Every week, Journal readers are invited to Speak Up! in 50 words or less on whatever is on their minds. The rules are to keep it clean and not to identify anyone you criticize.
If you want to complain or dish out praise in a Speak Up!, email us or fill out the SpeakUp Form.
Here is this week’s Speak Up:
• Legislature: NO FREE LUNCHES for school kids. Expectation of free stuff goes counter to what children should be learning in school. Either have the kids earn their lunch or have them pay some small percentage of the cost of that lunch. You can always allow for exceptions. KMC
• State legislators proposing free school meals (ABQ Journal, Jan. 27 front page) should propose fully funding SEAT BELTS for all N.M. school buses. Notable crashes: Portales on Jan. 25 and the high-speed Mustang drag race last year that caused a school bus to flip are two extremely good reasons. Stop talking and get it done already. JK
• The JOURNAL’S (FEB. 1) EDITORIAL on minimum wage proposals was spot on. Missing is the evidence of market-based wage increases. I see many establishments offering higher pay than what is being proposed. The glaring point is that these sponsors have no clue what they doing as they continue to wreck our economy. GH
• If ALEC BALDWIN would have immediately said “I’m sorry, I pulled the trigger and the gun went off, I didn’t have any idea it had live ammo.” Would he even have been charged if he just told the truth. KP
• Enough already of spoiled STATE WORKERS whining about having to go back to an office. Feb. 2 issue shows a protest sign “Time with babies, time in traffic.” Well, get daycare like the rest of the world, and drive to work like the rest of the world. It won’t kill you. DM
• The Sunday political cartoon (Jan. 2) by J.P. Trever hit the old nail on the head. Too bad so many legislators do not get it. When government jacks up businesses cost, it causes inflation. The feds spend DEBT MONEY which causes inflation. Sad commentary on our education system. GT
• Ryan Boetel’s (Feb. 1) headline today says that our N.M. Democratic reps have “HIGH-PROFILE COMMITTEE” assignments. Really? To me they are entry-level, bottom-of-the-barrel committees. Probably best, as I wouldn’t trust them to be on important committees. RL
• I am so fed up with our DEMOCRATIC SENATORS telling veterans and retirees that our benefits — that we earned — will be stopped or decreased if they, Congress, don’t solve the debt limit problem. How about they get their salaries stopped till they fix it? Quickest fix ever. RC
• New Mexicans owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. David Scrase for his adherence to the science with an understanding of health disparities to save countless lives, particularly during the early and pre-vaccine days of the pandemic. He will be missed as HHS SECRETARY. EB
• Congratulations to Scrase on his retirement. When’s the apology coming for enabling WIDE-SCALE DAMAGE to the economy of New Mexico in the name of The Science? I’m sure he believes the needs of the few outweighed those of the many. Maybe he can write a book with all his free time? AN
• As usual, LEGISLATURE thinks they can solve any problem by throwing money at it. Education needs parents who make their kids understand how important it is to do well — do homework, get enough sleep, pay attention in class, respect teachers — money can’t buy those things. JG
• State Sen. Harold Pope has introduced legislation to prevent legislators from DRINKING ON THE JOB! You’ve gotta be kidding me … drinking on the job. And these are our elected officials representing us. RF
• GAS BILLS went up 50% and blamed on price of natural gas and war in Ukraine. I talked with family and friends in other states and their prices did not increase. What’s up with New Mexico? DK
• When I saw the AJ headline “PRETRIAL DETENTION overhaul advances,” I was sure more defendants would be held in jail to reduce crime. But no! Our Democratic Legislature wants to release more. N.M. voters voted for this. Do they understand the connection? JM
• Yet another bill to take money from me — I have bills, too — to give teenage girls for HYGIENE PRODUCTS. Take the money you spend on fake fingernails, tattoos, eyelashes, etc., to buy your own products. Or get them from the school I already pay for with taxes. LS
• House Bill 8 — $67 million for a new arts industry division when New Mexico already has a Cultural Affairs Department. Why? And when only $48 million is proposed for AFFORDABLE HOUSING in the housing trust fund? Nope. TS
