Swickard: Paying Americans too much or too little

2014 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. Question: when is the notion of “any” considered not enough? And, when is the notion of “much” considered too much? Answer: when the government decides the compensation for American workers.

     Lately, along with the push to increase minimum compensation, there is now a push to impose a maximum wage. Some Americans are getting too much compensation so the government must stop them.

     I cannot lay my finger on the part of the United States Constitution that says the government can make me pay someone more or less than I desire. The founders thought that emancipated adult citizens had the right to make any deal for compensation if both sides agree. If they do not agree, they do not have to trade.

     Economist Milton Friedman wrote, “There is one and only one social responsibility of business, to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.”

     All of the horror stories about workers being abused involve times in America’s past that are no longer germane to the argument. If someone is not making any money right now and wants to work for less than the minimum wage it is wrong to keep them unemployed. Further, they are not gaining productive skills. Read full column

Swickard: Paying Americans too much or too little

Tesla to develop sites in two states

From KOAT-TV.com - by Megan Cruz - The playing field for Tesla's battery factory is about to go from four states to at least two, according to published reports.Gov. Susana Martinez said she's hearing New Mexico is in the running.

     "They are considering New Mexico," she said. "We are one of those states that they're considering, but the site selector won't give us a whole lot more than that." According to Bloomberg News, Tesla will choose sites in at least two states. The company's CEO said crews will do everything short of breaking ground. Whichever site has less setbacks will be the factory's final location.
     "We may not build it and see if they come, but we'll give them our word on anything we negotiated and we will follow through with that word because we want them here in New Mexico," said Martinez.
     Timing is of the essence for Tesla. The car manufacturer wants to launch a line of affordable cars in three years. It'll need the battery plant to do that. "Whether it's infrastructure or roadways or anything that may help the plant be accessible, and make sure they're up and running as fast as possible," said Martinez.
     Martinez does not know when Tesla will choose the two states. The plant will about cost $5 billion to build and will employ 6,500 people. More

Tesla to develop sites in two states

Golfer Notah Begay suffers heart attack

From KOAT-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —Golf great Notah Begay suffered a heart attack this past week. He’s a golf analyst for NBC Sports and the Golf Channel. Before that he played alongside Tiger Woods and won the PGA Tour in 1999 and 2000.
     Begay, 41, is at home recovering from the heart attack at home and is expected to be OK. The attack occurred in Dallas, according to a statement from the New Mexico-based Notah Begay Foundation.
     Doctors had to insert a stent to open up a blocked artery. “There is probably a genetic pre-disposition because he's extremely young -- I rarely see someone in this age group that doesn't either have diabetes or a strong family history,” said KOAT’s medical expert Dr. Barry Ramo.
     Ramo expects Begay to make a full recovery. “This experience has reinforced, for me, the need to urgently address health and wellness issues among Native American youth,” said Begay.
     His foundation was created in 2005. According to its website, its mission is to curb childhood obesity in Native American children through sports. About 50 percent of Native American children will develop Type 2 Diabetes in their lifetimes. More

Golfer Notah Begay suffers heart attack

NM ‘Field of Dreams’ becoming a reality

New Albuquerque Stadium. Photo - Albuquerque Journal

From KRQE-TV.com - ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – One city councilor calls it “The Field of Dreams.” Albuquerque is finally getting the ball rolling on a sports megaplex in a busy area. “We need more sports fields in Albuquerque and it’s a common need we’ve had for a long time,” Mayor R.J. Berry said.
     The mayor is talking about 81 acres just west of Community Stadium off of Arroyo Vista. In 2011, voters approved $2.8 million to turn the mesa in to a sports megaplex. Monday, the city finally closed the deal on the land.
     The goal is to eventually build 20 or so different fields for soccer, baseball and softball. Councilor Ken Sanchez says it’s about time. He says other city councilors were ready to move and scoop up land elsewhere since this deal took a lot longer than expected.
     “I said we’ve got to get this done,” Sanchez said. “Taxpayers of this community went to the ballot, voted to make sure the money was secured for this location and you’ve got to get signed get this document signed. Today is one of our big days.”
     The city will look to the community for ideas and input before they start building.  Master planning for development will begin in the fall of this year. More

NM ‘Field of Dreams’ becoming a reality

Strong winds continue overnight

From KOB-TV.com - By: Erica Zucco, KOB Eyewitness News 4 Forecasters urge New Mexicans to heed caution as wind advisories remain in effect from Saturday night into Sunday night, bringing blowing dust and fire dangers to most areas of the state.
     Today, the state saw a little bit of every season. Dust in the air and wind in your hair... the metro got a big dose of Mother Nature's fury with gusts up to 58 in Albuquerque.
     Strong winds knocked a tree into a home near 10th and Lead, and in Roswell, a tree landed on a van driving by, cracking the windshield. No one was seriously hurt. The highest recorded wind gusts of the day was 90 mph in San Augustin. Winds reached 71 mph in White Sands, 66 in Las Vegas, N.M., and 63 in Carrizozo.
     Gallup got the most wintry surprise with a dusting of snow and 35 degree temperatures. More

Strong winds continue overnight

Endangered: American commerce under attack

© 2014 Michael Swickard, Ph.D. This much I know: whatever you wish to do in commerce will be opposed by environmental lawyers in three areas: animals, lands and procedures. All are tied to a political agenda to destroy commerce. The money for environmentalists to oppose commerce is provided by said commerce in the form of taxes. They are using the proceeds of capitalism to kill capitalism.

