Author Archives: merilee

“We have to fund education by starting from what’s needed, rather than how much money is available.” As education dominates this year’s legislative session, that’s the brilliant insight we hear quoted repeatedly. As if nobody ever thought of that before. … Continue reading →

NOTE: after this column was published, the more moderate legislation was passed. When you own a business, you have to pay your employees before you pay yourself, whether or not you have made any money. It’s the law. You also … Continue reading →

Life and death; pain and suffering: sometimes it’s necessary to talk about the most profound questions about the meaning of life itself and how the state might intervene in the most personal decision we may ever make. New Mexico is … Continue reading →

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, the national weather map had the words ‘Santa Fe,” “Albuquerque,” “Roswell” and “Silver City” in big print.  Most of New Mexico was a glaring shade of pink indicating the predicted snowstorm.  This was … Continue reading →

In one episode of the original “Star Trek,” two warring nations conducted their wars entirely by computer. Nobody got hurt. At the end of the war, members of the losing side had to report to an extermination chamber and give … Continue reading →

Legislators are tinkering with the Public Regulation Commission yet again this year. If legislation is successful, we voters will be looking at another amendment to the state constitution in the 2020 general election, fiddling with the structure of this agency … Continue reading →

When we’re voting for judges, let’s admit it, many of us don’t know what we’re doing. We don’t know enough about the candidates or how to evaluate them. We may vote on the basis of party affiliation or rely on … Continue reading →