Editorials
Editorial content. Content posted here may or may not reflect the opinions of the Beat. They reflect the opinions of the author.
Continuing Support for Afterschool and Summer Learning is Key for New Mexico Students
- Category: Editorials Editorials
- Published: 30 June 2022 30 June 2022
By New Mexico Lt. Governor, Howie Morales & May Sagbakken, Executive Director, The New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network (NMOST)
June 30, 2022
Afterschool and summer learning programs are vital supports to communities across New Mexico, and we must ensure that the recent influx of financial help for them continues. Trusted community-based organizations such local Boys & Girls Clubs work with students, families, and schools to deliver positive settings, relationships, and experiences that are often foundational building blocks for young people's healthy development. Recognizing the serious impacts the pandemic has had on young people's health and well-being, expanding access to afterschool and summer learning for kids is more important than ever.
Roe, in my opinion
- Category: Editorials Editorials
- Published: 27 June 2022 27 June 2022
Well, I was going to refrain from commenting on the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but after reading pros and cons and posting both, I've realized I must weigh in.
First of all, the hypocrisy of the "pro-choice" has not surprised me but made me boil inside.
Signs saying: "My body, my choice" really set me off. But "you," and you know who you are, supported the vaccine mandate and the mask-wearing mandate and pressured people into getting the vaccines, which have shown to cause adverse reactions in many folks. See the VAERS publications at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/ensuringsafety/monitoring/vaers/publications.html , if you don't believe me. Every one of us does have a choice when it comes to vaccines, especially in the case of an experimental one. It has been well proven that getting "the" covid bug (which has never been isolated by the way!) creates much better immunity than the jabs.
If you are so concerned about your bodies and your "rights," what about the rights of the baby girls who are aborted?
Our bodies were created in the image of God. I know many of you will cease reading at this point, because horrors, the writer believes in God.
It is your choice to have sex (I am not talking about those who have been raped, and I'm torn on that issue). But the "ooops, we had sex because we were stinkin' drunk, and ooops, I'm pregnant, but oh, well, I'll just go get an abortion" really makes me angry.
Why doing your job well might not keep you in elected office
- Category: Editorials Editorials
- Published: 25 June 2022 25 June 2022
I think we saw an example of this in the recent primary. I’ve been covering Grant County Commission meetings and watching the workings of the county since late 2001.
I’ve seen some good commissioners and some good department heads, as well as some really poor ones in both groups.
I’ve seen true laziness and unwillingness to do one’s job, but a county job brings one huge advantage. The county pays 100 percent of benefits to its employees. Very few leave the county, unless they are kicked out or find more lucrative jobs that give them better chances for advancement.
Think Twice about Universal Pre-K
- Category: Editorials Editorials
- Published: 22 June 2022 22 June 2022
By Paul J. Gessing
As we move beyond a contentious series of primaries in both parties and look to the fall election, one of the big issues on the fall ballot is the plan to "tap" New Mexico's permanent fund to provide universal preschool. For years this has been an agenda item for the State's left-leaning interest groups. But it only received legislative support with the retirement of Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith.
This November voters will decide whether to: "allocate 1.25% of the five-year average of year-end market values of the money in the Land Grant Permanent Fund (LGPF) to early childhood education…" The Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) estimates that the additional allocation would be about $245.7 million in fiscal year 2023. Of that total, $126.9 million would be allocated for early childhood education, $84.6 million to public education, and $34.2 million for the LGPF's other beneficiaries.
The plan is to provide "free," "universal" pre-K to all New Mexico 3 and 4 year olds.
Statement to Silver City Town Council June 14, 2022
- Category: Editorials Editorials
- Published: 17 June 2022 17 June 2022
My name is Sharon Bookwalter and I live in Silver City. On behalf of the Citizens for Safety and Community, I am grateful for the opportunity to appear before you this evening. Citizens for Safety and Community is a group of local residents who have proposed the creation of an Advisory and Review Board to Alex Brown, James Marshall, Chief Portillo, and other city officials. This Board, composed of a retired law enforcement professional, a mental health professional, and members appointed by council members, would serve, along with those changes announced today by the Silver City Police Department, to support the local police department and prevent situations like those leading to the tragic death of Nikki Bascom on April 21, 2016. We appreciate the time and attention given to us to voice our concerns.
