ROUNDHOUSE ROUND-UP: THE ACI SCORECARD

As published in The Santa Fe New Mexican

The state’s premier business lobby gave Santa Fe-area legislators grades ranging from B minus to D in its 14th annual report card.

Actually the Association for Commerce and Industry doesn’t assign letter grades in its Focus Report. But they rate all the representatives, giving them a percentage determined by how closely legislators come to the official ACI position on several bills.

It’s doubtful that anyone from our delegation will be crying over the fact that nobody from Santa Fe got an “A” rating (90 percent or more). All our representatives are Democrats, and even though ACI is nonpartisan, Republicans traditionally rank much higher in Focus Reports.

All seven House members and all eight senators who scored 100 are Republicans.

Only three Democrats in the entire Legislature scored 90 percent or higher — Rep. Don Whitaker of Eunice and Sens. Shannon Robinson of Albuquerque and John Arthur Smith of Deming.

But even with a percentage that amounts to a low “B,” Sen. Roman Maes’ high rating helped secure a hefty contribution from ACI’s political-action committee, JobsPac for his re-election campaign. The $7,000 from the PAC represented Maes’ largest single donation, at least in the first round of campaign finance reports. (The second reports are due today.)

Here’s how the Santa Fe area’s lawmakers fared in the last two regular sessions, according to the latest ACI scorecard:

Senate:

Roman Maes: 81 percent
Phil Griego: 79 percent
Nancy Rodriguez: 77 percent.

House:

Max Coll (retired): 76 percent
Luciano “Lucky” Varela: 69 percent
Jim Trujillo: 69 percent
Ben Luján: 64 percent.

Poll watching: The Zogby organization recently conducted “interactive” (e-mail) polls of voters in 16 “battleground” states including New Mexico. In this state, Democrat John Kerry led Republican George W. Bush 48.4 percent to 43.3 percent. Ralph Nader drew 2.9 percent, while 5.4 percent were undecided.

Kerry’s lead, however, is still within the poll’s margin of error.

The poll, conducted May 18 to Sunday, included the responses of 454 “likely voters” in New Mexico.

Overall, Kerry was leading in 12 of the 16 states polled for a total of 148 electoral votes. Bush won five of these states in 2000.

Bush was leading in four states with a total of 29 electoral votes. One of those states, Iowa, was won by Al Gore in 2000.

However, like New Mexico, most of the results in other states are within the poll’s margin of error.

Zogby will be doing these polls twice a month, according to The Wall Street Journal, whose Web site is hosting the results.

Green news: The state Green Party sent out a press release Wednesday urging reporters to cover the exciting June 1 presidential primary.

And, as far as the White House goes, it’ll be the only game in town. The Democrats opted out of a June primary, instead holding a party-run caucus in February. While there’s officially a Republican primary, President Bush is unopposed.

But five Greens are running on their primary ballot, including New Mexico’s Carol Miller, who, in addition to running as a “favorite daughter” candidate for president, also is listed as the state coordinator for Ralph Nader’s campaign.

“This election will determine how 10 New Mexico delegates will vote at the U.S. Green Party Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., on June 26,” state Green co-chairman Joe Lacayo said in the statement.

Of course, if the Greens really wanted press coverage, they wouldn’t be holding their convention in Milwaukee.

Besides Miller, the other Green candidates on this state’s primary ballot are California lawyer David Cobb; Paul Glover, who works for a health fund in Ithica, N.Y.; Kent Mesplay, a biomedical engineer from San Diego; and Loma Salzman, an environmental activist from Brooklyn, N.Y.

For statements by all the Green candidates, CLICK HERE.

A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Almost a month ago I posted here about an e-mailed letter to the editor of The New Mexican in which reader Andrew Duran apparently was upset with a story I wrote about a local Republican Party function.

"terrell should go back where he came from.where racism is still rapant and the gop are still lynching people of color." is just one of the suggestions he shared in his thoughtful critique.

The e-mail address on the original letter at first looked like a phony because when I tried to respond to this gentleman my e-mail was returned. But I guess the crack editorial staff of The New Mexican was able to verify the author. A heavily edited version of the letter was published in today's paper under the headline Terrell the Terrible.

If you missed the original post and want to see the full unedited letter and my response, it's right at the top of my April Archives.

