By State Representative Marianna Anaya (D-Albuquerque)
As a progressive state legislator, it may come as a surprise to many that the values I carry with me today – service, family, and accountability – were taught to me by my grandmother, a proud Republican. She raised me with the shared belief that our government should look out for the day-to-day needs of people just trying to get by, rather than feeding the rich. It is safe to say that the woman who raised me would be sickened to see what’s happening in our country today and the failure of her own party to uphold the values she held dear.
Recently, we saw the very worst of what can come from shifting away from these shared values and into extremism. The assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker reminded us of the violence that deep-seated fear and hate can fuel. Instead of condemning this unthinkable violence, New Mexico House and Senate Republicans ignored the news, while the Republican Party of New Mexico wished Trump a happy birthday on social media. Nearly two weeks later, there’s still no acknowledgement that anything ever happened.
Their silence is telling. They claim to be tough on crime, and do not rise to condemn an assassination. They tout allegiance to the Constitution and are silent as Trump defies court orders and unilaterally goes to war, overstepping the powers of Congress. They take pride in being fiscally conservative and stay silent about Trump’s $45 million birthday parade. Last session they said they care about rural hospitals yet have said nothing about the biggest threat to healthcare in New Mexico–the gutting of Medicaid. They claim to support free speech and haven’t said a peep about Trump deploying the military against its own citizens. They claim to be family focused but stay silent while we listen to children crying for their parents deported by ICE and watch people die from being unable to access abortion care. It leaves one to question whether Republican values hold true or are simply talking points used to win elections.
As a 14+ generation New Mexican, I believe the lessons that our families teach us far transcend politics. So this year, as a freshman entering the legislative body, I had hope there would still be some Republicans like my grandmother- those who want to work together for the common good. Instead, we’ve seen a growing allegiance to a single political actor– one who pads his own pockets and those of his billionaire friends while everyday people are pushed into debt and poverty.
As I reflect on the inaction and silence of my Republican colleagues, I can’t help but to think of a lesson my grandmother taught me about loyalty. When it came to our family, she always said that “blood is thicker than water.” It’s a lesson I carry with me to remind me of who I should always be loyal to while in office: the people. I hope my Republican colleagues will also heed the wise advice of my grandmother, use their elected office for good and step up to protect the families of our state.