The New Mexican - Our View: Addressing Poverty Needs to Grab Legislative Focus

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By Unknown

Occasionally, an outside perspective is necessary -- and that includes the workings of the New Mexico Legislature. Last week, several of New Mexico's congressional representatives gave their traditional speeches during the session, imparting wisdom that legislators should take to heart.

U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, in particular, needs to be heard, as she powerfully distilled the state's many challenges into one: poverty.

"It's time that you declare war on poverty in New Mexico. It is time that the New Mexico Legislature flat-out declare war," Lujan Grisham said, reminding everyone that poverty is the underlying issue with every problem in the state. "There's not a single member here, from the House or the Senate, Republican or Democrat, who doesn't have poverty issues that you're working to address in the neighborhoods that you represent. There's not a single elected leader here today who doesn't have a hungry child or a school with a nutrition program that's in trouble."

When she made this challenge to the Legislature, Lujan Grisham earned a standing ovation. (It's the kind of speech she could be making around the state in a few years, should she transfer her political interests from Washington, D.C., to the state level. A second Latina governor, perhaps?)

What makes this speech important -- because after all, words are just words -- is that it gives us a lens through which to see the current legislative session and all its machinations.

Imagine if legislators asked of every bill, every time, "Will this create a job?" "Will this help put food on the table?" "Will this make families more secure?" So much clutter of the session could be removed, to focus on improving the state from the ground up.

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, the lone Republican in the congressional delegation, encouraged lawmakers to focus on jobs. With gas and oil prices falling, he told legislators that New Mexico should boost technology and agriculture, and perhaps revive the timber industry. "What people want is not complex at all. They just want financial security and independence," Pearce said. That's certainly sentiment both parties can endorse.

Similarly, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, Santa Fe's congressman, had this to say: "As a state and a country, we cannot reach our full potential without a vibrant middle class.

"I am not naïve. I know that for too many New Mexicans, this vision feels like it's slipping away. I've sat across from many kitchen tables in many homes across New Mexico and looked into many parents' eyes and seen the hurt and fear as they struggle to provide the next meal for their children."

He connected the recovering national economy to what's happening on the ground here in New Mexico. "I've talked to many New Mexicans who have spent too many days in search of too few jobs. We all know that New Mexicans deserve better," Luján said. "The national economy is gaining speed. The stock market is up, the private sector has added jobs for 59 straight months -- the longest streak on record -- but these gains are not being felt in homes across New Mexico."

When U.S. Sen. Tom Udall wrapped up on Friday (Sen. Martin Heinrich still hasn't spoken), the chorus of voices for improving the economy was complete. "Thirty percent of New Mexico children and 44 percent of Native American children live below the poverty line." Udall said. "We should work together to improve that. No American who works full time should be in poverty."

It's difficult to see how a fight over driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants will feed one child or provide one more job. Rather than re-fight old battles, the Legislature should focus on jobs, fighting poverty and increasing economic opportunity. This session, not later.