NMShooter: I'd love to go through all of your points, but for some reason I can't get to the private mail buttons today.
I understand about the "Old New Mexicans" who consider themselves "Spanish" and not "Mexican" in any way. They are swept aside with the rest, as the demographic shift gains so much momentum, that the radicals, (bolstered by millions of illegals who are amnestied, given drivers' licenses, voter cards etc) are able to take power of the state govt.
At this point in history (2005) the NM Democrat party still feels it's advantageous to allow massive immigration, and go easy on voter registration requirements etc. They feel these new folks will vote Democrat. But it's sort of like busting open a pipe to get water. You will get water, but it's hard to control, or turn off! Like trying to start a "small" avalanche to get some snow. It's hard to regulate! Once you reach some hazy tipping point, the avalanche makes it's own path, and may not stop at the desired point!
I'm writing the tribes as having made an agreement with the state govt., sort of "neutrality plus."
The "Gobernador" Deleon is based on Reyes Tijerina (sp?) the "Tiger of the North." He's sort of a Mandela figure in Domestic Enemies. He is going to be assassinated, so that the really serious radical can take over. Of course, it will be blamed on an Anglo rancher, whose rifle will be found.
The gangs are coming to NM for sanctuary. They know they will be able to chill out in NM, join the Milicia "no questions asked," and be paid in land, property and loot. Like joining the French Foreign Legion, you can create a new name, with no past. Gang members who are not legal Americans will be promised "expedited" citizenship.
The state govt will be very careful to avoid treading on federal land. Especially Kirtland, Sandia, Los Alamos etc. That's all the feds care about at this stage. Of course, this is a form of appeasement by the feds. Sooner or later, if such an "Aztlan" vision came to pass and was consolidated, the feds would be booted out entirely.
Of course, this is all predicated on the federal govt being greatly weakened, broke, and having to deal with burning cities and critical national infrastructure issues elsewhere. NM would simply be a backwater, and would be ignored, as long as the bases and the labs were not threatened.
