If Your Daughters Have to Leave Albuquerque to Thrive, Something's Broken
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?"
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New Tools Are Needed to Identify Real Leaders
Today, the media decides who is running for office. A few months later, the press conducts interviews, polls, and debates—followed by predictable endorsements. And really, who pays attention anymore to endorsements from an out-of-touch media?
Albuquerque The Magazine provides an example worth following. It asks residents to vote for the city's best food, shopping, entertainment, personalities, and places—and then publishes the results. Albuquerque residents pay attention to that list because it reflects their voice.
Before the Albuquerque Journal staff moves into used APS portables and their printing presses find new homes, they might try something different:
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Lead a coalition of New Mexico newspapers to conduct surveys of the good people of New Mexico.
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Start by asking what characteristics they want in their government leaders—and publish the list.
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Identify the leaders they respect in business, labor, law, education, farming, ranching, energy, and public service—and publish that list.
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Then ask who from that list should lead our community or state—and publish that.
Would it make a difference? Maybe not—but it couldn't hurt. And it would make for more interesting reading than another story about some fool tourist climbing down the Rio Grande Gorge in search of hot springs and getting stuck.
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Saving the Good People of Albuquerque (and the State)
The City of Albuquerque focuses on everyone but the good people who live here:
"The Homeless." "The Illegal Immigrants." "The Criminals." "The Teachers." "The Buildings." "The Coming Employer."
Meanwhile, Albuquerque residents are slowly dying inside. How? Each time they:
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Stare straight ahead at an intersection to avoid the homeless,
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Hear English as the second option on a phone menu,
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Double-check their car doors while driving,
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Watch teachers get raises while students' scores stay at the bottom,
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See private businesses turned into government offices,
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And watch local government spend hundreds of millions trying to lure outside firms instead of valuing who's already here.
We need to refocus on the good people of our community.
Our public spaces should be for our enjoyment, not for illegal activity.
The federal government should enforce federal law.
Bars should come off our windows and go on the criminals' windows.
Education should be for educating our children, not empowering the NEA.
And our communities should be places people want to move to—not places they can't wait to leave.
It's hard to tell who the liars are or which lies are true.
The Trump DOJ is investigating Democrat-controlled cities and states for manipulating crime statistics. Democrats are crying foul—lies coming home to roost. The media wails, "How can that be? We have graphs!"
Business owners and parents reply, "No kidding."
Businesses stopped reporting crime out of fear of losing insurance coverage.
Police stopped reporting crime to avoid bad press.
District Attorneys congratulate themselves on a "job well done" and eye the Governor's Mansion.
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The Illusion of Progress
New Mexico's leadership keeps selling "transformational" projects that never deliver.
Spaceport America was one of the "greatest investments" in our history—behind the Supercomputer and the Rail Runner, of course.
A billion-dollar investment in Maxeon Solar is a "sure thing" (Schott Solar was the last "sure thing").
And the $165 billion Jupiter Project? No worries—it's not like they can repossess Las Cruces.
We're told there's plenty of electricity—if only we hadn't shut down coal and nuclear plants. But not to worry: it's always cool in northern New Mexico in summer and warm in the south in winter.
Both parties share the blame.
Democrats insist New Mexico would be the best state in the Union if they could just get rid of the last few Republicans.
Republicans insist they could lead New Mexico to greatness—if only they could find good candidates who'd do what they're told.
You Already Know the Answer
Our daughters have left:
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One is a radiologist.
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One served as a physical therapist for the Navy SEALs.
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One is an operations director at a major art museum.
They live in safe, vibrant communities—and we are relieved.
That's the point: Are you relieved your daughters or granddaughters have left New Mexico—or are you thinking of leaving yourself?
If so, the answer is simple: Vote the incumbents out—Democrat or Republican.
