New Mexico, known as the Land of Enchantment, is a land of corruption. Many New Mexicans are enchanted with our loveable corrupt rogues. The only thing we ask is that they act with panache. We do not like people who bash suckers in the head and scurry away with their wallets.
No, we want great schemes that leave us breathless as to the audacity. We want to laugh at the way that these rogues shred the laws by knowing which Judges are up for a bribe and which Judges are not. These Robin Hoods make a good living and make us glad that they came to our little slice of heaven to enliven the environs.
We do not mind the dollars they steal from us, the taxpayers, as long as we are entertained in the theft. We know that government takes and we give, what we want is to laugh when we give.
I do not know why people look surprised when they metaphorically turn over a government rock and find night creatures. That is just the way many New Mexico leaders operate. As is the habit of little dogs to bark and bite, many of our leaders enrich themselves as did their parents and their grandparents. Their cousins all have government jobs.
While I am painting with a broad brush, there is a base coat of truth. Know this: there are three types of government leaders you will meet in New Mexico:
First, there are the incorruptible leaders who will likely as not punch you in the nose if you suggest they can be bought. They cannot and unless you get up in the morning saying, “I sure need a good punch in the snout,” it is best to leave them alone. I am always impressed because they do work for the good of the people.
Second, there are those corrupt leaders who expect you to know that to get anything done you must “Pay the Piper” in some form. They are quite aggrieved when citizens seem to think they should do something for the good of the state or community. No, they are there to take from the rich and give to the poor… which poor? Us poor, as they say with a smirk.
Finally, there are the inbetweener leaders who are not naturally corrupt but do have their price. Often the price is not money. It may be a job for a son-in-law or a trip or the attention of a former cheerleader. The “Fixers” who get things done know that a pretty smile will go farther than stack of twenties with some.
The problem for most corrupt leaders involves the idea that the media is watching. Most of the time the media is only watching a little bit because there are too few journalists working in each organization to spend the thousands of hours it takes to bring down these corrupt politicians. Most media are just getting by financially. In fact, it is the great hope of many journalists to get a government job with a pension.
As for the authorities who are supposed to catch the crooks, what of them? Many are political animals who know how far to go and which of the “Fixers” to leave alone. There is a price politically to be paid if someone starts sticking their neck where it does not belong.
Most of us shrug. Corruption is our state’s currency. Only open government and a vibrant media can clean it up. Further, even the ones who cannot be bribed know deep down who is on the take, either for money or for other intangibles. It is hard to get them to rat out the corrupt leaders because they never know how deep the corruption runs.
We need a zero tolerance to corruption, but who has the nerve?
Dr. Michael Swickard hosts the syndicated radio talk show News New Mexico on six to nine a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
No, we want great schemes that leave us breathless as to the audacity. We want to laugh at the way that these rogues shred the laws by knowing which Judges are up for a bribe and which Judges are not. These Robin Hoods make a good living and make us glad that they came to our little slice of heaven to enliven the environs.
We do not mind the dollars they steal from us, the taxpayers, as long as we are entertained in the theft. We know that government takes and we give, what we want is to laugh when we give.
I do not know why people look surprised when they metaphorically turn over a government rock and find night creatures. That is just the way many New Mexico leaders operate. As is the habit of little dogs to bark and bite, many of our leaders enrich themselves as did their parents and their grandparents. Their cousins all have government jobs.
While I am painting with a broad brush, there is a base coat of truth. Know this: there are three types of government leaders you will meet in New Mexico:
First, there are the incorruptible leaders who will likely as not punch you in the nose if you suggest they can be bought. They cannot and unless you get up in the morning saying, “I sure need a good punch in the snout,” it is best to leave them alone. I am always impressed because they do work for the good of the people.
Second, there are those corrupt leaders who expect you to know that to get anything done you must “Pay the Piper” in some form. They are quite aggrieved when citizens seem to think they should do something for the good of the state or community. No, they are there to take from the rich and give to the poor… which poor? Us poor, as they say with a smirk.
Finally, there are the inbetweener leaders who are not naturally corrupt but do have their price. Often the price is not money. It may be a job for a son-in-law or a trip or the attention of a former cheerleader. The “Fixers” who get things done know that a pretty smile will go farther than stack of twenties with some.
The problem for most corrupt leaders involves the idea that the media is watching. Most of the time the media is only watching a little bit because there are too few journalists working in each organization to spend the thousands of hours it takes to bring down these corrupt politicians. Most media are just getting by financially. In fact, it is the great hope of many journalists to get a government job with a pension.
As for the authorities who are supposed to catch the crooks, what of them? Many are political animals who know how far to go and which of the “Fixers” to leave alone. There is a price politically to be paid if someone starts sticking their neck where it does not belong.
Most of us shrug. Corruption is our state’s currency. Only open government and a vibrant media can clean it up. Further, even the ones who cannot be bribed know deep down who is on the take, either for money or for other intangibles. It is hard to get them to rat out the corrupt leaders because they never know how deep the corruption runs.
We need a zero tolerance to corruption, but who has the nerve?
Dr. Michael Swickard hosts the syndicated radio talk show News New Mexico on six to nine a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