WEDDING DRESS

My friend Margot turned me on to this one. Funniest thing I've seen on E-bay in awhile.

CLICK HERE

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAY LIST

Sunday, May 23,2004
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M.
Host: Steve Terrell

OPENING THEME: Let it Out (Let it All Hang Out) by The Hombres
I Had Too Much To Dream by The Electric Prunes
Letter to Memphis by The Pixies
Gandhi by Patti Smith
My GF by Chopper Sick Balls
Compared to What by Les McCann & Eddie Harris

Take Me Out to the Ballgame by Bruce Springstone
I Lost My Mind by The Angry Samoans
Rusty Cage by Soundgarden
McDonna by The Three Johns
Helldorado by Davie Allan & The Arrows
Rip Off by Johnny Dowd
Liar Liar by The Castaways
Green Door by The Cramps
The Prize by Cellophane Typewriters
A Little Red Fez by Kalesijski Zvuci

Be For Real by Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
Dirty by Earth, Wind and Fire
Expansions by Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echos
I'll Be Alright by Terrance Trent D'Arby
Need a Little Taste of Love by The Isley Brothers

Chains of Love by Los Lobos
Little Head by John Hiatt
Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long by Brian Wilson
Opus 17 (Don't You Worry 'bout Me) by The Four Seasons
Classic Hollywood Ending by Stan Ridgway
I Want You to Hurt Like I Do by Randy Newman
CLOSING THEME: Over the Rainbow by Jerry Lee Lewis

NICK OF AGES

Writer Nick Hornby, who is most famous for writing the book that was made into the movie High Fidelty just published a wonderful, must-read essay on the state of rock 'n' roll. He even talks about the need of us older folk (he's 47. I'm 50) for the "exhilaration and a sense of invincibility" that good rock 'n' roll brings us -- and why so much contemporary popular music is failing.

Plus he frames the whole piece with a discussion of a recent performance of Marah, which was one of my favorite acts I saw at South by Southwest this year. (Check back in this blog's March Archives.)

Hornby's piece is in the New York Times, so if you're not registered for their online edition, you'll have to register. (Do it.)

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAY LIST

The Santa Fe Opry
Friday, May 21, 2004
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM
Host: Steve Terrell
With Co-host Dana Brownrigg

OPENING THEME: Buckaroo by Buck Owens & The Buckaroos
Get Up and Go by David Bromberg
Whip the Blankets by Neko Case
Tarmac by Hazeldine
Steve's Last Ramble by Steve Earle
Garbage Head by Eric Ambel
Amazons and Coyotes by Simon Stokes
Red Dress by James McMurty

Calamity Jane by Grant Lee Phillips
Amie by Pure Prairie League
Clementine by Parlour James
Pretty Polly by Mary & Mars
My Maria by B.W. Stevenson
O, Dana by Big Star
Susan's Song by Tom House
Laura by Rolf Cahn
The Ballad of Cat Ballou by Nat King Cole & Stubby Kaye

Loretta Lynn Set
All Songs by Loretta Lynn except where noted

Van Lear Rose
You Ain't Woman Enough
Portland, Oregon Loretta with Jack White
As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone by Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
Mississippi Woman, Louisiana Man by Kate Campbell with Kevin Gordon
Have Mercy
Mr. and Mrs. Used to Be by Ernest Tubb & Loretta Lynn
Rated X by The White Stripes
The Story of My Life

Tell Me True by Grey De Lisle with Murry Hammond
Sweet Dreams by Patsy Cline
Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blues by Crystal Gayle
Break It To Me Gently by Brenda Lee
Sugaree by Graham Parker
Somewhere in Time by Los Lobos with Dave Alvin
I Wish I Was The Moon by Neko Case
CLOSING THEME: Comin' Down by The Meat Puppets

Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list

Donuts Make My Brown Eyes Blue

My friend Dana has a friend Robin who always thought Crystal Gayle's biggest hit was called the above.

Don't feel stupid, Robin. Dana herself always thought "The Age of Aquarius" was "The Angel Aquarium."

Another friend of mine always thought the line in Michael Murphey's "Wildfire" was "And the pony she called Wildfire busted down and stalled."

What are your favorite mistaken titles and lyrics? Please use the comment function below to share.

" 'scuse me while I kiss this guy ... "