• Who looks out for the elderly? PERA retirees lost their COLA three years ago. Inflation for the past year is 9.1%. State employees get raises. City of Albuquerque employees get raises. Police and firemen get raises. Teachers get raises. Minimum wage will get increased. Fixed income PERA RETIREES get nothing! LA
• NYT, Jan. 29, 2023: “TRINET: Small Businesses Say the Pandemic Has Helped Them in the Long Run.” So quit whining and attacking our governor, whose PANDEMIC SUCCESS was tops in the U.S. QRS
• On Jan 24, on the Health page, the N.M. Dept. of Health posted N.M.’s COVID numbers. Unfortunately, the dates for the data printed are such that I can’t do the math to compute a percent DEATH RATE for COVID infections. What gives? ABT
• No matter what GUN SAFETY regulations are passed someone is bound to complain that “law-abiding” gun owners are negatively impacted. DB
• The legislature wants to RESTRICT GUNS but not criminals? I’m sure that will work. NOT. MB
• Regarding two Senate bills advancing GEOTHERMAL ENERGY, it’s both renewable and sustainable. It’s environmentally friendly and cost-effective. It has the advantage of providing a constant power supply, unlike solar or wind. New Mexico is one of the few places where it makes sense. Global warming calls for action! WS
• Several months ago, the Albuquerque City Council passed a resolution to make it illegal for homeless persons to stand in NARROW MEDIANS for fear of being injured. You continue to see them standing with their signs in limited spaces. Until something drastic occurs, laws at that time may be enforced. CG
• Watching “As the World Turns” at the Roundhouse this year is like watching someone WIN THE LOTTERY knowing they will file for bankruptcy in four years. Good thing I don’t plan on being a N.M. resident that long. JNR
• Republicans nationwide must have a large grab bag full of loons, GOONS AND BUFFOONS. Where else would they find Pena, Trump, Walker, Gaetz, Greene, Boebert, Santos, …? BW
• Powerful business interests including Big Pharma, major high-tech companies and banking institutions are firmly entrenched inside China. It may be called the PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA but the country is a capitalist, cheap labor economy based on exceedingly low wages. Nixon opened the PRC which eventually became a world power using our technology. HH
• Nearly 50% of New Mexicans identify as Hispanic and/or Latino yet the news media cannot decide whether the name of the alleged mastermind behind the assaults on politicians is pronounced PENA OR PEÑA. Newspaper and TV journalists — come to a consensus already. BA
• So a bunch of state legislators are boozing on the taxpayer’s time? From both parties no doubt, but I will bet the greater majority are the ones always whining about how badly their “individual rights” are being tread upon by some rule or regulation. STAY SOBER or go home. GW
• Will there be any consequences for the coaches and administrators at NMSU for their actions related to the UNM SHOOTING? CB
• RE: GATEWAY CENTER; supply comfortable housing and they will come from all over the country. Texas will buy them bus tickets. This is not a solution; it is a drain on the taxpayer. Denmark has a solution. A local space has been allocated to the non-conformers. Law is ignored except for violent death. No funding is given. People build what they want and live the way they want. Works for normal citizens and the non-normal. Everyone is happy. SA
• KOB and Facebook have been running stories about a woman who scammed citizens and seriously ABUSED AND STARVED THEIR DOGS. Animal Control will do nothing. Read Facebook — Albuquerque Area Pet Connections — to see the horror stories. Animals are still being abused. Why won’t the DA act? MS
• Lawmakers, please put an end to this senseless DAYLIGHT SAVINGS time change. No one likes it and it won’t cost a dime. SK
• How about the Legislature propose a bill to enforce all the bills we have in place and quit PROPOSING BILLS that can’t be enforced and make no sense. My God how many bills do we need? MAP
SpeakUp! is an avenue to sound off on what’s going on in the world in around 50 words with only signing your initials. But no name-calling or foul language, please. To submit a SpeakUp! go to https://www.abqjournal.com/speakup.
