By not debating, Richardson disrespecting voters

Gov. Bill Richardson’s refusal to agree to a live television debate with John Dendahl is a slap to the face of New Mexico voters.

Richardson’s excuse is that Dendahl will go on the attack and that wouldn’t be good for the state. His people say Dendahl has no proposals, only criticisms, and that there could be no substantive debate.

Richardson must have a really low opinion of New Mexico’s voters if he believes that, were Dendahl lacking ability to talk about issues, they wouldn’t see that.

Democracy is about debate and compromise. The compromise comes after the election. This is a time for debate.

Voters need the opportunity to see both candidates in action so they can make intelligent choices on Nov. 7.

Richardson is spending lots of money to play a cowboy in his latest campaign commercial and give us his spin on issues. He’s supposed to do that. So is Dendahl. They should both spend money telling us why they’re the best candidate.

Then, they should go head-to-head so voters have a chance to see each counter the other’s spin. That’s when we get to see through the B.S. and discover the real candidates.

That’s when candidates have the chance to prove they are genuine leaders.

If Dendahl is telling lies, a debate would allow Richardson the opportunity to cut through that and reveal his true self.

Richardson is not doing that. For some reason, he doesn’t want New Mexico voters to see a live debate. Are we to assume he doesn’t want us to see his true self?

Right now, he’s not giving us any reason to believe otherwise.

To quote Michael J. Fox’s character in The American President:

“… in the absence of genuine leadership, (Americans) will listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They’re so thirsty for it they’ll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there’s no water, they’ll drink the sand.”

How about you take off the cowboy hat long enough to be a leader, governor?

Until Richardson steps up and does that, Dendahl is going to get some free space on this site. Richardson’s campaign says Dendahl doesn’t talk about any issues. Click here to see Dendahl talk about education, here to see him talk about immigration, here to see him talk about the growth of state government, here to see him talk about the responsibilities of government, here to see him talk about economic opportunity, and here to see him talk about why he’s in the race.

You can visit his Web site to learn more about his stands on the issues, but here’s a sample from the site detailing his stance on education:

“The recent re-broadcast by ABC-TV of John Stossel’s Stupid in America was another call to arms toward improving America’s public schools. In his television advertising, Gov. Bill Richardson claims he has answered the call. No, he hasn’t.

“The overall performance of New Mexico’s public schools remains poor, and Richardson’s administration, though now fully in charge on account of a constitutional amendment he requested, has no sound policy answers. Just the decades-long – and failed – claim that more money will make it all well.

“However, there are bright spots and they should be emulated. One is Artesia, where superintendent Mike Phipps is running a high-performance school district that doesn’t use socio-economic excuses to accept anything less. He’s a competitor who led the Bulldogs to seven state football championships in his ten years of coaching. He chose the similarly-sized Los Alamos district as the standard against which he would measure Artesia’s performance, despite huge differences in wealth and parents’ educational levels in families typical to the two communities.

“Mike knows nothing works like competition to improve people’s performance in most things they do. It spurs innovation and greater effort. He led his principals and teachers to adopt one simple idea: no community of students and their families is incapable of meeting high expectations.

“He’s right. Sue Beffort and I know some youngsters have easier lives than others; we also know the examples are out there proving that economic disadvantage doesn’t prevent a child from having natural acuity and curiosity, the building blocks of learning. Youngsters need wise guidance, not pity.

“Sue and I also believe too much direction is coming from on high rather than from those in charge locally. Yes, a few reasonable achievement standards should be set for all, but we insist that those close to the kids and their families can do a better job with classrooms – discipline, curriculum, resource allocation and all the rest – than bureaucrats in Santa Fe. It’s called local autonomy.

“Which brings us to federal influence and No Child Left Behind. NCLB is a bold stroke to require performance evaluation that has been sorely missing, but some of its other reported effects are bizarre. Sue and I would help New Mexico educators reconcile NCLB requirements with sound educational policy: either make it work or refuse the money that gives the feds this leverage.

“The state constitution implies for every New Mexico child a right to a sound education. Since many public schools are demonstrably not providing that, parents should be enabled to enroll their children in alternatives they choose. That simply isn’t an affordable choice for many.

“Choice is offered elsewhere through a variety of approaches. We propose that New Mexico follow Arizona’s example with tax credits for contributions to support scholarships awarded by organizations like Educate New Mexico. New Mexicans will get a “two-fer:” more competition among our schools and more equal opportunities for all of our children.

“There is no good reason that well-educated New Mexico youngsters should be the exception rather than the norm. We just need to push the envelope.”

Expect more on this blog about Dendahl’s stances until Richardson agrees to a live, televised debate.