Greater cooperation needed to solve NM’s woes

Sometimes we feel like we’re just one more voice — in a chorus of many — stating the obvious when we talk about the many problems exacerbated by the poverty and education problems in this state. But it’s too important, and it’s impact too great, to let it slide.

And, after reading that Medicaid pays for 72 percent of the babies born in New Mexico compared to a national average of 47 percent, we had to add our voice to the many others who have expressed concern, outrage and disappointment.

There are so many problems in our state. Our schools rank 49th in the nation, we have a higher percentage of fourth-graders who can’t read at grade level than any other state, far too many people live in poverty, and crime rates suffer accordingly. Now we discover nearly three-fourths of the babies born in this state are born to parents in poverty. New Mexicans are suffering; we must do something about it.

It would be wonderful to say that someone has the solution, but even if that was true, it wouldn’t do any good unless the politicians and the people of the state would come together and support it. The problems are complex, they have had years to become part of the culture, and the solution will not be easily implemented.

Nothing will happen unless the people and politicians have the will to do something. Business as usual won’t get us anywhere. Partisan agendas are doomed to failure. Adding another layer of government programs will only give us another layer of government programs. If we just throw money at the problem, it decreases the probability that folks will understand they must take responsibility for their own lives.

We can cite depressing numbers seemingly forever. We can complain that our politicians aren’t doing enough. We can ask for better leadership. That basically makes us like too many others — complaining about a problem but not doing anything about it. We want to do something, and we know you all do, too.

Most, if not many, of us give as much as we can or work hard to support programs that help those less fortunate than ourselves. New Mexico people are generous. The support we give is essential and feeds many people, but it doesn’t reach the root of the problem.

That is where we need fine minds, great leadership and the people’s support to make systemic change. It won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight, but it must be done. If not, it’s as if we’re just writing off a huge segment of our community. We want to find a solution to change the trajectory of lives in New Mexico.

The easy part will be bringing the people together; it is much more difficult to find the path to put them on. Whether it is better elected officials, finding the fine minds with the ideas, listening to the ideas that are already out there, putting all sorts of ideas together to create a better one, we need to do something.

For things to continue the way they are in New Mexico is unacceptable. It’s tragic to allow lives to be lost and futures to be wasted. We must figure out what to do and how to do it and then make it work.