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Happy New Year

Guess what? I have arrived! I found out that no more than eight days after I mailed my last letter it was read out loud at a large Union meeting in Albuquerque. At how many business meetings do you suppose the letter was read and discussed? I don't know. You tell me. I'll bet it wasn't many. Business people don't want to talk about what's going on. They don't want to admit they've made mistakes, and boy, have they made mistakes. In fact it is so bad we might assume business people are "not quite bright."

So why do I think business people (and others) are "not quite bright?" Let me tell you. The "not quite bright" business community has started having its traditional pre-legislative breakfasts, lunches and dinners for legislators. These functions have been hosted year after year. Do business people really truly believe these breakfasts, lunches and dinners affect votes cast in Santa Fe? Won't the business community ever learn that food and booze will not change a Liberal Union Democrat? Liberal Union Democrats vote just as their leadership tells them.

Did you notice in the run off election for Albuquerque's Mayor that the Unions did not make an endorsement? That means the Unions knew they had already won. Have you ever stopped to realize that if the Unions have already won, the business community has already lost? But business people, being "not quite bright," still gave donations to both candidates. Some business people supported one candidate. Some business people supported the other candidate. In fact, some business "types" even gave to both candidates. These business "types" figure that when you bet on both sides you are always a winner. This is as bad as having two wives at one time - that's being "half bright." Kinda strange, isn't it... .The Union leaders spend their money intelligently and business people waste theirs. In New Mexico it's like that all the time. No wonder the business community loses. No wonder we're 45th in per capita income (and dropping).

Recently Senator Domenici told us we could lose funding for our military bases in the near future. Then the influential Democrats in Santa Fe started saying our per capita income will drop another two or three places. But these Democrats do not talk about the laws we need to change to encourage existing businesses and attract new business. Union officials won't let them. Democrats just wring their hands and say "How can we get more Federal spending?" or "The state must spend more so we can be better off." They sound a lot like their big brothers in Congress.

I have talked about how the business community approaches politics and how their actions are "not quite bright." There is another "not quite bright" group. The second group is officials representing school teachers. These teacher representatives support the anti-business Union Liberal Democrats. The teachers' unions' leaders should realize that when business is down, taxes are down and taxes are the funds which pay their members' salaries. Every time Union Liberal Democrat Legislators vote against business issues they slowly strangle the goose (business) that lays the golden eggs (taxes) for teachers.

The above paragraph applies equally to the university leaders. No matter how many Ph.D. professors the universities have, most of them support Liberal Democrats. These highly educated people must have failed Agriculture 101. You remember, the class which taught the "horse before the cart theory." For the State, this means we must have a tax base to collect taxes (the horse) before Legislators can spend money (the cart) on salaries.

Another "not quite bright" example was in the last Legislative election when the teachers' unions contributed to a trial lawyer who was running against a Republican teacher for State Senate. I think the teachers' unions were "not quite bright." Can a trial lawyer better represent teachers than a teacher?

And yet another group whose actions are "not quite bright" are the Native American leaders. They have on their reservations the highest unemployment in the state, and yet they continue to vote for the Liberal Democrats who vote against anything pro-business. Native American leaders do not seem to realize that if we had more successful businesses all unemployment rates would fall. Then there would be more employment to benefit everyone.

And how about another group - the students at our universities. A lot of them vote and follow Democrats. (Witness the strike for lower tuition last spring at UNM led by the son of former Governor Anaya.) These "not quite bright" students should work for Republicans so there could be more jobs available in New Mexico when they graduate. That way they would not have to leave New Mexico to find work.

And have you ever noticed that the poorest counties in New Mexico elect the most Democrats? You would think this would tell people something, but it doesn't. I have heard Democrats say to people, "You're not rich - so you can't vote Republican," or, "You're poor so you must vote Democrat." And people usually do. Do you suppose these Union Liberal Democrats realize exactly what they're doing? By keeping the business community from expanding, Democrats keep people poor so Liberals keep political control.

You business people and employees out there, please THINK. New Mexico's average annual income is $12,481. If we were able to raise it to Arizona's level, $14,887, or Colorado's level, $16,447, there would be more money in our banks for our bankers. People could buy more cokes and candy. People might upgrade their real estate, buy cars more often, and buy better cars (higher profit margins for dealers). If our average per capita income went up 20% there would probably be a 30% increase in overall business profit, higher wages for our employees and more tax money to raise school teachers'/university professors' wages. We could fund the State's many needs.

So when the Democrat politicians say they are going to help business, ask them how. I think the only way they can help is to change their registration or resign. I doubt they will do this. The only alternative I see is for all "not quite bright" people being hurt to quit helping Liberal Democrats stay in office. People must become bright and help Republicans get elected. Just think, if all small business people and others get together, if owners and employees, teachers, students, Native Americans and university professors become bright, we could elect a new majority that would no longer take orders from Union Liberal Democrats. We must change the government if we are going to change New Mexico. To your friends who say we can't make such drastic change happen, ask them if six months ago they would have thought non-Communist governments would lead Eastern European countries in this decade. Remember -- if they can change governments in East Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Romania, we can make changes here in New Mexico.

There's one last message I have to share and this message wasn't written by me. Please read the letter below. The letter was sent to me recently. It tells the story better than I can. What do you think this man will say about New Mexico after he leaves?

I wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Sincerely,

George D. Buffett

P.S. Start praying. Only 12 days until the Legislature convenes.

November 24, 1989

Representative George B. Buffett
7001 Lomas NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110

Dear Representative Buffett,

I received a copy of your BUFFETT'S BULLETS # 7 this morning and could not wait to inform you that it is refreshing to see that someone has a glimmering of what is going on.

I recently relocated here as the General Manager for New Mexico of a national corporation and am amazed daily by the difficulties of doing business in this State. I do not believe that there is a malicious intent inherent in this anti-business climate; but, rather a lack of management acumen and an unwillingness to investigate long range strategies which avoid crises reactions and encourage economic growth and cost savings. Your point, from my prospective, is well taken that the business community is not doing enough.

Your observations on the educational systems were most piercing. Although my family and I looked forward to living in New Mexico, three months of exposure to the education system, albeit private schools as the best option, have convinced us that for the sake of our children's futures, we must relocate at the earliest possible time.

I must emphasize that I have never heard of you before and I know nothing of your stand on other issues; but, your BULLET #7 hit home for me today.

Sincerely,

name withheld

 

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