Martinez has failed state’s Latino majority
Governor’s priorities put corporate welfare above suffering people’s needs
Regarding the Journal’s recent editorial, “Legislature does some heavy lifting this session,” I suggest there was little heavy lifting.
We have an economy that’s in the tank, increasing dismal human conditions and a governor who is determined to provide more welfare for Corporate America than to poor people.
Martinez championed mostly corporate interests and punitive legislation. She wanted laws to allow her to dismiss minimum wages on behalf of rich corporations; to increase food taxes; to penalize third-graders because broken schools can’t teach them to read; and pushed yet another anti-immigrant initiative.
Instead of fighting for livable wages, Martinez keeps trying to fill big business’ welfare trough. She’s become a corporate governor, determined to convert our state into New Mexico, Inc.
Martinez outmaneuvered ineffectual Democrats — again — and this session was another donothing assembly at the expense of people in need. I speak specifically of Latinos now. Why Latinos? Because as Latinos go, so goes New Mexico.
We are New Mexico’s majority but have the biggest numbers of unemployed and working poor; the most families suffering from hunger; the highest number of uninsured. The numbers get worse each day, but our governor seems oblivious.
Initially, there were great expectations that Martinez would be sympathetic to our needs since she was one of us. Instead, she has helped those who least need it and given the white minority over-representation in opportunities and jobs.
One outrageous example: Martinez hired 28 Cabinet secretaries — but only three of them Latinos.
A tipping point happened several years ago when Martinez supported a bill to allow dogs to eat in (outdoor sections of) restaurants while ignoring thousands of our children who go to bed hungry. I was compelled to declare Martinez the worst governor we’ve ever had. The Wall Street group that recently slammed New Mexico as the worst-run state underscores my charge.
Despite all her reform hot air, Martinez’s education ship continues to sink. The Hispanic Education Act was passed in 2010 to focus on the 72 percent of New Mexico students who are Latino; half of whom are not being graduated.
Experts have warned that it will take more than 100 years to eliminate achievement gaps between our kids and their white counterparts. This is a crisis that demands immediate intervention, yet Martinez ignores the law that would address this disaster.
And, it’s an easy fix. She could act today to completely eliminate the achievement gap between white and Latino students.
This year nearly 1,000 lobbyists pressed lawmakers to influence government on behalf of some of the world’s richest corporations, liquor and drug companies, banks and more animal interests. Even the parent company of the Albuquerque Journal wanted something from taxpayers.
Latinos are a vital New Mexico special interest group. But, when we point out our needs, the typical response is: “Yeah, we know Latinos are the majority … and how bout those Broncos?”
Some say we have what we deserve. They may be right. We’ve been too timid to speak up for ourselves. And Martinez won’t. To paraphrase Madeline Albright, there is a special place in hell for those who don’t help their own. Just know, it’s not fun being treated like a piñata.
The Bernie Sanders phenomenon does offer promise, one that could ignite a political uprising of frustrated New Mexicans to demand that Martinez stop being a corporate governor and start making people’s increasing necessities a priority.
Martinez’s indifference to Latinos and other people’s conditions is incomprehensible. Rep. Christine Trujillo was, thankfully, not timid when she shouted out, “Shame on you!” at Martinez’s State of the State address.