Photo of Congressman Steve Pearce and article by Margaret Hopper
Congressman Steve Pearce made an appearance in Arenas Valley on Friday morning, where local Republicans had gathered to share a breakfast and ask questions of the Second District Representative about where he stood on a number of issues. A few who had attended the Bayard meeting the previous evening assured those present that this was no re-run of that gathering.
Tailoring his responses to the needs of this part of his district, he centered many potential solutions around a theme of improving the local economy, addressing the distressing state of New Mexico's educational system, and attacking poverty, all serious problems that have too long been denied much help from within the state. “It is time that the state be run by a businessman,” he said, "as a logical approach here is long overdue. "
People have been asking if he would run for governor of New Mexico. He said there were three Republicans in the state who appeared to be in position to do that; Albuquerque mayor R. J. Berry; John Sanchez, the lieutenant governor; and himself. Polling showed that he, Pearce, had a lead among the three, so he was checking out various areas in the state, as someone needed to declare this June; it seems to take about a year and a half to make this effort work.
On the discovery effort, he said he had gone to northern counties first, not his regular area to consider as a federal representative. He named a number of counties he had visited, gathering information about a possible run. Presently he was checking the southern part of the state, and he would take all the information home and study it, as a decision must be made shortly.
He was certain of one thing; Republicans couldn’t just hand the office to Michelle Lujan Grisham, as she would sign greater tax increases immediately; the state was already in the pits as a state. Nationally, the word was that there were four states that were “non-recoverable,” and New Mexico was one of those four. He said he thought there was still hope, but the state was in absolute chaos. "It took us sixty to eighty years to get here, but we are here."
His concern was that there be a common vision and common beliefs across the state, to make possible some turn-around for the state. And in addition, he would want the agreement and support of his wife, who recently asked, “You haven’t decided to run, have you?” He said he is still considering and measuring many elements before he makes the decision. And now he was ready for questions, comments, whatever.
If he ran for governor, how would that affect the district's representation in D.C? He is presently the only New Mexico Republican representing anyone in Congress. He said there were four or five very good candidates who could be counted on to fill his space, but they were holding off until he made this decision. Western states had to work very hard to get their ideas out in D. C., and the larger states of New York, California, Texas, Florida and others with far more representatives had an easier way of getting their ideas out there.
Pearce said he believes he can do more good for New Mexico here in the state, if the state’s people agree they want to fix the problems. It will take much effort to do that. Having him in the governor’s position is not the critical element; the united will of the people to fix problems is. He then gave the story of how his family worked to rise above poverty in a little town near Hobbs, and how the other brothers and sisters left the state for better chances.
These early experiences had convinced him that New Mexico really needs a better economic climate to keep the family together. Stronger families can withstand drugs and other problems much better. Growing up, the family had to farm and look for other jobs to keep things going. There was never enough money from his father’s work to keep parents and all six kids. They all had to get out and work, at early ages.
Pearce said he stayed here because he loves the state, passionately, and was unwilling to give in to what he saw others doing to themselves, as a state, that damages everyone. New Mexicans are last in everything any good, and first in everything bad, and it doesn’t have to be that way. What he is looking for is the heart and commitment of the people to make the needed changes.
Asked what three changes he would make in New Mexico, he said the economy MUST be fixed. His daughter left for Arkansas; she could make three times more there than what she could here. He said he finally got her back, but it was one of his “most intense lobbying efforts” to get that done. Now, the grandkids are looking at leaving. He wants opportunities in New Mexico. When people leave for the better jobs, it breaks the fabric of the family. “Strong individuals keep a country free, not a strong government.”
Second, education is absolutely in the pits. He said he goes to the schools, more than other public figures. Not to lecture to them, but to listen to the kids. Administrators have a very hard time with that. But he says when the kids know he tells them the truth, they can’t wait to tell him what they know they need, the changes they hope for. "The kids are bright."
The discipline? Often good in the small schools, and frightening in the big schools. He said he thought the system was the problem, not the teachers. So many issues are because of poor management. "So many qualified teachers are not teaching here, because they don’t feel safe in the classrooms... the system must be changed." Even in the “best” districts of New Mexico, classrooms are being destroyed while good teachers are not allowed to use reasonable solutions.
