Awhile back, Carter Bundy of AFSCME encouraged us at the Rio Grande Foundation to “Drop the rhetoric and join the real debate.” I responded, but there are so many ways to improve government efficiency by finding alternative ways to government employees that I felt the need to go back to the well to offer even [...]

Deroy Murdock, one of America’s most prominent black libertarian writers will address the Rio Grande Foundation’s second annual “Lights of Liberty” luncheon on June 18, 2010. He is a sydicated columnist with the Scripps Howard News Service and a senior fellow with the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, a supporter of some 300 free-market think tanks in 100 countries world-wide. [...]

The Republican candidates for governor of New Mexico are running a lot of ads and will soon be debating on May 27 on television. But, what I want to know is whether anyone running for Governor — yes, that includes Diane Denish who is running some conservative-sounding ads of her own — has the ability [...]

I noticed an article (based on this press release) in Sunday’s paper explaining that the US Department of Labor had approved Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits for workers who lost their jobs when Eclipse Aviation ceased operations back in 2008. So, what’s the problem? First and foremost, the Trade Adjustment Assistance program is supposed to help [...]

$2 billion awarded, an only 332 more stimulus-funded jobs since last quarter, and the state’s unemployment rate hits 9% according to U.S. Department of Labor.  All those “stimulus-funded jobs,” where are they?  Mostly state government.  We’ve simply switched out funding sources.  New report at New Mexico Watchdog.

Wisconsin Republican Congressman Paul Ryan has made something of a splash among fiscal conservatives with a plan to bring America’s fiscal picture back into balance. His plan, which has been embraced by many conservatives, but not necessarily most Republicans, is called “A Roadmap for America’s Future.” It is one of, if not the only serious, [...]

Tax lightning is still striking New Mexico property owners. One of the problems associated with tax lightning is the convoluted way in which property is assessed and thus taxed in New Mexico. Our own Micha Gisser, professor emeritus at UNM, wrote in the Albuquerque Journal about one component of the solution, that is, returning assessments [...]

In case you’ve been out of the country, you are probably already aware that the 2010 elections this November are very important to New Mexico’s future. Before we get to November, however, there is a primary on June 1 and early voting is going on right now. In order to help decide who they want [...]

That was the question this week at the Independent Forum. Martha Burk, thankfully not Richardson’s economic advisor, seems to think that only government can create jobs. Responses from the more rational panelists can also be found, including, not surprisingly, a rather lengthy response from yours truly (the final one). I do wonder, however, where are [...]

I am NOT a scientist, but like just about every other American, I am concerned about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, but from an environmental and a public policy perspective (check out the recent Independent Forum for more details). Up til now it has seemed like no real solutions to the spill [...]