Author: Podcast Producer

Paul and Dowd discuss New Mexico’s gas tax and the State’s infrastructure system as a whole (also whether a gas tax hike is needed).

It was another big week for Right to Work with San Juan County becoming the 8th New Mexico county to adopt an ordinance. Missouri also voted on Right to Work, but it was turned down overwhelmingly. What happened? Is this the beginning of a reversal of Right to Work nationwide? What does it mean for the fall?

According to a new report by the Legislative Finance Committee the Albuquerque Police Department spent more money to put fewer officers on the streets over the last several years.

Finally, another edition of Bureaucrats Behaving Badly!
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Paul and Dowd interview Heath Haussamen, editor and publisher of NMPolitics.net. Topics covered include Heath’s struggles to bring transparency to “Spaceport America,” the demographics and politics of south-central New Mexico, and the contest to replace Steve Pearce in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Paul and Dowd discuss “green jobs” vs. real energy employment in the Land of Enchantment, some very poor “reporting” on Holtec International’s plan for spent nuclear fuel in the southeast corner of New Mexico, the costly pointlessness of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief, and the truly immense price tag attached to “Medicare for All” — legislation sponsored by both of the state’s federal senators.
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In this episode Dowd and Paul offer detailed critiques of the economic plans being put forth by gubernatorial candidates Pearce and Lujan-Grisham. You might be surprised to hear what Dowd and Paul have to say.
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In this week’s episode Dowd and Paul offer a recap of the Foundation’s recent event on free trade with economist Don Boudreaux.

Dowd takes on the race for space between Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos. Who will reach space with a commercially-viable launch first?

Gary Johnson may run for Senate. What happens if he does? Will he give Sen. Heinrich a fight if he does? Will he prepare better than he did for his presidential race?

Michelle Lujan-Grisham claims to be a fiscal conservative. RGF takes a closer look at that claim.

Roosevelt and Lea put the total number of Right to Work counties at 7.

Finally, Las Cruces’ Holtec hysteria.

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For the interview segment: Dowd and Paul interview Matthew Ladner, PhD a Senior Research Fellow with the Charles Koch Institute. Ladner has worked extensively on public policy in New Mexico including education policy. Specifically he connected Gov. Susana Martinez with the “Florida Model” that was put into place by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Ladner also shares some shocking demographic research about New Mexico and explains why the population situation in New Mexico presents some unique problems for policymakers.

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For the news of the week discussion, Dowd and I discuss the Air quality in the Four Corners. Environmentalists keep harping on the air and methane, but what do groups that actually study the issue have to say? NM’s unemployment rate recently dropped to 4.9%. What is happening with that? Eddy County is the latest New Mexico County to adopt “right to work.” A New Mexico judge recently made a momentous decision on education spending deeming the system “inadequate.” Does the judge know what she’s talking about? Is she just legislating from the bench? What do the data say? Finally, Dowd recounts an issue of corruption in New Mexico. Finally, Paul and Dowd remind listeners about the upcoming luncheon with Don Boudreaux.
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What is occupational licensing? What is it supposed to do in theory — and how does it work in practice? Does Governor Martinez’s licensing-reform agenda promise to expand opportunity and economic development in the Land of Enchantment? Paul and Dowd interview Lee McGrath, managing attorney of the Institute for Justice’s Minnesota office.
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Paul and Dowd talk about the taxpayer disasters that are Albuquerque Rapid Transit and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, assess the state’s ranking on the latest edition of CNBC’s “Top States for Business,” discuss hype vs. reality regarding the Land of Enchantment’s aerospace sector, and add some names to the always-expanding list of Bureaucrats Behaving Badly.
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Rather than the usual interview format Paul and Dowd go in-depth on a particular issue. Not surprisingly, that issue is “Right to Work.” Why is the issue so important to the Rio Grande Foundation? What is the history of “Right to Work” for public an private sector workers? How will the Janus decision impact government employees and what could county-level private-sector “Right to Work” do for those counties?
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