And third? Poverty must be attacked. And some of the worst is on Indian Reservations. He suggested some work that could be developed on site. He said many didn’t want to leave the reservations and were settling for subsistence jobs to stay there, although they generally could do more and better elsewhere.
Regardless how the Native Americans voted, Trump has a heart for the impoverished, of any ethnicity. With planning and help, Pearce said they could put good jobs on reservations and turn many things around. New Mexico should not depend 40 percent on the oil-and-gas industry. "But don’t lower that, raise the other industries to where they should be. Attack poverty right at its core."
Comment: There are teachers who can solve many problems with kids, but the rules don’t allow them these optional solutions until kids are kicked out of class or reach other negative limits. Pearce agreed, saying there are better ways to handle this, and he would compare notes later.
On a question of goals, one noted the low standards, and that they will go even lower in the future. Pearce said throwing money at the problems was not helping. Poor management was the issue. And when he went to student bodies to listen to kids, administrators became very uncomfortable, as they couldn’t control the results. But in the end, he said kids respected truth and wanted more of it. Setting higher expectations would raise student levels; allowing low goals helps no one. That is a management problem.
Other questions considered right-to-work, school choice, free speech. Pearce said it was important to do what one could successfully, concentrating also on the three big problems of economics, education and attacking poverty. Learn what could be effected and start there. Put the pressure where it would work, be realistic and build on it. UNM is presently selling human body parts. "The Attorney General won’t touch it. That’s illegal, so make him accountable and work where you can to do something effectively."
Would the National Republicans help in New Mexico, or just walk away? Pearce said choosing good candidates that have a chance is important; these people know New Mexico is important, and would help if they see that the choices have a chance of winning. All NM choices are hard work, but winning is possible. He said he has always been a target, but has been able to win in what Democrats consider impossible places for a Republican. He doesn’t lean left, he sells the conservative vision, and keeps building up the numbers. It can be done.
What about students a teacher can control, but finds the parents don’t want discipline, and threaten the teacher? He said parents "must be held accountable for discipline, and if there is a Medicaid tie, the language in the program must address performance of the kid, and the same applies to public assistance. Responsibilities exist for getting it. Where recipients are able-bodied, they should be working. All New Mexicans, any party, are fed up with these abuses."
Regarding drugs, he said the truth must be told. In schools, he showed pictures of what happened in a few months to kids on drugs. Schools have programs, but the reality isn’t there. When kids know what really happens, it hits them hard. America has 5 percent of the world’s population, 75 percent of the drug problems. This is serious spiritual emptiness. Things must be done. But kids, themselves, must have more truth than they are getting.
Someone questioned the efficiency of the Secretary of State’s office; he said it was one of the most poorly run bureaucracies in the state, "except for the other poorly run bureaucracies." Budget increases didn’t improve things; waste abounded. Richardson had upped the budget immediately, and it didn’t go down.
Richardson didn’t get better or more responsible government, just more employees to do the same inefficient work. At five or six billion dollars, a reduction was in order. The management problems were there. He thought getting some volunteer help to study each office would offer opportunities to clean them up, one at a time. Most were inefficient. A management problem.
As New Mexico is an agricultural state, Pearce said there needed to be respect for agriculture, a return to logging, mining and similar occupations. The spotted owl had destroyed an entire industry, affecting tens of thousands of workers, and after 20 years, they finally proved logging had nothing to do with the owl’s problems. Also, adding value to products and manufacturing would help the economy.
Rare minerals are strategic. Instead of handing that industry over to China, "New Mexicans should be doing that work here, and employing our own people." To explain value-added production, he said growing the corn was one level. Making that into another product increased the income, and it could be done in the state. He thought food products, oil and gas, and copper could all bring more income with value-added processes.
The old presumption that agriculture reduced the water supply didn’t hold. He thought the governor should bring suit against the Forest Service for its mismanagement of the state's forests. In Moriarty, the water well field had decreased by 40 feet in the past few years. After the major fire, the field recovered that 40 feet and another 20 as well. This state should use tremendous pressure to get its water resources back, then agriculture would not be blamed for what the government has done to New Mexico's water supply.
And sanctuary cities? Any allowance of individuals, cities or others to break the law is not good for the social fabric, the economy or anything else. Open a sanctuary city and illegals will do illegal things under the guise of being illegal immigrants. They don’t help the economy. Give them no tax breaks, nothing. Trump is on target. No federal funds. Hold them accountable.
