Dan Foley
Current Democrat Party Chair Javier Gonzales and want-to-be Democrat Chair Sam Bregman have decided to question Governor Martinez’s leadership abilities in the wake of the gas crisis in New Mexico. They clearly both subscribe to the Rahm Emanuel school of thought, which is:
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” – Wall Street Journal Interview, 2008.
Gentlemen, leadership is not about sitting on the sidelines waiting for others to act and then criticizing them for their actions. Leadership is about doing; it’s about making a difference; it’s about being willing to improvise, adapt and overcome – none of which either of these two guys or their party are doing right now.
Gov. Martinez acted swiftly when the crisis was brought to her attention. She activated National Guard troops, asked for and received help from Mayor Richard Berry, went to the scene of the emergency and met with the very people who needed help.
Gov. Martinez went to the union halls and asked for all the licensed plumbers and retired plumbers to come help, and required the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department to act quickly to get these folks out and working. When Gov. Martinez met with the New Mexico Gas Company she outlined a plan for them to follow, and when they didn’t meet their targets she stepped in quickly and called up more National Guard troops and put them on the streets working to address this crisis.
Gov. Martinez and her staff notified FEMA immediately and had them on site and working in office space she provided to get the red tape cut and the process moving so the president of the United States can declare an emergency. Finally, she approved a $750,000 expenditure to address the needs of the people quickly.
Gentlemen, that is leadership. When your view of leadership is following Rahm Emanuel, it is easy to see why you might confuse real leadership for your partisan view.
Gov. Martinez has been getting high marks from the only people who matter, the people affected by this disaster and the local politicians on the ground working with her. The very partisan view taken by Mr. Gonzales and Mr. Bregman only serves to highlight why the Democrat party in New Mexico is dealing with the largest losses in modern history handed to them by the people of this great state.
Gov. Martinez is exhibiting the very leadership these same people elected her to exhibit.
Thank you Javier and Sam for reminding all New Mexicans why they voted for Susana Martinez. The word is leadership. She has it and you don’t.
Foley, a Republican, is a former House member and minority whip.