88-year-old offers up some life lessons

THE ALBUQUERQUE Journal of Sunday Feb. 12 gave us several ideas of Legislature happenings. There are hints that too many lawyers as elected representatives are acting on personal ideals instead of representing the citizens that elected them. One example is raising medical malpractice payouts so insurance costs to doctors and other medics are impossible. That is interfering with the health care options of New Mexico citizens, but gives trial lawyers more business. Another example is the excessive amount of paid leave from work for various reasons. What they propose is beyond the financial ability and responsibility of most of New Mexico businesses . ...

N.M. police departments do not need policy demands from elected legislators who have no idea what actual police work demands of individual officers. If you leave them alone, they will get things sorted out to work properly. … Provide funds to police departments so they can properly train their officers. Even with proper training, there will be many criminals who will make their situation difficult.

… helping public school students graduate from school with less knowledge is not doing them or their families any favors. Legislators must encourage parents of students to help their children learn to read, especially before attending school.

Legislators going after citizens’ firearms is very foolish. Criminals need to be given more attention via stiffening laws and penalties. … Some (gun owners) do need more education on handling and storage. There have been reports of women being killed because they had to wait to purchase a firearm to protect them from a person (they) filed protection papers against.… Hopefully, some legislators will be able to read about some of what I learned after 88 years living in these wonderful United States of America.

ROBERT PRICKETT

Albuquerque