NM-leftnright

Support the Surge? - Impeach the President?

The arguments for and against the surge (in all of its 'non-binding' presences) and for and against impeachment broke much earlier but are still on the minds of many.

New Mexico Senator Jerry Ortiz Y Pino has introduced a joint resolution in the New Mexico legislature for the impeachment of George W. Bush. Are we wasting our time on this and are there more important issues? Should the cause for impeachment be investigated? Is the U.S. system of checks and balances not as healthy as it should be? Your thoughts.

Visit the  New Mexico Legislature Bill Finder.

See the actual Impeachment Bill and evaluate it.

Report Says NM Children "Least Likely to Succeed

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION
Santa Fe, NM - January 16, 2007- A recent report from the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center finds New Mexico children are "least likely to succeed." Local organizers and children's advocates are calling on state legislators to address the problem during the month-long legislative session, which started this week.

Rodrigo Rodriguez with the Southwest Organizing Project says the report shows that tax breaks for wealthy New Mexicans and large corporations come at the expense of education and health care for children, "This is a failing report card for top-down economic policies for the last twenty years that have prioritized tax breaks and profits for some of the richest corporations and richest New Mexicans over the future of our children ."

Rodriguez says state lawmakers should address the ranking this month by increasing the minimum wage, providing health care for all New Mexicans and implementing real campaign finance reform so legislators aren't beholden to campaign donors looking for tax breaks. The state legislature convenes for a month-long session today at noon. Looking to the legislature to turn things around, Rodriguez added, "This report is telling us what we need to do. We have a choice and an opportunity to invest in our children through education, health care and raising wages for every New Mexican." Rodriguez says campaign finance reform is also important -- so legislators aren't beholden to campaign donors looking for tax breaks. The report is online at http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2007/01/04/index.html .

Call For Easier Access to Health Care For NM Kids

from the NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION
Santa Fe, NM - January 15 -  The Children's Defense Fund says the new Congress should make sure all kids have health insurance. The group has launched a national drive to make sure that happens and New Mexico which has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the nation, will benefit.

The Children's Defense Fund campaign would provide health care for all uninsured kids. Top priorities include combining Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program or S-CHIP, expanding coverage for working families, and making it easier to apply for the coverage. The program is up for renewal this year.  Bill Jordan with New Mexico Voices for Children says it's a perfect time to help make sure all kids are covered, "Congress has ignored the healthcare crisis for fifteen years or more, it's done nothing and this next year there is an opportunity to do more."

The plan would expand Medicaid eligibility for kids beyond the number covered now. Many eligible kids don't receive coverage because of shortfalls in funding and difficult and confusing enrollment requirements.  Bob Greenberg, a retired pediatrician in Albuquerque says programs like S-CHIP are essential for children all across New Mexico, "Indeed, In many rural areas in New Mexico, the majority of patients that pediatricians are seeing are children who are covered by CHIP or Medicaid."  The proposal can be viewed at  www.childrensdefense.org 

Feedback on the Insight New Mexico Radio Show

How'd we do? What did you like? What didn't you like and what creative suggestions to you have for the future? Let us know.

Are we hitting on issues important to New Mexico residents?

Questions for the show? Questions for show guests? Leave them here. Post them now.