New Mexico is number 4 in the line of most violent states. And, all of us here in New Mexico know it. Now our wonderful governor has announced that he is repealing the death penalty. From now on all these violent criminals can rest assured that they will get life in prison without parole--at the taxpayers expense. This would be reassuring except that the criminals in New Mexican jails seem to escape a lot and they are never recaptured. So, all you violent criminals out there, come on down to New Mexico, our governor loves all of you, in addition to all the illegal immigrants who are getting everything free. Too bad the Frito Bandito didn't go to Washington DC to live with all the other nuts running this country.

And, now Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac are in on the bonus facade. Paying out big bonuses to folks that put it in the hole. Who is going to be next? Don't ya just love the bank bailout plan from our great Secretary of the Treasury? Sure, why don't we just buy up every failing business in America, why stop with banks that are bankrupt? And, this great plan made the stock market go up 500 points??? Now what is our government going to do with bad banks? To the tune of another trillion dollars. Is this administration a bunch of escapees from mental institutions? We buy up failing banks, and then they fail, and we're out another trillion dollars--and this makes the stock market go up--can someone please explain this to me--cause I really don't get it!!!!

As my grandmother use to say, “It’s all coming out in the wash.” In the current hearings on Capital Hill concerning AIG and their bonuses, Senate Banking committee Chairman, Christopher Dodd told CNN that he was responsible for the language added to the federal stimulus bill to make sure that already-existing contracts for bonuses at companies receiving federal bailout money were honored. The Treasury Department stated it was because administration officials were afraid the government would face numerous lawsuits without the new language. Senator Dodd stated that the “grandfather clause” language “seemed like innocent modifications” at the time. AIG chief executive, Edward Liddy, told Congress the roughly $165 million in bonuses were “distasteful” but necessary because of legal obligations and competition. These bonuses were suppose to be retention bonuses to keep employees until certain departments (the ones gone bad) could be closed out. However, some of the employees receiving the retention bonuses have already left the company. Explain that one Mr. Liddy. I have to agree with U.S. Representative, Barney Frank, from Massachusetts, who stated, “We own this company in effect, and we’re not asking that these bonuses be rescinded because we have lent money to the company. I believe we are saying as the owners of the company, we do not think….we should have paid bonuses to people who made mistakes, who were incompetent.” So, it all comes out in the wash. Our government knew about the bonuses, and they okayed the bonuses because they were afraid that if they didn’t okay the bonuses, employees (past or present) would take AIG to court for the bonuses. Back in 1994 I worked for a government contractor at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. This contractor took social security, federal tax, and state tax out of we, the employees, pay; however, they never paid it to the government. So, the IRS came in one day and shut us down, tagged everything in the office, and told us to leave. This was all without notice to us, the employees. Now we, the employees, were out of a job. We went to court because we, the employees, had been given bad pay checks and they all bounced and we wanted our money. The IRS sent a representative to the hearing and the judge awarded any monies from the sale of the contractors property to the IRS. They told us, the employees, that it was too bad; however, the government had first claims. In other words, the government of the U.S. could screw us, the employees, out of our monies just because they came before us in the pecking order. And, I know the bankruptcy laws, government agencies are paid first. So, the government being afraid of people taking them to court is a line of bull. Change, what change? The government is still sneaking around, lying to the American citizen. And, why? Because they just want to get their share, and pay for it with our taxpaying dollars, and they don't give a darn about us, the taxpayer who is getting screwed in more ways than one. So much for change and honesty in Washington DC. Don't hold your breath until things change in DC.

On the New Mexico West Mesa police have unearthed 13 sets of bones in the last month. Some are headless, making it harder to identify. Four sets of bones have been identified as Albuquerque prostitutes; one pregnant. A serial killer, possibly. Or, perhaps the result of the Mexican drug war. Just across the border in Mexico, drug lords have taken over whole provinces and anyone who get in their way is turning up headless, hung in public places, or they just disappear. And, the Mexican government has no control over what is happening there. Now it's spilling over into New Mexico and our wonderful governor, the Frito Bandito, isn't doing anything to help the situation. So, who is killing people and burying them out on our West Mesa? I guess only time will tell.

AIG is in the news again. More money and they are giving it away. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, AIG is giving huge bonuses (or retention payments) to corporate executives and it's on our tab. And, the government knew about it before it happened and they say there is nothing they could have done to prevent it. Well, wise up Americans, there is something that the government and we can do about it. PULL THE PLUG. They know that they can keep getting away with it and they also know that the government will keep giving them billions because they government feels that they can't be allowed to fail. Let these guys file for bankruptcy, there are chapters of bankruptcy that will accommodate only the bad branches of AIG and will allow the other departments to continue. If you don't want to do that, then believe me there are thousands of good, honest bankers out of work that can take over these positions and make a success of AIG. American citizens are getting sick and tired of bailing out AIG just to have them throw the billions out the window and come crying for more. AIG is suppose to belong 80% to the American taxpayer, but were any of you taxpayers out there consulted on this decision? NO! Our wonderful new Secretary of the Treasury knew about this latest round of bonuses and approved them. But, did he inform us, NO. This has got to stop. If our government won't stop it, well then maybe we should take matters into our own hands. This is not the time to be passive, speak out, call or write your senators and representatives and let them know that you have had enough.