To the Point with Mick Rich

How Albuquerque Public Schools Became a Real Estate Empire, Not an Education Leader
While voters head to the polls to approve another $350 million APS bond, the Albuquerque Public Schools Board is voting on a measure ensuring that only union members can build APS projects.
This is what I call "legal corruption" — laws and regulations crafted to reward political allies rather than students.

APS: From Educator to Real-Estate Empire

Few realize that APS is one of the largest landowners in the Albuquerque metro area. According to APS's own Real Estate Facts:

"APS owns twenty-two percent of the land in the Albuquerque Metro Area. APS has over 17 million square feet of school buildings, portable classrooms, administration offices, and facilities. APS has Joint-Use Agreements with the City of Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, and the State of New Mexico on three community centers, five pools, and forty-one parks."

APS has become one of the most successful property developers and managers in the region — and now it plans to become the only union-exclusive developer and manager.

The Building Fallacy

Now is the time to repair our health care shipwreck before it sinks us all.

By Mick Rich

Image: U.S. Navy via Wikimedia Commons, public domain
his article was first published in American Thinker (a daily online publication) on October 26, 2025

Democrats wrote the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), passed it in Congress, and President Obama signed it into law. It was the first major legislation in decades to reshape a vast sector of the economy—healthcare—affecting every American, and it was enacted entirely by one party. No wonder the unintended consequences of Obamacare have been as far-reaching as the law itself. New Mexico, then as now, stands at the forefront of that battle.

On August 22, 2009, Congressman Martin Heinrich hosted a town hall with Dr. Michael Richards (then Chair of UNM's Department of Emergency Medicine), Dr. John Vigil (Medical Director, Doctors On Call Urgent Care), and Paul Gessing (President, Rio Grande Foundation). My oldest daughter—then an aspiring medical doctor, now a radiologist—and I—then an aspiring elected official—attended.

I expected Heinrich's panel to feature two physicians supporting Obamacare and one free-market advocate opposing it. To my surprise, all three panelists expressed some level of opposition. Heinrich's response was telling: regardless of their opinions, he would still support Obamacare.

If Your Daughters Have to Leave Albuquerque to Thrive, Something's Broken

MICK RICH

OCT 19

ABQ Mayor Berry Focuses on the Homeles

The two most important questions that should have been asked at the Albuquerque Mayoral Debate were not asked.

The first question is for the viewers:
"Do you believe the current slate of mayoral candidates is the best the city has to offer?"
I believe most viewers and listeners would answer, "No." I would say, "No."

The second question is for the candidates:
"What are you going to do to save the good people of this city?"

Heinrich's definition of Bipartisanship: "Do It My Way."

By Mick Rich Oct 02, 2025

Why is New Mexico Last in the Nation? Heinrich is leading the NM Delegation

n 2015, Senator Martin Heinrich condemned Republicans for allowing a government shutdown when they stood on principle to rein in federal spending. In 2025, Heinrich himself stood on principle — this time for health care spending — and helped shut down the government.

What changed? Nothing. Martin Heinrich has always voted for one thing: Martin Heinrich.

Heinrich in 2015

Republicans voted against a bill to keep the government open. Heinrich attacked them:

From his September 21, 2015 press release:
"U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) calls on lawmakers to skip the political gamesmanship and instead begin bipartisan budget negotiations to keep the federal government open…

"The government shutdown in 2013 hit New Mexico hard and had very real consequences for our workforce.

We can't afford another manufactured crisis… The politics and showmanship are insulting to the American people and it's no way to govern."

Heinrich in 2025

This time, Democrats voted against the bill to keep the government open. And Heinrich justified it.

From his September 29, 2025 press release:
"Heinrich's events underscored the threat of a looming Republican government shutdown… Republicans blocked legislation that would have kept the government open and addressed the health care and inflation crisis they created."

He warned of higher health care premiums, Medicaid cuts, and SNAP reductions — while conveniently ignoring the fact that his own party was the one refusing to compromise.

Bipartisanship on Heinrich's Terms

Heinrich gives bipartisanship a bad name.

To him, a bill is "bipartisan" only if he supports it. If Republicans or a coalition of both parties support something else, suddenly it's "partisan gamesmanship."

This time, Democratic Senators John Fetterman (PA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (NV) voted with Republicans, along with Independent Senator Angus King (ME). That is true bipartisan support. Heinrich and most

Democrats were the ones opposing bipartisan legislation.

A Lesson from Rand Paul
In 2018, I met with Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky. He asked me only two questions:

1. Do you support the legalization of marijuana?

2. Do you support me when I shut down the federal government?

My answer: No. By the time a funding bill reaches the Senate floor, the fight is already over. Vote to keep the government open, and then fight wasteful spending every day after.

The Bottom Line
Since Donald Trump's election, Republicans in Congress have fought every day for the American People.

Democrats, by contrast, waited until the brink of a shutdown to try to blackmail the public into accepting Obamacare's spiraling costs.

Martin Heinrich's record is clear: when Republicans resist, it's "reckless showmanship." When Democrats resist, it's "principled bipartisanship."

In reality, it's always been about one thing — Martin Heinrich.

Poking the Bear: A Lesson I Learned at 22 That Stansbury and Keller Never Did.

Per Senator Heinrich's August 12, 2022, press release:

"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), and City of Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller are welcoming $11,466,938 in federal investments from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to construct a mile-long, multi-use urban trail through the heart of Downtown Albuquerque. This is part of the city's larger Albuquerque Rail Trail project."

The release closes with:

Breaking the Bonds of Cliques: A Path to Republican Victory in New Mexico

By Mick Rich August 30, 2025

To The Point with Mick Rich at WWW.Substack.MickRich.Com 

The RPNM Chairwoman's Report was one of the most informative I have ever read, and not for the reasons the Chairwoman had hoped for. I was surprised by what she shockingly intended to write and what she unintentionally wrote. Read the RPNM Chairperson Barela's report below. I have added my comments (denoted by [Mick Rich].

______________________________________________________________

July 14, 2025

REPORT ON THE JULY 12, 2025, RPNM STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETING Submitted by Amy Barela, Chair, Republican Party of New Mexico

When Rules Matter More Than Voters: The Decline of RPNM

Bu Mick Rich

Lake Berryessa's Glory Hole sucks water out / RPNM Glory Hole sucks the life out of New Mexico

The RPNM held its State Central Committee (SCC) meeting in December 2024 in Truth or Consequences to choose the leader who would continue the Pearce agenda, and it succeeded. In July 2025, at the Farmington SCC meeting, they attempted to enact rules to stifle opposition but failed. Now, another SCC rules meeting is scheduled for Hobbs this September. Does the RPNM leadership believe it can best the DPNM without Republicans in the Albuquerque Metro area?

Does RPNM Have a Plan Beyond "Pro-Trump, Pro-Gun, Pro-God"?

While Gary Johnson seized the Governor's Office in 1994 with the support of Native Americans the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) lost a golden opportunity to build lasting relationships with Native Americans.

1994: Indian Gaming as the Defining Issue

In 1994, political newcomer Gary Johnson defeated Democratic heavyweight Governor Bruce King. His victory wasn't luck—it was strategy. Johnson recognized that Indian gaming was the defining issue for Native Americans.