself, I feel that celebrity gossip is basically worthless tripe... and I think that the whole thing with Scott Peterson, for instance, was way over reported while much worse and more brutal murders that happened regularly right here in New Mexico went practically unnoticed.
Perhaps a new campaign for such groups as this could be aimed at pointing out what happens when we don't pay attention to the government would be a good course to take. I remember seeing one such ad that ran briefly. Showed a guy being arrested for having hidden newspapers in his car. That was a good start.
(sorry I'm less coherent than normal... feeling a bit weird now)
Posted by: | Mar 9, 2007 12:52:17 AM
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." John F. Kennedy
Posted by: a> | Mar 9, 2007 8:01:43 AM
So sad that these 8 Democrats thought so little of the citizens that vote them in and of our state, that New Mexico doesn't belong meddling in our countries affairs.
The spineless will have to live with this historical decision.
Thank goodness for the true Patriotism and strong backbone of the citizens of New Mexico and the Senators who supported this Resolution who knew right from wrong and expected the President to be held accountable and our Constitution to be upheld for whom it was created for, not to be trampled on for the sake of the Powerful few in destroying our Democracy.
Most thanks to the true Patriots, Senator Ortiz y Pino and Senator Grubesic, for acting upon the peoples wishes, with the backbone that should keep them standing tall, while the others deal with their weakness.
Posted by: Linda | Mar 9, 2007 11:38:58 AM
Randall, I hear what you're saying, but the gubment owns the FCC, therefore nothing can be broadcast without their permission, even corporate media is in cahoots with them because if any of them do anything Uncle Sam doesn't approve of, they get fined for thousands if not millions of dollars.
I think celebrity gossip is tripe as well, but it's enough for all the local and national news coverages half an hour a day, to distract you from all the dastardly deeds our government is doing that no one reports on.
I urge you all to read 'alternative' news sites, ie. those not sucking on Uncle Sams teat. I know a few myself:
www.rawstory.com
www.alternet.org (make sure you check out this one:
www.alternet.org/story/9257/
www.fromthewilderness.com
www.infowars.com
www.prisonplanet.com
Posted by: Phil E. Drifter | Mar 9, 2007 12:13:56 PM
Again, Randall, we the people may be partially to blame, but the sheer fact is that the government opposes true 'freedom of the press,' keeping the populace truly ignorant, slapping fines on any company they see fit, and since they're the government, the buck stops there.
I learned too late in life the subtleties of American law. I didn't know the difference between criminal law and civil law. The police enforce criminal law while the people are left on their own to file civil suits. Amazingly, it was the OJ trial that taught me this. Criminal law found him guilty, that 'he didn't kill his wife,' however he was found guilty in the civil case of whatever-it-was and imposed with millions in fines.
If his family hadn't had money for an attorney, he would have walked away scott-free. As it is, he literally got away with murder.
And you think this is a free market? Why can't I pick up a bag of pot, or cocaine, or opium at my local drug store? None of those drugs are anywhere near as dangerous as alcohol, or as subtle and deadly as tobacco/nicotine; I speak from personal experience. No other drug can make person a stumbly-wumbly fool the way alcohol can. (Of course I can buy tobacco legally and without having to go through the black market because you'll never find someone standing on a street corner in a bad neighborhood peddling tobacco), and if i wanted booze I could go to the 'state' store, I wouldn't need to brew any in my tub when it can be so easily bought instead; alcohol and tobacco combined alone cause roughly 500,000 preventable deaths each year; all illegal drugs combined cause less than 20,000 (and in recorded history, marijuana hasn't killed a single person) despite that they're all still readily-available even after 70+ years of being deemed illegal.
Why are the people caught in possession of such substances, which has harmed no one save themselves, thrown in prison, sometimes for longer sentences than those guilty of murder? Hint: read these, I know they're long but I believe everyone should know the foundation of our drug laws: outright racism/white superiority.)
https://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/whiteb1.htm
(short, about a 20 minute read)
https://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/LIBRARY/studies/vlr/vlrtoc.htm
(much longer, this is only the table of contents)
Then, if you are so inclined, you can order a copy of the book 'The Marijuana Conviction,' written by two university law professors in 1974 and thankfully is back in print again, available at https://product.half.ebay.com/_W0QQprZ994447QQcpidZ1442757 . This is merely the research at the DEA those two professors did, leading to the writing of this book. I also recommend "The Emperor Wears No Clothes (The Authoritative Historical Record of Cannabis and the Conspiracy Against Marijuana) at https://search.half.ebay.com/the-emperor-wears-no-clothes_W0QQmZbooks .
Thankfully (for the government's sake) the news contained within those links was never widespread. Why? Corporate media control.
Posted by: Phil E. Drifter | Mar 9, 2007 1:57:30 PM
just because you have a majority of spineless representatives of the people of new mexico who do not stand up for the constitution never forget that your state, and senators grubesic and ortiz and all you citizens who stood up and spoke for justice gave those of us who have been searching for a way to restore our pride and faith in america , new courage to stand up proudly and fight for what is right. dont give up new mexico. we know all of our states are polluted with politicians who do not represent us,so we will just have to represent ourselves. send in our own impeachment letters
Posted by: rae | Mar 9, 2007 11:43:29 PM
i'm 70 yrs old and have been searching for years for honest politicians. i believe i found them in new mexico. i watched the movie of your hearings. it returned some of my pride in what made america great. thank you senators grubesic and ortiz y pino and thank you citizens of new mexico for standing up for the constitution. it's not over yet.
Posted by: rae | Mar 10, 2007 10:36:24 AM
Ditto - thank you NM people and senators grubesic and ortiz y pino!
Posted by: chico | Mar 11, 2007 11:21:01 AM
Yeah... I add my thanks to those trying to push this through.
Ain't over yet.
Posted by: | Mar 12, 2007 12:29:33 AM
If you don’t put some severe restrictions on this Bailout Proposal, you will never get another vote from me. Please slow down this process. What’s the rush? It’s like the run-up to the Iraqi War all over again. I’m counting on you to stand up for us, the little guys. Democracy is at stake. This is your moral obligation. Bin Laden could never hurt us the way these crooks are trying to.
Posted by: jim | Sep 22, 2008 10:48:13 PM
