Richardson, Bill – Election 2008 Dossier

Richardson, Bill (D-NM)

BIOGRAPHY [Wikipedia]

 

 

William Blaine “Bill” Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is an American politician and the current Governor of New Mexico. … He has previously served as a U.S. Representative, Ambassador to the United Nations, and as the U.S. Secretary of Energy. He was chairman of the 2004 Democratic National Convention as well as the Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association in 2005 and 2006, overseeing the Democrats’ re-capturing of a majority of the country’s governorships.
Bill Richardson was born in Pasadena, California. His mother … was Mexican. His father was William Blaine Richardson Jr., the son of Boston-born naturalist William Blaney Richardson … and his Mexican wife, Rosaura Ojeda. The elder William and Rosaura moved to Matagalpa, Nicaragua, in the 1890s, where he did research for Smithsonian Institute as a naturalist; some of his findings were published in the Boston Globe up to 1927. William Jr. was born on a boat heading to Nicaragua 1891 …

William Richardson Jr. worked for Citibank as an executive in Mexico City, where he eventually met and married Maria Luisa López-Collada Márquez, who was his secretary. … “My father had a complex about not being born in the United States.” …
Bill Richardson was raised in Mexico City, but his parents sent him to Massachusetts at age 13 to attend a Boston-area preparatory school. Richardson played baseball in high school … and was a pitcher. Richardson went on to play for Tufts University. … Arm trouble later further prevented him from pursuing a professional career in baseball.
At Tufts, he majored in French and political science and was a brother and president of Delta Tau Delta. He then earned a master’s degree from Tufts’ Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. While still in high school, he met his wife, Barbara Flavin. They married in 1972, and have no children.
After college, Richardson worked on congressional relations for the State Department. He was later a staff member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In 1978, he moved to Santa Fe and ran for Congress in 1980, losing … Two years later, Richardson was elected to New Mexico’s newly created third district, taking in most of the northern part of the state. Richardson spent a little more than 14 years in Congress. As a congressman, he kept his interest in foreign relations. He visited Nicaragua, Guatemala, Cuba, Peru, India, North Korea, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Sudan to represent U.S. interests. …
In 1995, he traveled to Baghdad with Peter Bourne and engaged in lengthy one-on-one negotiations with Saddam Hussein to secure the release of two American aerospace workers who had been captured by the Iraqis after wandering over the Kuwait border. He became a member of the Democratic leadership, where he worked closely with Bill Clinton on several issues. …
The Senate confirmed Richardson to be Clinton’s Secretary of Energy on July 31, 1998. His tenure was marred by the Wen Ho Lee nuclear espionage scandal. Richardson was also criticized by the Senate for his handling of the espionage inquiry by not testifying in front of Congress sooner. Richardson justified his response by saying that he was waiting to uncover more information before speaking to Congress.
Richardson created the Director for Native American Affairs position in the Department in 1998 and in January 2000 oversaw the largest return of federal lands, 84,000 acres to an Indian Tribe (the Northern Ute Tribe of Utah) in more than 100 years. …
Richardson was elected governor of New Mexico in November 2002, having defeated Republican candidate, John Sanchez, 56-39 percent. …
In 2006, Forbes credited Richards’ reforms in naming Albuquerque, New Mexico the best city in the U.S. for business and careers. …
In December 2005, Richardson announced the intention of New Mexico to partner with billionaire Richard Branson to bring space tourism to the proposed Spaceport America located near Las Cruces, New Mexico.
In March 2006, Richardson vetoed eminent domain legislation in response to a surge of interest created by the Supreme Court’s decision in Kelo v. City of New London to increase local government’s eminent domain power. …
In December 2006, Richardson announced that he would support a ban on cockfighting in New Mexico. On March 12, 2007, Richardson signed into law a bill that would ban cockfighting in New Mexico. Puerto Rico is now the only part of the United States where cockfighting is legal. …
During New Mexico’s most recent legislative session, Richardson signed a bill into law that made New Mexico the 12^th state to legalize marijuana for medical reasons. When asked if this would hurt him in a Presidential election, he stated that it did not matter, as it was “the right thing to do.”
Richardson has been recognized for negotiating the release of hostages, American servicemen, and political prisoners in North Korea, Iraq, and Cuba.
Richardson is pro-choice, supports the death penalty and gun rights, and advocates affirmative action policies in government contracts. While he voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, he has since supported LGBT rights in his career as governor; he added sexual orientation and gender identity to New Mexico’s list of civil rights categories, and opposes the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. He does not believe that gay people choose their orientation. He initially supported the war in Iraq but now opposes it, and has called for the withdrawal of al U.S. troops from the region by the end of 2007. Distinguishing himself from other candidates for the Democratic Party nomination, he has stressed that he would leave “zero troops” in Iraq. He also supports universal health care.

A list of Bill Richardson’s voting record while in Congress is listed at VoteSmart.