In decades past, discipline, dress codes and classroom controls were different. The ACLU has made a big difference, commented someone; Congressman Eugene McCarthy said the ACLU was worse than Communism. Pearce said he understood. It was not an easy issue. Another long fight is the New Mexico water issue. That has been hanging since 1968. The signature it needed came on the last day possible, at noon last year. It would have been lost forever. The final outcome is still unclear.
The border wall, as first proposed, didn’t meet the problem, according to Pearce. A virtual wall might be more effective, with several layers and depths. And cartels are good at tunnels. More profit, harder to watch. Securing the border may be done in better ways. A virtual wall is only a third the expense; if breached, the warning is given and the network holds. Others respond in person. It isn’t patrolled as a physical wall would be.
Drones have their place. Other ideas work. Numbers of agents is not the solution. More things must be considered. At present, ranchers cannot protect their fences. Illegals cut the fences, take the cattle. Pearce said ranchers should be allowed to protect their interests. Any government that doesn’t protect its people isn’t doing its job. Things must be changed.
If Pearce ran for governor, what about his second? He said a native American could be a good choice. Another comment: some accused Pearce of being 93 percent with Trump. He answered that he was usually at 85 percent. That put him above the average. (Laughter followed.)
The new Secretary of the Interior, Zinke, has weak areas considering western issues, Pearce said. He is also saddled with huge numbers of bureaucrats that he cannot replace, so it takes time to make changes. One person there in a major position can’t tell the difference between Alaskan and Mexican wolves. And they handle the wolf program very differently from the minnow programs. The lying, false science, manipulated science, agendas and corruption are a big problem there, he conceded.
Where was he on second amendment? He and his wife now have concealed carry licenses. And she, who didn’t like guns and had never shot one, turned out to be a crack shot. He was able to joke about this. This period began about eight years ago. And, on gun free zones, that seems to be where terrorists focus their attention.
On surveillance issues, Pearce said Congress had been unaware of what Obama was doing, and just how far outside the law he had gone. Tea Party people had brought good information to this nationwide; they were aware. The threats against citizens were great. So, was the problem one of law and order? He said the bottom of the problem is that for a republic to exist, there must be a strong moral foundation. Most will voluntarily obey the law. When that fails, it all breaks down. The judges won’t enforce the laws... Illegal drug cases are “just let go.”
That’s the moral foundation...at the bottom of the problem. "We have a deep problem because we have voluntarily walked away from the moral restraints that we as people used to agree, across party lines, that there is a Creator, and that our rights are derived from that Creator, not from government," he said.
Now the country has at least 50 or 60 percent who think that government is the grantor of rights; they have no concept of a Creator, so this is the split between Liberals and Conservatives. "Conservatives consider that we are deeply flawed as human beings. Liberals think we are perfect. If we are perfect, then, it is government’s problem, not that of the human being, they say... Human nature has never changed; money has become our god, so now we have more money that we can count; we print it by the trillions, to balance the budget. Quantitative easing? That’s just a fancy word for 'printing.'"
What about the Muslim situation? Integration and responsible citizenship is fine, but not the terrorists, Pearce agreed. That’s what Trump had intended. Neither Trump nor Sessions seemed to hate Muslims, but not admitting the problems is a refusal to see the problems. Some European legislators now believe that their countries can’t come back. They are finished.
They can no longer control their elections, they must pay for these people, they can’t get rid of them. These people coming from North Africa are suddenly wealthy in their own minds, so they come in great hordes. You could see when Trump opted out of the Paris Accord yesterday, what’s taking place, he said.
What about Republicans in Congress; are they going with Trump or fighting him? Pearce answered that Trump’s polls are very low in New Mexico; he, himself, supports him but will fight him when he is wrong, as with that healthcare measure. Trump finally saw the light and changed that deeply flawed bill. “It came from Paul Ryan deeply flawed, and I will not support deeply flawed things.”
Regarding self-defense, where is it? Pearce said Obama wouldn’t allow self-defense when "those standing beside you were fired on. You had to know they were shooting at YOU! That’s insane and you have to stand against such ideas."
He wrapped up the session by talking about past elections in New Mexico and the factors of winning them. He spoke of the very poor efforts of Romney and others who should have run better campaigns. His time was up and after his handshakes, he and his aide left for the next appointment. Pearce had work to finish and decisions to make.