Observing the New Mexico Democratic circus/caucus these past days, it is obvious that the Democratic Party's pathological compulsion to rig elections is at play even when they are voting amongst themselves.

Note that New Mexico ranks near the bottom of any list of "anything good," and the top of any list of "anything bad." Further, New Mexico state politics has been under the control of the state's Democratic Party for more than 60 years. If they successfully "fix" the primary results to maintain a dead heat, it will provide Billy a tidy little package of noncommitted delegates to sell to the highest bidder at the national convention.

If there are any rational Democrats out there that have not yet drunk the Kool-Aid, they might seriously reconsider letting these corrupt socialist demagogues go to Washington and do to America what they have so thoroughly done to New Mexico.

Earl Porter
Santa Fe

The great divide
I find it fascinating how this year's elections have illustrated the tremendous division between traditional and religious conservatives.

The varying viewpoints have created not just a simple crack, but rather a chasm. Traditional Republicans, like me, have wondered why members of the religious right were so intent on mandating what citizens believe and how they should live. Until this group's emergence, this trainload of moral and religious baggage had never been a part of the party's political platform. Was not America founded on a principle of separation of church and state?

The chasm has gotten so grand that people on one side cannot fathom supporting a candidate from "the other side." With the Republicans doing the dividing, the Democrats are doing the conquering. Perhaps it is finally time for the formation of a viable third political party or, better yet, abolishing the entire party system and having everyone become an independent.

Nat Shipman
Santa Fe

Crosswalk craziness
Adrenaline still courses through my blood as I write this letter. Recently, yet again, I came near being struck by a car in a crosswalk here in Santa Fe.

I have had quite enough, so I asked various people about their own crosswalk experiences here in Santa Fe. All agreed that there is no more dangerous place to be in all the world. "Think of them as crossruns," one of my informal poll responders said.

The inexperienced or infrequent pedestrian will quite understandably accuse me of hyperbole. But ask around; ask those who walk frequently. Or situate yourself, video camera in hand, near four-way stops. Watch or film the evidence. Someone could edit the work of many videographers into a film for the City Council to view. And with the problem finally acknowledged publicly, perhaps the solution-oriented discussion could finally begin?

James R. Martin
Santa Fe

Replace leadership
I am a ward coordinator, state Central Committee delegate and caucus judge from Ward 47F. This caucus couldn't have been more mishandled, and I think we need to immediately replace leadership as they are the ones culpable. Not only did they not market the caucus that we Democrats paid $300,000 for, they ran out of ballots after telling us to our faces at training that we would not this time (they did in 2004 as well).

When they ported the registered Democratic voter list from the Secretary of State's office to Vote Builder to print our lists, hundreds of five-star voters were left off! Yes hundreds, maybe thousands, of people who had voted Democrat in many consecutive elections, and who came to me at my site, furious, for provisional ballots.

There are many questions to be answered. It took an astronomically long time to qualify these provisional ballots. Let's replace Brian Colón and Laura Sánchez with competent party people. This year could not be more crucial as we look to take one Senate seat and three congressional seats! We need to act confidently now to keep unity and support.

Thomas Chepucavage
Santa Fe

No more secrets
In a speech to the American Newspaper Publishers Association on April 27, 1961, President John F. Kennedy spoke against the reality of secret societies. In that speech he said, in part, that "The very word 'secrecy' is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings." Publisher John F. McManus wrote in the 1990s that "President Bill Clinton knows full well that he serves as president because the members of the 'secret society' to which he belongs chose him and expects him to carry out their plans."

In light of these words should we not consider the possible implications of the Barack Obama endorsement by John Kerry, a known member of the Skull & Bones secret society that both president Bushes are also initiates of?

Richard Dean Jacob
Santa Fe