What about Bill Richardson?

[liveonearth]

OK, I confess, I didn't like him at first because he's fat. Yep. I admit it, I'm a skinny bigot. But on further study this guy is good. New Mexico two term governor who was elected the second time with 69% of the votes. SIXTY NINE PERCENT. Since when have you seen a state full of people approve of someone's work that much? And New Mexico is racially mixed--the Latinos, the Tribes, and the whites all support him. He's half Mexican.

He promised to cut government waste by 90 million and ended up cutting it by 230 million. The state has the biggest budget surplus ever, and he has been cutting taxes for everyone. Jobs are up, education is improved.... and all this is just his New Mexico governorship. He has served 7 terms in the US Congress. He was Clinton's Energy Secretary. In New Mexico he required 20% of NM's energy come from renewable sources, and he's ready to bump that bar higher.

So nobody can say that this guy doesn't have enough experience. He has an impressive record of fruitful action.

Richardson did stick one hoof wayyyy down his gullet when he said he wasn't calling for Roberto Gonzalez's resignation only because he is Hispanic. He had to take that one back. But he did. That one comment seemed to reveal a pro-Mexican bias, as this article asserts.
http://www.phxnews.com/fullstory.php?article=47769
The commenters on the above linked article called for Richardson's resignation over that statement of racial alliegance. They call him a racist and act as if it is a fatal flaw and he is not fit to serve. But I disagree. Mexicans, indeed Hispanics around the world, have a proud tradition of family alliegance and a strong sense of UNITED WE STAND--and the ability to build community is what we need in this nation. Richardson plainly was able to unite races to common goals in New Mexico. I'd rather have a Mexican president than another Fundamentalist Christian. Mexicans are more realistic.

As for Barack Obama, whose book is languishing on my bedside table--he is a thinker and a kind heart, but I am coming to agree with his critics that he is too young, too fresh, too inexperienced. I might even come to think that he is too idealistic. His ideas are out of focus, at least. I can't really tell what he thinks, beyond the constant assertion that we need to open our hearts and put away our kneejerk positions, and really talk. Communicate across all the divides. He is right that we should do that.....but should doesn't make it so. How would he make it so? How could he facilitate what he proposes? That part is unclear.

On Richardson:
http://www.governor.state.nm.us/governor.php
http://richardsonforpresident.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Richardson

Comments

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

I'm already voting for Richardson. Find your own candidate. :)

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

:) is right. It's a joy to find someone good that I didn't know about!! What do you think about the "racist" criticism?

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

I meant, what do you think of the assertion that Richardson is a racist, and that he would try to annex the US onto Mexico??

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

What? Try to annex the US onto Mexico? That's just silly. Does someone really believe that?

Richardson, to me, has more allegiance to the global community than the United States. Maybe that makes me a traitor, but I think it's a sensible approach. Regardless, I don't think he has any intentions of doing anything with Mexico other than improving our relations with them. Which, frankly, is a much-needed position with our growing Hispanic population and immigration concerns.

You probably know more about this than I do, being in Arizona. Immigration is a serious issue here (Wisconsin), but I highly doubt we feel the impact of the Southwest.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

There's a lot of hot-headedness here about immigration, but precious little clear thinking. Flagstaff (where I live) is about 25% Mexican. The Mexicans do the manual labor for the entire region. If Shrub et al start making these people go back to Mexico to apply for citizenship, there will be a labor crisis. Which is not all bad. We don't need more suburbs anyway.

That's reassuring that you think Richardson's allegiance is to the global community. That is precisely the angle that we need. I like him better & better.

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

I have no strong feelings on immigration one way or the other. I support strong penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants. But, at the same time, I don't really feel there's a threat posed by people coming into this country (at least not these particular people).

My thoughts on Richardson are just my thoughts. I may be very wrong. But when I see a man who is the governor of New Mexico spend a fair amount of his free time negotiating peace deals in foreign lands, I get the distinct impression he is just as concerned with the well-being of others as he is with his own people. Which I like -- any "us versus them" rather than "we're all in this together" mentality seems like a problem just waiting to happen.

[gavin6942.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, I see.

I will admit Richardson has made some gaffes, and this was probably one of them. I understand his intentions on the comment even if I think they're misguided. But I'm not really putting much of an emphasis on what they say so much as what their records are and what they'll likely do in office.

Richardson is not an eloquent man, but he has the experience and is a master diplomat. I'd rather have great policy than great speeches.

[b-vainamoinen.livejournal.com]

One of my co-workers said that senators have a lot of trouble getting elected because being in the senate means that you are forced to make decisions that benefit one group of people at the expense of another group of people -- whereas, a governor basically is never in a position where what he does winds up screwing other people, so people tend to like governors better than senators.

All that aside, Richardson is a mighty competitive candidate and I think we will begin to see that very soon.

I totally agree with your assessment of Obama. He's too young and too idealistic.

[hausfrauatu.livejournal.com]

I <3 Richardson.

Tim Russert tried to eviscerate him on Face the Nation. He kept pointing out mistakes. Well, he's been around and has had the chance to make mistakes. I'd rather he learn how to deal with screwups BEFORE he becomes President. And Russert was all, "You are 4sth in theis and 49th in that, what's up with that?"

If the guy had ever BEEN to NM he would realize that there isn't much to it other than Albaquerque (SP) and Santa Fe. It was very...empty...with small towns and tumblweeds bouncing across the highway. Not a bit tax base. So He's done pretty well.

Obama hasn't done enought to make mistakes. It's sort of like thinking a virgin would be a great lay. Maybe. Maybe not. I guess it's all about the high hopes.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

What's Tim Russert's slant?

I know what you mean about hoping.....but we don't need a virginal president.