More Opinions Columnists

• V.B. Price: Preserving our water is greatest challenge the city, state faces
• Jeffry Gardner: End of The Trib is part of the demise of serious journalism
• Katherine Augustine: Time with friends from Japan provides treasured memories

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

Years ago, the argument here against term limits ran that without Sen. Pete Domenici's seniority and stature, New Mexico's already weak economy would become almost non-existent.

Recent years have seen us develop some industry - Intel and Eclipse immediately come to mind. But a Seattle Times Web posting titled "The Favor Factory" offers insight into just how much Sen. Domenici brought to our tables.

The Times' link was part of a series dedicated to highlighting the practice of congressional earmarks. Type in a senator's or representative's name, and discover, as best as the Times' staff could, how much each member of Congress socked away for home-state projects. You can also learn who received the money - again, as best as could be determined by Times researchers.

At the top of the list for 2007 was our retiring senior senator. According to the Times, Sen. Domenici's defense earmarks totaled more than $1.2 billion. Yes, billion.

Much of the last election's misery for Republicans was the Democrats' spin that all earmarks are evil. Certainly millions, probably billions, go to questionable projects and programs. But the overwhelming amount of Domenici's earmarks have translated into jobs for New Mexicans. Far from the "bridge to nowhere" - the name for a $200 million earmark Sen. Ted Stevens sought for his Alaskan constituents - the net effect of Domenici's efforts can easily be quantified.

Look: A billion dollars pumped into California or Texas is nice. But a billion dollars shot into New Mexico is something akin to life-giving.

A recent Tribune commentary optimistically offered that absent Domenici's economic influence, New Mexico could be forced to generate its own economy. No doubt about that. Of course, a crack addict tying himself up in a cave would force him to clean up. If he survived.

We're not simply addicted to federal money; we've also clung like baby opossums to the back of our parochial political ways. When a campaign ad or bumper sticker asks me to "Vote Democratic for a Change," I ask: Are these people living in the same state as I am? Or even the same dimension?

Domenici has done what he had to do to keep us afloat, because our state Legislature has long been ruled by - mired by - the Democratic Party. Look up the word fiefdom, and you'll find a picture of our Roundhouse.

Many of this state's most powerful politicians represent regions that habitually rank at the top of national unemployment figures, counties with frightening repeat-DWI numbers or public schools loaded with state dollars yet buried with high dropout rates and poor academic results.

Electing a worthy replacement for Domenici is certainly important. But we can't overemphasize how desperately we need an intervention to get our local House and Senate in order.