Former Gov. Susana Martinez once described her first legislative session, in 2011, as “hand-to-hand combat.” A former DA, Martinez had no experience with the Legislature, and went in swinging. She used campaign rhetoric, radio ads and robo calls to browbeat them and even sent a staff member to videotape them as they debated. She said […]
Opinion
Posted inColumnists, Commentary
Monitoring the invasion of private equity into healthcare
Healthcare companies should never have profit as their primary mission, don’t you think? There’s a genuine conflict between the profit motive and what healthcare is supposed to accomplish: providing a service that heals people’s illnesses or helps them stay healthy. For a healthcare institution to be successful, profit has to be tempered with giving priority […]
Posted inAlbuquerque, Opinion
Opinion: ABQ has bigger needs than controversial $200K playground
This letter is provided as opinion/commentary from the author. Diane Denish is a former lieutenant governor of New Mexico and a strong advocate for children. She is a resident of the Netherwood Park neighborhood in Northeast ABQ. Have an opinion? Of course you do! You can submit your own: editor@citydesk.org Recently, a local paper published […]
Posted inColumnists, Commentary
Line of succession
I’ve been thinking more these days about Vice President Kamala Harris, her role as vice president and the ever-present is-she-ready question. Being second in line is something I know a little about but on a smaller scale. For eight years, I served as lieutenant governor to Gov. Bill Richardson. Another similarity we share is being […]
Posted inColumnists, Commentary
Let’s Get Bold About Fixing Education
The most overused word in the recent primary was “bold.” Candidates were claiming they had bold solutions for New Mexico’s myriad problems and failings. Then we got the Kids Count report, reminding us that New Mexico is again 50 out of 50 in children’s wellbeing. The bare statistics in that report show that New Mexico […]
Posted inColumnists, Commentary
Age, the Issue That Won’t Go Away
When I was covering the Legislature and watching our elected officials at work, I would sometimes say a silent prayer: “Help me know when it’s time to step aside and do it before I make a fool of myself.” Legislative sessions are grueling. While some lawmakers give in to age-related health issues or exhaustion, some […]
Posted inCommentary, Opinion
Letter to the Editor: We should grow the Valle de Oro
This letter is provided as opinion/commentary from the authors. You can submit your own: editor@citydesk.org We created the Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge hand-in-hand with Albuquerque’sSouth Valley community. In just one decade, lands that were once home to a dairyoperation next to a heavy industrial zone have blossomed into one of New Mexico’s mosttreasured […]
Posted inColumnists, Commentary
A New Voting Bloc for 2024: The Double Haters
A Washington Post election feature this week identified the emergence of a new group of voters that may decide the 2024 election. More prevalent in swing states, their common thread is this: they are skeptical/patently disappointed/furious that out of more than 300 million people, the best two people we have to stand for the office […]
Posted inColumnists, Commentary
FEMA Revamps New Mexico Operations
As Ruidoso area residents return to their homes — or what’s left of their homes — we’ll be watching FEMA. For the past two years, since the disastrous Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon Fire, we’ve heard more about what FEMA hasn’t done than what it has done. This year the agency began changing its New Mexico […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letter to the Editor: UNM Sandoval RMC Can and Should Do Better
This letter is submitted as reader commentary by the author. Have an opinion? Of course you do! Send it to editor@sandovalsignpost.com or learn more here. One of the reasons my husband and I moved to Sandoval County was because it was near a hospital. We have had many occasions to use UNM Sandoval Regional Medical […]