New Mexico is in crisis — and not just because of another political stalemate. With two special sessions called by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the federal government still shut down, our state seems to be running on panic and patchwork instead of vision and leadership.
While Washington bickers, state lawmakers scramble to cover the fallout by dipping into emergency funds. Rather than demanding responsible governance, every New Mexico legislator voted to keep the shutdown in place. Are they serving the people or serving a political agenda?
New Mexico has the highest percentage of residents on SNAP (food stamps) in the nation — more than one in five New Mexicans rely on government assistance to eat. This should grieve us. SNAP was designed as a temporary safety net, not a permanent way of life. Yet our policies seem to reinforce dependency instead of opportunity.
Instead of empowering families with better jobs, education, and small business opportunities, we continue to expand government programs that keep people tied to the system. It is hard to talk about independence when so many of our citizens are trapped in dependency.
At the same time, New Mexico has flooded its economy with marijuana dispensaries — more than a thousand licenses and counting. Drive through nearly any town and you will see more pot shops than grocery stores or churches.
We were told the cannabis industry would be a boon to our economy. Instead, it is becoming oversaturated and unstable. Oversupply has led to lower prices, illicit trade, and a marketplace that is benefiting a few at the expense of long-term community health.
Is this really the best we can offer our residents — welfare checks and weed stores?
Calling two special sessions in a matter of months does not show leadership but reaction. Instead of long-term solutions, we get temporary fixes, media sound bites, and more government spending.
We have a governor who seems more comfortable managing chaos than creating stability, and a legislature that goes along for the ride. Meanwhile, every day, New Mexicans struggle with rising prices, stagnant wages, and communities that feel forgotten.
When our leaders operate in panic mode, the people pay the price.
We must ask a hard question: Are New Mexico’s policies truly about compassion — or about control?
Dependence on government is not freedom. It may look like help, but it keeps people exactly where they are: stuck, silent, and dependent on those in power. And when a state government relies on that dependency to justify more programs, more spending, and more regulation, it becomes a cycle of control disguised as compassion.
New Mexicans deserve better. We need leaders who believe in the potential of our people — not leaders who think we cannot make it without them.
We need policies that reward work, strengthen families, and encourage personal responsibility. We need to promote small businesses, not bureaucracy. We need fewer pot shops and more opportunities for meaningful jobs.
A government that keeps people dependent is not serving them. It is trapping them.
New Mexico’s current trajectory should alarm every citizen, regardless of party. Our state is rich in resources, culture, and faith — yet we remain at the bottom in education, income, and economic growth. The problem is not the people. It is the policies.
It is time to stop accepting dependency as destiny. It is time to demand better.
Are we truly for our New Mexico residents, or are we keeping them down? That is the question every voter, legislator, and leader should be asking right now.
Nickie McCarty is the State Director for Concerned Women for America of New Mexico. She is also a former educator and district athletic director.