PERSONAL COMMENTS

Mr. Richardson voted against the banning of the horrific abortion procedure of “partial-birth” abortion in 1996. His responsible votes concerning agriculture in 1995 and 1996 is on record. Richardson’s record for voting for defense weapons, like the Spaced-based Weapons Act of 1996 is also commendable; however, his support of Veterans Administration is somewhat flaky, as well as labor relations and freedom of speech in public broadcasting. What hurts Mr. Richardson the most is his ties with the Chinese espionage scandal, mostly because of his inability to control what was going on during his watch as Secretary of Energy – a position that should not be concerned with national security anyway. Richardson has voted against measures to relieve citizens of tax burdens in 1995 and 1996. He did not demonstrate that congressional members should be responsible with tax funds and expects Congress and the government as a whole to continue its spending curve while increasing constantly taxes – placing the burden of frivolous spending and programs upon the American people. However, he did vote “No” for the 1996 Campaign Finance Reform bill that was passed by Congress and signed by President Bush. In terms of civil rights and liberties, he voted for the bill that would define marriage as part of constitutional law and voted for the Flag Desecration bill, while others in his party voted “No”.

Richardson voted “No” for limits of terms for congressional members and supported the Aviation Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1996 as well as the important measure of providing necessary funding for national defense and intelligence authorities – important in the war against terrorism. His change of mind concerning Iraq has been influenced by the anti-war crowd of the political left, and whether or not there is progress in Iraq intends to pull ALL troops out of Iraq immediately. Iraq and Afghanistan is the front-line battle zones against the Islamic fascist entity and this would be detrimental to ending once and for all the grip of terrorism around the world that comprises the “Long War” that ensues.

Richardson supports educational endeavors, nationally, but not responsibly in terms of standards and cost efficiency.

Richardson is a supporter of environmental issues and in 1996 supported the Safe Drinking Water Act (of 1995) amendments. At this time, Richardson’s stance upon the global warming hoax is not determined – which should be an important issue in the presidential election forum.

Richardson believes in line item veto for congressional and legislature efficiency; however he voted against the Newt Gingrich ethics bill.

Richardson supports the fund-eating social program entitled “Family Planning Services” – a part of the abortion movement and irresponsible actions on behalf of not supporting abstinence until marriage in lieu of promotion of safe sex among the youth of America.

Richardson consistently voted “No” against troop deployment in the middle 1990s and voted “No” against the Cuba Sanctions bill. Richardson also voted “No” to stop the funding of foreign abortion – something that America should not be involved in. His foreign aid policies concerning negotiating for the release of political prisoners, et cetera are commendable, however, as president he would tend to favor complying with dictators instead of trying to change their behavior – through sanctions or if needed, militarily.

Richardson, by his voting record does not support government reform, except in one case concerning lobby disclosure in an attempt to remove the corruptive practices of lobbying entities.

Richardson voted “Yes” to stop the gun ban by voting for the Gun Ban Repeal Act of 1995, demonstrating that he supports the Second Amendment and the state of New Mexico is one of the states where citizens who have not committed a federal offense or been found guilty of a federal crime or formerly a mental institution patient or under psychiatric care are allowed to carry concealed firearms for their protection through New Mexico’s concealed and carry permit program. A firearm safety course is required to obtain a permit to carry and conceal a firearm for personal defense. Presently there are 38 states who comply with the Second Amendment in this regard. Wisconsin would have been the 39^th if it wasn’t for Governor Doyle, 48 states allow some form of carrying firearms for defense, according to Wikipedia entry.

Summary – I will not vote for Bill Richardson in the presidential election of 2008. We need a president who will be strong on national defense and determined to eradicate organized terrorism around the world. We need a president who is strong against the Mexican invasion and the supporter of deporting those that are here illegally from wherever they have come. We need a president who is fiscally responsible and will chastise Congress if they are not. We need a president who is earnest about government reform, regardless of political party line. We need a president who will not be afraid to stand up to the Democratic elite presently controlling Congress. We need a president who will also stand up to the moderate traitors of the GOP as well. We need a president who believes in America’s sovereignty and put to rest the North American Union plan and force Mexico to stop encouraging illegal immigration, as well as other matters concerning US national security and constitutional law. We need a president who will renew friendship and trust concerning the South and Central American countries, but will not put up with shenanigans like what Hugo Chavez enforcing. We must seek fair trade among other nations and at the same time keep American interests at the forefront.

In matters of illegal immigration, Richardson voted against the English Proficiency Act which required those seeking US citizenship speak English, as well as being against declaring English as the sole national official language of America. In addition he believes that “undocumented” illegal immigrants are entitled to public assistance as well as free education. He voted no to denying such privileges to illegal immigrants in 1996.

Trade must not override national security or the sovereignty of our nation. Bill Richardson does not meet my requirements to be President of the United States. We do not need another Clinton or a Bush for president. We need someone like JFK or Ronald Reagan. Richardson’s stance on Affirmative Action policy is also disfavorable, a policy that just doesn’t promote civil rights but creates quota in the work place not for a person’s qualifications but what gender, race, religious or other designation constitutes a quoted percentage to be hired or elected to receive educational benefits. [November 10^th 2007]

CHRONOLOGICAL DIARY

To be posted.