NM Business Environment: Room for Improvement
Obama Says He Will Not Pay Social Security First
We did some quick math on the president's claim about having enough money and realized that the government will in fact have much more revenue than what is required to issue social security checks.
It would seem that though it would not play quite as effectively politically let alone get the phones ringing in his opponent's congressional offices, a more accurate statement from the president would have been, "Since it looks like I can't get my opponent to raise income taxes on job creators, and I don't have enough money to fund all the other programs I like, I am now going to threaten NOT MAKE the issuance of social security checks a priority." Come early August, the Obama administration looks like it is going to have to make choices according to importance. Take a look at the Citizens Against Government Waste "Pig Book" for 2010. There has been no action on these programs. Apparently senior citizens make better hostages in negotiations for piling tax increases on job creators.
Army Ranger from Santa Fe receives Medal of Honor: “I didn’t want to see another casualty”
From Capitol Report New Mexico.com - It is the highest military decoration the United States can award and on Tuesday (July 12) it was awarded to a young man from Santa Fe. Army Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, who lost a hand protecting two comrades in Afghanistan by tossing away a live grenade, received the Medal of Honor from President Obama in a ceremony at the White House. Sgt. Petry is the second living, active service member to receive the Medal of Honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. Sgt. Petry is married and the father of four, who graduated from St. Catherine Indian School in Santa Fe in 1998, the school’s final year of existence. Read more
Sgt. Leroy Petry Day declared by governor
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| Sgt. Leroy Petry |
Film tax credit soars ahead of cap
From KRQE-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The state will hand out some $90 million in film credits after television and film projects rushed to beat a July 1 cap on rebates.The Albuquerque Journal reports Tuesday that the state expects the total in film credits for the just ended fiscal year to be $85 million to $95 million. That's $20 million to $30 million more than estimated during the last legislative session, when lawmakers -- under pressure from Gov. Susan Martinez to cut the credit -- adopted an annual cap of $50 million for such rebates beginning in the just started fiscal year. Read more
Swickard column: Children of the nuclear attack upon New Mexico
© 2011 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. The good news: I am still alive and appreciate every day as a bonus. The bad news: I face health challenges including cancer which my government does not admit causing. I am a New Mexico downwinder. We are the children of the surprise nuclear attack upon New Mexico by our government.On July 16, 1945, the Los Alamos based Manhattan Project came to fruition with the unannounced atomic explosion in New Mexico at Trinity Site. While the explosion was in a remote area, the authorities did not evacuate downwind people. They had no idea of the health challenges they would cause when they spread plutonium on the land, in the air and subsequently in the water supply which transferred to the food chain.There is no excuse for the nuclear testing when they had no idea how long the dangers would persist for New Mexicans. Those living 
downwind and downstream of Trinity had no way of knowing what poisons were at work on them. Some became ill without understanding what caused their illness.The nuclear fallout descended upon unaware populations in the Rio Grande, Tularosa and Pecos valleys and also assaulted people who consumed the agriculture products from those areas. Map from NuclearCrimes.org The deadly effects of the plutonium were then and even now ignored by the government. To this day New Mexico is not even on the registry for the Federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990, an attempt by then Interior Secretary Stewart Udall to address the harm done to Americans by nuclear development and testing.On this 66th anniversary of the Trinity Explosion I remind our national and state leaders that New Mexico citizens were injured and still are suffering. We, myself included, are living a lesser life due to the negligent actions of our government. The unintended consequences of Trinity have not been addressed. Read full column
Obama Quotes on Debt
"If we don't raise the debt ceiling and we see a crisis of confidence in the markets, and suddenly interest rates are going up significantly, and everybody is paying higher interest rates on their car loans, on their mortgages, on their credit cards, and that's sucking up a whole bunch of additional money out of the pockets of the American people, I promise you they won’t like that.
"Now, I will say that some of the professional politicians know better. And for them to say that we shouldn’t be raising the debt ceiling is irresponsible. They know better.
"And this is not something that I am making up. This is not something that Tim Geithner is making up. We’re not out here trying to use this as a means of doing all these really tough political things. I'd rather be talking about stuff that everybody welcomes -- like new programs or the NFL season getting resolved. Unfortunately, this is what's on our plate. It’s before us right now. And we’ve got to deal with it.
"So what you’re right about, I think, is, is that the leaders in the room here at a certain point have to step up and do the right thing, regardless of the voices in our respective parties that are trying to undermine that effort.
Martinez Calls for In-State Business Advantages
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| Susana Martinez |
ROSWELL – Governor Susana Martinez visited AerSale, Inc. in Roswell today to tour the facility and meet with the company's employees. AerSale, Inc., a global provider of aftermarket aircraft, engines, and parts, began with just three employees and grew to 100 in fewer than two years. Though AerSale’s original facility measured at 25,000 square feet, their operations now use over 267,000 square feet of facility space. While speaking with employees about ways that government can foster an environment for job creation, Governor Martinez announced that legislation providing for an in-state procurement advantage to New Mexico businesses would be on the agenda during this fall's upcoming special legislative session. “It's critical that we provide New Mexico businesses with the tools to succeed and grow in our state," said Governor Martinez. "This legislation will assist local companies in receiving contracts with the State and create a more competitive playing field for businesses that have chosen to set up shop in New Mexico and hire our workers." During the 2011 general legislative session, in-state procurement legislation was passed by the Legislature, but vetoed by the Governor due to an unintended drafting error that would have subjected private businesses operating on public land to the state's procurement code. If passed in the special session, the legislation would help make New Mexico businesses more competitive when it comes to securing business with the State.
New Border Gun Rules a "Distraction"
Another Environmentalist Law Suit in NM
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