Category: Commentaries

Walt Rubel Commentary: NMSU football: Invest or drop down

12/1/2021

Plenty of good seats were still available at kickoff Saturday for the Aggies’ final game of the football season, which was unfortunate but not surprising.

Unfortunate, because New Mexico State beat the University of Massachusetts in an exciting game between two evenly matched teams played on a beautiful, sunny afternoon. Not surprising, because almost none of the previous games this season have met that criteria, except for the beautiful afternoon part.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Don’t let one city’s crime stifle reform

11/17/2021

One year after leading the effort to strip police officers of their qualified immunity from civil lawsuits, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is now seeking additional funding for law enforcement.

The governor will call for an additional $100 million to hire 1,000 more law enforcement officers throughout the state when the Legislature meets in January, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Gun ban must be extended to local boards

11/10/2021

Last week, the New Mexico Legislature finally passed a rule banning guns in the state Capitol building. Now, they need to provide that same common-sense protection for local school boards and city councils.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Pandemic exposes weakness of Legislature

10/21/2021

State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg has apparently decided that if the weak and subservient New Mexico Legislature will not stand up for itself, he’ll do it for them.

Eichenberg, who previously served in the state Senate, has written a court brief in support of a lawsuit filed by two senators, Republican Greg Baca and Democrat Jacob Candelaria, challenging the authority of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to spend federal relief money without going through the legislative process.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Local elections worth the challenge for voters

10/6/2021

Every four years, Americans flock to the polls in droves to elect a new president. Last year, more than 155 million people cast their ballots, most of them just happy that the campaign was finally over, at least for a minute.

Two year later, we have the mid-term elections, where we elect a new governor, and all members of both the state and U.S. House are up for re-election. Next year, voters will get to weigh in for the first time on the governor’s aggressive public health order to combat COVID-19.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Waiting for justice in Baby Favi case

9/29/2021

I lack the credentials to offer a legal opinion as to how the New Mexico Supreme Court should rule in the case relating to the death of Faviola Rodriguez. But you don’t need a law degree to know what’s right.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Take electrons out of the hands of politicians

9/22/2021

I remember an old poster from my college days that asked, “What if they gave a war and nobody came?”

That’s kind of what happened Saturday in Washington, D.C. Capitol Police who survived the battle on Jan. 6 were prepared for a second round. But this time nobody came.

Walt Rubel Commentary: New money not enough for Aggies, Lobos

9/15/2021

When the New Mexico Legislature put additional money in the budget last year to wipe out the debts of the athletic programs at New Mexico State University and the University of New Mexico, it was hoped that the schools would no longer need to put our football teams up as cannon fodder in so-called “money games.”

Walt Rubel Commentary: Confusion, fear, anger and finally understanding

9/8/2021

As I think back to the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, my primary memory is one of confusion.

I was the editor of an afternoon newspaper in Kansas, and was almost finished with the front page. I’ll be forever grateful to the publisher who convinced me to tear it up and start over.

Walt Rubel Commentary: Many Afghans start their new lives here

9/1/2021

Thousands of Afghan refugees whisked to safety during the massive evacuation that concluded this week experienced their first taste of freedom here in Dona Ana County.

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