     How does it work? Whenever someone attempts to farm, ranch or develop extractives, there is always a potential endangered species that suddenly crops up which cannot exist with the farm, ranch or extractive activity. Year after year every capitalistic venture in our country is under this same attack.

     Environmentalists look to see where the capitalistic activity is and then apply concern of some unknown species to that activity. You want to open a mine? There is a potential endangered habitat there. Suddenly the media is full of stories about the newest species which is then used to stop commerce. Environmentalists trot out these species as needed. 

     When they do, the forces of capitalism must muster a robust defense of the proposed commerce while the environmental lawyers are paid by taxes. Importantly, when one battle is won or lost then environmental lawyers bring out the next species to battle over and the battle begins again. They battle until people who work for a living run out of money and desire to fight. 

     Many multi-generational ranchers have left ranching for good because the courts are stacked against them. Many battle with all their heart to continue the Agricultural heritage of America which is under attack. They battle until they no longer can battle. The media either paints them as wanting to harm endangered species or does not mention them at all. 

     Ultimately when Agriculture and the Extractive Industries are destroyed by political monsters for the purpose of political gain, the American citizens lose. Read full column

Endangered: American commerce under attack

Water Authority votes on adding fluoride to drinking supply

From KOB-TV.com - By: Jorge Torres, KOB Eyewitness News 4 - Back in March of 2011, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority stopped adding fluoride to the local drinking water supply for the first time since the city began adding it in the 1970s.
     Fast forward three years and the Water Authority Board is proposing to start adding it again at the request of the Center for Disease Control. The reason is that many members of the community, in particular the dental community, are concerned that the naturally occurring level is not sufficient to provide the dental health benefits that they would like to see, according to ABCWUA spokesperson David Morris.
     The naturally occurring level of fluoride in Albuquerque's drinking water supply is 0.5 parts per million, while the Center for Disease Control's recommended optimal level is 0.7 ppm. One Albuquerque dentist is opposed to the addition.
     "My major concern is the lack of scientific testing for safety and even the Environmental Protection Agency has stated that they don't have any information on file on the effects on fluoride in the water supply on health and behavior," said Dr. Bill Wolfe.
     If passed during Wednesday’s board meeting, the Water Authority plans on adding more fluoride by the end of the year.
UPDATE: The Water Authority’s governing board tonight voted not to add supplemental fluoride to the city's water supply. Its members promised in the same resolution to revisit the issue when finalized recommendations on an optimal fluoride level are released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control. More

Water Authority votes on adding fluoride to drinking supply

NM school officials concerned about new medicine law

Some New Mexico officials are concerned schools could be left vulnerable in the wake of a new law requiring they stockpile medicine to treat students who experience severe allergic reactions or asthma attacks. 

The Albuquerque Journal reports that some school districts are hesitant to follow the new law because they can be sued if something goes wrong.

Gov. Susana Martinez signed Senate Bill 75 into law last month, saying it would save children's lives. The law, which takes effect July 1, permits school nurses to administer the medication even to students who don't have a prescription. But a clause in the bill shielding schools from civil lawsuits was removed. 

Dick Minzner, an attorney who studied the law, says schools could be sued if medicine is incorrectly administered or stored.

NM school officials concerned about new medicine law

Bankruptcy filings in NM continue to drop

Bankruptcy filings in New Mexico dipped in 2013, continuing a downward trend that has been going on since 2010. 

The clerk's office for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Albuquerque says the state overall had a rate of two bankruptcy filings per capita last year, which falls below the national average of 3.3. 

The data shows Valencia County with the highest rate of the state's 33 counties with a ratio of 2.8 filings. Sandoval and Torrance counties came in second and third, respectively. Bernalillo County, which showed 2.5 filings per capita, hasn't ranked in the top three in the last decade. 

Experts say higher unemployment rates and longer work commutes could be potential factors for the higher rates.

Bankruptcy filings in NM continue to drop

Gov. former campain manager wants Downs information

Jamie Estrada 

A former campaign manager for New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez accused of hijacking her campaign's email system and lying about it is seeking information tied to a state contract for the Downs at Albuquerque. 

Jamie Estrada's attorney says in court documents filed last week that evidence related to the Downs Racetrack & Casino could reveal possible credibility problems with Martinez and other potential witnesses. Prosecutors say the Downs case is unconnected to the charges Estrada faces. 

Estrada briefly served as campaign manager in 2009 before being ousted by Martinez as she was starting her bid for governor. Estrada is scheduled to go on trial July 15 for allegedly intercepting emails and making false statements to federal investigators.

Gov. former campain manager wants Downs information