Author Archives: merilee

“New Mexico 2050” was the very ambitious title of an only slightly ambitious project. In 2015, a small conference was held and a book was published, featuring in-depth analysis of major issues by respected New Mexico policy experts, edited by … Continue reading →

Maybe the new oil and gas methane rule has a silver lining for New Mexico. That is, if Texas and other oil-producing states have to comply with the same rule as New Mexico, that is no longer a competitive disadvantage … Continue reading →

In an episode of the original Star Trek, the Enterprise lands on a planet where inhabitants have lined up submissively to die at the Disintegration Chamber. The planet is at war with a rival planet, a war fought entirely by … Continue reading →

New Mexico is having an election in a couple of weeks. Now is a good time to get started figuring out whom and what you will be voting on. More precisely, we are having lots of separate elections, all at … Continue reading →

Doug Burgum, governor of North Dakota, made thought-provoking remarks about the complex relationship of our national security, the environment, and the global implications of how countries meet their energy needs. He caught my attention when he mentioned the mining of … Continue reading →

The situation at the U.S.- Mexico border is a tragedy for the migrants who, out of desperation, started a journey in hope and ended up in despair or frustration. It is a hardship for communities forced to deal with the … Continue reading →

The governor’s declaration of a temporary gun moratorium was such a spectacular error that it took public attention off the issues that provoked it: the senseless murders of children in New Mexico. Now we have lots of yammering about how … Continue reading →

My old friend Robert Daigh liked to joke that he was in the “used beer and groceries” business.  That was his bit of earthy humor when talking about the community water and sanitation district that he helped to create. My … Continue reading →

In a recent op-ed article, Rep. Greg Nibert (R-Roswell) sounded the alarm about New Mexico school children, gender identity issues and new legislation. Nibert referred specifically to two bills passed this year: House Bill 7 and Senate Bill 397. His … Continue reading →