Word: anaya
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Young, brash and full of unabashedly liberal ideas, Toney Anaya was considered one of the Democratic Party's brightest lights in 1982 after he won the Governor's seat by a landslide in conservative New Mexico. Anaya, now 44, immediately presented the legislature with sweeping plans for educational innovations, prison reform and economic development geared to high-tech industries. As the nation's only Hispanic Governor, he spoke out frequently on minority issues, and was known to entertain dreams of someday winning a Cabinet position, perhaps even the vice presidency. "My political options in New Mexico are limited," said Anaya...
...Today Anaya's options seem more limited than ever. Much of the Governor's proposed program remains unrealized; he has been vilified by lawmakers; his cabinet has been racked by a dozen firings and resignations. Worst of all, two former state Democratic officials have been convicted of attempted extortion and three others have been indicted for taking bribes, including Anaya's secretary for health and environment, Joseph Johnson, who was charged last week. Although state law forbids a Governor to succeed himself, Anaya would probably not run for re-election if he could: a poll of voters taken last year...
...things get so bad so fast? Many attribute Anaya's troubles to his combative personality. He had made his name as the state's attorney general, battling white-collar corruption and crusading for consumer and environmental causes. Once he became Governor, Anaya, an achiever accustomed to getting his way, found his power diluted by scores of boards, commissions and independent-minded elected officials. His impatience with back-room deal cutting did not help to promote his costly liberal programs in a legislature dominated by Republicans and conservative Democrats. Says Republican State Senator Les Houston: "He didn't know...
Soon after taking office, Anaya also began exasperating New Mexicans by barnstorming the country as head of Hispanic Force '84, an organization designed to increase Latin influence in the Democratic Party. Nor was he helped by the recession that hit New Mexico as its mining industry, notably uranium extraction, continued to decline. Moreover, the Governor was faced with severe revenue losses caused by a wholesale tax cut enacted the year before he was elected. Anaya was forced to ask for a $97 million tax increase that he had campaigned against, and he quickly found himself at odds with lawmakers over...
...pieces. These selections recount discoveries of identity, sexuality, language and emotions. "Aria," Richard Rodriguez' introductory chapter to his book Hunger of Memory is perhaps the best offering in this section; the piece grapples lyrically with the two cultures that separate his public and private spheres. Sandra Cisneros and Rudolfo Anaya's selections explore adolescent sensual awareness in markedly different ways. Anaya's nearly magical story is infused with innocent curiosity, while Cisneros' darker story deals with the traumatizing effects of leaving childhood games to play adult roles...