We, as a community, are faced with the unhappy need for the issuance of gross receipts revenue bonds; bonds that are necessary to satisfy Silver City's indebtedness to resolve the lawsuit arising out of the tragic death of Nikki Bascom. We believe, based on the experience of many municipalities, including nearby Tucson, Arizona, that the creation of such a Board would make a very beneficial contribution toward the Town's on-going efforts to mitigate its liability risks, improve our police services, and avert such tragedies.
Democrats ain't what they used to be
- Category: Editorials Editorials
- Published: 13 June 2022 13 June 2022
Democrats ain't what they used to be
The Grant County Beat's compilation of citizen testimony regarding suspicion-worthy 2020 General Election behavior by Grant County Clerk Marisa Castrillo ("What is she hiding?" published 9 June) presents a thumbnail image of entrenched bigger-picture corruption. If, as these witnesses testify, there was no video surveillance of the Bayard Community Center early-voting polling location – and no working camera monitoring the Grant County Clerk's absentee ballot box during early voting – and no marking of spoiled ballots as "spoiled" during the first week of early voting at either Bayard or the Administration Center – and if for any length of time there was a ratio of Democrat-to-Republican election judges contrary to New Mexico law – the Grant County Clerk not only failed to uphold New Mexico law, but failed to impartially protect the interests of Grant County residents.
And if this clerk also failed or refused to recognize and accommodate a duly appointed poll challenger (or multiple poll challengers) per New Mexico law – and, further, attempted to intimidate said poll challenger(s) – she is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and a fourth-degree felony and should be prosecuted accordingly. If the Grant County Attorney advised the Grant County Sheriff that charging the Grant County Clerk with violations of New Mexico law constitutes "a conflict of interest," such advice only screams the question: Whose interest?
Certainly not the interest of honest Grant County citizens who, perhaps mistakenly, trust Grant County officials to abide by laws enacted to protect citizen interests.
Historic Failure: Joe Biden Delivers $5 Gas
- Category: Editorials Editorials
- Published: 11 June 2022 11 June 2022
Washington, D.C. - Americans are waking up this morning to a terrible milestone from Joe Biden's continued energy failure. For the first time ever, the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded is over $5.00 a gallon with no indication the price will slow down in the near future.
"Joe Biden will react to this latest historic failure the same way he's reacted to them over the last year: deflection, detachment and distraction," said Daniel Turner, Executive Director and Founder of Power The Future. "In his heart of hearts, Biden knows unleashing American energy will fix the pain our families are enduring, but he doesn't care because his cult green ideology is his highest priority. Sadly, this historic failure will not be the last one forced on Americans before this administration faces a reckoning in November."
Power The Future is a 501c4 non-profit dedicated to fighting for American energy workers.
Gas prices ARE the Biden Administration's fault
- Category: Editorials Editorials
- Published: 10 June 2022 10 June 2022
Despite the current administration's attempt to shift the blame to Vladimir Putin, "greedy oil companies" and "the end of covid,, the facts speak for themselves. When the Biden administration took office the national average price of gasoline was $2.38. On June 9, 2022 it is $4.95. For the mathematically challenged, that's a 109% increase. ONE HUNDRED AND NINE percent. It will be higher tomorrow. Market analysts say $7 gas is likely.
How can this be attributed to Joe Biden? On his first day in office, Joe Biden cancelled the Keystone Pipeline, put 11,000 people out of good paying jobs and raised the cost of and/or cancelled access to drilling on federal land. Almost overnight, this ineptitude turned America from being energy independent back to once again, dependent on foreign crude producers. Those foreign producers, seeing a profit opportunity, raised their prices. (Gee, who could have seen that coming?) The surplus of crude we once had kept prices down. (Its a supply and demand thing…)
Add to that, the Biden Administration decided it was a good idea to spend over 4 trillion dollars on ineffectual giveaway programs for which no one is held accountable. Since we didn't have that 4 Trillion sitting in 'our' bank account, we borrowed it…sort of. The Biden Administration directed the treasury to print more money. Oops. Now we have record Inflation. How did that happen? Well, imagine you have one hundred 1 dollar bills which represent a 100 little pieces of gold worth $1 each. Then you print one hundred more 1 dollar bills. Guess what? Now you have 200 one dollar bills that represent $100 worth of gold. Instead of each one being worth $1, now they are worth $0.50. Congratulations Joe Biden. A gallon of gas takes more dollars (which are worth less) to buy. At the moment, 109% more 1 dollar bills.