Local Viewpoints

Commentary: Our communities do best when everyone contributes. We are strengthened when our children fulfill their potential and become the entrepreneurs, teachers, and artists they were born to be. And because no one reaches their potential without a little help, our nation provides opportunities to those who would otherwise be unable to access them. We do this not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because these are investments that will pay off for all of us with a better quality of life, a stronger economy, and a brighter future.

Commentary: The National Hispanic Media Coalition along with major tech companies and other internet activists will be participating in an "

Commentary: Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska has found time during his first term to author a book entitled “The Vanishing American Adult,” about a perceived loss of personal integrity and self-discipline in American civil discourse, and ways to develop a citizenry “fully formed, vivacious, appealing, resilient, self-reliant, problem-solving [and] called to love and serve their neighbors.”

Commentary:  Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), and CPC Member Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) made the following statement today after President Trump announced that he will offer several infrastructure proposals this week, starting with an effort to privatize the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Control system.

Commentary: In a quiet way, at 5:30 this morning, I felt as close as I've come in this lifetime to a nervous breakdown.  I won't list the tasks, obligations and problems that loomed large. I take on too much, most of it well-intentioned, then screw it all up. And in the midst of that, I gotta write a newspaper column? I don't feel like a person with a sufficient understanding of much of anything to presume to speak to others!

  Commentary: U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations committees, responded to President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement.

   Commentary: President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord, the historic global agreement to act on climate change and move toward more sustainable and renewable energy sources. Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) Chair Richard Ellenberg released the following statement on the effects the Republican administration’s withdrawal will have on New Mexico.

  Commentary: President Donald Trump has pulled the United States out of a widely-accepted international agreement purportedly intended to stop damaging climate change. His decision was cheered by people politically committed to Trump, as well as certain business interests who are delighted to continue harmful climate behaviors. The decision was also met with howls of disapproval from countless world leaders and climate scientists convinced of the danger of our current climate course.

Commentary: Congressman Steve Pearce released the following statement after President Trump made the decision to withdrawal from the Paris Climate Deal:

“Any agreement the United States enters into regarding climate or emissions must ensure affordable and reliable energy is available to every New Mexican family. We all agree that we want clean air and clean water, but the United States cannot saddle the global burden of change on the backs of the American people.

  Commentary: Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a new 

Commentary: WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and CPC Energy and Environment Taskforce Chair Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-CA) made the following statement after it was reported President Donald Trump plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement.

Commentary: The Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) of 1920 stipulated that the federal government split mineral revenues 50-50 with the states. Recently, the federal government started taking an extra 2 percent from the states. Congressman Steve Pearce is co-leading H.R. 2661 with Congresswoman Liz Cheney to ensure states receive their proper share of federal mineral revenues.

Commentary: Immigrants (primarily Europeans) have been coming to this country for over 300 years seeking a better life. We set the standard for most countries in the world—until recently. For the last 40 years we have been going in the wrong direction in terms of access to a quality education and  health care, personal safety and tax equity. Other rich countries are doing better in these areas.

Commentary: There is much excitement both positive and negative about a proposed magnesium complex in Luna County, a project which its investors hope will transform the city of Deming into the capital of domestic magnesium production.

Commentary: Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) released a report, Tobacco in America: Leaving the Vulnerable Behind, highlighting the U.S.’s failure to live up to aspirational global goals regarding tobacco use. While national smoking prevalence has been driven down over the past two decades, the most vulnerable Americans bear a disproportionate share of the costs of tobacco. Partly as a result, the U.S. now ranks 43rd in the world in life expectancy, despite spending more than any other country per capita on health.
 

Commentary: The Summer of 2017 is an important cultural anniversary in American life. This will mark 50 years since the Summer of Love. What was the Summer of Love? It was many things both good and bad. But the common thread was a desire of many mostly young Americans to question who are as people and where our lives are headed. It was a time to think about what it means to live a good life. It was a time to question whether the acquisition of money and the pursuit of material things really was a true path to happiness.

Commentary; The County Commission got a redo on rural buses Tuesday – and did what seems the right thing.  Last meeting, dozens who wanted to speak didn't get the chance.

Tuesday turned into a rather wonderful moment. More than three dozen people spoke, including bus-riders speaking Spanish, several elected officials, and dedicated non-profit leaders. None opposed transit. We marveled at the variety of speakers, the power of their words, and the moving human stories. 

Commentary: Joint Economic Committee Democrats released a new 

Commentary: Where would you like to work, if you could have the ideal job with the ideal employer?

LinkedIn recently provided some insight.

As the leading social media channel for business and professional networking, LinkedIn is essentially a job search engine, so it’s able to distill extensive career related information using its own data analytics.

Based mainly on total views of job postings by thousands of companies, LinkedIn published its most sought-after companies findings in May, ranking the top 50 employers nationally.

Commentary: On May 11, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced a new U.S.- China trade agreement. However, the new deal is not a sweeping general trade agreement - it only targets select sectors. Many of the points in the agreement have been discussed in ongoing negotiations that precede the Trump administration. Much detail still must be revealed, but the major provisions were highlighted by Secretary Ross and his team.

Commentary: WASHINGTON, DC - Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) issued the following statement on the growing grassroots support for H.R. 676, the “Expanded and Improved Medicare For All Act.”   

Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) released the following statement today after the introduction of the Raise the Wage Act, led by Ranking Member of the Education and Workforce Committee Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and CPC Member Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) in the House, and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and CPC Member Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in the Senate.

  Commentary: Santa Fe – American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President, Stephanie Ly, released the following statement:

“Nearly two months after Governor Martinez and Secretary Skandera announced changes to the State’s educator evaluation system at a closed press conference, the New Mexico Public Education Department is finally holding hearings for public input to the changes.

Commentary: You may have heard me before on KRWG-FM railing against the foolish and wasteful bombardment of TV advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, especially on the major network news shows.

Drug companies spend almost $6.5-billion annually advertising directly to consumers in the U.S. But that’s nothing compared to the $24-billion spent per year marketing to doctors, luring them with free golf trips and other perks.

All that exposure, much of it irrelevant to most of the TV viewing public, is only one reason that drug prices are artificially high.

  Commentary: Instead of focusing on improving health care delivery in rural America, House Republicans passed a bill that will only make it harder to access affordable, quality health services in rural communities across the country.

Commentary:  In the wake of the terrorist attack at a concert in Manchester, England, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is raising serious concerns over cuts included in President Trump’s FY2018 budget to critical Transportation Security Administration (TSA) programs that safeguard Americans at large events and while traveling, especially in non-secure “soft” target areas like check-in and baggage claim areas.

  Commentary: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis – A large and diverse group of activists, organizers, artists, educators, students, elected officials, and others from around the U.S.

Commentary: Today, House Democratic leaders praised the Democrats’ Resistance Summer program as an integral part of the Democrats’ push to hold Donald Trump & Paul Ryan accountable for their agenda and elect more Democrats to Congress.