One Woman's Viewpoint

Oh, New Mexico. It seems like we can only have one nice thing at a time, when it comes to the Legislature. Or maybe two. Good progress is being made with good government bills and healthcare reform.

But then…

There’s the economy. Three bills concern me greatly: a five-dollar minimum wage increase, which would make us the most expensive state to create a job in the region and possibly the country; a proposal to require all public construction contractors to pay union wages regardless of whether they are unionized or not; and the freshly re-branded Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. All of these are punitive to small businesses and potential job killers.

Do you want there to be EMTs to answer the call when you dial 911 in a medical emergency? How about a nurse to perform triage when you arrive at the ER? Do you expect a doctor or physician assistant to treat you during your emergency episode? In New Mexico, this basic level of care is harder and harder for our hospitals to accomplish, especially outside of Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces.

Perhaps legislators themselves are tired of not being able to get an appointment with a specialist for months on end. Whatever the reason, a bipartisan group of legislators has sponsored legislation in bother chambers of the Roundhouse to not just do a right thing, but a smart thing: enter as many interstate healthcare compacts as possible.

One out of four New Mexico voters can't vote in primary elections. Independent and minor party voters are not allowed to vote in major party primaries under current state law.

During the 2024 presidential election, in exit polling, 34% of voters nationwide stated they were independents, compared with 32% stating they were Democrats and 34% stating they were Republican. January 2025 New Mexico voter registration shows 24.9% registered independent or minor party, 42.3% Democrat, 32.2% Republican, and 1.1% Libertarian.

The opening of the New Mexico Legislature was largely eclipsed by the Presidential Inauguration last week. Even the State of the State address, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's seventh, was subdued (but not truncated – the Governor held forth for some 45 minutes).

Both the New Mexico Legislature and the U.S. Congress have suffered in the 21st century from increasing polarization and decreasing power. The 9/11 attacks caused both bodies to grant great powers to the executive branch and we became accustomed to increased power from the 4th floor of the Roundhouse and the Oval Office.

America's 47th Inauguration Day was notably different and not just for record cold temperatures bringing events indoors and January 20 coinciding with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and the College Football Playoff National Championship Game (where my alma mater, Notre Dame, did not pull off a necessary Hail Mary play to beat Ohio State).

President Donald Trump gave three speeches. One was his inaugural address, and two were given at campaign rally style-events preceding and following the swearing in. Most striking to me was the presence of prominent billionaires at the many social events, balls, rallies and the inauguration itself. Once an event for politicians and political insiders, the 2025 inauguration was very much a gathering of the Billionaires' Club, and VVIP passes were given to Big Tech.

First responders and crisis managers responding to Hurricane Helene, the Tesla explosion in Las Vegas and the Los Angeles wildfires have all had to deal with a common threat in three very different crises: rampant disinformation.

Disinformation is defined by the State Department as "false information purposely spread to influence public opinion or obscure the truth." It differs from misinformation, which is simply incorrect information. Misinformation can be the result of a disinformation effort – an audience can spread misinformation as the result of receiving disinformation.

We're off and running in a new year and a new presidency is just around the corner. Given the vigor of the as yet completely private transition of President-elect Trump and the minimal effort from the outgoing Biden administration one might be mistaken that the 47th presidency of the United States has already started.

I take off my hat to the transition effort for moving out expeditiously. In many cases it can take up to two years for certain appointees to be named. It appears this transition team is taking the imperative of just four years seriously. I appreciate this. Future transition teams should look to this particular aspect of the Trump 47 transition as one to emulate.

I am writing this column in the final days of Advent, which in my faith tradition, is a time of penance and preparation for the joyous celebration of Jesus' coming into the world, or Christmas.

As a Catholic, I always enjoy the scriptural readings of Advent as they seem to emphasize the historical reality of Jesus, as well as tell a little about his family life. The famous Christmas story comes about because of a bureaucratic requirement: a census ordered by the Roman government in power in the region. Jesus' parents had to travel to their hometown to register, which is how they found themselves in an overcrowded Bethlehem with no spare rooms.

We also hear during Advent from Jesus' mother Mary, and his aunt, Elizabeth, the mother of his first cousin, John the Baptist. Mary and Elizabeth are both pregnant, and both miraculously so. Elizabeth is thought to be past the age of childbearing; and Mary, a virgin, has been visited by an angel who announces to her the news that she is to bear the Son of God.